The
Charity Commission recently published its first-ever guidance on charities’ use of social media.
The guidance sets out how trustees should
manage the risks and benefits of social media, including through creating and embedding a robust social media policy.
The new guidance aims to help trustees understand how their present legal duties apply to their charity’s use of social media, and covers things like:
- Why having a social media policy is important
- A checklist that covers what to include in a social media policy
- How to manage risks, especially when content about emotive topics are posted online
- How to handle posts from individuals associated with the charity which could pose a risk to a charity’s reputation. This includes where these posts are on their personal accounts, and
- A Charities’ ability to campaign and to fundraise on social media.
This final guidance was delivered in response to concerns which were raised by
The Chartered Governance Institute for UK & Ireland (CGIUKI) and other Infrastructure bodies following consultation on the draft guidance.
Staying safe online is also discussed in the guidance, and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have produced a guide that covers various aspects of cyber security including social media use.
For
more information or to
read the guidance, visit the Charity Commission
website.