Policies & Procedures

Guideline 8.5: Social Media

This section applies to those posting on behalf of an official college unit/club/organization, though the guidelines may be helpful for anyone posting on social media in any capacity.

• Think twice before posting: Privacy does not exist in the world of social media.

Consider what could happen if a post becomes widely known and how that may reflect both on the poster and the college. Search engines can turn up posts years after they are created, and comments can be forwarded or copied. If you wouldn't say it at a conference or to a member of the media, consider whether you should post it online. If you are unsure about posting something or responding to a comment, ask your supervisor for input or contact college Marketing and Public Relations.

• Strive for accuracy: Get the facts straight before posting them on social media. Review content for grammatical and spelling errors. This is especially important if posting on behalf of the college in any capacity.

• Be respectful: Understand that content contributed to a social media site could encourage comments or discussion of opposing ideas. Responses should be considered carefully in light of how they would reflect on the poster and/or the college and its institutional voice.

• Remember your audience: Be aware that a presence in the social media world is or easily can be made available to the public at large. This includes prospective students, current students, current employers and colleagues, and peers. Consider this before publishing to ensure the post will not alienate, harm, or provoke any of these groups.

• On personal sites, identify your views as your own. If you identify yourself as a Anoka Technical College or Anoka-Ramsey Community College faculty or staff member online, it should be clear that the views expressed are not necessarily those of the institution.

• Photography: Photographs posted on social media sites easily can be appropriated by visitors. Consider adding a watermark and/or posting images at 72 dpi and approximately 800x600 resolution to protect your intellectual property. Images at that size are sufficient for viewing on the Web, but not suitable for printing. Be sure to ask permission before taking or posting photographs of employees or students. It is generally good practice to get written permission.

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History:

10.2014 Adopted