Chapter 10: What Constitutes Appropriate (and Inappropriate) Instant Messaging Content?

Overview

One of the most effective ways for employers to reduce electronic risks is also one of the simplest. By requiring employees to use appropriate, businesslike language in instant messages (as well as e-mail and other electronic documents), employers can help limit their liability risks and improve the overall effectiveness of the organization’s IM system and other e-communications. ^[1]

Unfortunately, the speedy, real-time nature of IM—coupled with the fact that employees may be using it without management’s knowledge and outside the boundaries of written rules and policies—may tempt some employees to write messages that are just too chatty for comfort, and to engage in inappropriate and potentially risky behavior.

According to a Blue Coat Systems survey of instant messagers in the United Kingdom, employees use IM at the office to gossip (80 percent), share music and video files (40 percent), exchange pornography (20 percent), and flirt (33 percent). More troubling is the fact that half of the employees surveyed report using abusive language and insulting customers and colleagues in instant messages. ^[2]

This is precisely the type of inappropriate content (and potentially illegal content in the case of music and video file sharing) that can trigger lawsuits, drain employee productivity, and waste computer resources.

IM Rule # 20: The easiest way to control instant messaging risk is to control written content.

^[1]Nancy Flynn, The ePolicy Handbook, New York, AMACOM, 2001.

^[2]Silicon.com press release, ‘‘Flirting, Pornography, and Bad Language—How Staff Use IM’’ (September 15, 2003). Blue Coat Systems commissioned the survey of 200 workplace IM users in the UK. www.silicon.com/news/500012/1/6004.html.