State Dept Issues 5 FAM 790: Social Media Guidelines
9 Jul
[H/T to Diplopundit, for bringing those not in the know the update with the new FAM regulations.]
In an earlier post, I discussed the need for the State Department to hand over the steering wheel to personnel and let employees and families engage with the public.
At this time, I will be taking full credit for the new regulations (you’re welcome). Generally speaking, the State Department encourages families and employees to use social media, according to this addition to FAM. There is nothing that surprising in here (just use common sense, folks) but one item did catch my attention.
5 FAM 792.3 (a) states that, “Department personnel may access and contribute content on social media sites in their official capacity.”
This is a very smart move. State Dept. is not only saying, “Hey, you can have a personal blog, just follow the rules”, but they’re also allowing people to blog underneath their umbrella, which still allows State Dept. to retain control. The medium is the message, after all.
But does that section mean that you might have a Foreign Service Officer reply on a social media website to a thread, as a Foreign Service Officer? I don’t want to be on Facebook or Twitter and start seeing links shared to me or content that is Dugg all by FSOs. I know that the line is drawn at “significant content” but it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Read the entire document here.
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