Social media law Masterclass for Employers (Big and small)

In this half day seminar, leading social media law expert Emma Sadleir will discuss everything companies need to know about social media and the law, including:

• The issues with work WhatsApp groups;
• WhatsApp as a tool to communicate with clients – what are the risks?;
• All the relevant laws including defamation, privacy, the Protection from Harassment Act, crimen injuria; threats and incitement; copyright and trademark law (using memes in social media marketing; hate speech; POPI; the Cybercrimes Act; the Films and Publications Amendment Act; extortion; image-based violence;
• Liability for user generated content;
• Influencer law;
• Social media and employment law:
• Straddling the personal / professional divide on social media – particularly the intersection of freedom of expression and protecting business interests;
• Social media disclaimers ("retweets are not endorsements", "I tweet in my personal capacity" etc);
• RICA vs POPI and recording conversations in the workplace;
• New case law on dismissal for social media posts after hours in your “personal capacity”;
• Employee privacy and social media - company owned equipment, the monitoring of employee communications and when Big Brother can read your private communications;
• The ‘social media audit’ phase of recruitment and guarding against discrimination;
• Business confidentiality in a world of over-sharing;
• When employees’ political views conflict with business interests
• Managing official spokespeople and employees who are responsible for social media channels;
• How to handle employees who have social media side hustles (moonlighting);
• Issues with LinkedIn – restraint of trade and fraudulent misrepresentation (lying on LinkedIn);
• Reputation management: when and how to take action if you or your business is defamed –
• Practical considerations: the Streisand Effect, David and Goliath, The Lady Doth Protest too Much, Using a Sledgehammer to Crack a Nut, and SLAPP suits;
• A reputational (not legal) response - Engaging directly with the poster, a public reputational response, engaging directly with affected stakeholders
• Legal responses - a letter of demand / cease and desist letter, interdicts, damages, apologies
• Public versus Private apologies
• Dealing with the mainstream media - the sub judice rule, the Press Council; the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa;
• What do social media companies do with our information?;
• Hacking, identity theft and catfishing;
• Online social activism, naming and shaming, cancel culture and doxxing - #AmINext, #MeToo, #BLM – what does the law say?;
• Emoji law (yes it’s a thing!);
• The importance of a social media policy and guidelines in terms of policy development and introduction.