Corrective Services social media policy – May 2016 (PDF version)
Members, it is necessary for you within your duties that you are both aware of and abide by the Department of Justice, Corrective Services NSW, Social Media Policy.
As stated by the Department of Justice within its Social Media Policy:
“(it) recognises employees may use social media in their personal life. The Policy does not intend to discourage nor unduly limit personal expression online or use of social media channels”.
Personal use of social media
The Department further informs that as an employee of the Department and the NSW Government, there is, however, a risk of damage including legal and reputational (directly or indirectly and accidentally as well as with intention) to those entities via personal use of social media as well as to the individual employee.
Employees must adhere to the Department’s Code of Conduct and to this Policy in their use of social media in a personal capacity.
Members we again alert you to your obligations when using Social Media.
Employees must not:
- imply they are authorised to speak as a representative of the Department or the NSW Government, nor give the impression that their views express those of the Department or the NSW Government
- disclose Department email addresses or use any Department logos or insignia
- use the Department email system for any personal postings or interactions over social media platforms
- publish content that is offensive, obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, bullying, discriminatory, hateful, racist, sexist, infringes copyright, breaches an individual’s privacy, constitutes a contempt of court, breaches a Court suppression order, or is otherwise unlawful
- publish content (see 3. Definitions) or information acquired in the workplace or while on duty including and especially relating to colleagues and clients
- use social media in the workplace in a way that allows identification of their location where this creates risk for the individual or the Department
- bully and/or harass colleagues. Workplace bullying and harassment may include any comments employees make online in their own private social networks or out of office hours. Abusive, harassing, threatening or defaming posts are a breach of the Department’s Code of Conduct
- use social media to establish or maintain engagement with external clients, former external clients, their families or friends who know their identity as an employee of the Department, where there is a real, potential or perceived conflict of interest or risk of bringing the Department or the employee into disrepute.