Auditing Social Media: A Governance and Risk Guide

Citation

Fourie, I. (2012), "Auditing Social Media: A Governance and Risk Guide", Online Information Review, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 479-480. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521211241459

Businesses and other organisations can no longer avoid the use of social media, whether to promote their products and services or to allow customers to share their views on products and services. “Social media is like water. On its own, water does some cool things, but when combined with other compounds, it enabled the evolution of all forms of life.” And also, “the organisation, no matter how much it longs for the good old days, is no longer in control of the conversation”.

Although there might be a general awareness of the strengths of social media for businesses, as well as the pitfalls, there is mostly a lack of a holistic view and how to align the strengths, weaknesses and pitfalls with a strategic plan. Auditing Social Media: A Governance and Risk Guide can fill this gap. It is intended as a one‐stop guide to help businesses navigate the maize of risks and governance that surrounds social media. Although providing a very good overview of the issues at stake, and certainly reflecting the authors' experience in the field, this book is not presented as a dip‐in‐as‐needed manuscript. To gain full benefit it requires a thorough read, and perhaps re‐read. Fortunately it is written in a very accessible style, and fortunately the read is worth it.

Following the introduction, the book consists of seven chapters and several useful indexes. The respective chapters offer an overview of various key issues regarding the use of social media, namely: an overview, incorporation into a corporate strategy, monitoring and measuring, policies, risks, governance, and audit. The appendixes include an excellent list of resources and links aligned with each chapter; a list of common and popular social media tools and platforms; a list of monitoring tools; links to publicly available social media policies; and an appendix offering links and information regarding regulation, guidelines and legal issues relevant to social media.

Peter Scott and Mike Jacka can certainly be congratulated with a well‐written text that can set businesses on the right track:

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  convincing them of the need and urgency to use and monitor the use of social media;

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  presenting them with points of departure for developing a corporate study; and

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  alerting them to the urgency to consider and prepare for pitfalls and legal issues.

Auditing Social Media: A Governance and Risk Guide is recommended to all owners of businesses and also to all libraries to promote the appropriate and responsible use of social media not only among their users, but also for their own services.