Social Media Policy

1. Policy statement

1.1 The 黑料吃瓜网 (“University”) recognises and embraces the benefits and opportunities that social media can bring as a tool. It can be used to share news, information and successes; keep staff and students up to date with important developments; and promote freedom of speech and academic freedom through healthy debate about research and matters of public interest. There is, however, an inherent risk involved in using social media, in that it is an instantaneous and far-reaching form of communication. The University encourages engagement, collaboration and innovation through social media; however all must be aware of the potential impact that inappropriate use can have on staff, students and the reputation of the University.

1.2 This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment or any student’s contract with the University and it may be amended from time to time, consulting as appropriate. The Head of Corporate Communications has overall responsibility for this policy, which will be reviewed every three years.

2. Scope of the policy

2.1 For the purpose of this policy, social media is defined as any online interactive tool that encourages participation, interaction and exchanges. New forms of social media appear on a fairly regular basis; at the moment, examples of popular platforms include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Reddit, as well as blogs, discussion forums, instant messaging and any website that allows public commenting or posting. These examples will be updated from time to time, but this policy applies to all social media use whether or not expressly listed in this paragraph.

2.2 This policy is intended to cover the use of all and any social media platforms used by staff or students of the University, subject to the limitations set out below.

2.3 The University acknowledges that some of its staff and students use social media as a form of professional communication, through official University websites and accounts and/or by using the University name and logo. Further guidance on the use of social media to represent yourself and/or your work in a professional context can be given by the Digital Campaigns and Engagement Team (see section 14.1). For the avoidance of doubt, all communications are within the scope of this policy. All staff and students establishing a social media account or presence for work-related content should seek prior advice and approval of intended content from their line manager and Digital Campaigns and Engagement Team; further guidance on approval can be found in section 14.1.

2.4 Professional communications for the purposes of section 2.3 include staff and students using official 黑料吃瓜网 or 黑料吃瓜网 Student Society affiliated accounts and those referencing or communicating on behalf of an official University account or 黑料吃瓜网 Student Society.

2.5 The University acknowledges that its staff and students may use social media in their private lives and for personal communications. Personal communications include those made on, or from, a private social media account, such as a personal page on Facebook, a LinkedIn profile or a personal blog. It may be possible from those accounts to identify you as associated with the University, so that in some cases your activity may fall under the scope of this policy.

2.6 In all cases where a private social media account is used that identifies the University, it must be made clear that the views expressed on or through that social media account do not represent the views of the University. Your accounts should include an appropriate statement such as: "The views expressed here are my own and in no way reflect the views of the 黑料吃瓜网."

3. Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom

3.1 Nothing in this policy is intended to have the effect of limiting either freedom of speech or academic freedom within the law. For more information, see Freedom of Speech: Code of Practice.

4. Using social media as a teaching and learning tool

4.1 Social media (in the same way as other apps and software) may only be used as a teaching and learning tool if and once the proposed tool has been approved for use by the University. If you wish to use a social media tool, you should check if it has been approved (for example with your DTS Business Relationship Manager) and if it has not you should seek approval through the normal routes via your DTS Business Relationship Manager.

4.2 All instructions issued by the University on the use of such tools must be adhered to and staff must ensure that the terms and conditions of the social media platform are consistent with the University’s intellectual property policy (see section 6).

4.3 All students must read, understand and agree to the terms of use of the social media website and the University’s terms and conditions relating to the use of social media in this context before accessing and posting content on social media in a teaching and learning context.

4.4 If a student does not have and/or does not wish to create an account on the social media platform that the staff member wishes to use, the staff member must make the content available in another format so the student can access it or enable participation in another way. The staff member must also ensure any content shared on social media is accessible. More information about inclusive learning practice is available at Policy on Inclusive Practice in Teaching and Learning and

5. Expected standards of behaviour

5.1 Staff and students are personally responsible for what they communicate and share on or through social media and they must adhere to the standards of behaviour set out in this policy and any related policies.

5.2 Communications made on social media should be made in accordance with this policy. Use of social media must not infringe on the rights or privacy of staff or students, and staff and students must not post content or make comments about other staff, students or third parties that are unlawful or discriminatory, constitute harassment, breach University policy, or otherwise bring the University into disrepute. More information about expected standards of staff and student behaviour can be found at Code of Good Practice (Valuing Ourselves and Others) and Regulations for Student Conduct

5.3 All use of social media must comply with the University's policies in relation to:

(a) Academic Freedom;

(b) Code of Good Practice;

(c) Copyright;

(d) Data Protection;

(e) Equal Opportunities;

(f) Harassment & Bullying;

(g) Information Security;

(h) Intellectual Property; and

(i) IT User Regulations

5.4 Staff and students may also need to comply with social media guidance issued by relevant regulatory bodies, for example, the Law Society or the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and, where applicable, must familiarise themselves and comply with such guidance.

5.5 Social media should not be used for the purposes of recruitment or selection of staff or students, other than to advertise positions and programmes at the University and to deal with enquiries from prospective staff and students through official University websites and accounts. Appropriate endorsements on professional sites such as LinkedIn are permitted.

5.6 Staff and students must not provide references for other individuals on social media and/or professional networking websites, as such references, whether positive or negative, may be attributed to the University and may create legal liability for both the author and the University.

5.7 Social media content must not refer to, or include, information that is in conflict with or jeopardises the University's interests, is in any way inconsistent with an individual’s duties to the University, or breaches the rights of others. The following are examples of content that are considered to be of an unacceptable nature and should never be posted:

(a) any confidential information about the University (including subsidiary companies and trusts) and its students, research and collaborative partners, suppliers and customers;

(b) any commercially confidential or sensitive information (which may include research not yet in the public domain, indications of forthcoming developments or funding bids, data or software code, non-public or not yet approved documents, minutes, news or information or other information you have been told or which it is clear is confidential);

(c) official material that has not first appeared on the University website, in public emails, or main University social media channels;

(d) the work of someone else without obtaining permission to do so and, where appropriate, crediting the author;<