Page 1 of 22

Annex A 

OSMRE Digital Media Guidance

Purpose 3

Definitions 3

Digital Media 3

OSMRE Digital Media Platform 3

Social Media 3

Website 3

Roles and Responsibilities 3

Department of the Interior Office of Communications (DOI OCO) 3

OSMRE Office of Communications (OC) 3

OSMRE Information Resources Office (IRO) 4

Regional Directors/Assistant Directors/Executive Council Members (RD/AD/EC) 4

Digital Media Developers 4

Supervisor of Digital Media Developers 4

All Employees (including temporary, seasonal, and contractors) 4

Use of Digital Media 4

Guidance Documents 4

Maintaining Digital Media Platforms 5

Records Management 5

Data Management 5

Privacy Guidance 5

Security Risk Assessment 5

Use of Photos 5

Ownership 5

Copyrights 6

OSMRE Websites 6

About 6

Web Content 6

Accessibility 6

Robots.txt 7

Website Privacy Policy and Security 7

Embedded Services 7
Page 2 of 22

Terms of Service (TOS) 7

Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) 8

System of Records Notice 8

Failure to comply 8

Linking Policy 8

Links to Non-Federal Websites 8

Disclaimer of Endorsement for non-Federal Websites 9

Prohibitions 9

Quarterly Reviews 9

Steps to Request and Create a New Section/Web Page or Web Update 9

OSMRE Social Media 9

About 9

Terms of Service Agreements 10

Posting and Interactions on Social Media 10

Posting 10

Liking and Sharing 11

Live Capabilities 11

Follows 11

Public Comments 11

Responding to Comments 11

Dealing with Trolls 11

Social Media Use by OSMRE Employees 11

Story Maps 12

About OSMRE Story Maps 12

Examples of OSMRE Story Maps 12

When to Use a Story Map vs Website Content 12

Who To Contact 12

Appendix 1- Digital Media Glossary 13

Appendix 2 – References 17

Appendix 3 - OSMRE Web Posting Process 18

Appendix 4: Commonly Used Hashtags 19

Appendix 5: Anatomy of Social Media Content 22
Page 3 of 22

Purpose

This document provides guidance to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 

(OSMRE) program and office staff regarding the rules, regulations, policies, and guidance on digital 

media use. This document also provides information to program and office staff seeking to 

contribute content to official OSMRE-sponsored social media sites. This guidance does not address 

the personal (i.e., non-official) use of social media.

Definitions

Digital Media 

An umbrella term used to describe digitized content (text, graphics, audio, and video) that can be 

transmitted over the internet or computer networks. Digital Media includes websites (external and 

internal), web applications, blogs, and social media. 

OSMRE Digital Media Platform 

Any publicly accessible digital media platform that officially represents the Office of Surface Mining 

Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) or one of its programs. OSMRE Digital Media platforms 

include all OSMRE websites, web applications, and social media accounts. 

Social Media 

Social media is a catch-all term for a variety of internet applications that allow users to create content 

and interact with each other. This interaction can take many forms, but some common types include:

● Sharing links to interesting content produced by third parties

● Public updates to a profile, including information on current activities and even location data

● Sharing photos, videos, and posts

● Commenting on the photos, posts, updates, videos, and links shared by others

Website

A website is a connected group of pages regarded as a single entity, usually maintained by one person 

or organization and devoted to a single topic or several closely related topics.

Additional definitions related to Digital Media can be found in the Digital Media Glossary (Appendix 

1).

Roles and Responsibilities

Department of the Interior Office of Communications (DOI OCO)

● Provides final approval for social media platform and account requests made by Bureaus.

● Maintains DOI’s Terms of Service (TOS) agreements (see Appendix 2) for digital media 

platforms.

● Ensures Bureau compliance with the Department of the Interior’s Digital Media Policy (470 

DM 2)

OSMRE Office of Communications (OC)

● Oversees content posted on OSMRE digital media platforms. 

● Works with program offices on developing and maintaining digital media content. 

○ Serves as the primary point of contact for all OSMRE digital media content.
Page 4 of 22

○ Researches and analyzes digital media data, updates content, and makes 

recommendations based on findings. 

○ Provides recommendations and best practices to program staff on the development 

and maintenance of digital media content.

● Reviews and approves requests for digital media content to be posted via one of OSMRE’s 

digital media platforms.

● Maintains an inventory of OSMRE’s digital media platforms.

● Administers and conducts quarterly reviews of all digital media.

● Review all content to ensure compliance with DOI and other Federal policy.

OSMRE Information Resources Office (IRO)

● Oversees and serves as the point of contact for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), privacy, 

records management and security issues as they relate to digital media.

Regional Directors/Assistant Directors/Executive Council Members (RD/AD/EC)

● Reviews and approves requests for the development of digital media content in conjunction with 

the Office of Communications.

○ This action may be delegated as appropriate.

Digital Media Developers

● Develop digital media content for digital media platforms in concert with the OSMRE Office 

of Communications

● Conduct quarterly reviews of content and activity, including ensuring appropriate changes are 

made and information is up-to-date.

Supervisor of Digital Media Developers

● Remain aware of, and monitor, digital media activities.

● Monitor the work of appropriate staff to ensure compliance with OSMRE, DOI, and other 

Federal policy.

All Employees (including temporary, seasonal, and contractors) 

● Comply with all OSMRE and DOI Digital Media Guidance.

Use of Digital Media

OSMRE digital media platforms are used for the express purpose of highlighting Bureau policies, 

programs, activities and accomplishments that support the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 

Act. Other uses are not authorized unless previously approved by the Chief of the Office of 

Communications. 

Note: OSMRE is not responsible for any social media pages or instances created by its employees for 

personal use; those activities are covered in the Ethics Guide for DOI Employees.

Guidance Documents

The overarching and definitive guidance documents for all OSMRE digital media users are the OSMRE

Digital Media Policy Directive and the DOI Digital Media Policy. Any activities prohibited within the 

DOI policy are inherently prohibited by OSMRE. The DOI Digital Media Policy also contains an 

extensive explanation of the government’s use of social media and applicable laws that must be 

followed. Additional guidance can be found in the DOI Digital Media Guide for Social Media. 
Page 5 of 22

Guidelines apply to all OSMRE employees (including temporary, seasonal, and contractors) posting or 

creating content for OSMRE digital media sites. 

Maintaining Digital Media Platforms

OC monitors content on all OSMRE digital media platforms to ensure:

1. OSMRE message consistency

2. Adherence to DOI’s Social Media Policy and OSMRE’s Social Media Policy and Guidance 

documents

3. OSMRE logo and OSMRE branding consistency 

4. When necessary, OC will consult with appropriate Digital Media contributors to ensure 

accuracy of content

OC retains the right to modify OSMRE digital media content or direct the offices/programs to modify 

content in accordance with existing laws, executive orders, regulations, policies or best practices. OC 

reserves the right to remove incorrect or inappropriate content without providing prior notification to 

the office responsible for the content. 

Records Management

Records management requirements for digital media technologies are similar to any other 

information system and shall be in compliance with existing records management policy. Please 

review INF-1 for details on OSMRE records management policy. 

OSMRE Social Media Records fall under the following:

A. Authority Number: DAA-GRS-2016-0005-0002

B. Schedule Item Number: GRS 6.4 Item 020

C. Title or Description: Public correspondence and communications not requiring formal action

D. Disposal Instructions: Temporary. Destroy when 90 days old, but longer retention is 

authorized if required for business use.

E. Office Location of Files: Office of Communications Network Drive

Data Management

IRO provides oversight and guidance on backing up digital media platforms and data.

Privacy Guidance

No personally identifiable information (PII) may be requested or collected from the use of digital 

media platforms. Privacy impact assessments (PIA) will be conducted periodically by the IRO 

Privacy Officer to ensure appropriate privacy is being maintained.

Security Risk Assessment

Security risk assessments specifically focused on digital media services will be completed and 

documented on a routine basis by IRO. 

If actions need to be taken by, instructions and deadlines will be provided by the Chief of the 

Office of Communications. 

Use of Photos

Ownership

Generally, photos, videos, and other work created by a federal employee on government time, with a 

government-supplied camera or device, belong to the Federal government.
Page 6 of 22

● "United States government creative works, including writing, images, and computer code, are 

usually prepared by officers or employees of the United States government as part of their 

official duties." (USA.gov/government-works)

● "A 'work of the United States Government,' referred to in this document as a U.S. Government 

work, is a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of 

that person's official duties." (See 17 USC § 101, Definitions)

Copyrights

● Images not in the public domain may be subject to copyright protection and may not be 

authorized for public use.

● If there is an interest in using a protected image on an OSMRE digital media platform or 

publication, an employee must share the image source and licensing information with the Office 

of Communications for follow up. 

● For more on copyrights, read CENDI FAQ on copyright.

OSMRE Websites 

About

A website is a collection of publicly accessible, interlinked Web pages that share a single domain name. 

Websites can be created and maintained by an individual, group, business or organization to serve a 

variety of purposes. 

Web Content

All websites and web pages representing OSMRE must be approved by the Chief of the Office of 

Communications prior to creation. Managers and employees who are initiating the creation of a new 

website or page will be responsible for continual maintenance and accuracy of information. OC will 

evaluate and approve/disapprove the need on a case by case basis. 

Any website that has not been approved by OC will be terminated.

OC relies on Federal and Departmental standards and industry best practices to develop OSMRE’s web 

content.

OSMRE’s web content should be: 

● Relevant

● Easy to find 

● Easy to understand 

● Easy to use 

● Accessible 

For more information about developing useable web content read: 

● https://www.usability.gov/about-us/index.html

● https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/organize/make-it-easy-to-follow/

● https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/benefits/

Accessibility

OSMRE and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) are committed to making its web products 

accessible to individuals with disabilities by meeting or exceeding the standards laid out in Section 508 
Page 7 of 22

of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. To meet or exceed this commitment, OSMRE web products must 

conform to the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA. 

The Section 508 standards are the technical requirements and criteria that are used to measure 

conformance with the law. Per Department policy document authors are responsible for making their 

documents 508 compliant (Department Manual 375 chapter 8, section 8.7 K). 

More information on Section 508 and the technical standards can be found at Department Manual 375 

Chapter 8, Section508.gov. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 can be found at the 

W3C website.

Robots.txt

OMB Memorandum M-17-6, Section B. 3., "Agencies must ensure that all content intended for public 

use on their website can be indexed and searched by commonly used commercial search engines."

OSMRE office and programs will not use robots.txt files (or any technology) to deny search engines the 

ability to index the contents of websites. This would be especially offensive if used to exclude content 

required by law or regulation to be posted.

Website Privacy Policy and Security

For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, this government 

computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic, identify unauthorized attempts 

to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Unauthorized attempts to upload 

information or change information on this web site are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under 

the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act. 

Information may also be used for authorized law enforcement investigations. 

Embedded Services

Some OSMRE websites use third-party embedded code. Before an OSMRE site can host third-party 

embedded code the following steps must be taken:

A. Consult with IRO security officials before requesting embedded code on an OSMRE site. 

Embedded code must be evaluated by IRO to ensure it does not introduce vulnerabilities into 

any OSMRE site. 

B. OSMRE websites employing embedded code must disclaim endorsement for the code and/or the 

code’s provider, or the suitability of the code for any other use. The site must also disclaim that 

any non-Federal external site linked to the code is outside of OSMRE control. Neither DOI, nor 

the bureau, take responsibility for the external site’s compliance, or lack thereof, with any law, 

regulation, or DOI or bureau policy. 

C. OC will not approve of embedded code which provides identity data of website users to third 

parties. For example, social media buttons and embeddable feeds of various forms can typically 

transmit identity information and plant cookies. Such buttons and feeds should not be used.

Terms of Service (TOS)

According to Federal policy, all digital media platforms must have approved Terms of Service between 

the user (DOI/OSMRE) and the provider. Generally, TOS negotiation occurs at the DOI/OCO level. As 

a result any revised/amended TOS apply to all DOI bureaus and offices. Bureaus and offices must not 

conduct their own TOS negotiations for such services without permission of OCO.
Page 8 of 22

Read more under the Services section at https://www.doi.gov/employees/dmguide.

Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)

DOI requires a preliminary PIA for all systems. The preliminary PIA determines if the system contains 

PII, and is kept as a record by the Department. The PIA documents the assessment of how government 

actions may affect citizens, providing both a paper trail and an opportunity for multiple parties to offer 

thoughts, criticism and approval or disapproval. Contact OSMRE’s Privacy Officer for further 

information on Privacy Impact Assessments.

System of Records Notice

Any DOI action which creates a System of Records may only create it within the auspices of a System 

of Records Notice (SORN). Requirements for a SORN can be found at 

https://www.doi.gov/privacy/sorn.

Failure to comply

Failure to comply with System of Records policy may result in disciplinary action. Creation of a 

System of Records without a proper SORN may result in fines ranging from $1000 to $5000.

Linking Policy 

(386 DM 3, DOI Web Standards Handbook, section 3.4)

● Links must be consistent with sound public policy and support the mission of DOI and/or the 

bureaus and their programs.

● OSMRE offices must regularly review the quality and usefulness of the sites to which they link. 

However, OSMRE cannot be responsible for the content or privacy policies of those sites, as 

noted in the Disclaimer of Endorsement below.

● If DOI and/or the bureaus have a formal relationship with organizations or businesses, the DOI or 

bureau Web sites may link to their sites. All participating partners in a business venture with 

and/or the bureaus must be treated equally.

● Links to commercial sites must avoid even the perception of favoritism or bias relative to other 

similar commercial sites. If other sites exist which offer similar products, information, or 

services there must be a link to all sites or none.

● Websites that are separate from OSMRE, but are funded or supported in whole or in part by 

OSMRE, are considered part of OSMRE's overall web presence. Therefore direct links from 

OSMRE websites to these sites can be provided without notification or disclaimer.

Links to Non-Federal Websites

● All links and pointers to sites that are not part of the U.S. Federal Government are considered 

"non-Federal links". OSMRE websites will attempt to disclaim these “non-Federal” websites to 

the citizen.

● In rare instances, OSMRE sites may link to websites that are not government-owned or 

government-sponsored if these websites provide government information and/or services in a 

way that is not available on an official government website. DOI and the bureaus provide these 

non-government websites as a public service only. The U.S. Government, including the 

Department of the Interior, neither endorses nor guarantees in any way the external 

organizations, services, advice, or products included in these website links. Furthermore, the 

U.S. Government neither controls nor guarantees the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or 
Page 9 of 22

completeness of the information contained in non-government website links.

Disclaimer of Endorsement for non-Federal Websites

The disclaimer below must be applied to links directing users to “non-Federal” websites:

This link will direct you to a non-government website that may have different policies from 

those of OSMRE.

This alert and notification serves to inform visitors that:

● The inclusion of links and pointers to websites is not intended to assign importance to those sites 

or to the information contained on those sites. It is also not intended to endorse or recommend 

any views expressed or products or services offered on these sites.

● OSMRE does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of the 

information contained on a linked website/web page.

● OSMRE does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, nor the views they 

express or the products/services they offer.

● OSMRE cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites. Visitors 

must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked website.

● OSMRE is not responsible for any communications visitors receive from linked websites.

● OSMRE does not guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility 

Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.

Prohibitions

OSMRE websites will not link to any website that exhibits hate, bias, or discrimination. OSMRE’s 

Office of Communications reserves the right to deny or remove any link that contains misleading 

information or unsubstantiated claims, or is determined to conflict with DOI and/or OSMRE’s mission 

or policies.

Quarterly Reviews 

OSMRE subject matter experts whose content is contained on OSMRE websites must perform reviews 

of their content, pages, and sites every quarter to ensure that the content is accurate, relevant, and 

current.

Steps to Request and Create a New Section/Web Page or Web Update

To learn more about the web content creation and update process refer to Appendix 3. 

To create or update new or existing web content submit a request ticket through the OSMRE Web 

Ticketing System or email getinfo@osmre.gov for more information.

OSMRE Social Media 

All digital media platforms representing OSMRE must be approved by the Chief of the Office of 

Communications prior to creation. Any websites, social networking profiles, or social media sites that 

have not been approved may be terminated. OC will evaluate the need for an account and approve 

digital media sites on a case by case basis. 

About

Social media is a catch-all term for a variety of internet applications that allow users to create content 

and interact with each other. This interaction can take many forms. Some common types include:

● Sharing links to interesting content produced by third parties
Page 10 of 22

● Public updates to a profile, including information on current activities and even location data

● Sharing photos, videos and posts

● Commenting on the photos, posts, updates, videos and links shared by others

OSMRE social media posts should do the following:

1. Be informative

2. Be easy to understand

3. Be concise

4. Be in active voice

5. Facilitate action (where appropriate)

As a general rule OSMRE posts content that has already been published on websites or in public 

documents, including budget documentations, press releases, or public hearings. Additionally, OSMRE 

develops social media content with subject matter experts to ensure timely, current, and accurate 

information concerning Bureau actions. 

Terms of Service Agreements

The General Services Administration (GSA) works with a variety of social media service providers and 

vendors to negotiate Terms of Service (TOS) agreements that are acceptable for government agencies. 

Only those TOS agreements made by DOI can be used by OSMRE. DOI currently has TOS agreements 

for its Bureaus to use Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media platforms 

(see Appendix 2). Other social media outlets may be added periodically to the DOI TOS agreements 

list.

Posting and Interactions on Social Media 

Posting

OSMRE social media posts generally include several elements:

● Text - Written content in the post

○ Information should be informative and concise

● Hashtags - Similar to web tags, they help add a Tweet to a particular category. Hashtags have 

the “hash” or “pound” symbol (#) preceding the tag, for example: #socialmedia, #marketing, or 

#hashtag.

○ OSMRE incorporates hashtags into its post to save characters, reinforce terminology and 

make Bureau information easier to find 

○ Should be included in all posts

○ Reference Appendix 4 for common hashtags 

● Media - Graphic, photo, video, map or gif

○ All posts, whenever possible, should include some sort of visual

● Tags - Keywords that describe the content of a website, bookmark, photo or blog post

○ On Twitter, another entity can be ‘tagged’ showing the connection of the content to that 

organization 

○ Partner organizations or Agencies should be tagged when referencing content related to 

a partnership or attendance at an event

● Links - References to web pages

○ URL to an OSMRE or DOI website should be included in posts where appropriate

○ Posts should have a “call to action” that allows users to find out more information or 

access additional OSMRE resources

● Please reference Appendix 5 for a graphical representation of the anatomy of a social media 
Page 11 of 22

post

Any employee wishing to have information about their work posted on an OSMRE Social Media 

profile should submit this GoogleForm.

Liking and Sharing

OSMRE social media accounts may like and share content posted by other accounts. It is important to 

be thoughtful when deciding to like or share content. In general, OSMRE will like and share content 

posted by DOI, other DOI Bureaus, and state regulatory agencies. 

Live Capabilities

Multiple social media platforms allow for “going live” directly from the platform to followers. 

Examples of this include Facebook Live and Periscope. Only the primary OSMRE social media 

account holders are permitted to utilize live capabilities. 

Follows

OSMRE limits the profiles “followed” by official accounts. Follows are limited to other Federal 

agencies, DOI sister Bureaus and assets (i.e. specific National Parks), State Regulatory Agencies, and 

organizations with which OSMRE regularly partners. 

If there is a question as to which it is appropriate to follow an account, the final decision lies with the 

Chief of the Office of Communications. 

Public Comments

Responding to Comments

OSMRE and its related social media accounts may respond to comments from the public on a case-bycase basis. Responses will be made only to individuals who show a genuine interest or who are asking a 

specific question related to the post. Accounts will not engage with individuals who comment on 

Departmental Policy or the Administration. On occasion, comments will be used to provide additional 

information or clarification on the topic area.

When responding to a comment, a link should be included to direct the individual to find out more 

information. 

Dealing with Trolls

OC does not engage in arguments or debates through social media.

Social Media Use by OSMRE Employees

This guidance document does not cover OSMRE employees’ personal use of social media. DOI 

OCO advises employees to keep content on personal social media accounts separate from any 

official account. However, employees may choose to follow or like an OSMRE office page from a 

personal social media account.

Personal social media accounts should not be established with government email addresses, employ 

the use of government logos, be used to conduct official business, release official agency 

information, or be used for any other official communication related to employees’ government job 

or activities. OSMRE employees should not access personal social media accounts while on duty. 
Page 12 of 22

Story Maps

About OSMRE Story Maps

An Esri story map is a type of web-based geospatial application designed to visualize data. Story maps 

use interactive maps, charts, graphic designs, photos, video and text in a narrative format to inform and 

engage users.

Examples of OSMRE Story Maps

OSMRE Office of Communications has approved the following story maps for display on OSMRE 

websites:

● OSMRE 40th Anniversary Story Map

● National Mine Map Repository Story Map

When to Use a Story Map vs Website Content

Story maps are supplemental tools and should only be utilized if the content cannot effectively be 

displayed using traditional website capabilities, and the content includes a geospatial component. 

The foundations of a good story map are an interesting story, compelling geospatial data, and 

multimedia. It should combine one or more interactive maps with narrative text, video, and imagery to 

provide greater context on the subject (a policy, program, action or accomplishment). 

If you are considering a story map, you must work with the Office of Communications to ensure 

content complies with OSMRE’s standards for Story Maps. For more information on developing a story 

map, please review the OSMRE Story Map Guidance document.

Who To Contact

For additional information or questions regarding these Guidelines, please contact:

OSMRE Office of Communications 

Phone: 202-208-2565

Email: getinfo@osmre.gov
Appendix 1- Digital Media Glossary

The following glossary provides definitions for common social media terms. Since technology 

changes rapidly, terms will be added and removed as necessary. Please note that terms identified here 

are not all available to OSMRE Social Media sites.

Bit.ly: A popular free URL-shortening service that provides statistics for the links users share online. 

Use it to condense long URLs and make them easier to share on social networks like Twitter. DOI 

does not have a Terms of Service agreement with Bit.ly, therefore it should not be used. 

Blog: A word that was created from the words “Web log.” Blogs are usually maintained by an 

individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as 

graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. “Blog” can also 

be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Chat: Any kind of communication over the Internet, but traditionally describes one-to-one 

communication through a text-based chat client commonly called an instant messaging application.

Comment: A response that is often provided as an answer of reaction to a blog post or message on a 

social network. Comments are a primary form of two-way communication on the social web.

Crowdsourcing: A combination of the words crowd and outsourcing, it refers to asking a question 

via social media and collecting answers from your various communities and users. The term has 

become popular with businesses, authors and journalists as shorthand for the trend of leveraging the 

mass collaboration enabled by Web 2.0 technologies to achieve business goals.

Digital Media Platform Inventory: A list of current official digital media sites. 

Discussion Boards/Forum: A web application for holding discussions and posting user-generated 

content. The term may refer to the entire community or to a specific sub-forum dealing with a 

distinct topic. Messages within these sub-forums are then displayed either in chronological order or 

as threaded discussions. Discussion boards, also known as bulletin boards, are one of the old forms 

of collaboration on the web.

Facebook: A social networking website. Users can create a personal profile, add other users as 

friends, and exchange messages and profile updates. It is the world’s largest social network and 

enables users to post and share information publicly through status updates, RSS feeds, photos, 

videos, or hyperlinks. www.facebook.com.

Flickr: A social networking website used for online photo sharing. The service allows users to store 

photos online and then share them with others through profiles, groups and other methods. 

www.flickr.com.

Follow: A term used to describe how one receives information from social media sites such as 

Facebook and Twitter.

Gif: Graphics Interchange Format. A computer file format for the compression and storage of visual 

digital information
Page 14 of 22

Hashtag: Because Twitter provided no easy way to group Tweets or add extra data, the Twitter 

community came up with its own way: hashtags. A hashtag is similar to other web tags; it helps to 

add a Tweet to a particular category. Hashtags have the “hash” or “pound” symbol (#) preceding the 

tag, for example: #socialmedia, #marketing, or #hashtag.

Insights: Facebook Insights provides Facebook Page owners and Facebook Platform developers 

with metrics around their content. By understanding and analyzing trends within user groups and 

demographics, consumption of content, and creation of content, Page owners and Platform 

developers are better equipped to improve their business with Facebook.

Instagram: A free, online photo-sharing application and social network platform. Instagram is 

designed for strictly mobile use, with limited capabilities on desktops. www.instagram.com

Instant Messaging (IM): A form of real-time direct text-based communication between two or 

more people. More advanced instant messaging software clients also allow enhanced modes of 

communication, such as live voice or video calling.

Like: An action that can be made by a Facebook or Twitter user. Instead of writing a comment for a 

message or a status update, a user can click the “Like” button as a quick way to show approval and 

share the message. Like can also be used to “Like” a business or government Facebook page; this 

action will automatically add news posts to the user’s Facebook wall.

LinkedIn: A business-oriented social networking site. LinkedIn has more than 100 million 

registered users in more than 200 countries. www.linkedin.com.

Livestream: A live streaming video platform that allows users to view and broadcast video content 

using a camera and a computer through the internet. www.livestream.com.

Mashup: A content mashup contains multiple types of media drawn from pre-existing sources to 

create a new work. Digital mashups allow individuals or businesses to create new content by 

combining multiple online content sources.

Media Sharing: Tools such as Flickr and YouTube are used to share files and host the storage of 

content.

News Reader: Enables users to aggregate articles from multiple websites into one place using RSS 

feeds. The purpose of these aggregators is to allow for a faster and more efficient consumption of 

information.

Permalink: An address or URL of a particular post within a blog or website.

Podcast: An audio or video blog. Podcasts take their name from having originally been designed

for iPods, but you can also listen to podcasts on a desktop computer, or many other digital audio

players. It is a non-streamed webcast: a series of digital media files that are released episodically.

Real-Time Search: The concept of searching for and finding information online as it is produced. 

Advancements in search technology, coupled with the growing use of social media, enable online 
Page 15 of 22

activities to be queried as they occur, whereas a traditional web search crawls and indexes web 

pages periodically and returns results based on relevance to the search query.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication): A family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated 

works — such as blog entries, news headlines, audio and video — in a standardized format. An RSS 

document (which is called a “feed,” “web feed,” or “channel”) includes full or summarized text, plus 

metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them 

syndicate content automatically. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from 

favored websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds can be read using 

software called an “RSS reader,” “feed reader,” or “aggregator,” which can be web- based, desktopbased or mobile-device-based.

Social Media Monitoring: A process of monitoring and responding to social media mentions 

related to a business or brand.

Social Networking: Social networking connects people who share similar interests. Social 

networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter are used to publish content and provide interactions 

among users.

Streaming: A process of broadcasting media live over the Internet. It involves a video camera for 

the media, an encoder to digitize the content, a media publisher where the streams are made available 

to potential end-users, and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the content. The 

media can then be viewed by end-users live.

Tags: Keywords that describe the content of a website, bookmark, photo or blog post. A user can 

assign multiple tags to the same online resource, and multiple people can assign different tags to the 

same resource. Tag-enabled web services include social bookmarking sites, photo sharing sites, and 

blog tracking sites. Tags provide a useful way of organizing, retrieving and discovering information.

Twitter: A platform that allows users to share 280-character-long messages. Users can “follow” 

each other as a way of subscribing to each others’ messages. Additionally, users can use the

@username command to direct a message towards another Twitter user. www.twitter.com

Twitter Search: A Twitter-operated search engine that finds Twitter messages and users in real 

time.

Video Blog (vlog): A blog that produces regular video content often around the same theme on a 

daily or weekly basis.

Web 2.0: Commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information 

sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the web. A Web 2.0 site (e.g.

Facebook) enables its users to interact with each other as contributors to the site’s content, in 

contrast to websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information.

Web Analytics: The measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of web data for purposes of 

understanding and optimizing web usage.

Webcast: A media file distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a 
Page 16 of 22

single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed 

live or on demand. Essentially, webcasting is “broadcasting” over the Internet.

Webinar: Short for web-based seminar, a presentation, live meeting, training, or lecture that is 

transmitted over the Internet. It is typically one-way, from the speaker to the audience with limited 

audience interaction, such as in a webcast. A webinar can be collaborative and include polling and 

question & answer sessions to allow full participation between the audience and the presenter.

Web Publishing: Platforms are used to create, publish and reuse content. Blogging and 

microblogging tools (such as Twitter) provide constituents who follow these content sources with 

immediate updates for news, emergency and other content updates.

Wiki: A website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages 

via a web browser, enabling collaboration between users. A Wiki site can exist for any specific 

topic. 

Wikipedia: A free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the 

non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers 

around the world, and almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site. 

www.wikipedia.org.

YouTube: A video-sharing website where users can upload, share and view videos. It is the largest 

video sharing site in the world. All video posted to YouTube must be 508 compliant (captioned). 

www.youtube.com.
Page 17 of 22

Appendix 2 – References

● Digital Media Directive – https://www.osmre.gov/guidance/docs/directive975.pdf

● OSMRE Social Media Request Form – https://forms.gle/oaXJtzVGzUws45Tv8

● DOI Digital Media Guide - https://www.doi.gov/employees/dmguide

● DOI Social Media Policy - https://www.doi.gov/notices/Social-Media-Policy.cfm

● DOI Digital Media Guide: Social Media Guidance –

https://www.doi.gov/employees/dmguide/social

● DOI Terms of Service Agreements: https://www.doi.gov/employees/dmguide/social-mediaservices

● NARA Bulletin 2014-02 - https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/bulletins/2014/2014-02.html

● DOI Employee Ethics Guide - https://www.doi.gov/ethics/
Page 18 of 22

Appendix 3 - OSMRE Web Posting Process
Page 19 of 22

Appendix 4: Commonly Used Hashtags

Hashtag Use

#AbandonedMineLand or 

#AbandonedMineLands

For any abandoned mine land topic. Note, OSMRE does not use #AML

#AcidMineDrainage Any reference to AMD or AMD reclamation; OSMRE does not use 

#AMD

#ADayAtInterior Whenever discussing OSMRE careers; Can be used in conjunction with 

#OSMREcareers, #CareersAtOSMRE, #OSMRENextGen, etc.

#AMLemergency Use when talking about emergency projects that OSMRE and partners 

have addressed; Often used in conjunction with specific AML issues 

#AMLfund

#AMLHiddenDangers Used in conjunction with content along top AML issues. These include: 

acid mine drainage, landslides, subsidence, highwalls, and mine fires

#BoreholeCamera When discussing the use of a borehole camera; Often used in 

conjunction with #ToolsOfTheTrade

#Coal Whenever talking about coal or the mission of

OSMRE

#Crow Any activity (AML or active) that is occurring on the Crow Reservation 

or with the Crow Tribe

#DidYouKnow and #DYK Use when sharing miscellaneous information about OSMRE, not 

connected to any particular campaign

#ExcellenceInSurfaceCoal

MiningReclamation

Used specifically for the Excellence in Surface Coal Mining 

Reclamation Award

#FRAworks When talking about the Forestry Reclamation Approach, ARRI tree 

plantings and tree planting techniques

#Highwall and 

#AMLhighwall

Reference to a highwall; Often used in conjunction with 

#AMLHiddenDangers

#MineFire and #MineFires In discussing mine fire reclamation; Often used in conjunction 

#AMLHiddenDangers

#MiningVocab Vocabulary and other terms posted; May be used in conjunction with 

#OSMREuniversity and #TerminologyTuesday

#MineMaps or #MineMap When posting about the National Mine Map Repository @minemaps
Page 20 of 22

Hashtag Use

#MineReclamation Any reclamation (AML or active) activity

#MineSubsidence Used when discussing subsidence as an AML issue; often used in 

conjunction with #AMLhiddenDangers

#MineTech When discussing the technologies used by OSMRE staff and partners; 

Often used in conjunction with #ToolsOfTheTrade

#Navajo and 

#NavajoNation

Any activity (AML or active) that is occurring on the Navajo Nation or 

with the Navajo Tribe

#NoMoreHighwalls In discussing highwall reclamation; Often used in conjunction with 

#Highwall, #AMLhighwall, and #AMLHiddenDangers

#OnThisDay and #OTD Use when sharing date-specific information about OSMRE, not 

connected to any particular campaign; Often used with 

#ThrowbackThursday 

#OSMREcareers and 

#CareersAtOSMRE

These hashtags are used when talking about OSMRE careers; they 

should be used (either one or both) when talking about career fairs, 

presentations to students, etc.

#OSMRElovesBats Used in bat week or when talking about work OSMRE does in the 

protection of bats

#OSMRENextGen When OSMRE staff are working with students or attending career fairs

#OSMREuniversity Whenever teaching something about OSMRE or coal mining

#OSMREvets OSMRE veterans

When relevant, tag @DOI_Veterans

#Partnership Use whenever talking about partnerships with state regulatory agencies, 

non-profit organizations, other Federal agencies, or industry

#PlantATree Use during ARRI tree planting events

#SMCRA77 Used when referencing SMCRA either specifically or tangentially 

#STEM and #STEAM Used when talking about STEM/STEAM either through a career 

fair/presentation or a career at OSMRE

#STEMcareers Used when discussing the activities of OSMRE employees or 

highlighting the work of staff; can also be used in conjunction with 

#OSMRENextGen when at career fairs

When relevant, tag @DOIcareers 
Page 21 of 22

Hashtag Use

#StopTheSlide Landslides that occur as a result of mining

#StoryMap Any time something is posted in reference to one of the OSMRE story 

maps 

#TerminologyTuesday Vocabulary and other terms posted on Tuesday with this hashtag; 

Should always be used with #MiningVocab; May be used in conjunction 

with #OSMREuniversity

#ThrowbackThursday and 

#TBT

Any previously posted content that goes out on a Thursday

#ToolsOfTheTrade When discussing the technologies used by OSMRE staff and partners; 

Often used in conjunction with #MineTech

#WatershedCAP Highlighting the WCAP program, both grant opportunities and 

successes; Often used in conjunction with 

#WatershedCooperativeAgreement

#WatershedCooperativeAg

reement

Highlighting the WCAP program, both grant opportunities and 

successes; Often used in conjunction with #WatershedCAP

#Wildlife Any wildlife photo

#WomenOfOSMRE OSMRE women
Page 22 of 22

Appendix 5: Anatomy of Social Media Content