Now that media is for everyone and not just marketing departments, the lines that once distinguished brands from the individuals they employ have nearly evaporated.  And as these individuals are “lifestreaming” every opportunity they get, where do their brands draw the line on accountability?

Instances seem to show up in the news daily.  Case in point, the recent debacle where President Obama’s off-the-air comments were made public by an ABC affiliate via his personal twitter account.  Needless to say it was the brand following up with an official apology afterward.

Certainly brands have always been held accountable for their employee’s actions to some extent, but never to the level that they are expected to today.  With personal broadcast channels exposing brands to liabilities they never needed to consider before, many are trying to combat the issue by banning their use altogether.  Other brands are implementing a more practical solution by instituting conduct policies surrounding these medias.

So what should a social media policy be comprised of?  Below is an excerpt from the “10 Must-Haves for Your Social Media Policy” as outlined by Sharlyn Lauby, President of Internal Talent Management (article here).

Introduce the purpose of social media - All policies need to address what’s in it for the reader/user — what should the reader take away after reading the policy? One of the common themes I kept coming across in introductions to social media policies is the idea that the policy should focus on the things that employees can rather than what they can’t do. For those of us who have experience writing policies, this is a real paradigm shift.

Be responsible for what you write - Oren Michels, CEO of Mashery, explains that “people tend to interpret having the ‘right’ to express themselves online as implying a lack of consequences when they say stupid things.” That’s not the case. Your organization and its representatives need to take responsibility for what they write, and exercise good judgment and common sense.

Be authentic - Include your name and, when appropriate, your company name and your title. Consumers buy from people that they know and trust, so let people know who you are.

Consider your Audience - When you’re out in the blogosphere or Twitterverse or other social media channels, remember that your readers include current clients, potential clients, as well as current/past/future employees. Consider that before you publish and make sure you aren’t alienating any of those groups.

Exercise good judgment - Refrain from comments that can be interpreted as slurs, demeaning, inflammatory, etc. The Internet is full of varied opinions, and it’s okay to share yours, but you never, never, never want to be branded a racist or narrow-minded or an unstoppable hot-head.

Your employees should understand that companies can and will monitor employee use of social media and social networking web sites, even if they are engaging in social networking or social media use away from the office.

Understand the concept of community - The essence of community is the idea that it exists so that you can support others and they, in turn, can support you. You need to learn how to balance personal and professional information, and the important role that transparency plays in building a community. Your community shouldn’t be an environment where competition is encouraged or emphasized, but rather a platform where your customers or users feel comfortable sharing, connecting, and receiving help.

Respect copyrights and fair use - This should be a no-brainer, but just in case: always give people proper credit for their work, and make sure you have the right to use something with attribution before you publish.

Remember to protect confidential & proprietary info - Being transparent doesn’t mean giving out the Colonel’s special 11 herbs and spices used in KFC chicken or the recipe for McDonald’s Big Mac special sauce.

Therefore, employees who share confidential or proprietary information do so at the risk of losing their job and possibly even ending up a defendant in a civil lawsuit. At the very least, companies will seriously question the judgment of an employee who shares confidential or proprietary information via social media. It’s a good idea to make sure all of this is clearly laid out in your social media policy.

Bring value - Social media will more likely pay dividends for you if you add value to your followers, readers, fan, and users.

Productivity matters - Your social media usage won’t get you very far if you don’t execute on the core competencies of your business. Remember that in order for your social media endeavors to be successful, you need to find the right balance between social media and other work.

Though these tips provide some helpful guidance to get started in the right direction, the answer to the original question, “where do brands draw the line on accountability” rests where it always has – with the brand manager.