PE 451 - Employee Use of Social Media

Social Media includes, but is not limited to, social networking sites, file sharing sites, blogs, and podcasts. For example, this policy applies to Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn, online comments, etc.

Guidelines - The following guidelines apply to all College-related social networking:

• Students and employees are prohibited from posting any confidential or legally protected information about the College, students, employees, alumni, or other partners. Students and employees must follow the applicable federal requirements, such as FERPA and HIPPA, as well as NJCAA regulations.
   
• Only authorized individuals can prepare and modify content for EICC’s social networking sites. Content must be relevant, add value, and meet at least one of the specified outcomes of the program, department, division, and/or college.
   
• Students and employees are prohibited from posting content that does not adhere to EICC’s Professional Standards, that might be embarrassing to an individual or that might reflect negatively on an individual or that reflects negatively on the EICC community.
   
• Students and employees are prohibited from uploading, posting, transmitting, sharing, storing, or otherwise making publicly available:
  • personally identifiable information, including information relating to students, faculty, staff, or any individual not affiliated with the College, unless you have express permission from the person being identified;
     
  • private information, including but not limited to social security numbers, student IDs, student records, addresses, or phone numbers (other than authorized business contact information);
     
  • content that could create a security risk for the College, including but not limited to images of child-care facilities and information technology facilities;
     
  • content depicting a dangerous activity;
     
  • content depicting someone getting hurt, attacked or humiliated, or which might be considered discriminatory, racist, bigoted or demeaning, or which depicts activity that is, or may be perceived to be, illegal (e.g. drug use), or content that otherwise misrepresents the College; and/or
     
  • content that might cause someone to believe that his/her name, image, likeness or other identifying aspect of his/her identity is being used for commercial purposes without permission.
     
  • Copyrighted information for which written reprint permission has not been obtained in advance cannot be posted on EICC sites.

Guidelines -The following guidelines apply to College Program/Organizations Pages:

College programs and organizations are welcome to establish pages on social media sites with the following requirements:

• The divisions, departments, and programs will submit a request to the marketing team for a social media page/account to be established. The marketing team will maintain administrative rights on all College-related social media pages/accounts.
   
• In addition to the marketing team, an EICC faculty or staff member will be assigned as an account administrator/content creator.
   
• Divisions, departments, and programs requesting pages are responsible for ensuring all blogging and social networking information complies with EICC’s written policies. The marketing department has the authority to remove any content that does not meet the rules and guidelines of this policy or that may be considered illegal harassing. Removal of such content will be done without permission of the blogger/poster or advance warning.
   
• The EICC employee account administrator should assume the responsibility to maintain an active account. The EICC marketing team reserves the right to deem an account dormant and delete or deactivate the account.
   
• Divisions, departments, and programs cannot use social media sites to collect personal information about users. Terms and conditions of use on social media sites, as well as state and federal laws, impose significant requirements and restrictions on the collection of personal information. In the case of minors, significant additional penalties can apply to violations.

Guidelines - The following guidelines apply to all non-College-related social networking:

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges respects the right of students and employees to create blogs and podcasts and to use social networking sites. EICC does not want to discourage self-expression and does not discriminate against students and employees who use these media for personal interests, affiliations, or other lawful purposes.

• The College encourages students and employees to try to add value and provide worthwhile information and perspective. EICC is best represented by its students and employees, and what they publish may reflect on the College. The College encourages employees and students to interact with the College social media accounts.
   
• Use good judgment about content and respect privacy laws. Do not include confidential information or information about students, employees, alumni, or the College. Students and employees must follow the applicable federal requirements such as FERPA, HIPPA and NJCAA regulations.
   
• Bloggers and commenters are personally responsible for their commentary on blogs and social networking sites. Bloggers and commenters can be held personally liable for commentary that is considered defamatory, obscene, proprietary, or libelous by any offended party.
   
• An individual is expected to provide a clear distinction between themselves as the individual and themselves as an employee. If an individual chooses to identify themselves as an EICC employee, the employee must understand that some readers may view them as a spokesperson for the College. Because of this possibility, the College requires that individuals take reasonable precautions to indicate that their views expressed in a blog or social networking areas are their own and not those of the College. Additional precautions include using heightened privacy settings, not identifying as an EICC employee, and adding a disclaimer. If an individual identifies themselves as an EICC employee, they must use a disclaimer such as this example: “The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent Eastern Iowa Community Colleges’ positions, strategies, or opinions.”
   
• If contacted by the media or press about posts that relate to EICC, individuals are required to speak with the Associate Director for Marketing before responding.
   
• Students and employees must comply with the College’s Technology Use Policy.
   
• Individuals shall not use blogs or social networking sites to harass, threaten, discriminate, or disparage employees, students, or anyone associated with EICC.
   
• Students and employees shall not use EICC’s name(s), logo(s), website address, email address, or other EICC images to promote a product, cause, or political party or candidate.
   
• Students and employees should be guided by applicable laws, College policies, and sound professional judgment when using social media.

Guidelines - The following guidelines prohibit the use of TikTok:

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, in compliance with the directive of the State of Iowa, bans the use of TikTok by the College and on College-owned devices.

• The College will not subscribe to or own any College-affiliated TikTok accounts. Any accounts established prior to December 2022 must be deactivated.
   
• Students and Employees shall not create College-affiliated TikTok accounts.
   
• Students and employees will not download, use or engage with TikTok on College-owned devices including but not limited to computers, laptops, tablets or the College network.
   
• EICC IT department will block access to TiKTok on the EICC College networks.

Policy Violations

Disciplinary procedures may be invoked for failure to comply with the above-defined guidance, up to and including termination.

DATE OF ADOPTION: 01/22/24
REVISED:
REVIEWED:
LEGAL REFERENCE: