Information Governance: Concepts, Strategies, and Best Practices

CHAPTER 13

Information Governance for Social Media^*

By Dr. Patricia Franks and Robert Smallwood

Information is the lifeblood of every organization, and an increasing volume of information today is created and exchanged through the use of social networks and Web 2.0 tools like blogs, microblogs, and wikis.

Corporations use public social media technology to create a visible brand, strengthen relations with current customers while attracting new connections and clients, highlight their products and services, and gather intelligence that can be used in decision making.

Governments use public social media technologies to consult with and engage citizens, provide services, and keep pace with fast-moving events (e.g., natural disasters).

Both types of enterprises also benefit from the use of internal social media solutions that facilitate communication and collaboration, improve employee engagement, and boost productivity and efficiency.

Content created through or posted to these new social media platforms must be managed, monitored, and, quite often, archived. Content that meets the organization's definition of a record (i.e., documents business activities) must be retained in accordance with the organization's records retention and disposition policy.

Too often, social media content is not managed by information governance (IG) policies or monitored with controls that ensure protection of the brand and critical information assets and preservation of business records.

Types of Social ...