Social media refers to online communication environments whose users can both receive content and actively communicate and produce contents to other users. This kind of environments include discussion boards, blogs, wikis and websites for social networking, for example. In social media, people are active actors: they comment and share each others鈥 contents, get to know other users and talk about things. Besides creating communities, social media is a good channel for networking and learning.
Each employee can make their own decision on their involvement in social media and their network identity. A university employee can participate in online discussions both in their capacity as an employee and as a private person.
However, always consider whether your activity in social media affects your credibility as an expert, researcher and teacher as well as representative of Aalto University. Remember that you cannot decide yourself whether others see you as a representative of the Aalto community or as a private person. Although you may think that you are acting in your personal capacity, the employer is often very quickly associated with the heated discussions and uproar.
Speak about your work community and its members respectfully. Social media is subject to the same legislation, values and ethical guidelines as the other operations, and the normal work-related responsibilities and obligations apply to the employee. It is important not to disclose or discuss confidential issues in a public environment. Such issues include classified information and information protected by the Personal Data Act and non-disclosure agreements.
It is not possible to control discussions in the social media, you can only try to influence them. If you find yourself at the centre of an uproar, stay calm. Do not remove anything old or add anything new without considering it first. If you are harassed in the social media or something you say sparks an uproar, contact Aalto University Communications (communications@aalto.fi) straight away. You may also contact the harassment contact persons in Aalto.
Aalto University wants to increase interaction between personnel, students and stakeholders. This is done by using social media channels for, e.g. brainstorming, feedback collection, communicating, initiating discussion topics and social influencing.
When creating a social media community, its life cycle should be regarded as a long-term project, however; it is recommended that a communication plan be prepared for a year in advance, or half a year at a minimum. It is worth reserving time and resources for regular content production.
When creating a social media community related to university activities, take a minute to think about the following issues beforehand:
The name of the community should be considered carefully, as it may not be possible to change it afterwards. The name should include the name of Aalto University in the main communication language used in the community.
If you have already created a community related to university activities, kindly notify Aalto Communications (communications@aalto.fi) about it. Aalto Communications disseminates news in accordance with the social media news criteria in its broad social media network and is happy to share the content of Aalto users!
The communities maintained by COS are:
Social media involves information security risks, including user ID thefts, identity forgeries and malware. You may not use your work password and work user ID in social media services. With social media, also keep in mind that your information security and privacy hinge on the service provider.
Also familiarise yourself with other recommendations and instructions published at Aalto University:
If you suspect a problem with information security, your computer 鈥渁cts weird鈥, you have accidentally clicked on a suspicious web link, or you have replied to a phishing message, immediately contact the information security group at (security@aalto.fi).
If you discover suspicious links and/or profiles on websites maintained by Aalto University, contact the administrator of the concerned channel or Aalto Communications.
In the event of a crisis, Aalto Communications assume responsibility over official crisis communication. When communicating about a crisis situation, the services offered by social media may be used alongside other communication channels due to their ability to reach people quickly and widely and to provide up-to-date information.
For advice or further information, please contact: communications@aalto.fi.
Copyright Agreement templates and Model Release. When starting a production, agree on the copyright in advance when you order a video recording, photography, or audio podcast for Aalto University. Here you can find brief instructions and a few agreement templates for your use (general copyright agreement, model release).
The Aalto University Code of Conduct is one way of putting our values and way of working 鈥 the foundation of our community culture 鈥 into practice
