Smarsh Seeks Input From Compliance Officers on Electronic Communications Oversight

- Research looks to shed light on concerns around electronic communications in today’s regulatory environment -

Portland, Ore., Feb. 1, 2011 - Smarsh, the managed service leader in secure, innovative and reliable email archiving and compliance solutions, is conducting a survey on the opinions of financial services compliance professionals regarding the retention and oversight of electronic communications, including email, instant messaging, social media, etc. The survey, open now to all compliance professionals in the financial services industry, will help illuminate the compliance community's attitudes toward electronic recordkeeping, supervision and data protection obligations as detailed in regulations such as SEC 17a-4, FINRA 3010 and 3110, and 204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

With strict regulatory requirements, increased enforcement and the exponential volume growth of electronic business communications, governance of these multiple forms of communications is top-of-mind for many organizations. Add to that new channels such as social media and mobile messaging, and compliance professionals face new and greater challenges managing the compliance risks of electronic communications.

"This survey will examine the confidence levels of those in the field with regard to their electronic communications compliance policies, policy enforcement procedures and their preparedness level when facing regulatory examination," said Stephen Marsh, founder and CEO of Smarsh. "In a day and age where regulations are shifting, new modes of communication are being introduced and regulatory enforcement is on the rise, this research will give compliance officers insight into the concerns, priorities and best practices of their peers."

For each qualified registrant, Smarsh will make a charitable donation to the respondent's choice of four selected children's organizations. The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and all answers remain anonymous and will only be analyzed in aggregate. A report of the key findings from the survey will be issued by Smarsh in spring 2011.

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 more than 10,000 organizations manage and enforce flexible, secure and cost-effective compliance and records retention strategies. For more information, visit www.Smarsh.com or follow Smarsh at www.twitter.com/SmarshInc.

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