This document provides Cisco's social media policy, guidelines, and FAQs for employees. The policy outlines 8 rules that must be followed, such as identifying yourself as a Cisco employee, not disclosing proprietary information, and not engaging with media without approval. The guidelines provide 12 best practices for social media use, including being respectful, adding value to conversations, and knowing content is hard to remove. The document answers frequently asked questions on topics like using social media for work, personal use guidelines, responding to comments, and using photos/videos.

1. Cisco Social Media
Policy, Guidelines
and FAQs
June 2010

2. Cisco Social Media Policy, Guidelines and FAQs Page 2 1/30/2015
Table of Contents
Purpose of this Document.....................................................................................................3
Guiding Principles................................................................................................................4
Policy..................................................................................................................................5
Guidelines ...........................................................................................................................6
Frequently Asked Questions .................................................................................................7
Social Media Use as Part of Your Job........................................................................8
Personal Social Media Guidelines .............................................................................9
Responding to Comments on Social Networking Sites ...............................................10
Proprietary and Confidential Information.....................................................................11
FTC Endorsement Guidelines ...................................................................................12
Trademarks..............................................................................................................13
Copyrights ...............................................................................................................13
Photos and Logos ....................................................................................................13
Video Use and Guidelines.........................................................................................14
Resources ...........................................................................................................................15

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Cisco Social Media
Policy, Guidelines and FAQs
Note: This document replaces the previous Internet Posting document. In addition, much of the
content included in this document applies to all internet-posted content, not social networking
sites only.
Lastly, for transparency, this document is available for external use; however, some of the
links included are for internal use only and can only be accessed through the Cisco
Employee Connection (CEC).
As you put your first foot forward in participating and engaging in the social Web, we encourage
you to identify the social networking media that are right for you. Start developing meaningful
conversations by sharing interesting information and related experiences in a casual and human
way. We recommend you focus on storytelling and avoid company insider corporate speak so to
present ideas in a real and encompassing manner. So, get ready and have fun! Join the
conversation!
Purpose of This Document
We developed this document to educate employees on how to: navigate in the many social
networking medias, engage with our many audiences in the social Web, and be most effective in
this up-close-and-personal, ever-changing environment.
We recognize the importance of participating in these online conversations and want to provide a
clear and purposeful social media policy for all Cisco employees to follow to help protect both the
employees and Cisco.
This document is to be used in conjunction with the Cisco Code of Business Conduct, the policies
within Policy Central, the Cisco Information Security Policies and Standards and Cisco’s
Employee Resource Handbook, Cisco Connections. All resources mentioned above may be
updated from time to time.
Some processes and procedures are implemented differently depending on regional, local, and
geographic differences. When in doubt about any information contained in this document,
employees should talk to their manager or local Human Resources representative. All information
contained within this document is subject to any applicable country, state, and/or local laws.
Cisco reserves the right to modify or eliminate any or all parts of this document, and employees
are responsible for regularly reviewing the document. Violation of the provisions in this document
may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Guiding Principles
Cisco’s Social Media Policy, Guidelines and FAQs reflects the company’s culture of transparency,
authenticity and openness. It also reinforces the company’s philosophy to empower employees to
connect directly with its stakeholders using social media.

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Cisco’s fundamental social media principles include:
 Cisco employees may use social networking sites while at work and to conduct business.
 Cisco does not block employees’ access to social networking sites as the company believes
in empowering its workforce and instills trust in employees to work responsibly and adhere to
the Cisco Code of Business Conduct.
 Though Cisco encourages the use of social media, there is policy which employees must
adhere to, and there are guidelines which are recommendations that employees may
evaluate and choose a course of action.
If you are ever unsure of a post, comment or response on the social web, post a question on the
discussion forum on Communications Center of Excellence or email the Internet Postings alias for
guidance.
We recognize the importance of participating in these online conversations and want to provide a
clear and purposeful social media policy for all Cisco employees to follow to help protect both the
employees and Cisco.
Policy
Below outlines the official policy—the rules you must follow—for social media at Cisco. If you are
a Cisco employee or contractor creating or contributing to blogs, wikis, social networks,
discussion forums or any other kind of social media both on and off Cisco.com—this document is
for you. We expect all who participate in social media on behalf of Cisco to understand and to
follow this document. If you are not able to do so, your future participation may be at risk.
1. Identify yourself as a Cisco employee when participating on social networking sites while
discussing Cisco’s business and related industry topics. Please provide a disclaimer if using
a non-Cisco sponsored tool. It is never acceptable to use aliases or otherwise misrepresent
or hide your affiliation. It is best practice to state your relationship with the Company from the
outset.
2. Keep applicable policies in mind. When engaging online to communicate anything related
to Cisco business, you must read, understand and abide by this policy and any related
corporate policies.
3. Do not commit Cisco to any action unless you have authority to do so.
4. Protect reputation. Avoid any statement or comment that might harm Cisco’s reputation.
You represent Cisco and the Cisco brand. As an employee and possibly a shareholder, your
actions both on and offline can affect perceptions about the Company and shareholder
return.
5. Do not post confidential or copyrighted information (music, videos, text, photographs,
etc.) belonging to either Cisco or third parties without written permission. Please refer to the
Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, and the Data Classification Handbook for
more information. See also the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of this document to
obtain more information on “Proprietary and Confidential Information” and “Copyrights,
Trademarks, Photos and Logos.”
6. Do not make statements about Cisco’s financial performance. Refer any questions to a
Cisco investor relations representative.
7. Maintain confidentiality of “internal only” information. Do not share any information that

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is marked for internal use only.
8. Do not post anything that is defamatory, offensive, harassing, or in violation of any
applicable law or Cisco any of Cisco policies.
9. Do not engage with the news media (e.g., Wall Street Journal, InformationWeek) to
discuss Cisco strategy and/or business without PR consultation and approval. If you
are contacted by a member of the news media or similar outlets, consult your PR
Representative before responding.
Guidelines
The following outlines Cisco’s social media guidelines—recommendations and best practices to
guide you when participating in the social Web. These guidelines are aimed to provide helpful,
practical advice and help to set expectations on how to behave online. In some cases, they help
you comply with the policy above.
1. Do not engage in inflammatory or inappropriate discussions about competitors.
Always be professional. Avoid speaking negatively about competitors. Instead, highlight
Cisco’s strengths. Do not cite or reference clients, partners or suppliers without their
approval. When you do make a reference, where possible link back to the source.
2. Be responsible. You are personally responsible for the content you provide and how you
behave on the social web. We do encourage you to participate in the online social media
space, but urge you to do so properly, exercising solid judgment.
3. Be aware of laws covering defamation, insider trading, financial disclosures, endorsements
and testimonials, antitrust, competition, privacy, and the protection of intellectual property.
4. Be authentic, factual and respectful at all times. Use your real identity. Provide informed,
well-supported opinions and cite sources, if applicable. Though social media sites are a more
casual form of communication, be sure to remain professional and use a positive tone of
voice. Be respectful of your colleagues, the Company and our competitors.
5. Avoid engaging in on-line disputes with your audience. Don't use slurs, personal insults or
obscenity, and always respect privacy concerns. Avoid language that may be considered
objectionable or inflammatory. Show that you have listened and be responsive. If you
disagree, respond in professional and respectful manner.
6. Be honest. Always tell the truth. Correct any mistakes you make as quickly as possible.
Don’t alter older posts without indicating that you have done so.
7. Add value. Express an interesting point of view and worthwhile information and perspective.
When speaking about Cisco, offer your subject matter expertise and contact your PR
Representative if unsure if a topic is appropriate.
8. Build relationships. Focus on engagement with the audience and building trust to develop
relationships rather than using your site solely as a marketing tool to sell Cisco products or to
promote yourself.
9. Be mindful of indefinite life of Internet postings. You should assume that all Internet
postings, including those posted in a private forum, can be made public and searchable for a
long time. Private discussions may inadvertently or intentionally get posted externally.
10. Know that it’s almost impossible to completely remove information from the social
web even if you “remove/delete” it from the original source. There is no way of knowing
where it may have been reposted. Also, if you edited your original posts, there is no way to
ensure that the last post is what people will see.

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11. Review privacy settings of the social networking site you are using. Choose social sites and
appropriate settings depending on content you are posting. Understand that when your
content is posted on a public social network, all posts and comments may be traceable. Any
information that you post should be considered at risk for public disclosure, regardless of your
privacy settings since your postings can be reposted elsewhere and may be viewed by
people other than your intended audience.
12. Be aware of global implications. Your posts can have global significance. The way that you
answer an online question might be appropriate in some parts of the world, but inaccurate,
inappropriate (or even illegal) in others. Keep that “world view” in mind when you are
participating in online conversations. If you have a question about global relevance, please
contact the appropriate PR Representative for guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Social Media Use as Part of Your Job
 Can I use social tools as part of my job?
 What is my responsibility as a Cisco employee when I participate in social networking
sites externally?
 Is it appropriate for managers and subordinates to “friend” each other on social
networking sites?
 Can I provide an endorsement or employment recommendation for someone on LinkedIn
or another social networking site?
 Are there training workshops available to learn how to improve my blogging?
 What tools are available for searching the social Web for blog posts, Tweets, and other
social networking media?
Personal Social Media Guidelines
 Can I discuss Cisco business on my own personal blog or social networking site?
 What should I be aware of before I post personal information about myself on social
networking sites?
 Is it OK to use my own personal social networking login account (such as YouTube, Flickr
or other social media sharing site) when posting Cisco content, videos or photos
externally?
Responding to Comments on Social Networking Sites
 What is Cisco’s policy guidance around publishing comments?
 If I receive a negative comment on a Cisco-sponsored social networking site/blog, how
should I respond?
 What should I consider when crafting a response to a negative comment?
Proprietary and Confidential Information
 How do I determine what information is proprietary or confidential, and whether or not it is
OK to post externally?
 Can I disclose confidential information in Second Life?
FTC Endorsement Guideline
 What should I know about posting endorsements about Cisco products or services on the
social Web?

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Trademarks
 What should I be aware of when posting the Cisco logo or trademarks to social
networking sites?
Copyrights
 What are the copyright guidelines around posting content that is not mine?
 Do I need to obtain written permission and/or copyrights (usage rights) from my manager
and/or a customer or third party who may own a portion of the video or who appears in
the video?
Photos and Logos
 Can I use photos from the Cisco Marketing Library on my social networking site/blog?
 Can I publish someone else’s photograph on my personal social networking site or
internal blog?
Video Use and Guidelines
 Can I post an internal Cisco video to an external video sharing site such as YouTube?
 Can I post a non-internal video to external video sharing sites such as YouTube, Yahoo
Video, etc.? What is the policy surrounding posting video to an external site?
 I’d like for a third party to be included in a Cisco video that will be published to an external
video sharing site. What are the guidelines for this?
SocialMedia Use as Partof Your Job
1. Can I use social tools (both Cisco-sponsored such as http://blogs.cisco.com and third
party sites such as http://facebook.com or http://twitter.com ) as it relates to my job
and job function?
Answer: You may, as long as you read and abide by this Social Media Policy, Guidelines
and FAQs document. You must include the following disclaimer on your blog posts. If you are
using a 3rd party blog site and have control over the design, you may make the following
statement in a permanent and prominent space on the blog, such as in the header. It has to
be visible for every piece of content that speaks about Cisco, Cisco products or any aspect of
Cisco business.
Cisco-sponsored blog disclaimer:
“Some of the individuals posting to this site, [including the
moderators,] work for Cisco. Opinions expressed here and in any
corresponding comments are the personal opinions of the original
authors, not those of Cisco.”
Third party blog disclaimer:
“The opinions expressed in this blog are my own views and not those
of Cisco.”
If you comment on any aspect of Cisco’s business on a social media site, you must identify
yourself as a Cisco employee in a prominent place (bio, profile, etc.) on the website. (For
example: If you are using Twitter to promote Cisco, you must clearly state in your “bio” that
you work for Cisco.)

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You must also ensure that you follow the Cisco Code of Business Conduct.
If you are a non-employee and are interested in using social networking tools you should
discuss this with your employer and obtain their approval. Your employer will then coordinate
this activity with your Cisco sponsor. You will need to make sure that you identify yourself as
an employee of your company that is on assignment with Cisco. Under no circumstances
should you, as a vendor, consultant, contractor or other third party, represent that you are a
Cisco employee.
2. What is my responsibility as a Cisco employee when I participate in social
networking sites externally?
Answer: While your conduct online reflects upon Cisco, in most cases you will not be
speaking on behalf of Cisco. The purpose of your participation in social networking outlets
should be to communicate your own viewpoints. Be sure to check the Cisco Code of
Business Conduct, this policy and other corporate policies for additional guidance.
Do not post inappropriate, disrespectful comments to your blog, or post comments that are
intended to embarrass Cisco, your co-workers or customers. Always act professional at all
times. If you have suggestions and comments for improvements at Cisco, please state them
constructively and leverage the proper internal channels.
If you witness illegal, unsafe or unethical conduct by a Cisco employee or vendor, we would
prefer that you not discuss this in your blog. Instead, for example, you can contact the ethics
office which is confidential and anonymous to report issues such as the following:
 Theft, fraud or any other dishonest conduct
 Discrimination or harassment
 Waste or abuse of Cisco resources
 Conflicts of interest
 Unsafe situations
 Mismanagement
 Any actions that violate the Cisco Code of Business Conduct
By reporting the issues directly to those who can make corrections is the best course of
action. Posting a concern to a social networking site may not be the most direct and most
efficient way to resolve these types of issues. Cisco wants to hear your concerns and has a
team that vigorously follows up and investigates concerns raised by employees and others.
3. Is it appropriate for managers and subordinates to “friend” each other on social
networking sites?
Answer: Managers and their subordinates are free to “friend” each other on social
networking sites. Both managers and employees, however, should be mindful of avoiding any
interactions/communications that may create a conflict of interest or that may compromise
Cisco’s ability to enforce its policies, especially its policies against nepotism, harassment and
discrimination. Please see Cisco Connections—An Employee Resource Handbook for more
information.
4. Can I provide an endorsement or employment recommendation for someone on
LinkedIn or another social networking site?

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Answer: It is against Cisco policy for any employee to provide employment reference
information regarding any current or former Cisco employee.
Review Cisco policy on providing references for current or former employees prior to
providing a recommendation through a social networking site. It is against Cisco Policy for
any employee to provide employment reference information regarding any current or former
Cisco employee.
5. Are there training workshops available to learn how to improve my
blogging?
Answer: Yes, Cisco offers several blog (Intro to Blogs, SEO for Blogs, etc.) and social media
training workshops as well as a social media certification program. You can learn more about
Cisco’s blog and social media workshops by visiting the marketing workshops website as well
as the global social media website where you will find a calendar of other industry-related
conferences and seminars. Also, be sure to review the global social media discussion forum
for answers to frequently asked questions or to post a new thread and a member of the social
media marketing team will respond.
6. What tools are available for searching the social Web for blog posts, Tweets, and
other social networking media?
Answer: You can use the following tools to help aggregate and search for content on the
social Web.
 Technorati: www.technorati.com
 Google Blog Search: http://blogsearch.google.com
 Twitter: http://search.twitter.com
 Alltop: www.alltop.com
PersonalSocialMediaGuidelines
1. Can I discuss Cisco business on my own personal blog or social networking site?
Answer: Yes, you may discuss issues related to Cisco on your own personal blog or social
networking site subject to your confidentiality obligations and compliance with all applicable
laws and Cisco policies. You are legally and financially responsible for your own postings.
If you comment on any aspect of Cisco’s business, including our competition, please see
the “Policy” section in this document.
Please use the following disclaimer on your personal social networking site:
“The opinions expressed in this blog are my own views and not those
of Cisco.”
2. What should I be aware of before I post personal information about myself on social
networking sites?
Answer: We encourage you to create user accounts under your true name. Using a
pseudonym may diminish the credibility of your contributions online. Even anonymous

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comments and updates can be traced back to you or Cisco using IP addresses and other
tracking technology. Only post personal information that you want the public to view on the
social Web and avoid posting information that would make you vulnerable to identity theft or
may compromise your safety. Social engineering is a common threat on social networking
sites. Be sure to review the privacy policies of the social networking sites that you choose to
use. It is almost impossible to remove since it may be re-posted on other sites without your
knowledge, and may be viewed beyond your intended audience.
3. Is it OK to use my own personal social networking login account (such as YouTube,
Flickr or other social media sharing site) when posting Cisco content, videos or
photos externally?
Answer: No. Do not use your personal accounts when posting Cisco videos to external video
sharing sites. You can either use an existing Cisco account (see Cisco YouTube accounts
listed on Ciscopedia) or create a “team alias” and YouTube channel where all related
company videos can be hosted and accessed by assigned team members within your group.
For instance, see the Cisco PR YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/CSCOPR.
Remember that only Cisco public videos may be posted to external video sharing sites.
Sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn will not allow you to register team alias accounts. The
person in charge of creating a Fan Page or Group for their teams should create an account
for business use only using your cisco.com email address. You can then create the Fan
Pages and Groups off of that non-personal account. These accounts should be used
separately from your personal accounts which would be registered using your personal email
address.
Responding to Comments on SocialNetworking Sites
1. What is Cisco’s policy around publishing comments?
Answer: We do not promote censorship of your online posting. For official Cisco blogs, both
internal and external, it is our practice to post all comments except those that may be off-topic
or may create liability as a result of the content. We do have the right to remove any posted
comment, video and/or photograph that is not appropriate for the topic discussed, uses
inappropriate language, or was posted without obtaining written permission.
2. What if I read a post on a Cisco-sponsored or third party social networking site that is
not accurate? Do I have to respond and provide an accurate comment?
Answer: You should not always feel the need to be the one to respond to something you
see or read online. If you are perusing the social web and see a blog posting on a third party
blog, for example, and you are not the subject matter expert, you can contact the appropriate
person to respond. With all of the powerful internal tools we have in-house to find experts on
every topic, you should be encouraged to use them to find the best and most accurate
responses. Also, remember that not everything warrants a response, so be sure you are
adding value when commenting, and do not comment just for the sake of commenting.
3. If I receive a negative comment on a Cisco-sponsored social networking site/blog,
how should I respond?

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Answer: If a reader leaves a negative comment, it is recommended that you do not delete
the comment for transparency reasons. If the comment contains disrespectful or derogatory
language you may consider NOT posting it. We do encourage you to publish most comments
because it encourages people with different viewpoints and opinions to join the conversation,
to debate, and to discuss their side of a specific argument.
Receiving a negative comment about a Cisco product or service ultimately provides an
opportunity to respond to the negative comment and reframe it in a positive light. Censoring
comments discourages participation and social media is, after all, all about public
participation and conversations.
Remember: more often than not, the negative commenters are trying to provoke a response.
Check with your manager or PR representative if you are unsure how to respond.
Be sure that your blog settings allow you to moderate comments on your posts (all comments
on Cisco-sponsored blogs http://blogs.cisco.com are moderated prior to publishing) and
review and remove any potentially undesirable links that may cause disruption or harm
(malware) to your readers.
4. What should I consider when crafting a response to a negative comment?
Answer: Work to turn the negative comment into a positive discussion, encouraging more
commentary. Correct information that may not be factual and be open and honest in
responding to negative comments. Always communicate in a professional and respectful
manner.
Consider the following:
Thank the commenter—Thank commenters for their time and for sharing their thoughts.
Thanking your commenters shows sincerity and that you appreciate their readership and their
feedback, both positive and negative.
Take time to THINK before responding—Responding to a negative comment when you are
in the heat of the moment is generally a bad idea. Always take time to think about your
response, what you’d like to clarify or convey, and re-read your response before submitting it.
(Contact your PR representative if you are unsure how to respond.)
After you have thanked the commenter, make an attempt to engage the commenter in the
conversation. Think about how your response might be perceived by readers. Your response
should be sincere, confident and truthful. If you disagree with the commenter, it’s OK to
debate as long as you remain respectful of others’ opinions, keep the dialogue productive,
and always tell the truth. A confident and factual answer is best; leave out the sarcastic
remarks and personal insults and always be professional. Remember that your responses
are ultimately representations of Cisco and the Cisco brand.
Learn from the commenter—Take a moment to read between the lines and understand the
commenter’s argument rather than jumping to conclusions. Even if a comment posted by a
commenter is incorrect, proceed with caution when you post a response that corrects the
commenter. Do not provide a response that is insulting or disrespectful. Your goal is to keep
a positive atmosphere, where readers can go for advice and conversation.
Correct your mistakes—If you make a mistake, don’t try to hide it; be open and honest
and let your readers know about it. No one is perfect.

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Proprietary and ConfidentialInformation
1. How do I determine what information is proprietary or confidential, and whether or
not it is OK to post externally?
Answer: Security policies and practices of external social networking tools may differ from
Cisco policy and requirements. Always assume the information you post to these sites is not
secure and that it can be compromised or used against you and Cisco.
Please refer to the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement and the Data
Classification Policy for guidance on identifying confidential or sensitive content. Do not post
data classified as Cisco Confidential or higher on any third party or public site. Doing so may
cause Cisco to lose its trade secrets.
Some information, such as acquisitions, product announcements, or Cisco financials,
becomes public information once it is announced by Cisco. However, do not post such
information to external sites until it is formally announced or shared with the public by Cisco.
Disclosure of any information which is deemed to be material non-public information
prematurely or selectively may violate securities law and may subject both you and Cisco to
liability.
If you have questions about posting specific data, consult with the data owner or your
manager.
2. How do I protect confidential information?
Answer: First, you must determine how the information is classified. Contact the owner of
the data (including artwork photographs and videos) with questions about the data
disposition or classification or check the Data Information Policy. Evaluate if the information
is confidential and will my post be accessible to the general public. Discuss with your
manager if you are unsure.
3. Can I disclose confidential information in Second Life?
Answer: Cisco has two clusters of islands within Second Life: The Cisco Virtual Campus and
the Cisco Employee Internal Islands.
The Cisco Virtual Campus (which is comprised of islands named “Cisco Systems 1” through
“Cisco Systems 4”) is our public campus and is populated by customers, partners, press,
competitors, and so forth. All information provided here should be classified as Cisco Public
and be non-proprietary or non-confidential in nature unless otherwise explicitly approved by
the data owner or your manager in writing.
The Cisco Employee Internal Islands, which is comprised of islands named “CSSB1” and
“CSSB2”, are for internal projects and are open to employees to experiment and develop.
Customers or other non-employees are not allowed on these islands except as authorized.
Employees should avoid posting Cisco confidential and proprietary information, unless in a
temporary manner during presentations, as the infrastructure of Second Life is not secured
by Cisco and may be open to outside snooping. Any information posted for temporary
purposes must be removed immediately following its use.

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Check the Second Life Guidelines for additional information.
FTC EndorsementGuidelines
1. What should I know about posting endorsements about Cisco products or services on
the social Web?
Answer: As a result of the evolving level of influence inherent in the social Web, and Web in
general, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has provided guidelines around providing
endorsements online. The notice incorporates several amendments to the FTC’s Guides
Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in advertising and blogging, which
address endorsements by consumers, experts, organizations, and celebrities, as well as the
disclosure of important connections between advertisers and endorsers. Fines for violating the
new rule will run up to $11,000 per incident.
In the eyes of the FTC, a paid endorsement is no longer limited to monetary compensation and
this is why things will get interesting moving forward.
The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post
of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an
endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections
they share with the seller of the product or service. To be clear, a blog post (or Tweet) in
exchange for cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement.
If you are posting an endorsement about a Cisco product or service on any social networking site,
you must disclose the material connections you share with Cisco. In the realm of new media,
transparency and ethics speak louder than the value proposition of the product itself.
For more information: http://wwwin-blogs.cisco.com/deannab/entry/ftc_issues_new_rules_for
Trademarks
1. What should I be aware of when posting the Cisco logo or trademarks to social
networking sites?
Answer: Each employee is responsible for protecting and appropriately promoting the brand.
Do not share Cisco visual assets with third parties such as Cisco fonts, Cisco stock
photography, Cisco logos, or other devices that are reserved solely for Cisco.
Your personal social networking sites may not include Cisco logos or trademarks. This is to
prevent the appearance that you speak for or represent Cisco officially.
On Cisco social networking sites you may include the corporate logo by following the
documented policy.
Do not post the Cisco corporate logo on sites external to Cisco for use by non-employees. If
third parties request use of the Cisco corporate logo to support stories or commentary about
Cisco, you may direct them to our Logo Request Tool which provides an online, click-to-
accept license for such use.

14. Cisco Social Media Policy, Guidelines and FAQs Page 14 1/30/2015
Lastly, you should not use third parties’ marks or logos without their written permission.
Copyrights
1. What are the copyright guidelines around posting content that is not mine?
Answer: You are legally and financially responsible for your postings and may be subject to
liability for postings which include copyrighted information such as music, videos,
photographs, etc., belonging to third parties if they are used without the third parties’
permission. All such postings on Cisco blogs, without the proper permission by the owner of
such works, are prohibited. Click here for more copyright information.
2. When creating a video, do I need to obtain written or copyright permission (usage
rights) from my manager and/or a customer or third party who may own a portion of
the video or who appears in the video?
Answer: Yes, in using videos, you need to seek approval from any participants BEFORE
producing and publishing a video to an external video sharing site.
With proper Cisco agreements in place, by participating in a Cisco video, third parties agree
to (1) be solely responsible for the content of all information they contribute or refer to; (2)
release Cisco from any liability related to their participation in the Cisco video; and (3)
indemnify and hold Cisco harmless from any and all claims or disputes arising out of their
participation in a Cisco video. Click here for video guidelines.
Third parties who participate in a Cisco video also need to adhere to Cisco’s policy of not pre-
announcing product, solution, or company information. They may not disclose any
information that is confidential or proprietary to Cisco or to any third party that has disclosed
confidential information to Cisco. The content can be deleted in the editing process. Contact
your Cisco legal representative for guidance on obtaining proper agreements.
Photos and Logos
1. Can I use photos from the Cisco Marketing Library on my social networking
site/blog?
Answer: You may use Cisco photography in a Cisco blog on Cisco.com. Do not use Cisco
Stock photography (people, scenic, etc) in a personal blog or on a third-party site. You may
use Cisco product photography on any blog on any site.
2. Can I publish someone else’s photograph on my personal social networking site or
internal blog?
Answer: You should obtain written permission prior to publishing photographs or videos of
others on your personal or internal blog. This includes photos located in the Cisco Directory,
organization charts, or teambuilding photos.

15. Cisco Social Media Policy, Guidelines and FAQs Page 15 1/30/2015
Video Use and Guidelines
1. Can I post an internal Cisco video to an external video sharing site such as
YouTube?
Answer: No. Videos produced for an internal Cisco audience should NOT be published to
external video sharing sites. Internal videos are at a minimum classified as Cisco Confidential
and not encrypted, so there is a chance that even an internal video could be inadvertently
shared outside of Cisco. As a result, please use caution when including confidential or
proprietary information in an internal video. If the judgment call is questionable, contact the
data owner or your management for sign-off before publishing the video internally.
Additionally, contact the Corporate Brand Video team at corpvideo@cisco.com for brand
review and approval.
2. Can I post a non-internal video to external video sharing sites such as YouTube,
Yahoo Video, etc.? What is the policy surrounding posting video to an external site?
Answer: Yes, employees may post videos to video sharing sites such as YouTube as long
as the employee abides by all policies and guidelines in this document, including identifying
yourself as a Cisco employee when posting. All permissions from those included in the video
must be provided in order to post a video externally. In producing your video, refer to Cisco’s
guidelines. Additionally, contact the Corporate Brand Video team at corpvideo@cisco.com for
brand review and approval.
3. I’d like for a third party to be included in a Cisco video that will be published to an
external video sharing site. What are the guidelines for this?
Answer: Use judgment when interviewing third parties.
Third parties participating in a Cisco video may comment on Cisco to provide color or
commentary on important Cisco-related or market-related issues or to further a Cisco
viewpoint on a particular topic or issue. Engaging in the conversation, being helpful by adding
insight and perspective, correcting errors, and building relationships are all valid reasons to
participate. Cisco will need to obtain written permission to use third parties in a video. Click
here for video guidelines.
When developing a Cisco video, third parties should not promote a new product or service.
However, customers are open to hearing from other customers who are sharing successes.
As long as the content does not hype Cisco or its products or solutions, the content can be
credible.
Resources
External Links
 Cisco’s privacy statement
 Further questions? Email our Internet Postings alias.
 Wikipedia list of major, active social networking sites
Internal Links
 Daily Blog Tips
 Marketing Workshops

16. Cisco Social Media Policy, Guidelines and FAQs Page 16 1/30/2015
 Blogging and Social Media Tips
 Social Media Marketing News
 Copyrights and Trademarks
 Partners and Channel issues
 Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement
 Data Classification Policy
 Privacy and Data Protection Policy
 Acceptable Use Policy
 Cisco’s Employee Resource Handbook, Cisco Connections
 Code of Business Conduct (COBC)
 Find your Public Relations representative
 Policy Central
o Communication Center of Excellence (CCOE)
o Governance page on CCoE (includes Social Media Policy, Guidelines and FAQs)
o Global Social Media content on CCOE
o Go to Ciscopedia and click on Authoring Guide
o Go to RSS and click on the Policies tab