International Olympic Committee Blogging Guidelines

IOC Blogging Guidelines
For persons accredited at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing 2008.

In light of the recent Olympic games in Beijing, China, I discovered there are guidelines for the athletes, trainers, coaches, etc. that participated in the events. The span of time that these guidelines cover is 8 days before the Opening Ceremony and 3 days after the Closing Ceremony. The guidelines are for those who put up personal blogs for the general public about their experiences at and/or participating in the games. Also, any person who posts Olympic content on another website is held accountable.

First off, the IOC wants blogging to remain a personal form of expression apart from journalism. Under the Olympic Charter, paragraph 3 of Bye-law Rule 49, states "Only those persons accredited as media may act as journalist, reporters or in any othemedia capacity."

The Olympic Charter is a set of guidelines that accredited persons at the games most abide to.

1. Definition of a Blog

The Definition of a blog to the IOC "is a type of website where entries are made (such as in a journal or diary), usually displayed in reverse chronological order."

2. Personal Information

The personal information shared about theOlympic games should be solely based on personal experiences and stories. The blogs should not contain interviews, adn any information that compromises the security, staging,or organization of the Olympic Games is strictly prohibited.

3. No Sound or Moving Images

One should not postany sound clips or video clips of the games (including still shots of photographs in a sequence that suggests movements) of the Olympic contests, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Medal Ceremonies.

4. Still Pictures

"Accredited zones" (ie: Olympic Village and the Main Press Centre) may not have any still pictuers taken frm persons outside select media unless specified times have been given when these zones are available for photographs.

5. Olympic Marks

The Olympic symbol and any words accredited to the Olympic Games (ie: Olympian, Olympic etc) may not be associated with any thrid party or organization.

6. Advertising and Sponsorship

No person can post any commercial reference next to the Olympic content in his or her posts. Pop-up ads and any fom of advertisement, marketing, etc. cannot take up more than 15% of the screen.

7. No Exclusivity

No accredited person can make an agreement with any company to post certain content concerning the Olympic Games.

8. Domain Names/URLs/Page Naming

Domain names including the words "Olympic" or "Olympian" (ie: [my name]Olympic.com would not be allowed, [my name].com/Olympics would be allowed).

9. Links

Accredited persons with a blog are encouraged to link important Olympic information with official Olympic websites, including:

The Official Site of the Olympic Movement
The Official Website of the Beijing Olympic Games

10. Liability

Everyone is responsible for his or her own statements about the Olympic Games. Bloggers can be held personally responsible for any comments deemed to be obscene or defamatory. Bloggers express ideas at their own risk and should make sure it is their own.

11. Responsibility & Further Restrictions

The BOCOG, the National Olympic Committees, and the International Federations have a responsibility to uphold their own delegations and may impose tier own personal guidelines of restrictive blogging concerning the Olympic Games.

12. Prior or Subsequent Agreements Entered into by the IOC

Noting may be added or taken away in interpreting or amending nay one of these guidelines to supersede them.

13. Infringement of Guidelines

Violation of these guidelines by an accredited person may lead to a withdrawal of their identity and accreditation card as stated in the Olympic Charter. The IOC reserves the right to take legal action deemed necessary for any monetary loss and damages.

For more info read the IOC Blogging Guideline (pdf format)

NCAA Blogging Policy

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) serves as a voluntary governing body for colleges and universities to register their sports teams. The NCAA creates policies and guide lines that teams and coaches and reporters must abide by. One policy that must be followed is the NCAA Blogging Policy.

The NCAA blogging policy states that anyone, who chooses to blog on a NCAA event must follow certain regulations. When blogging on a NCAA sport, the writer must include the ncaasports.com URL in the blog and if it is a media writer, they must place the NCAA logo on their website. In each blog, the game conditions (score, time remaining on the clock, etc.) at the time of the post must be posted in the blog. The following amount of blogs are allowed during each sport. These amounts apply to both male and female sports, when applicable.

Fall Sports
Soccer: Five times per half; one at halftime
Field Hockey: Five times per half; one at halftime
Volleyball: Three per Competition; one in between Competitions
Football: Three per quarter; one at halftime
Cross Country: Ten per day/session
Men’s Water Polo: Three per quarter; one at the halftime
Winter Sports
Ice Hockey: Three per period – one in between (includes overtime)
Basketball: Five times per half; one at halftime; two times per overtime period
Wrestling: Ten per session
Indoor Track and Field: Ten per day/session
Swimming and Diving: Ten per day/session
Bowling: Ten per day/session
Gymnastics: Ten per session

Spring Sports
Baseball and Softball: one every inning (includes extra innings)
Women’s Water Polo: Three per quarter – one at halftime
Lacrosse: Three per quarter; one at halftime
Outdoor Track and Field: Ten per day/session
Golf: Ten per day/session
Tennis: Ten per day/session
Rowing: Ten per day/session
Fencing: Ten per day/session
Skiing: Ten per day/session
Rifle:Ten per day/session

Any media affiliate who blogs on an NCAA event is prohibited from releasing any information, concerning the event, to any other form of media without written consent from the NCAA. The blogger must understand that when following the NCAA blogging policy, he or she is releasing the NCAA, and essentially anyone else involved with the NCAA event, from all forms of liability that could potentially arise from the posted blog. The NCAA and their championship affiliates hold the power to decide whether a blogger is abiding the NCAA blogging policy or not.

Yahoo! and personal blog guidelines

Yahoo! an online company which upholds blogging as a valuable component of shared media. Their blogging guidelines outline the legal procedures and best procedures when it comes to blogging. Everything from legal liablity under what circumstances, and what is the correct procedure when approached by the media about your blog is included in the Yahoo! policy:

Legal Parameters

• Legal Liablity: If or when you decide to go public with your opinions or commentary you are legally held liable for anything said.
• For that reason you should be cautious when blogging. "Blog at your own risk!"
• Company Priviledged information: At no time are you allowed to disclose anything deemed private by Yahoo!-- All employees have signed an agreement to these procedures.
• Press Inquiries: At anytime if you are approached by the Media asking questions about Yahoo! or any of it's employees you must direct them to the PR Director.
• You must also ask about information being disclosed to the public by the PR dept. before you decide to blog about it.

Best Practice Guidelines

• Be respectful to your colleagues: Be thoughtful and accurate about the postings of fellow Yahoos ( employees of Yahoo!). Yahoo! employees are viewed as representatives of the company.
• If you post anything stating that you are an employee of Yahoo! and post anything about the company you should inform your Managers to avoid surprises.
• Get your facts straight: Make sure what you post is correct.
• Provide context to your argument: Make sure you are able to back up anything posted in your blogs with proof.
• Engage in private feedback: Have an option where your readers can privately respond to you.
  

All above are things that are included in the guidelines and after being involved with many company's they are rules that most company's have.

Thomas Nelson Publishers

Thomas Nelson Publishers is the World's largest publisher of Christian books and materials. Founded in Scotland in the late 1700's, Thomas Nelson is currently headquartered in Nashville, TN. Its President and CEO Michael Hyatt was on the forefront of the blogging phenomenon. As Michael began to blog and see its potential for his company.

He promoted blogging for his 675 employee company by creating a blog index on Thomas Nelson's website. The purpose of the index was to create interest and traffic for the employees' blogs. Hyatt encouraged employees to blog about what was going on within the company and its products. His goal was three-fold: to raise awareness of Thomas Nelson, to contribute to its industry, and to allow the public to get a picture of what goes on within the company. He created an easily navigable site that contains the blogs of all the employees. "House Work" is the blog index of Thomas Nelson's employees. This website is updated anytime an employee posts on the blog. It contains the basic information and first few lines of the blog, allowing for readers to skim and read the ones that are of interest.

Michael Hyatt also set guidelines for his employees' blogs. The guidelines cover different aspects of blogging. For example, users are required to use their real name and add a disclaimer to the end of every post explaining that their ideas are individual to themselves. Hyatt encourages to write often, advertise if they wish, be nice, and respect secrets and copyrights. If an employee has any question about whether a post might be in question, Hyatt reminds his employees to remember the handbook.

Thomas Nelson's blogging policy is found at Michael Hyatt's personal blog and has created an interesting communication style for one of the nation's largest trade publishers.

IBM's Social Computing Guidelines

IBM's blogging policy covers all areas that an employee might be concerned about when blogging online, and if the policy does not cover their question they recommend that the employee consult the Business Conduct Guidelines. IBM also states that is the employee's right as to whether or not they choose to participate in blogs, but they do encourage the practice. The company wishes to blog in order to learn and to contribute.

The first of the policy is the IBM employee is personally responsible for any information they publish. They are supposed to write in first person, identify who they are, and if it is relevant their role at IBM. If they publish anything to a website outside of IBM that has to do with their work or any subjects related to IBM they have to use a disclaimer that says these statements are the individual's and not IBM's. Employees are asked to follow copyright, fair use and financial disclosure laws. They are not to provide confidential or proprietary information without permission and are not to cite anyone without their approval. They are not to engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in IBM's workplace. Employees need to find others who are blogging or publishing on the topic and cite them and should link back to the source when referencing. Finally, they need to be consistent with how they wish to be seen in the workplace, not pick fights and they need to add value to what they write because it could be reflected back on the IBM brand.

The policy goes on to say that they regard blogs as a form of communication and relationship among individuals. IBM encourages honesty in blogs and managers and executives are not exempt from the rules.

I chose this policy because I thought they had a fair policy and were not being too strict, just sensible. They are trying to protect the employees and the company at the same time.