Telstra Social Media Code – the 3 Rs

We have released our 3Rs policy that speaks to how our staff should engage in online discussions, forums and on social media. Here's what you need to know.
Telstra Writer · 12 October 2022 · 3 minute read

Social media plays a significant role in many people’s lives and as a Telstra employee or contractor you are encouraged to take part. We know it’s an important part of the way we all connect and can be a powerful tool to help bring Telstra’s Values to life when used well.

All Telstra employees and contractors are encouraged to use social media to engage with your communities. Telstra’s Social Media Code helps you feel confident when you’re using social media whether it’s to talk about Telstra – our products and services, our people and our focus on our customers – or anything else. It describes our 3Rs of Social Media Engagement – Representation, Responsibility and Respect – which protects the interests of you, our employees, contractors, partners and our brand.

The Social Media Code is designed to assist employees feel confident when participating online and developing your own personal digital identity.

It’s important that we all follow the External Communication and Social Media Policy (previously referred to as Policy 61) and this Social Media Code when using social media.

Representing Telstra in an official capacity

There’s a difference between speaking on behalf of Telstra and speaking about Telstra. Our official social media activity is centrally coordinated to deliver the best experience for customers and to protect and enhance our brand. This means Communications specifically accredits certain people to speak on behalf of the company in an official capacity on particular social media platforms. As someone who works for Telstra, you are welcome and encouraged to talk about Telstra on your own personal social media accounts.

Telstra’s Social Media Code – the 3Rs of Social Media Engagement

Telstra’s Social Media Code, or our 3Rs of Social Media Engagement, applies to everyone, whether you are accredited or not. This includes if you use social media as part of your role or if you are discussing Telstra related issues in your personal use of social media. Our 3Rs are Representation, Responsibility and Respect. Our 3Rs are based on common sense and provide you with a framework to consider when using social media, to protect the interests of your colleagues and our brand.

Representation

  • Say who you are and that you work for or with Telstra (or a Telstra Group company). People like to know who they are talking with and it’s important to be upfront when you are engaging on a Telstra-related matter.
  • Share information, but stick to what’s already publicly available. Confidential information needs to stay confidential, like financial information, future business performance, customer information, business plans or staff changes. If you’re still unsure, think twice about sharing it.
  • It’s not OK to make comments that could put at risk the safety or security of your Telstra coworkers or bring Telstra into disrepute.
  • While visuals are great, steer clear from including Telstra Group entity logos or trademarks in your postings. Leave that to our official accounts.
  • It’s not OK to imply you’re authorised to speak on behalf of Telstra, unless you’ve been accredited to do so.

Responsibility

  • Make sure you’re prepared to be responsible for what you post. Accuracy is the key and remember when confidentiality is needed.
  • Save the official announcements for the accredited teams. After that you are welcome to share and remember to use our company social sharing platform which provides easy access to compelling content that you can be confident is approved to be shared.
  • We take privacy seriously, so keep other people’s personal information off social media, including internal communities like Yammer, PeerSupport and Cliq.
  • Be proud, claim your opinions. Say that they are yours and not the company’s.
  • If you see content published by others on a Telstra social media property that you think is misleading, deceptive, inappropriate or just wrong, you can take steps to correct it. Either clarify, contact the site moderator or email TelstraSocial@team.telstra.com to let us know.

Respect

  • Be nice, polite and respectful of the people and communities you interact with online. Even if the conversation gets heated, there is no need to lose your cool.
  • Avoid posting negative comments about other people, our competitors or especially our customers. We like to play nice.
  • It wouldn’t be smart to post material that is obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, discriminatory or hateful to any person or entity including those we do business with. Ever.

Where it applies

The Social Media Code applies to any website or application that enables sharing of content or information, or supports social interactions. This includes, but isn’t limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, forums, blogs, instant messaging, Yammer, Cliq, Telstra Exchange and many more.

The Social Media Code needs to be read together with the External Communication and Social Media Policy. It applies to all employees and contractors at Telstra and to any other person notified that the External Communication and Social Media Policy applies to them.

It’s important that all Telstra employees and contractors complete the online training on the 3Rs of Social Media Engagement (Social Media Code) when you join the company and through Business Essentials training.

Follow the Code

The Social Media Code is here to help and encourage you to use social media. With that comes responsibility – we all hold ourselves to high standards, as our Code of Conduct spells out, and that applies to Social Media just like everything else we do as a Telstra employee.