Social Media Policy

The social media guidelines for staff are designed to help you steer a safe and responsible path and provide an overview of the main points to consider when creating and managing social media channels, including:

• Personal responsibilities when creating social media content
• How to manage comments and moderation issues
• Branding and identity
• Legal considerations
• Additional sources of support and advice

Glasgow Life allows access to social media websites from its computers and mobile technologies specifically to fulfil business requirement. Employees are granted this access for business purposes only other than during designated lunch times when we allow for limited usage of personal accounts.

This includes online social forums such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and also covers blogs and video and image sharing websites such as YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram.

‘Social media’ is the term commonly given to any type of interactive online media that allows parties to participate in discussions and share information in a public forum.

Certain professions, such as curators, marketing professionals and librarians also have a code of professionalism and specific standards employees must follow.

Some employees are in politically restricted posts and must be mindful of this even in their personal social media posts.

The use of social media sites, email or other online resources to post or access messages or images which are defamatory, obscene, libellous or inappropriate will be treated as misconduct under the Code of Discipline, Disciplinary and Appeals Procedure and may lead to dismissal in cases of gross misconduct.

Employees should ensure that they do not conduct themselves in a way that is detrimental to Glasgow Life or Glasgow City Council, colleagues, clients or Service Users either during working hours or in their personal lives when using their own equipment.

Employees should not add clients, pupils or service users as friends on social networking sites; as well as being unprofessional, this could potentially breach confidence and trust.

Employees should not take it upon themselves to create or mange any new social media accounts without first submitting a business case and proposal to the Glasgow Life Digital Team.

Our acceptable use of our Information and Communications Technology facilities guidelines are available on the Glasgow Life Intranet and will provide more information around this.

Employees have the responsibility to familiarise themselves with these guidelines and adhere to them at all times.