The extract I posted is only a small section of the policy. If this is not a ban, let's call it a gagging with gaffer tape.

They love getting ammo to use against people they don't like. I've seen it done. Just be smart about it, don't speak as an employee and don't release confidential information.

Nope, still don't see how it's a ban or gag. In fact even without the above policy you would still be in trouble if you wrote something and it harmed or defamed someone or a business, provided you could be identified.

The extract I posted is only a small section of the policy. If this is not a ban, let's call it a gagging with gaffer tape.

I'm curious as to how you're still posting if you're banned

Wurx, I think he has marked his location as "banned", rather than Bullamakanka or Bankstown or wherever he lives. Very amusing, a good trick.

M

Just for comparison, heres an overview of the social media policy for an organization where security can literally be a matter of life and death.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TizmoKPNyY

A much fairer and equitable approach by the RAAF IMHO

A much fairer and equitable approach by the RAAF IMHO

LOL yeah, much too nice to form part of this railway's policies.
Fair? Equitable? Ethical? What's that?

So, all I got from this thread, and the extract posted by T88 is, use your effing brain when posting online. I guess these days it's easier and easier when people haven't got a brain.

So, all I got from this thread, and the extract posted by T88 is, use your effing brain when posting online. I guess these days it's easier and easier when people haven't got a brain.

Totally agree. I think I read a different policy to what has been reported here. Why does Face Book and paranoia go hand in hand?

Totally agree. I think I read a different policy to what has been reported here. Why does Face Book and paranoia go hand in hand?

Because people are quite careless in posting things that can be publicly viewed, and being that they put so much personal information on there it's easy to identify who has said what. It's really the 21st century version of writing public comment in a newspaper, although instead of "Trent from Northern Beaches", you'll see my full name, employer, work history, photos of me at a party, etc etc. Thus, employers don't like to see their name dragged through the mud. Nothing has changed in that respect, but it's a lot easy to identify who is doing it, and why shouldn't they protect their interests?

Simple privacy settings on Facebook, not telling people who you work for and not making silly comments is an easy way to avoid trouble. It's no different from identifying myself as a Woolworths employee on these forums and then publicly attacking the price and quality of sausages in the off-topic forum. Difference being, this is a rail forum, and thus, railway employers monitor them to ensure their staff are not breaking rules about information distribution and saying negative things about the company.

In short as a employee would you guys agree that it's ok to have a opinion but not voice here if it has the slightest under tone against the minister or your employer?
YES?

Best not play at all me thinks.Senior  management host forums at RSL clubs about twice a year for all staff on how to improve things.
But nobody is interested in attending for fear of being identified as a trouble maker. Then if you have a brilliant idea and it's taken on board, someone further up the ladder takes credit for it.

Stuff

Perhaps you work for the wrong company if you're so annoyed by this?

I don't recall identifying myself as a driver at any organisation? I make no secret of my identity, or my place of residence, so your attempt to intimidate me has failed.

I don't recall identifying myself as a driver at any organisation? I make no secret of my identity, or my place of residence, so your attempt to intimidate me has failed.

And I still wonder why T88 lurks here. His inaccurate statements and snarky responses only cause me to ponder about the fact that he's still here.

And apparently, according to T88, I'm impersonating myself, as per here:

Back pedal a little bit kid. Hmmm a child, or pretending to be a child? I think the latter.

You can only imagine what goes through the blokes head everyday.

Well, that counts to 10 alias' now. Hope you enjoyed your 10th stay mate.

EDIT = I think that T4723 earned a ban for impersonating , both T88 and 2301.  I'm sydnytrains, not anybody else.

Copy and Paste:
This is a extract of the policy that is not a controlled document.


Social media

Refers to social media sites, tools and platforms that provide users with infrastructure and resources to connect and communicate with each other and share and exchange content or information.

They include but are not limited to:

o social networking sites - e.g. Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Google Plus, Tumblr, LinkedIn

o video and photo sharing websites - e.g. YouTube, Flickr, Instagram


micro-blogging sites - e.g. Twitter

o forums and discussion boards - e.g. Whirlpool, Yahoo! Groups, Google Groups

o blogs, including corporate blogs, personal blogs and blogs hosted by traditional media outlets

o online encyclopaedias – e.g. Wikipedia

o instant messaging software/applications e.g. MSN, WhatsApp, iMessage, QQ, WeChat, Skype

o any other websites that allow individual users or organisations to use simple self publishing tools.

Publish

Includes but is not limited to posting, blogging, tweeting, uploading photographs, commenting, sharing, liking and re-tweeting content on social media.


Staff must not:

use their work email address;

use a Transport agency or NSW Government logo or insignia;

impersonate another staff member;

publish content likely to bring the Transport cluster into disrepute;

make disparaging comments about work colleagues;

post material that is, or might be construed as offensive, obscene, defamatory, hateful, racist, sexist, infringes copyright, constitutes a contempt of court or is otherwise unlawful;

imply that they are authorised to speak as a representative of a Transport agency or the NSW Government, or give the impression that the views they express are those of the Transport cluster or the Government; and / or

post material that is, or might be construed as, threatening, harassing, bullying or discriminatory towards other staff of the Transport Cluster.

Transport recommends that staff do not post any work related phone numbers on social media. Publishing a work phone number (even a ported personal mobile number) may identify the staff member as part of the Transport cluster.

This section also applies to:

social media activities undertaken by staff members anonymously;

staff members who contribute articles to social media as subject matter experts or members of a professional network (e.g. project management or engineering technology) are also subject to the External Papers, Reports and Presentations Process.

T88, I don't see any difference with what this social media policy is saying and the Air Force example put up before. Both are saying don't act in a way that brings the company into disrepute, don't use it to bully people and don't make your comments as i they reflect the views of the company. The Air Force one does come with happy music to help it go down, I'll give you that, but at the roots, they're saying the same thing.

The Sydney Trains excerpt doesn't say anything about not being able to voice your grievances with work, just that you need to not be offensive about it. I don't see anything in that guidance stopping you posting that you disagree with the uniform choice or that you dislike the current timetable (if so), only that your comments aren't to be racist, defamatory, or sexist, etc.

Given how worked up about this that you are, I'd say you're annoyed with the company about some other issue(s) and you may have understood the policy through already being in that state of mind. Don't take this the wrong way, but I suggest you talk it out with someone mate. Management, the Union, whoever you need to. This social media policy really isn't as ominous or draconian as it sounds.

You're clearly passionate about the job otherwise you wouldn't be posting your grievances online. Find it. Enjoy it again.

All the best.

Cheers,
Ben

The Mind Police now have a new way to stop you thinking for your self and telling others about it.
It's called a Social Media Policy.
I wonder when they will introduce an "Associating With" Policy, so then they can even tell you who you can be friends with.
It's the thin end of the "1984" wedge people.
Are you going to let them get away with it ? or are you just going to lower your trousers and assume the position ?

The Zodiac

It's nothing new.  Most organisations have restrictions on what their employees can say publicly.  In the railway context, my friend was hauled before the then Chief Commissioner for saying something critical in a newspaper.  That was decades ago.  The organisation has to communicate the rules to employees in some way - hence the "policy".  The way around it is relatively easy.  The employee "makes the bullets" and has someone else fire them.  It was ever so.  Isn't that why journalists have a code of not revealing their sources?

Do you honestly think that before the policy came out you could have posted offensive, obscene, defamatory, hateful, racist, sexist etc. comments using your real name, employer, position etc. and got away with it?

can not see anything in the list which prevents you from posting your own views about life, the universe and everything rail.  perhaps these new rules are specific to the use of your corporate network?

how can any body or employer prevent an employee from free speech and using internet.

bogus

It's straight out of a corporate 'social medial control handbook' about 'controlling your media image'. It doesn't account for the unusually high number of railway employees who are also 'railway fans' and like to discuss/talk about railways with other like minded fans. Most 'corporates' wouldn't have employees who are basically being paid to do their hobby

The higher education sector also has similar problems with 'management' taking standard 'corporate' media policies and trying to apply them to people who a 'passionate' about their work.

It just results in disgruntled employees - employees who being 'passionate' about their work are probably your best and most productive ones. But management don't like being upstaged.

Of course there are those who can't work out the 'line' them selves and do go as far as actually defaming people. But there were already mechanisms for dealing with those people.

It's straight out of a corporate 'social medial control handbook' about 'controlling your media image'. It doesn't account for the unusually high number of railway employees who are also 'railway fans' and like to discuss/talk about railways with other like minded fans. Most 'corporates' wouldn't have employees who are basically being paid to do their hobby

The higher education sector also has similar problems with 'management' taking standard 'corporate' media policies and trying to apply them to people who a 'passionate' about their work.

It just results in disgruntled employees - employees who being 'passionate' about their work are probably your best and most productive ones. But management don't like being upstaged.

Of course there are those who can't work out the 'line' them selves and do go as far as actually defaming people. But there were already mechanisms for dealing with those people.

Well put.

Truth remains a defence against any charge.  It could not be construed as "bringing the Transport cluster into disrepute" to post, for example, that you were driving 131P and were delayed 10 minutes between Waitara and Hornsby for the nth day in a row.  However, it would almost certainly be a breach of the Code to follow that up with "It was all the fault of (name of other employee)" or "I wish Gladys was tied to the rails in the yard".

Any employee copping disciplinary action for social media use that is NOT a direct breach of those guidelines should keep the number of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal handy.

Social media is all about common sense.  There should be a school subject about it in Years 7-10, every smegging day, but that's another story.  Any grown adult who screws their life and/or career through social media is not deserving of sympathy.  Just pretend that every reader of your posts is sitting in the room with you, and that the Russian mafia is looking over your shoulder.  You'll soon work out how to behave.

Several posters already incorporate a tag to the effect that the post is made in their own private capacity and not on behalf of their employer.   That should do it.

Several posters already incorporate a tag to the effect that the post is made in their own private capacity and not on behalf of their employer.   That should do it.

As I saw on the Internet some one years ago -


'Never post to the Internet (or email) anything you wouldn't want your mother/wife/daughter to read'.

A nice simple rule to keep in mind. Does what I'm about to post past the 'mother test' ?

If more people kept that in mind, there would be far less trouble about the 'net.