Social Media Policy
The use of Social Media is ubiquitous in today’s social discourse. As such it is imperative that Royal Neighbors not only recognize the importance of social media; it must put in place processes and procedures to embrace the opportunities social media creates. While mindful of these opportunities, Royal Neighbors recognizes that social media presents its own set of challenges, particularly where Royal Neighbors is interacting, either directly or through its agents, with the general public and members with regard to product offerings.
Social media is a digital technology communication platform used to share content, opinions, insights and media via online text, pictures, videos and links. Examples of social media tools include TwitterTM, Facebook©, YouTubeTM, LinkedIn®, Websites/blogs, Pinterest® and Instagram®. As a member of a heavily regulated industry, Royal Neighbors needs to develop additional safeguards to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations before opening up social media to all of its constituents.
Mindful of this restriction, this social media policy will evolve over time. Initially this social media policy will focus on the non-insurance aspects of the Royal Neighbors relationships. Since Royal Neighbors encourages the close collaboration of individuals in a chapter setting, social media will be used to help facilitate this collaboration. As the Society continues to develop and enhance its understanding of the benefits and limitations of the use of social media, it will refine and expand its policy to cover all of its operations including the use of social media by its sales force and the proactive use of social media by the organization itself to more fully engage its membership.
Agent and Independent Marketing Organization Use of Social Media
Royal Neighbors will continue to require that all members of its sales force obtain prior written approval for the use of Royal Neighbors of America’s name, mark, or mention of any of its products in any social media forum or other written communication, if the intent is to solicit either directly or indirectly, the agents’ clients or members of the general public to inquire about, purchase, or otherwise promote Royal Neighbors of America or any of its products and/or benefits. In addition, Royal Neighbors will require all of its IMOs and agents to obtain written permission for any distribution to or solicitation or recruitment of agents or potential agents if there is any reference to Royal Neighbors of America, its products or benefits or any comparison of Royal Neighbors of America with any of its competitors. Royal Neighbors reserves the right to monitor and control the unauthorized use of its name, mark, or the name or description of any of its products and to take steps to prevent any unauthorized or misleading use of the name, any associated marks, or products. Nothing in this policy is intended to replace or amend the requirements for agents to comply with Royal Neighbors’ agent advertising requirements.
Social Media and Chapters
Royal Neighbors recognizes the benefits of utilizing social media to help the chapters interact with their members. Royal Neighbors will provide each of its chapters a Facebook page. In order to manage and control information about the Royal Neighbors identity and activities, chapters and individual chapter members may not create or use any other social media outlet to discuss Royal Neighbors or any of its activities, including, but not limited to, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. Royal Neighbors will provide guidelines to its chapter leaders on the use of the Facebook which may be updated from time to time at Royal Neighbors’ discretion. Royal Neighbors reserves the right to monitor and control content on the Chapter Facebook page. All postings must comply with applicable copyright and intellectual property laws and be either original material from the person posting the material, or have the permission of the author or owner of the material before posting. Material posted should be related to chapter events or activities or be otherwise of interest to the chapter members. Due to regulations and other legal restrictions, the postings may not relate or refer to any products offered by Royal Neighbors.
Social Media and Royal Neighbors of America
Royal Neighbors may maintain its own social media forums. However, because of additional issues and restrictions involving the use of social media by financial services organizations, it is the policy of Royal Neighbors to only allow the establishment of a corporate Facebook account at this time. In addition, only authorized employees are permitted to post material on the Facebook account. No posting may relate to any of the products offered by Royal Neighbors or for which Royal Neighbors is receiving any form of compensation, whether in the form of premium income, royalties, or other forms of consideration. In addition no information may be posted regarding agent, agent training, or recruitment or any sales or revenue numbers. The Facebook account will be monitored by members of the marketing department to ensure that only appropriate comments are allowed.