Governance
OSD and DOD Component PA teams oversee and provide guidance on the use and management of official DOD social media accounts. Communications will align with and support PA objectives and efforts across all platforms.
Professionalism
All official social media content is a reflection of the Department. When posting to official social media accounts, content should meet well-defined, appropriate objectives. Public Affairs Officers will remain respectful, responsive, and genuine, and exercise the same high standard of professional and ethical behavior on social media accounts as they do during any other function or on any other platform. Content should inspire and engage with audiences. At no time, however, should such content undermine the Department’s efforts to remain a good steward of the public trust. No content will be released that could be reasonably construed as offensive, inappropriate, or unbecoming. Official social media accounts must not be used to promote or endorse non-Federal entities or personal financial interests. Only designated DOD personnel may authorize release of information on social media accounts; contractor personnel may support EOP maintenance but cannot authorize the release of public information.
Propriety
Posts released from official DOD social media accounts must be:
- Accurate. The content is accurate.
- Appropriate. The account is the proper vehicle for the message.
- Timely. The message can be delivered at the proper time.
- In the Appropriate Tone. The message is being delivered in the proper tone.
- Approved for public release. The message has been reviewed for operations security and information security concerns and approved for public release, in accordance with DoDI 5230.09 and DoDI 5230.29, as applicable.
Acumen
PA officers and social media account managers should proactively maintain currency in the latest social media tactics, best practices, and trends, coupled with an understanding of and ability to apply PA objectives (e.g., as articulated in the DOD Communications Playbook). Social media account managers must complete operations security training Level 2 and be prepared to act quickly and implement evolving capabilities intelligently to remain effective in the use of the platform.
Establishment Need
New official accounts should only be established if a specific communications outcome cannot be fulfilled by an existing account(s) or other means of communication. More for the sake of more is not necessarily better. Please consult Section 4 of DoDI 5400.17 before creating new official DOD social media accounts.
Transparency
Social media account managers will not remove social media content from official DOD accounts unless there is a factual or typographical error; violation of a law, policy, term of service, or user agreement; or an operations or information security concern. Removal of content will be publicly acknowledged and communicated to audiences to provide context and appropriate clarification for the action; managers must persistently monitor, communicate, and, where appropriate, responsively engage with users regarding such removal. Removal of content can unintentionally discredit DOD information if the action appears to be taken to:
- Avoid embarrassment;
- Stifle or silence discussion about a controversial topic; or
- Mislead users to believe an issue is inconsequential or of minor significance.