SMITHSONIAN DIRECTIVE 814,

June 27, 2019

xxxxx xx, xxxx

MANAGEMENT OF OFFICIAL SMITHSONIAN SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

I. Purpose 1

II. Background 1

III. Scope 2

IV. Roles and Responsibilities 3

V. Definitions 4

VI. Policy 5

VII.Penalties 10

Appendix A: Administrative Procedures for

Establishing Social Media Accounts

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to Smithsonian Institution (SI) employees who 

open, maintain and post Smithsonian-related content on social media sites as part of their 

official duties. These social media sites are deemed to be Official Smithsonian Social Media 

Accounts when opened and maintained for official purposes. This directive provides the legal, 

policy, and institutional implications of establishing, maintaining and posting content on Official 

Smithsonian Social Media Accounts on behalf of the Smithsonian and its units, programs and 

activities. Appendix A of this policy specifies the administrative procedures for establishing 

Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts on behalf of, and in the name of, the Smithsonian 

and SI units.

II. BACKGROUND

Social media is a vital tool for carrying out the Smithsonian’s mission and strategic plan. 

Employees who use social media are speaking directly to the public on behalf of the 

Smithsonian. This is a major responsibility, one that must achieve a unit’s engagement and 

outreach goals while avoiding legal or reputational risk for the Smithsonian. It requires the 

highest standards of editorial accuracy and industry best practices. Any employee or affiliated 

person (as defined on page 6) who uses social media must follow the same standards of 

conduct, policy directives, and oversight as he or she does in conducting offline activities. 
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II. BACKGROUND (continued)

In addition to this policy, several other Smithsonian policies apply to participation on social 

networking sites, including: SD 931, Use of Computers, Telecommunications Devices and 

Networks; SD 950, Management of the Smithsonian Web; SD 103, Smithsonian Institution 

Standards of Conduct; SD 609, Digital Asset Access and Use; Records Management 

Recommendations; SD 118, Privacy Policy; SD 300, Use of Funds for Lobbying Purposes; SD 

323, Use of Funds Handbook; and SD 215, Accessibility for People with Disabilities. 

III. SCOPE

This directive applies to Smithsonian employees and affiliated persons (as defined on page 6). 

Engagement in social media on behalf of the Smithsonian can include one or more of the 

following activities: 

1. opening an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account in the name of the Smithsonian;

2. posting or drafting Smithsonian-related content on an Official Social Media Account 

opened in the name of the Smithsonian;

3. speaking, purporting to speak, or creating the reasonable impression of speaking on 

behalf of the Smithsonian on any social media account; and/or

4. being responsible for oversight, management, and maintenance of an official 

Smithsonian presence on an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account. 

This policy is not intended to apply to personal social media activities, or to limit, restrict, or 

monitor personal social media activities conducted outside of official duties in a private capacity 

using personal computers and other devices. The Smithsonian does not monitor its employees’

personal social media presence. However, the line between public and private, personal and 

professional, is often blurred in social media, and whether social media use is considered 

personal or official is a fact-specific analysis. Remember that by using a Smithsonian title, 

identifying oneself as a Smithsonian employee or by other affiliation with the Smithsonian, 

stating or implying that one’s statements are official or endorsed by the Smithsonian, or posting 

non-public Smithsonian content or other confidential information acquired as part of 

employment, it can appear that the statements on your personal account are being made in an 

official capacity, which could subject the social media activity to this policy, SD 103, 

Smithsonian Institution Standards of Conduct and all other applicable Smithsonian policies. For 

additional information, please review the Office of Communications and External Affairs’ 

(OCEA) frequently asked questions.
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IV. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Office of Public Affairs (OPA), part of the OCEA, establishes, maintains, and monitors the 

flagship “Smithsonian” brand social media sites and, in conjunction with the SI units, periodically 

monitors selected social media sites established and maintained by the units and offices. 

Directors of units, offices and programs are responsible for ensuring that their social media sites 

comply with this policy. OPA also maintains the Social Media Handbook and the Social Media 

Listserv, and provides regular counsel and training to units to ensure they are following 

established best practices for social media and upholding the reputation of the Smithsonian. 

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) provides a tool that is available to assist 

with the management of social media accounts, collects select analytics for reporting on the 

Smithsonian Dashboard, manages the Technical Review Board (TRB), which, at the request of 

one or more units, evaluates and approves new social media platforms for use by the Institution, 

and establishes resource accounts used for social media accounts.

The Office of Contracting and Personal Property Management (OCon&PPM) is responsible 

for reviewing and approving the terms of use, and other contractual terms, of social media 

providers prior to the establishment of new Smithsonian accounts with social media providers 

for Smithsonian use (see Appendix A). OCon&PPM also maintains the SI Approved Social 

Media Providers List, along with relevant guidance for approved use of each social media 

platform, which is available on the OCon&PPM Prism website. 

The Smithsonian Privacy Officer (SPO) is responsible for reviewing and approving the privacy 

policies of social media providers prior to the establishment of Smithsonian accounts on new 

social media sites, periodically reviewing the privacy policies of such sites to ensure 

compatibility with Smithsonian privacy policies, and providing privacy training as appropriate.

Directors of SI museums, research centers, programs, and offices (Unit Directors) are 

responsible for approving the establishment of social media accounts in the name of such a

museum, office, or program, for ensuring that their social media sites comply with this policy, for 

ensuring that those who establish the accounts notify OPA and the Smithsonian Institution 

Archives (SIA) of the account, and Social Media Manager for that account, and for ensuring that 

those who establish and post content to social media sites comply with the terms of this policy. 

Directors may delegate responsibility for social media management to a department or one 

specific individual who will be responsible for ensuring the unit’s compliance with this policy,

such as the unit’s public affairs, communications or digital outreach department or a staff 

member within that department. 
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IV. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (continued)

A Social Media Manager is a person who is responsible for the administration of an Official 

Smithsonian Social Media Account. This person is designated by the Unit Director, or by the 

department the director designates as responsible for overseeing social media at the unit. This 

person must notify SIA and OPA of the establishment of new accounts, is listed as the point of 

contact on the SI Website and Social Network Registry, and serves as the point of contact for 

communications from OPA and SIA for the account, and closes social media accounts, when 

appropriate. In addition to compliance with this policy, Social Media Managers are also required 

to read and follow the Social Media Handbook that is frequently updated with specific best 

practices for this quickly evolving medium. 

Smithsonian employees and authorized contractors who post to SI social media sites as 

part of their official duties are responsible for following the guidance of this policy and the 

Social Media Handbook.

Smithsonian Institution Archives is responsible for maintaining the current and complete SI 

Website and Social Network Registry of Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts, 

referenced in Appendix A, and for archiving information contained on such sites in accordance 

with applicable records management and retention policies and industry archival standards.

V. DEFINITIONS

The Approved Social Media Provider List is a current and complete list of social media 

providers whose terms and conditions and privacy policies have been reviewed and approved 

by the OCon&PPM and the SPO. SI Social Media Managers may open new accounts with the 

providers on this list without seeking additional OCon&PPM approval. The list is maintained on 

Prism.

The Official Smithsonian Social Media Account is a social media account that is opened, 

maintained and managed for the purpose of posting official Smithsonian-related content. These 

accounts are managed by a Social Media Manager designated by the respective Smithsonian 

unit, program or activity.

Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”) is information about living individuals which may or 

may not be publically available, that can be used to distinguish or indicate an individual’s 

identity, and any other information that is linked or linkable to a living individual’s identity, such 

as medical, educational, financial or employment information. Examples of PII include, but are 

not limited to: 

• General personal data: full name, maiden name, alias, full dates of birth; 
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V. DEFINITIONS (continued)

• Address information: street address or email address; 

• Personal identification numbers: Social Security Number, passport number, driver’s 

license number, taxpayer identification number, financial account number, or credit card 

number;

• Security information: passwords, mother’s maiden names; and

• Personal characteristics: photograph or voice file that identifies an individual, 

fingerprints, handwriting, or biometric data such as retina scan, voice signature, or facial 

geometry.

Social media is an umbrella term that encompasses websites that integrate technology, social 

interaction and content creation and dissemination. Social media includes a variety of forms and 

platforms such as blogs, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other similar services.

The Social Media Handbook is a resource containing best practices that all Social Media 

Managers, contractors who render services related to social media, and individuals posting to 

Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts should follow.

The SI Website and Social Network Registry is a current and complete list of Official 

Smithsonian Social Media Accounts, which is maintained by SIA. The Registry is maintained on 

a website referenced in Appendix A.

VI. POLICY

Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts should be used as part of a strategy for 

supplementing and enhancing content available on Smithsonian websites, reaching and 

engaging existing and new audiences, and carrying out the Institution’s strategic plan. SI units 

should consider their mission-related goals, target audiences, staff and other resources, level of 

user engagement, comment moderation practices, means of measuring success and records 

management practices before opening and maintaining Official Smithsonian Social Media 

Accounts. While it is fine to share information differently on different platforms, units should 

avoid releasing public information solely on a social media platform that is accessible only to 

those who have registered with the platform.

Only Smithsonian employees, or contractors who render services directly related to social 

media, may open or administer an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account. Please refer to

the Social Media Handbook for the latest best practices that all Social Media Managers and

individuals posting or contributing to Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts should follow.
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VI. POLICY (continued)

Once opened, Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts should be used and updated 

regularly, improved as needed, and evaluated periodically against the goals of the unit, program 

or office. When no longer used, Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts should be closed, 

with notice to the community as appropriate, and content should be archived or deleted, 

consistent with Smithsonian archival practices.

Once the decision is made to open and maintain an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account, 

such accounts must be established and maintained in accordance with the administrative 

procedures in Appendix A. Once the account is established, all Smithsonian-posted content 

must conform to the requirements set forth in subsection A below. Subsection B provides 

requirements for overseeing and managing user-generated content that is posted on Official 

Smithsonian Social Media Accounts.

A. Requirements for Smithsonian-Posted Content on Official Smithsonian Social 

Media Sites

The following conditions apply:

• Only Smithsonian employees or contractors who render services directly related to 

social media are allowed to manage an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account. 

Interns, volunteers and other Affiliated Persons1 are not allowed to manage or 

oversee an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account. Interns, volunteers and other 

Affiliated Persons may contribute to social media by developing and writing content, but

all social media posts must be reviewed by Smithsonian employees and contractors who 

hold responsibility for the Official Smithsonian Social Media Account.

1 For the purposes of this directive, Affiliated Persons refers to the following categories of individuals 

who are not SI employees, but who are regularly present and/or work within SI facilities and property, 

including leased facilities and property:

• Volunteers, as defined in SD 208, Standards of Conduct Regarding Smithsonian Volunteers

• Interns, as defined in SD 709, Smithsonian Institution Internships

• Fellows, as defined in SD 701, Smithsonian Institution Fellows

• Emeriti, as defined in SD 206, Emeritus Designations

• Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ)

• Visiting researchers, including scientists, scholars, and students

• Research Associates, as defined in SD 205, Research Associates

• Employees of federal, state, and local agencies working with SI employees at SI facilities and 

property

• Regents and advisory board members
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VI. POLICY (continued)

• The Smithsonian does not post content that is unrelated to the Smithsonian mission, that 

is partisan or political, personal, contains personal attacks, is abusive, threatening, 

unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, or pornographic, infringes 

on the privacy or other rights of any third party, or otherwise falls within the prohibited 

categories set forth in SD 931, Use of Computers, Telecommunications Devices and 

Networks. Please refer to the Social Media Handbook for specific examples of content 

that violate these guidelines.

• Prior to posting content on Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts, each Social 

Media Manager is responsible for ensuring that the content is free and clear of any 

restrictions, as set forth in SD 609, Digital Asset Access and Use, and for checking 

necessary provenance and other related records that might indicate restrictions. For 

questions about whether content is restricted, contact the Office of General Counsel 

(OGC) prior to posting.

• For content the Smithsonian does not own or have permission to use, is not in the public 

domain, or, when the posting does not satisfy the fair use test under copyright law, 

permission must be obtained from the rights-holder(s) before posting third-party content 

on an Official Smithsonian Social Media Account. For questions about copyright law, 

contact OGC.

• For content that requires prior permission from a rights-holder to be posted (e.g., under 

the terms of a contract, license, or release), the Social Media Manager must maintain a 

retrievable record of the clearance process.

• Content must not be posted that is confidential, proprietary, pre-decisional, internal, or 

otherwise not intended for public dissemination, including but not limited to financial 

information, unless an exception has been granted by an appropriate official (e.g., when 

the head of a unit public affairs office approves the use of behind-the-scene images).

• Political or religious messages or endorsements of political parties, candidates or 

groups, or comments that might be construed as lobbying must not be posted; please 

see the Social Media Handbook for specific examples of content that violate these 

guidelines.

• Express or implied endorsements of non-Smithsonian products, services or entities, 

including contractors and their products and services, are not permitted; Please see the 

Social Media Handbook for specific examples of content that violate these guidelines.
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VI. POLICY (continued)

• Recognition of donors and sponsors and the inclusion of sponsorship benefits, such as 

cause-related marketing, is only permitted in accordance with an approved sponsorship 

agreement. Contact the Office of Advancement for assistance.

• E-commerce and sales of Smithsonian merchandise are permitted on Smithsonian 

social media sites to the same extent as on Smithsonian websites.

• Fundraising activities, including donation asks that link to Smithsonian-approved 

donation forms, are permitted on Smithsonian social media sites to the same extent as 

on Smithsonian websites.

• Content must not be posted if it violates a person’s privacy or includes personally 

identifiable information (“PII”), unless (a) prior written consent has been obtained from 

the owner of the PII; (b) the information is posted automatically when certain social 

media sites are used, such as a Twitter alias or an image and name that appear in 

conjunction with Facebook postings; (c) a living individual’s name and month/day/year of 

birth is posted in connection with SI exhibitions, programs and activities; or (d) the 

posting is otherwise consistent with Smithsonian privacy policies and practices. For 

questions about posting PII, contact the Smithsonian Privacy Officer at privacy@si.edu.

• Photographic images of adult members of the public may be posted for non-commercial 

use if: (a) the image consists of a crowd shot in a public place; (b) the subject(s) featured 

prominently in the image have granted written consent to use the image; (c) the images 

were taken at an event that provided conspicuous notice through signage or public 

announcements to the public that photographs would be taken and used publicly; or (d) 

the subjects are deceased.

• Photographic images of recognizable children who appear to be under age 18 should 

not be posted unless a parent and/or guardian has given written consent to post the 

image; in consultation with OGC, exceptions may be justified for non-commercial use of 

crowd shots in which children are present.

• Calls for entries, contests, giveaways, or sweepstakes on social media sites require prior 

review by OGC if a tangible prize will be awarded. 

• Links from Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts to third-party websites shall 

conform to the linking rules set forth in SD 950, Management of the Smithsonian Web.

• If a mistake is made, it should be corrected in an honest and transparent manner.
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VI. POLICY (continued)

B. Requirements for User-Generated Content on Smithsonian Social Media Accounts

• All Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts are required to link to 

www.si.edu/termsofuse unless it is not possible and include a link to the Smithsonian 

Privacy Statement at www.si.edu/privacy and/or customized privacy language. 

• For all Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts, each Social Media Manager is 

responsible for actively monitoring all user-generated content at intervals determined 

appropriate by the Smithsonian unit, program or office in accordance with the applicable 

community guidelines. Actively monitoring Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts 

includes, but is not limited to, (a) deleting content that violates the Smithsonian’s posted 

comment policy (www.si.edu/termsofuse#/user-gen); (b) responding to questions; and 

(c) engaging the community in ways appropriate to the purpose, terms, and conditions of 

the site. If questions arise about user-generated content, contact the Social Media 

Specialist in the Office of Public Affairs.

• Social Media Managers are allowed to “mute” specific inflammatory words and 

expletives from appearing on their Official Smithsonian Social Media Accounts, such as 

their Twitter feeds, Facebook page or YouTube Comments. 

• All PII received from social media users must be treated in a manner that is consistent 

with applicable Smithsonian privacy policies and procedures, as may be updated from 

time to time, and with the social media platform’s terms and conditions and community 

guidelines. If questions arise, contact the Smithsonian Privacy Officer at privacy@si.edu.

• For third-party sites on which the Smithsonian maintains a presence and which make 

user activities, preferences, or affiliations available to the Smithsonian based on a siteviewing relationship (e.g., “fans,” “friends,” or “followers”), the site should not be used by 

Social Media Managers to browse or collect personally identifiable information without 

the user’s express consent. For questions regarding how to obtain a user’s express 

consent, contact the Smithsonian Privacy Officer at privacy@si.edu.

• Content must also meet standard guidelines for accessibility for people with disabilities. 

The General Services Administration maintains a guide for accessible video and social 

media with other best practices to follow: 

https://www.section508.gov/content/build/create-accessible-video-social 
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VII. PENALTIES

Penalties for violations of this policy may include, as appropriate, closure of a social media 

account, as well as remedial or disciplinary action. Such action may include a change in 

assigned duties, appropriate training or counseling, suspension, and/or dismissal, termination of 

employment, discontinuance of volunteer service, termination of a contract or appointment, or 

any other action the Smithsonian deems appropriate. Illegal activities will be reported to lawenforcement authorities for prosecution and punishment as provided by law.

SUPERSEDES: SD 814, issued on November 2, 2011.

INQUIRIES: Office of Communications and External Affairs (OCEA).

RETENTION: Indefinite. Subject to review for currency 36 months from date of issue.