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The Rules of Conduct Applied to Social Media
Excited about the idea of putting social media to work
for your independent business powered by
Amway Global
(formerly Quixtar)? Or, perhaps you’re a little nervous
about it, because you’re not sure how they fit into the
Rules of Conduct. Here’s an explanation we think
you’ll find helpful.
First, many Rules of Conduct apply to the Internet, and
the social media (including blogs, microblogs, and other
social networking) are definitely a part of the
Internet.
Second, the Rules of Conduct that apply to the
person-to-person nature of the business equally apply to
your conduct on social media. Third, many of the Rules
of Conduct are about protecting the business image, so you
should apply
those Rules to how you would present the business to the
world of social media. In every case, if you apply the
heart of the rule, you should be able to meet the word
of the rule. Finally, it is your responsibility to
ensure compliance with all the Rules.
How the Rules of Conduct
apply to Social Media
Rule 4.3
says that you cannot display products from
amwayglobal.com on “retail establishments,” including
unauthorized Internet (or Web) sites. All Social Media
are Internet sites, so this Rule applies to
Facebook
pages,
MySpace pages,
LinkedIn
profiles,
Twitter
photo sharing applications like
Tweetphoto or
Twitpic,
or blogs.
4.3.
Retail Stores: No IBO shall permit the Corporation’s products or services to
be sold or displayed in retail establishments, including, but not limited
to, places like schools, fairs, PXs, ships, unauthorized internet websites,
or military stores; nor shall he or she permit any of these products to
appear in such locations even if the products or services are not for sale.
No corporate literature shall be displayed in retail establishments.
Rule 4.3.2 says that you
cannot use any “broadcast communication methods, including computer
communication networks like the Internet,” in which you haven’t personally
contacted the person, to secure customers or sell products. This applies to
social media as members of the Internet or computer networks. (See
Legal Bulletin #17 for further information.)
4.3.2. Further, IBOs may not use any broadcast communication methods
including mass mailings, telemarketing, national or international
advertising, radio, television, facsimile services, computer communication
networks including the internet, or any other means by which personal
contact is not present, to secure customers or to solicit the sale of
products. However, IBOs may use digital media or maintain a website to order
products or to have their customers order products, provided such media or
website meets the requirements set out in the IBO Prospecting/Product Sales
Website Bulletin, and otherwise complies with the Rules of Conduct.
Rule 4.23 says that you
cannot send unsolicited e-mail messages to people you don’t know
personally or by an existing business relationship. (However, you may send
one unsolicited e-mail to request permission to send them
correspondence.) Note: An unsolicited e-mail is one form of spam; another
form of spam is an unsolicited commercial message sent through social media,
such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
or on a blog. Another frequent form of spam on
social media is posting comments the
only intent of which is to promote your website, such as on Twitter or
on blogs.
4.23. Unsolicited Email Messages: No IBO shall send, transmit, or otherwise
communicate any unsolicited email messages to persons with whom the IBO does
not have a pre-existing personal or business relationship. (This includes,
but is not limited to, sending emails through newsgroups, purchased mailing
lists, “safe lists,” or other lists of individuals or entities with which
the IBO does not have a relationship.)
Read our
IBO Best Practices article
about spam.
Rule 8.3.11 says that you
can neither present the Plan nor seek to sponsor
someone using any “broadcast communication method, including computer
communication networks like the Internet,” in which the person is not
physically present. This also applies to social media as members of the
Internet or computer networks.
In
seeking participation of a prospective IBO in the IBO Plan, the registering
IBO must comply with the following guidelines:
8.3.11. Must not present the IBO Plan or solicit participation in the IBO
Plan through any broadcast communication methods including mass mailings,
telemarketing, national or international advertising, radio, television,
facsimile services, computer communication networks including the internet,
or any other means by which personal contact with a prospect is not present.
However, IBOs may use digital media or maintain an internet website for use
with prospects, provided the contents of such media or website meet the
requirements set out in the IBO Prospecting/Customer Product Website
Bulletin, and otherwise comply with the Rules of Conduct.
Rule 9.1
says you cannot use an
Amway Global
trade name (company name), trademark (product names), or designs (such as
logos) without Amway Global’s permission. Thus, you can't use it as a
social media handle or username, group name, page name, avatar, or other
similar way without receiving the Corporation’s prior approval. You also
wouldn’t include logos in
Twitpics, Facebook, MySpace,
or blog pages
or YouTube videos.
9.1. Permission Prior
to Use Required: The
Corporation will not allow use of its trade name (company name), trademarks
(product names), designs, or symbols by any person, including an IBO,
without its prior permission. The Corporation will issue cease-and-desist
orders to any persons using its trade name, trademarks, designs, and symbols
without its permission and will, if necessary, follow with appropriate legal
action for failure to comply with a cease-and-desist order. If the
Corporation did not do this, IBOs would soon find the market flooded with
the Corporation’s products not produced by the Corporation or sold by its
IBOs. Obviously, the IBOs would be greatly harmed by such unfair
competition.
Rule 9.8 covers IBO
advertising in general, but says in specific that except as provided in
rules 4.3.2 and 8.3.11 (see above), you may not advertise or promote Amway
Global’s products or the business opportunity through the use of mass
communication methods such as computer communication networks, including the
Internet, where persons are not physically present. Those would, thus, apply
to social media, too.
9.8. IBO Advertising: IBOs
wishing to use advertising media must submit their proposal in writing,
along with a copy of the proposed advertisement, to the Corporation for
approval. The Corporation’s approval is for one (1) year only. Except as
provided in
Rules 4.3.2. and
8.3.11., under no circumstances may IBOs
advertise or promote the Corporation’s products and services or the
Corporation’s business opportunity through the use of mass communication
methods such as radio, television, facsimile services, computer
communication networks, including the internet, national or international
advertising, or any other form of promotion where the person-to-person
nature of the business is not present.
9.8.1. IBOs may purchase keyword
ads on internet search engines provided that:
1.
it is in accordance with Bulletin 26
2.
IBOs have prior written approval from the Corporation
Legal Bulletins
Amway Global has published two Legal Bulletins that explain or apply the
rules in more detail, and we suggest that you read them before launching any
social media pages:
• Legal
Bulletin 17 – IBO Websites
• Legal
Bulletin 26 – Internet Search Engine Advertising
Be
sure to check with your upline if you have questions about how the
Rules of
Conduct might affect something that you plan to do on a social media site.
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