With the explosion of electronic communications content types showing no signs of abating, organisations are facing an uphill struggle when it comes to managing social media content. Unable to ignore the legal and regulatory consequences of social media activity occurring outside the monitored compliance perimeter, businesses have to act now to stay both competitive and compliant.

Although email remains the dominant content type for most businesses, other forms of communication, including social media, are gaining traction. But, whilst the benefits that using social media communications can deliver for businesses are clear, the rewards archiving affords are often overlooked.

Archiving technology solutions are available that enable organisations in regulated industries to say yes to the use of social media communications, knowing that they can responsibly meet their compliance obligations proactively and be ready for discovery requests while taking the risk out of the equation with an effective management and governance model.

To help businesses better understand and achieve this, we have produced a three-part white paper series focusing on best-practice solutions for the true opportunity that archiving represents. The guide also includes recommendations for using social media while maintaining compliance.

In the first white paper, Manage the Risk out of Social Media Communications, we discuss how personal social media usage is the next “Consumerisation of IT” (Bring Your Own Persona). We also examine how archiving can be a key enabler for BYOP, making it safe and compliant for employees with proper management and supervision.

The challenge for firms is to ensure they have proper oversight policies in place, and an effective means of enforcing them. Without these, organisations risk potential reputation and brand damage or even litigation from third parties.

Through our series, we aim to help businesses meet the compliance challenge head on.  In the next white paper, we outline how businesses can collaborate to address the BYOP challenge prior to implementing the right solution to enable it.