An organization is in the process of defining policies for employee use of social media.

Before drafting or enforcing policies, the first step is to evaluate the risks posed by employee use of social media. This may include data leakage, reputational damage, phishing, and legal liability.

Once risks are identified and understood in the organization’s context, policies can be developed that specifically address those risks. Acting prematurely without a risk assessment can lead to overly restrictive or insufficient policies.

“Security policies should be risk-driven. Understanding potential threats and impacts is the foundation for effective policy creation.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 1: Information Security Governance, Section: Risk-Based Policy Development*