Rescinded [2016-05-11] - Standard on Social Media Account Management

1.1 This Standard takes effect on April 1, 2013.

1.2 Requirements 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.5, 7.1 and 7.2 will be effective immediately. All remaining requirements will come into effect on a date to be communicated by the Secretary of the Treasury Board.

2.1 This Standard applies to "departments" as defined in section 2 of the Financial Administration Act, with the exception of paragraphs (b) and (c), and unless otherwise excluded by specific acts, regulations or orders-in-council. Other departments or separate agencies not subject to these provisions are encouraged to meet these requirements as good practice.

2.2 Sections 7.1.2, 7.2 and 8.2 relating to the role of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat in monitoring compliance and directing consequences for non-compliance do not apply with respect to the Office of the Auditor General, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, the Office of the Information Commissioner, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. The deputy heads of these organizations are solely responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the Standard within their organizations, as well as for responding to cases of non-compliance in accordance with any Treasury Board instruments that provide principles and guidance on the management of compliance.

3.1 Effective communications and quality service delivery are key priorities for Canadians and the Government of Canada. Social media is becoming an important means to advance these priorities as a growing number of Canadians are using social media to communicate, engage with others and conduct transactions. For many Canadians, social media is increasingly becoming the primary channel for sending, receiving and interacting with information from both individuals and organizations.

3.2 Social media has been proven to be a valuable tool in communicating important information to citizens, businesses and other stakeholders, either through direct interaction or by directing users to Web content. Social media can also be used for collaboration and crowdsourcing to support policy development and service delivery, and to facilitate public engagement.

3.3 As the use of social media by departments is rapidly increasing, the presence of the Government of Canada on third-party social media platforms is expanding accordingly. Although departments create and publish content for social media platforms, there is no common approach across the Government of Canada for managing official social media accounts or for assessing the privacy, security and other risks related to the use of third-party social media platforms.

3.4 This Standard will support Canada’s commitment to Open Government and enable greater information sharing, public dialogue and collaboration.

3.5 An entity will be responsible for ensuring a common approach for Government of Canada official social media accounts on third-party platforms and for implementing a social media platform management tool.

3.6 This Standard supports the Policy on Information Management and is to be read in conjunction with the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, the Policy on Government Security, the Policy on Privacy Protection, the Policy on Official Languages, and the Federal Identity Program Policy.

3.7 Additional mandatory requirements are set out in the following:

• The Standard on Web Usability, in particular requirements 6.1.2 and 6.1.3;
• The Directive on Official Languages for Communications and Services, in particular requirement 6.6.5; and
• The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.

3.8 This Standard will be supported by the Guideline on Official Use of Social Media.

4.1 Definitions to be used in the interpretation of this Standard are in the Appendix.

6.1 Heads of communications or designates are responsible for the following:

• 6.1.1 Approving an overarching departmental social media strategy;
• 6.1.2 Approving official social media accounts based on implementation plans, and overseeing the life cycle of official social media accounts, including planning, creation, configuration, implementation, evaluation and disposition;
• 6.1.3 Providing submissions related to the creation, configuration and disposition of official social media accounts to the entity for review;
• 6.1.4 Ensuring that departments use the Government of Canada social media platform management tool to manage official social media accounts as prescribed by the entity; and
• 6.1.5 Ensuring that official social media accounts meet the layout and design specifications outlined in the Technical Specifications for Social Media Accounts.

6.2 The designated senior official of the entity is responsible for the following:

• 6.2.1 Reviewing submissions related to the creation, configuration and disposition of official social media accounts;
• 6.2.2 Creating, configuring and disposing of official social media accounts;
• 6.2.3 Developing and maintaining a list of pre-reviewed social media platforms that will be informed by considering Government of Canada needs and priorities, including the following:
  • 6.2.3.1 Reviews of social media platform–specific functionality and terms of use; and
  • 6.2.3.2 Privacy and security risk assessments for social media platforms, including model Privacy Impact Assessments for social media platforms.
• 6.2.4 Maintaining an index of official social media accounts, to be published on the Government of Canada website; and
• 6.2.5 Providing and administering a Government of Canada social media platform management tool and communicating to departments clear expectations of use.

7.1 Deputy heads are responsible for the following:

• 7.1.1 Monitoring compliance with this Standard to ensure its effective implementation and ensuring that appropriate and timely action is taken to address issues of compliance as needed; and
• 7.1.2 Reporting on compliance as requested by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

7.2 The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is responsible for the following:

• 7.2.1 Overseeing compliance with the application and administration of this Standard;
• 7.2.2 Recommending that corrective action be taken when a department or the entity has not complied with the requirements of this Standard; and
• 7.2.3 Establishing a framework for the review of this Standard and ensuring that a review is initiated within five years of the effective date of this Standard.

7.3 The entity is responsible for the following:

• 7.3.1 Preparing reports on activities related to this Standard as requested by the Treasury Board Secretariat; and
• 7.3.2 Reporting on compliance with this Standard as requested by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

8.1 In instances of non-compliance, deputy heads are responsible for taking corrective measures within their department with those responsible for implementing the requirements of this Standard.

8.2 Consequences of non-compliance with this Standard, or failure to take corrective actions requested by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, may include recommending to the Treasury Board limits on the spending authority of the department and imposition of any other measures determined appropriate in the circumstances.

This section identifies other significant departments that have a role in this policy domain. In and of itself, it does not confer an authority.

9.1 The Chief Information Officer Branch of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is responsible for providing policy advice and guidance, as well as for communicating with, and engaging departments on, the plans, progress, risks and challenges associated with implementing this Standard and its supporting instruments.

Legislation

• Access to Information Act
• Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Canadian Human Rights Act
• Financial Administration Act
• Government Contracts Regulations
• Library and Archives of Canada Act
• Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations
• Official Languages Act
• Privacy Act

Policy Instruments

• Communications Policy of the Government of Canada
• Contracting Policy
• Directive on Official Languages for Communications and Services
• Directive on Information Management Roles and Responsibilities
• Directive on Privacy Impact Assessment
• Directive on Privacy Practices
• Directive on Recordkeeping
• Federal Identity Program Policy
• Framework for the Management of Risk
• Guidance on Implementing the Standard on Web Accessibility
• Guideline on Official Use of Social Media
• Policy on Official Languages
• Policy Framework for Information and Technology
• Policy on Access to Information
• Policy on Government Security
• Policy on Information Management
• Policy on Privacy Protection
• Policy on Management of Information Technology
• Standard on Web Accessibility
• Standard on Web Interoperability
• Standard on Web Usability
• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector

For further information on this Standard, please visit the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Contact Us page.