27 Miss. Code. R. 120-5.16

Current through September 24, 2024

Section 27-120-5.16 - SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is defined as the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and content creation. Through social media, individuals or groups can create, organize, edit or comment on, combine, and share content. Social media uses many technologies and forms, including social-networking, blogs, wikis, photo-sharing, video-sharing, podcast, social bookmarking, mash-ups, widgets, virtual worlds, microblogs, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and more.

Any personal social media activity by State employees may not be represented as official state or agency social media activity. State email addresses shall not be used to register for personal social media activity. State employees should not pressure or coerce other employees to connect with them via social media.

It is considered to be protected expression for state employees to engage in social media activity concerning issues of public concern, while on personal time and in a personal capacity. State employees must make clear that any views concerning issues of public concern are those of the individual and do not reflect the views of the state or any entity of the state. State employees maintain their First Amendment rights, but any speech or expression, even in a personal capacity, causing disruption or that undermines the effectiveness and/or operation of the workplace is prohibited.

Any of the following social media activity, comments, expression or posts by a state employee in his or her professional or personal capacity are also prohibited:

A. Content that is discriminatory, harassing or physically threatening, as defined in sections 5.7 and 5.10 of this Handbook, toward other state employees;

B. Disclosure of agency information that is confidential or proprietary;

C. Content that demonstrates unlawful conduct;

D. Content that is in violation of MSPB conflict of interest regulations, as defined in sections 5.8, 5.14 and 5.15 of this Handbook.

E. Content that is in violation of the federal Hatch Act, 5 U.S.C Section 1501et seq., and 5 C.F.R. Section 151.101et seq. Additional information concerning the Hatch Act may be found in Section 5.9 of this Handbook.

State agency regulation of employees engaging in social media, while on personal time and in a personal capacity, must be both consistent and measured. Violations of this policy are subject to disciplinary action as set forth in Chapter 7 of this Handbook.

27 Miss. Code. R. 120-5.16

Adopted 7/3/2023

Amended 7/12/2024