70 Pct of Firms in Japan Have No Rules on Social Media Posts

Tokyo, May 26 (Jiji Press)–Nearly 70 pct of companies in Japan have no in-house rules on employees’ social media posts, a survey by Teikoku Databank Ltd. showed, underscoring that most firms leave posts to individual judgment despite concern about information leaks and online conflicts. The survey by the Japanese research company found that 68.8 pct of responding companies have no such rules. Of them, 36.8 pct said they are considering setting rules while 32.0 pct said they have no plans to establish rules. Companies with rules on social media posts accounted for 23.2 pct. The share of such companies stood at 50.5 pct among large companies but was limited to 9.8 pct among small companies. In its response to the survey, a company in the publishing and printing sector said it is considering drawing up rules because giving guidance is not enough. A company in the machinery manufacturing sector said it is difficult to judge what to restrict and what to leave to individuals. Teikoku Databank said setting rules on social media posts is a “pressing issue” for companies, regardless of their size, given the risk that a social media post by an employee could undermine a company’s credibility. The internet-based survey was conducted on May 8-12. Valid responses were provided by 1,355 companies. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]