Data protection, privacy and copyright
Data protection, privacy and copyright
We all have a responsibility to behave in a professional way when we publicly represent the University. That doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to have opinions, to disagree with other people, or to use our own personal networks professionally.
In fact, the more human we are on social media, the better. But, as always, it’s best to use your common sense. If you’re in doubt about posting something, give it a few minutes, or speak to a colleague about it. Do you really need to post it? What will the benefit be?
Remember that it’s difficult to delete posts, and easy to lose control of how your posts are then circulated and published by others. Stop, hold your nerve, and think: do you really want to share this with the whole world forever?
Having an ‘opinions are my own’ disclaimer in your profile doesn’t make you immune to bringing your employer into disrepute. And it doesn’t make you exempt from the Communications Act. If you list the University as an employer, you are identifying yourself as a part of the University community, with views that reflect that community.
Remember: we tell our students to use social media professionally. As individuals who are employed by the University, we should lead by example.
Of course, we all need to observe the normal standards of behaviour and data management set by our employer, and those standards apply to what we post on social media.
Remember to ask for permission from copyright holders before you post their content on your own channels. Sharing content is fine, as long as you credit the original poster, but you may still want to ask their permission.
You can find resources that have been release for public use by searching Creative Commons licensed content. Many search engines have tools that allow you to refine your search by Creative Commons licenses.
It’s best not to publicly share individuals’ personal information, such as email addresses, home addresses or other private or personal information.