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Social Media

Updated

PURPOSE:

This Social Media Policy outlines the guidelines and expectations for the use of social media by individuals representing Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) (the "Institution") or engaging in social media activities that may impact the Institution's reputation. The purpose of this policy is to ensure responsible, ethical, and effective use of social media while protecting the Institution's reputation, brand, students, faculty, staff, and sensitive information. This policy aims to foster positive online engagement, maintain professional standards, and mitigate risks associated with social media use.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all uses of social media related to or referencing ICOM, including but not limited to:

  • Official Institutional Social Media Accounts: Social media accounts created and maintained by the Institution, its departments, programs, or affiliated organizations to represent the Institution publicly.
  • Unofficial Social Media Accounts: Social media accounts created by individuals or groups that are perceived to represent or are associated with the Institution, even if not officially sanctioned.
  • Personal Social Media Use: Personal use of social media by faculty, staff, students, and affiliates when their online activities could reasonably be perceived as representing the views or opinions of the Institution, or when their social media conduct may impact the Institution's reputation or operations.
  • All Social Media Platforms: This policy applies to all forms of social media, including but not limited to social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter), video/photo sharing platforms (e.g., YouTube, TikTok, Flickr), blogs, wikis, forums, review sites, and any other online platform that enables users to create and share content publicly.

This policy applies to all individuals associated with ICOM, including but not limited to:

  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Administrators
  • Students
  • Alumni
  • Affiliates
  • Volunteers
  • Contractors
  • Vendors when representing the Institution on social media.

DEFINITIONS:

  • Institutional Data: Refers to all data and information created, received, maintained, or transmitted by Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) in support of its mission and operations, as further defined in the Data Classification Policy.
  • Official Institutional Social Media Account: Social media accounts that are formally created, authorized, and managed by ICOM or its designated departments, programs, or affiliated organizations to represent ICOM publicly. These accounts are typically branded with ICOM's name or logo and are used for official communications and engagement.
  • Personal Social Media Account: Social media accounts that are created and maintained by individual users for their personal use and not as an official representation of ICOM.
  • Protected Health Information (PHI): Individually identifiable health information protected by HIPAA regulations, as further defined by HIPAA.
  • Social Media: Online platforms and technologies that enable users to create, share, and interact with content and with each other in a public or semi-public manner. This includes social networking sites, video/photo sharing platforms, blogs, wikis, forums, review sites, and other similar online platforms.
  • Unofficial Social Media Account: Social media accounts created by individuals or groups that, while not officially authorized by ICOM, are reasonably perceived by others as representing or being associated with ICOM. This may include accounts using ICOM's name, logo, or other branding elements without official permission, or accounts that primarily focus on ICOM-related topics or activities.
  • Social Listening: The process of monitoring social media channels for mentions of ICOM, relevant hashtags, and topics of interest to the Institution.
  • Brand Guidelines: A set of rules and recommendations that dictate how ICOM's brand should be presented visually and verbally across all platforms, including social media.
  • Social Media Administrator: An individual or team authorized to manage and post content to an Official Institutional Social Media Account.

POLICY:

Responsible Social Media Use: All individuals representing the Institution or referencing it on social media are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and ethically, upholding the values and professional standards of ICOM and the osteopathic medical profession.

Representing the Institution Officially:

  • Official Account Authorization: The creation of official Institutional social media accounts must be authorized by the Vice President of Communications & Marketing and registered with the Communications & Marketing Department.
  • Designated Administrators: Official accounts must have designated administrators who are responsible for content, moderation, and adherence to this policy and brand guidelines.
  • Brand Consistency: Official accounts must adhere to the Institution's brand guidelines, visual identity standards, and communication protocols. Messaging should be consistent with the Institution's mission, values, and strategic goals.
  • Accuracy and Truthfulness: Information posted on official accounts must be accurate, truthful, and verifiable. Avoid making misleading or unsubstantiated claims.
  • Timeliness and Responsiveness: Official accounts should be monitored regularly and respond to inquiries and comments in a timely and professional manner, within established timelines where applicable.
  • Accessibility and Inclusivity: Content on official accounts should be accessible to individuals with disabilities and inclusive of diverse audiences.

Personal Social Media Use and Institutional Affiliation:

  • Transparency and Disclaimers: When discussing topics related to the Institution, osteopathic medicine, healthcare, or education on personal social media accounts, individuals are encouraged to be transparent about their affiliation with ICOM. Using a disclaimer such as "Views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICOM" is recommended when expressing personal opinions on such topics.
  • Respect for Confidentiality and Privacy: Individuals must not share confidential or proprietary institutional information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), or Protected Health Information (PHI), on personal social media accounts. Student and patient privacy must be strictly protected in accordance with FERPA, HIPAA, GLBA, and other applicable regulations and ethical guidelines. Do not discuss specific student cases, patient information, or internal institutional matters that are not publicly available.
  • Professional Conduct Online: Online conduct should reflect the same standards of professionalism and ethical behavior expected in person. Avoid posting content that is defamatory, harassing, discriminatory, offensive, unethical, or that could damage the Institution's reputation or the reputation of the osteopathic medical profession.
  • Respectful Communication: Engage in respectful and constructive online conversations. Avoid personal attacks, inflammatory remarks, or engaging in online arguments that could reflect poorly on the Institution.
  • Think Before You Post: Consider the potential impact of your social media posts. Once content is posted online, it can be widely disseminated and difficult to retract.

Protecting Confidential and Sensitive Information:

  • No Sharing of Restricted or Confidential Data: Restricted or Confidential Data, as defined in the Data Classification Policy, must never be shared on social media platforms. This includes, but is not limited to, student records, financial information, personnel data, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and Protected Health Information (PHI).
  • Exercise Caution with Internal Data: Exercise caution when sharing Internal Data on social media. Ensure that sharing is necessary, appropriate for the platform, and does not violate any institutional policies or compromise security.
  • Privacy Settings: Utilize privacy settings on social media platforms to control who can view your personal profile and posts, especially when discussing institutional affiliations or related topics. However, remember that privacy settings are not foolproof, and online content can still be shared beyond your intended audience.

Copyright and Intellectual Property:

  • Respect Copyright Law: Comply with copyright laws and respect the intellectual property rights of others when sharing content on social media. Obtain permission before using copyrighted materials (text, images, videos, music, etc.) or attribute sources appropriately.
  • Institutional Intellectual Property: Be aware of and respect the Institution's intellectual property. Do not share or disclose proprietary research, course materials, or other institutional content without proper authorization.

Monitoring and Social Listening:

  • Institutional Monitoring: Communications & Marketing may monitor social media channels for mentions of the Institution, relevant hashtags, and topics of interest to the Institution to engage in conversations, address inquiries, and manage online reputation.
  • Responding to Online Issues: Communications & Marketing will establish procedures for responding to negative comments, misinformation, security incidents, or other issues that may arise on social media related to the Institution.

Reporting Social Media Issues and Violations: Suspected violations of this Social Media Policy, inappropriate social media content related to the Institution, or any social media security incidents should be reported to Communications & Marketing or the Information Technology Office.

Policy Exceptions: Exceptions to this Social Media Policy may be granted in limited circumstances by the Vice President of Communications & Marketing, with appropriate justification and documented approval. Exceptions should be rare and subject to periodic review.


ENFORCEMENT:

Enforcement of this Social Media Policy is the responsibility of all managers, supervisors, department heads, and individuals using social media in a manner related to the Institution, under the overall direction of the Vice President of Communications & Marketing and the Communications & Marketing Department. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary actions, up to and including warnings, suspension of social media privileges (for official accounts), restrictions on institutional affiliation, and termination of employment or student status, depending on the severity and nature of the violation, and consistent with other institutional policies and procedures. Communications & Marketing and/or the Information Technology Office will investigate reported violations and determine appropriate disciplinary actions in consultation with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Administration, Legal Counsel).


POLICY REVIEW AND UPDATES:

This Social Media Policy will be reviewed and updated at least annually, or as needed to reflect changes in social media platforms, best practices, regulations, institutional risk assessments, communication strategies, or business needs. Communications & Marketing is responsible for coordinating policy reviews and updates, in consultation with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Information Security Office, Legal Counsel, Human Resources, Student Affairs).


PRIMARY POLICY OWNER:

Vice President of Communications & Marketing

 

APPROVAL:

Effective: 8/2/21

Last Reviewed: 7/8/25

Review Requirement: 5 Years

 



 

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