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Do you know where your important content lives?

The answer is everywhere you can imagine.  Most organizations think their important data is only in word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations or databases.  What about a concept sketch for your new product?  What about training videos?  How about information shared by teams in an internal wiki or blog?
  
There is just as much important information in those as in a traditional word processing document or spreadsheet.  Whether you are an insurance company that has photographs from an accident scene or an attorney who has a video deposition, the contents of these files are critical to your business.  And they also may be private and confidential.  If a private picture made its way onto Flickr or Facebook, it might cause monetary and legal problems for you.  Social networking programs are fantastic for engaging customers, employees and partners, but can wreak havoc if the wrong thing gets up there.
  
With all the different mediums for content nowadays, you need to think through simple processes and procedures for governing this information.  A few simple rules should suffice.
  
   1. Determine what is and what is not confidential and private information. 
   2. Determine who should have access to this confidential and private information.
   3. Designate proper procedures for tagging and handling confidential and private information.
  
If something is not private or confidential, then it may be beneficial to publish it to partners and customers.  Pictures, videos and audio content communicate better than written words in many cases.  A lot of organizations can benefit by sharing this information openly.  It shows transparency and a willingness to engage.  But if it is really confidential, then teach employees, officers and directors how to classify and handle it.  It’s a lot better than seeing your private pictures or videos show up on YouTube or SlideShare.
   
Photo credit timbrauhn

 

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