BASED ON LAST NIGHT'S CLASS DISCUSSION...

C.E.O. Survival Guide: Your Kid’s Internet Postings Are Landing You in Hot Water

the summer of 2006, Wayne Watts, a senior vice president and associate general counsel at AT&T, was in the middle of defending the company’s customer service practices to industry regulators who were examining the company’s takeover bid for BellSouth. His 21-year-old son Jared, meanwhile, from his job at a Cingular Wireless store (then an AT&T subsidiary and since renamed), blogged that mergers inconvenience customers, and called the company’s policies “abusive to the customer,” “inappropriate,” and said they “violate [his] personal beliefs.” The Washington Post printed the criticisms and the embarrassing conflict was a public relations problem at the least. At worst, it could have scared BellSouth away from the merger altogether.What if you run a company, and your child’s behavior online has the power to get you into hot water?

1. Be a Concerned ParentRemember, you are a parent first and foremost—or at least you should be.

2. Remove the Offending Material, if NecessaryIf you are unable to do this directly, or your child refuses, contact the sites your child posted on and ask them to take down the material. MySpace, for one, has a policy in which a parent can call the company at any time to delete the profiles, comments, or pictures posted by children under 18.

3. Call Your LawyerIf your child has broken any laws, released confidential company information, or inadvertently embroiled the company in a regulatory issue, seek legal counsel.

4. Assess Quickly Whether the Incident May Impact Business as UsualIf you suspect that the online incident might impact business, or that there might be publicity surrounding it, be prepared.

5. Be Transparent and Cooperative When Asked About the Incident. Do not stiff-arm the media—they are likely conflicted about reporting on the behavior of a family member of a public figure.

6. Understand That Your Parenting Prowess May Affect Some People’s Perception of Your Business AbilityThere will be those who will say: “Well, if he can’t control his children on the Web, how can he run this company?” They are the minority, but they do exist. The best way to convince them otherwise is to address the issue, but then remain focused on the task at hand and not become distracted.

SOURCES: Eric Dezenhall, C.E.O., Dezenhall Resources; Chris Gidez, director, Risk Management/Crisis Communications, Hill & Knowlton; Bill Keegan, executive vice president and director of crisis and issues management, Edelman; and Michael Robinson, senior vice president, Levick Strategic Communications, and a former S.E.C. public affairs and policy chief.