Dept of Finance releases Social Media 101 for staff, unlocks social media tools for use

The Department of Finance and Deregulation has announced on its Web Publishing Guide blog that it has opened its internal network to Facebook, Twitter and other social network tools and released a guide for staff, Social Media 101: A beginner’s guide for Finance employees.

Social Media 101 includes guidance for staff use of social media as well as specific guidance around the use of Facebook and Twitter.

It draws a very clear line as to what staff may or may not do online, stating that,

Finance employees do not need to seek clearance when talking online about factual, unclassified and uncontroversial matters related to the Department. You must have authorisation from your manager (including following any necessary clearance processes) before publishing any wider information relating to the Department, especially any comment that:

• commits Finance or the Government to any action or initiative
• attempts to speak, or could be interpreted as speaking, on behalf of Finance or the Government
• relates to controversial, sensitive, confidential or political matters
• could be interpreted as a personal political view or political advocacy;
• could bring Finance or the APS into disrepute.

To my knowledge, Finance is the first Australian Government department to put a social media policy and guidance in place.

I don't expect them to be the last.