Social Media Policy (Brand + Personal)

Purpose: Social media is a public extension of our brand. As intern hosts, your words and actions online can protect or harm guest trust, audience safety, and business credibility. This policy defines what is allowed, what requires approval, and how we respond during sensitive moments.

Applies to: All paid intern podcast hosts and anyone with access to or representing Healthy Mind by Avik™ online.
Effective date: [02/03/2026]
Owner: Healthy Mind by Avik™ (Founder: Avik Chakraborty)

10.1 Brand Accounts (Official Handles)

A) Access control

• Only interns/employees explicitly authorized by the Team Lead/Founder may access official handles.

• Access is role-based and may be removed at any time for compliance or operational reasons.

• Password sharing is not allowed. Access must be provided via approved methods (role invites, password manager, or platform permissions).

B) Content governance
All official posts must follow:

• the approved content calendar,

• the brand voice guidelines,

• platform-specific posting rules (format, hashtags, tagging rules).

No intern/employee may publish content “on impulse” from brand accounts.

C) Approval requirements (mandatory)
The following require written approval from the Team Lead/Founder before posting:

• collaborations, cross-promotions, partner tags, sponsor mentions, affiliate promotions

• giveaways, contests, discount codes, referral links

• any paid promotion or brand partnership

• any post referencing a controversy, sensitive topic, or public incident

• any content that could be interpreted as medical advice or clinical guidance

• any post using a guest’s name/image/story beyond what is already publicly approved

D) Restricted content (not allowed unless Founder-approved)
From brand accounts, interns must not post:

• political endorsements, party advocacy, election content, or politically charged commentary

• polarizing opinions on sensitive social issues unless formally approved and strategically aligned

• “hot takes” or reactive commentary about trending events

• content that diagnoses, labels, shames, or implies clinical outcomes

E) Tone and safety standard
Brand accounts must always reflect Healthy Mind by Avik™ values:

• warm, grounded, emotionally safe

• non-clinical (no diagnosing, no “this will cure you” claims)

• non-judgmental

• respectful toward diverse lived experiences

F) Guest privacy (strict)

• Do not share behind-the-scenes clips, screenshots of guest emails/DMs, or any guest personal details.

• Use only approved guest assets and only after consent/episode release guidelines are met.

• Never post unreleased guest content or tease sensitive details to drive engagement.

G) Comment and DM handling

• Do not engage in arguments.

• Do not give medical advice in comments/DMs.

• If someone shares a mental health crisis message, escalate to Team Lead immediately and follow the internal escalation script.

10.2 Personal Accounts (Individual Social Media)

We respect that interns/employees have their own platforms and personal brands. However, professional boundaries apply because your role is visible and connected to our reputation.

A) What is allowed
Interns/employees may:

• mention they are an intern host with Healthy Mind by Avik™,

• share publicly released episodes they hosted,

• repost official content already published by brand accounts,

• share general learnings (without revealing confidential info or guest data).

B) Personal account boundaries (strictly prohibited)
Interns/employees must not:

• share unreleased clips, raw audio/video, internal drafts, or unreleased guest information

• share internal updates, schedules, team discussions, strategy, sponsor rates, or negotiations

• post screenshots of internal Slack/WhatsApp chats, internal documents, or production dashboards

• use guest contact details for personal networking, collaborations, or invitations to other shows/projects

• imply affiliation gives authority to speak on behalf of the brand

C) Representation rules

• Interns/employees must not claim to speak as the official brand unless explicitly authorized.

• If you reference your work, include a disclaimer such as:
  “Views are my own.”

• Do not use Healthy Mind by Avik™ logos, brand assets, or design systems on personal promotional materials without written approval.

D) Professional conduct
Even on personal accounts, Interns/employees must not engage in:

• harassment, hate speech, bullying, threats, or targeted attacks

• doxxing or sharing private information

• content that undermines guest safety, confidentiality, or the company’s credibility

If personal behavior creates reputational risk to the brand or harms guest trust, it may be treated as a policy violation.

10.3 Crisis / Social Backlash Protocol (Mandatory Steps)

If a post, episode, clip, or comment triggers negative attention, controversy, or backlash:

Step 1: Do not argue or escalate

• Do not respond emotionally.

• Do not debate publicly.

• Do not delete content unless instructed (deleting can escalate unless managed correctly).

Step 2: Document immediately

• Take screenshots of the issue (post, comments, DMs, timestamps, usernames).

• Save links and context.

Step 3: Escalate internally

• Inform the Team Lead immediately with:

  • what happened,

  • where it happened,

  • what the impact appears to be,

  • screenshots/links.

Step 4: Centralized response only

• Any public response will be decided and executed centrally by the Team Lead/Founder.

• Interns/employees must not publish clarifications, apologies, or explanations unless approved.

Step 5: Containment actions
If instructed, Interns/employees may:

• pause scheduled posts,

• disable comments temporarily (platform permitting),

• route DMs to the Team Lead.

10.4 Violations & Consequences

Violations of this Social Media Policy may lead to:

1. written warning and re-training,

2. removal of access to brand accounts and responsibilities,

3. pay deduction for impacted work where applicable,

4. termination of internship engagement for serious or repeated breaches.