Final answer:
Including personal social media usage guidelines in a company's code of conduct is impractical due to difficulties in enforcement and potential infringement on personal freedoms. Companies must balance corporate ethics and respect for individual autonomy while being aware of social media's impact on professional reputation.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is impractical to include personal social media usage guidelines in a company's code of conduct because enforcing such policies can be challenging and may infringe on employees' freedoms. The boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal life are often complex and fluid, which makes monitoring and regulating personal social media activity difficult without overstepping. Moreover, ethical guidelines and corporate responsibility call for respect towards employees’ private life while ensuring that their online presence does not harm the company’s reputation.
Professional organizations, such as IEEE-CS, provide codes of ethics that articulate the responsibilities of their members within their professional scopes. However, these guidelines do not typically extend to personal social media activities.
Furthermore, sociologists like Max Weber have advocated for value neutrality in research, suggesting that personal values should not interfere with professional responsibilities. Applying this premise to social media, companies must balance their ethical responsibilities with respect for individual autonomy.
Finally, social media can leave a long-lasting digital footprint. Negative social media activities can damage professional reputations, as seen in high-profile cases like that of comedian Kevin Hart. This underscores the need for employees to act responsibly on social media, aligning with corporate ethics and societal norms.