New Marketing Rules: When Social Media Spins Out of Control

Recent decisions by the Advertising Standards Board and the ACCC put the onus clearly on organisations to take responsibility for user comments posted on their Facebook pages and other social media platforms. Corporations are outraged at the prospect of having to spend more on monitoring or even outsourcing management of their social media presences. Experts suggest social media audits and crisis plans are now essential. The overarching message is clear: Do it well or not at all. The alternative is risking breaching the law or facing damning evidence of "a site full of complaints, where you can accurately measure how much people hate you", warns Alan Thorogood of the Australian School of Business.