Policies and guidelines

The University of Colorado Denver has adopted campus guidelines for the use of social media. These guidelines should be distributed to individuals who manage social media as a part of their role within the university. The guidelines are also helpful to all employees as a review of best practices for conducting themselves on various social media platforms. 

Conduct and ethics: As a representative of the university, it is imperative for you to maintain the same standards of conduct expected of all CU employees. Be respectful, positive, helpful, and informative. Do not engage in negative banter, and do not take a political stand on topics or legislation.

Protect confidential and proprietary information: Do not post private, restricted, or sensitive information about the university or its students, staff, faculty, or alumni. Types of private information include FERPA-protected student information, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, and medical records.

Definitions for private, restricted, and sensitive information can be found on the glossary page on the CU Office of Policy and Efficiency (OPE) website. Employees must still follow the applicable federal requirements such as FERPA and HIPAA. Adhere to all applicable university privacy and confidentiality policies.

Respect copyright and fair use: When posting, be mindful of the copyright and intellectual property rights of others and of the university.

Use appropriate branding: Do not use the university logo or any other university images or iconography on personal social media sites. Do not use the university’s name to promote a product, cause, or political party or candidate. Request the official social media branding from University Communications if you wish for your social media account to be officially recognized. 

Ensure the security of your social media account: A compromise of your account can lead to malicious entities posting inappropriate or even illegal material on your behalf. This could lead to a reputational risk to the university. If you post on behalf of the university to social media sites be sure to use a different password for each of your official social media accounts—personal social media accounts and your university provided accounts. Follow best practices in selecting and protecting your passwords. If you notice or hear about any abnormal activities occurring through your account or feel that it might have been compromised, contact the Office of Information Technology and University Communications immediately.

Terms of Services: Obey the terms of service of any social media platform employed.

• Facebook’s Terms of Service
• Facebook’s Community Standards
• Twitter’s Terms of Service
• Twitter’s Rules
• Instagram’s Terms of Use
• Instagram’s Community Guidelines
• Instagram’s Platform Policy
• Snapchat’s Terms of Service
• Snapchat’s Community Guidelines
• YouTube’s Terms of Service
• YouTube’s Community Guidelines
• LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies
• LinkedIn’s User Agreement
• Reddit's User Agreement
• Reddit's Content Policy
• GroupMe/ Microsoft's Terms and Services