Social Media Policy

Applicability/accountability: This policy is applicable to all members of the University community, including all students, faculty, staff, alumni, student organizations, colleges, programs, institutes, divisions and departments.

Definitions: Social media: Media outlets designed to be disseminated through social interaction, including without limitation, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Flickr.

Policy Statement: Social media are far-reaching and continuously evolving communication outlets that can have a significant impact on an organization’s image and reputation. Official University social media sites may be developed in an effort to provide detailed and personalized information on a specific unit’s programs and activities and to foster interaction among interested parties. This policy clarifies how best to enhance and protect the professional reputation of the University and its colleges and units when participating in social media networks. For more assistance with social media issues, please contact the communications officer in your unit or the Marketing Department in the Division of Public Affairs. The same policies and principles for professional conduct and behavior apply in the social media context. When posting on a social media site, the following procedures must be followed:

1.  No confidential or proprietary information about the University or its students, faculty, staff or alumni shall be posted on a social media site. Employees who share confidential information do so at the risk of disciplinary action or termination.
2. All applicable laws, regulations and University policies must be strictly adhered to, including without limitation, those pertaining to copyright and intellectual property rights, employee or student conduct, use of University resources, information and data, student privacy, and NCAA rules and regulations.
3. The following disclaimer should be added to all University sites: “Please note that content shared or posted may be subject to Florida's Public Records Law.”
4. A permanent link to the official University website (www.fau.edu) must be included on all University sites.
5. No single unit’s social media site represents the University as a whole. Consider this when naming pages and accounts and selecting profile pictures or icons such that it clearly specifies the University unit being represented.
6. University units that have one or more social media pages or would like to start one should contact the Marketing Department in the Division of Public Affairs and the communications officer assigned to that division or college. Units within the Division of Student Affairs should contact Student Affairs Marketing.
7. Social media accounts maintained on behalf of University units should be kept up to date and in compliance with all University policies. Sites that are not kept current or in compliance with University policies may be de-activated. All social media accounts maintained by University units shall be accessible by the Division of Public Affairs.
8. The University name, logo or trademarks may not be used on personal social media pages or sites or to endorse a product or support a cause, political or otherwise.
9. The University name, marks and logos must be used in accordance with FAU’s visual standards manual and approval of the Division of Public Affairs.