Even worse is when something written about you/your company comes back to slap you in the face like a coconut cream pie.

In his post, “Should Personal Blogs Be Allowed and Permitted by Employers,” Kirk Noel Narrows outlines the essential conundrum in letting employees blog:  You don’t want to be known as the self-preservationist ogre who stifled self-expression, but you must protect your company from damaging employee blogs.

He goes on to say:
Would it not be smarter from the very start to have clear policy procedures in place , including a signed non-disclosure document, clearly listing rules, proceedings and a time line after leaving the employer? Large corporations do this as a simple matter of routine. Should not this be your established pattern as well ?

I couldn’t agree more.  Far easier to set the boundaries at the beginning with a new hire than try to change horses midstream.

• Bonnie Price
• Joanna Alberti
• Aliza Sherman
• Vanessa Summers (check out the “Money” section)

Congratulations to you!  Off to do another happy dance. 

The whole clan (there were nearly 20 of us!) got together at Carmine’s Restaurant and sat around a huge table.  First came the garlic bread.  Then the antipasto.  Then the Caesar salad.  Then the fried zucchini strings.  Then the penne with tomato sauce and pesto tortellini.  Then the chicken with mozzarella cheese.  The broccoli rabe with garlic.  Then dessert:  biscotti and chocolate mousse cake.  Frankly, by the time the pasta came around, I was done.  But I kept eating.  It was so scrumptious.  I was so full I could barely breathe . . . and felt just this side of sick!  I walked out of the restaurant v-e-r-r-y slowly.  I just couldn’t digest it all.

When dealing with social media, there’s so much to digest and understand–especially to use it effectively.  That’s where I’m thrilled to have my own social media Sherpa, Lena West.  She has a helpful post (yeah, OK, it’s from last year, but the advice is solid) on social media time management that bears reading.

Now you’ll excuse me while I go do my “happy dance” in the living room. 

You’ve had sleepless nights coming up with that oh-so-fabulous brand that will rock the world (or at least your market niche). You sweated out the search process, making sure that no one else is using the same or similar mark in the same (or a similar) way. You drummed your fingers incessantly, waiting months for the Trademark Office to respond to your application. You tore your hair (or bit your fingernails) over the seemingly picayune alterations they wanted you to make to the application in order to get it through (not to mention the possibility of paying more in filing fees). You held your breath during the publication phase of the process, closing your eyes and praying to any deity that would listen that no one would object to your application. Finally, you got what you thought was the Holy Grail of trademark protection: the “R-circle” (®).

Can you breathe now? 

Yes and no.

In her post, “My Trademark Was Granted–I’m Done . . . Right?” my colleague, e-business lawyer Deena Burgess, Esq., tells you what’s up ahead, and what you need to anticipate.

In addition to the Communications Decency Act and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, there are a host of federal and state laws concerning false advertising, trade, trademarks, copyrights and contract terms that DO apply to your online business activities.

So how can you create an e-commerce website that doesn’t become a breeding ground for lawsuits? For starters, have a look at “Careless With Your Business Website?  Don’t Get Sued.” written by my colleague, technology lawyer Mark Grossman, Esq.  Also check out my article on Website Terms and Conditions at GreatBusinessLawTips.com.

They don’t have to be complicated. This about the data that businesses collect about you, and how you would want them to handle it. Monte Enbyskhas developed a short list to help you be smart and responsible when it comes to privacy:

1. Take inventory of the personal information you collect and store.
2. Analyze how safely you use and store this data.
3. Make sure you’re complying with industry regulations or federal laws.
4. Post a privacy policy that is clear and comprehensive.
5. Have your policy reviewed by an attorney or by a privacy seal program (Need I say more?)
6. If you have employees, protect their personal information and carefully screen and restrict those with access to personal data.

The latest addition that I’ve just come across is the employee WiFi use policy. As noted in Matthew Hegarty’s article in the October 2008 New York Enterprise Report, employers need to be on the lookout for unauthorized access to their networks. Given that so many more employees are working remotely (from a home office or just on the road, on the train while commuting, etc.), there are more places and opportunities for hackers to breach your system.

Here are a couple of items that Hegarty suggested:

• Use complex passwords. These are passwords that have a mix of letters, numbers and cases (UPPER and lower)
• Change passwords every 60-90 days.
• Use a Virtual Private Network. This is a private network that can be accessed online but requires a login sequence to access.
• Ensure encryption of wireless traffic (see Wi-Fi.org)

Speak to your IT professional about your options for wireless network security.