Social Media
This policy has been developed to provide department employees with standards of use as they engage in conversations or interactions using digital media for official, professional and personal use.
Changes since previous version
2023 Feb 17 - updated contact details.
Document history
2020 Sep 03 - updated link and name of Student use of digital devices and online services policy (section 3.1); deleted obsolete related documents from Policy Library:
- How to manage negative or controversial online conversations (video)
- Identifying influencers to monitor (video)
- NSW DoE social media policy explained (video)
- The Basics of Online Listening (video)
- The Principles of Community Management (video).
2020 Aug - updated implementation document, Social Media Procedures DOC20/779931, embedded Social Media Procedures hyperlink within the policy statement and added section in 1.4, minor typo changes to policy statement.
2020 Jun - updated contact details.
Superseded documents
None
- Policy statement
- The Social Media policy and Social media policy implementation procedures (PDF 1127 KB) provide guidance and support to all staff as they engage in social media for:
- official use
- professional use
- personal use.
- The department supports its employees' participation in social media online applications such as social networking sites, wikis, blogs, microblogs, video and audio sharing sites, and message boards that allow people to easily publish, share and discuss content. Social media provides an opportunity to:
- engage and interact with our various audiences
- promote staff expertise.
- The following five standards apply to employees' work use and personal use of social media at any time, when it has a clear and close connection with the department. The department will enforce these five standards as and when appropriate. Staff should:
- always follow relevant department policies including the Code of Conduct
- not act unlawfully (such as breaching copyright) when using social media
- make sure their personal online activities do not interfere with the performance of their job
- be clear that their personal views are theirs, and not necessarily the views of the department
- not disclose confidential information obtained through work.
- Employees must not post images, video and/or any identifying information about students or department staff unless it is through an official department social media account in accordance with the Social media policy implementation procedures (PDF 1127 KB).
- The Social Media policy and Social media policy implementation procedures (PDF 1127 KB) provide guidance and support to all staff as they engage in social media for:
- Audience and applicability
- The terms and conditions contained in this policy document apply to all department employees including staff in schools as well as all casual, temporary and contract staff.
- Context
- Use of web 2.0 technologies/social media is increasingly part of everyday online activities. This policy should be read and interpreted in conjunction with:
- Code of Conduct policy
- Student use of digital devices and online services policy
- Digital Devices and Online Services - Staff Use policy
- Copyright (staff only)
- Media Relations policy
- Values in NSW public schools policy
- Controversial Issues in Schools policy
- Social Media and Technology Guide for Staff (staff only)
- Records Management Program
- Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.
- Use of web 2.0 technologies/social media is increasingly part of everyday online activities. This policy should be read and interpreted in conjunction with:
- Responsibilities and delegations
- Senior executive and workplace managers are required to ensure this policy is understood by staff working within their area of control.
- Monitoring and review
- The Executive Director, Communication and Engagement, monitors the implementation of this policy, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.
- Contact
Communication and Engagement directorate
socialmedia@det.nsw.edu.au