Smarsh Provides Resources to Guide Organizations Through Social Media Compliance

- Online Resources Designed to Help Organizations Minimize the Risks of Social Networking -

Portland, Ore., July 26, 2010 - Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are becoming increasingly important business tools across various industries. To help organizations make informed decisions about social media usage, Smarsh, the managed service leader in secure, innovative and reliable email archiving and compliance solutions, has compiled a series of complimentary resources available at www.Smarsh.com/Social-Media-Archiving.

"Social networks offer compelling opportunities for businesses, but many, specifically in the financial services world, have been hesitant to pursue them, given the challenges of meeting the specific compliance requirements for social media use oversight and retention," said Lisa Roth, noted regulatory compliance expert and CEO of Keystone Capital Corporation.

According to a 2010 survey by the Deloitte Forensic Center, approximately two-thirds of respondents, including IT, legal, risk and compliance professionals, are concerned about social media risks associated with compliance demands and e-discovery. Regulations, specifically in industries such as financial services and government, require organizations to preserve all electronically stored information, which extends to social media communication. Organizations also confront risks such as damaged reputation, accidental leaks of sensitive information and security breaches.

"The interest level of social media has never been higher," said Sam Kolbert-Hyle, Smarsh vice president of business development and strategic initiatives. "With that said, however, there is a great deal of confusion as to what exactly is required from a compliance perspective."

The complimentary resource materials from Smarsh include:

• The Companion Guide to FINRA/SEC Social Networking Compliance, a white paper providing a cohesive summary of the key FINRA and SEC rules relevant to social media compliance. Additionally, the guide provides recommendations on how to navigate the various social networks while maintaining compliance.
• Why You Need to Focus on Social Networking in Your Company, an Osterman Research white paper that discusses the growth and importance of social media, as well as the risks associated with inadequate management of social networking in the workplace.
• Osterman Research Social Media Webinar, a panel webinar that includes representatives from Osterman Research, Smarsh and Facetime. Kolbert-Hyle discusses the importance for companies to start managing social media and how to successfully address the risks. He also shares insight on industry trends and provides examples of social networking usage within organizations.

These resources, along with additional information on social media compliance, are available at www.Smarsh.com/Social-Media-Archiving.

About Smarsh

Smarsh® provides hosted solutions for archiving electronic communications, including email, instant messaging and social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Founded in 2001, Smarsh helps over 10,000 organizations manage and enforce flexible, secure and cost-effective compliance and records retention strategies and mitigate risk. For more information, visit www.Smarsh.com or follow Smarsh at www.twitter.com/SmarshInc.

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