Social media presents a challenge for investment advisers in their effort to comply with the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Investment Advisers Act”) and other regulations. The Risk Alert regarding Investment Adviser Use of Social Media issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations states that investment advisers using social media should adopt and review their policies and procedures periodically; “Firms should create usage guidelines on appropriate and inappropriate use of social media and should consider adopting policies and procedures to address conducting firm business on personal social media sites.” Additionally, investment advisers have recordkeeping requirements that require certain communications made through social media sites to be retained. According to the Risk Alert “registered investment advisers that communicate through social media must retain records of those communications if they contain information that satisfies the recordkeeping obligations under the [Investment] Advisers Act.”
Category Archives: Email Retention
Rule 204-(2)(a)(7) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Investment Advisers Act”) requires investment advisers registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), to preserve “all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by such investment adviser relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given, (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities, or (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security . . . .” The SEC has stated that electronic communications are considered written communications and are subject to the supervisory and record keeping requirements. Most books and records requirements for state registered investment advisers are the same as or similar to the SEC requirements, but each state registered investment adviser needs to make sure that it familiarizes itself with the requirements of its securities regulator.
