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Social Media Playbook
US Navy
Social Media handbook
US Navy
1
Overview
Before Starting a Presence: Considerations
Audiences
Platform Demographics
Planning Considerations
The Age of the Inuencer
Registering Your Social Media Presence
Platform Selection
Audiences
Setting Goals & Objectives
Key Channels
Content Planning
Content Mediums
Content Creation & Distribution
Best Practices Per Platform
Crisis Communication
Areas of Potential Risk
Individual Responsibility
The UCMJ & Navy Regulations
Bots
Guidance
DoD Personnel and Political Activity: The Hatch Act
Resources
How To's
On the Horizon
Navy Social Media Fo'c'sle
Glossary
Appendix A: Acceptable Use Policy
Appendix B: Required Disclaimer
Appendix C: References
Appendix D: User Persona Templates
Appendix E: Key Channels Template
Appendix F: Channel Optimization Template
Appendix G: Format Specs Per Platform
Appendix H: Blank Planning Calendar
Appendix I: Calendar Dates
Appendix J: Naval History Dates of Interest
Appendix K: Political Activity
Appendix L: DoD Instruction 5400.17
Ocial Use of Social Media For Public Affairs
Purposes
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table of contents
Social Media Playbook
US Navy
Social Media handbook
US Navy
2
social media handbook for admins
deep dive:
Communicating in an ever-changing environment requires that our communication be agile
enough to remain effective and lands in the digital space intended, while it resonates and
informs the wider audiences we wish to reach. Social media is therefore a necessity vice a
nice-to-have. Operating eciently in the social media space means much more than “I have a
Facebook account.”
OVERVIEW
Social media, when used effectively and responsibly, presents an opportunity to share the U.S.
Navy story in an authentic, transparent, and rapid way by building relationships with a much
broader audience in the online community.
Because social media is the fastest way to disseminate timely information, planning for social
media should be an integral part of your communication strategy from the beginning of the
planning process. When approached as an afterthought, it cannot reach its full potential.
Facilitating the free ow of information while preserving security, respecting privacy, and
maintaining proper conduct online are critical considerations for all social media users. It is
the everyone’s responsibility to ensure information disclosed or shared online does not violate
applicable policy or law, jeopardize operations security (OPSEC), adheres to strong identity
management (IdM) best practices, and protects the safety and privacy of U.S. Government
personnel and their families.
Of course, as with every communication tool, appropriate precautions, guidelines, and best
practices must be developed prior to execution. The U.S. Navy Social Media Handbook covers
platforms, describes audiences, tackles content planning, and addresses how to develop
meaningful objectives to accomplish communication goals.
By staying aware of the latest trends and tools in the digital space, social media can elevate
the Navy story and reach new audiences never thought possible.
Let’s dive in!
Mention of a commercial product or service in this document does not constitute ocial endorsement by the
U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense or the federal government.
Produced by
The Navy Oce of Information (CHINFO)
Social Media Playbook
US Navy
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BEFORE STARTING A PRESENCE: CONSIDERATIONS
Should I Or My Command Have a Social Media Presence?
There are multiple avenues on which to publish content. These spaces are referred to as social
media platforms, networks, or channels. Some are widely familiar such as Facebook, and
others are continuously emerging and gaining traction week to week and month to month. Not
every platform is an appropriate t for communicating your messages and/or achieving your
communication objectives.
Determining which platforms to utilize largely depends on two factors:
1. Which audiences are you attempting to reach; and on which platforms do they engage?
2. Can you meet the appropriate posting frequency, content demands, and engagement
responsiveness the audiences of these platforms demand?
To answer the above and determine where you should be, have your staff research each
platform to determine which make sense for your available content and desired messaging.
Evaluate where your efforts will have the most impact.
*** Note: Not only is it unnecessary, but it is counterproductive to maintain a presence on
every social media platform. (See Platform Demographics for basic platform information and
audience breakdown.)
Quality > Quantity: Select quality of content/messaging/engagement with your desired
audience, over quantity of social media accounts.
What do you want to accomplish? What are your
communication objectives? How do they move your command
closer to achieving its mission? Is the level of transparency
required in social media appropriate for your command and its
mission? Do you have the content and personnel to routinely
engage with the desired audiences?
!
Do You Have the Bandwidth?
A platform is only as good and as effective as the content posted to it. It is important to have
reliable access to monitor and engage audiences as necessary. Social media is not a re-and-
forget system!
When your content is infrequent, but no less important, one option is having your staff push
content to more senior organizations to share — your higher command HQ or the Navy
Flagship accounts managed by the Navy Oce of Information (CHINFO), for example.
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If you do have the stang to publish content regularly to a platform, the next question is
whether you need a personal professional page or a command presence or both? And if both,
what the purpose of each will be. There should be clear communication objectives for each;
the personal/professional page is more rst-personal with a behind the scenes tone in order
to better connect with the audience whereas a command presence is more formal and not
attached to a particular individual or principal.
Decision Tree For Leaders
Is my audience
18-24 or younger?
Explore Instagram
and Snapchat.
Establish a personal-
professional page.
Create a command
presence.
Explore Facebook,
LinkedIn and Twitter.
Do I want to establish a
personal connection with my
audience and/or do I hold a
position audiences have a
desire to connect with?
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Consult your
PA team for
alternatives.
Do I have a message
to disseminate to a
wider audience?
Does my team have
the bandwidth to
engage at least
once daily?
Is my primary
audience on social
media?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Social Media Playbook
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Ocial Organizational Account
An ocial command presence is a page listed by the name of your command and that pushes
out content to tell the story of that particular command and mission writ large. These pages
speak ocially on behalf of that command to include news, press releases, Sailor life, and
other pertinent subject matter; infusing command messages throughout.
Professional Page Personal Page
Personal-Professional Pages
A personal-professional page is an
official page where you represent
yourself as an individual, but also
represent your office/position in a
professional capacity. There are two
types of personal-professional pages.
1. Official Institutional Accounts.
These are accounts that are
denominated only with an official
position title, for example @SECDEF
or @DepSecDef.
2. Official Individual Accounts. These
include a personal name or identifier,
for example: @DASDSmith.
The former is preferred over the latter due to the custom name associated with the page that
will have to, by instruction, be passed to the successor of that position or taken down
altogether.
Personal Pages
A personal page, conversely, is a
non-official page not tied in any way
to the Navy or the uniform. This is
your own presence for your close
friends and family. Personal pages
should NOT be used to announce
official DoD information.
Leaders should be prepared for Sailors, families, the general public, etc. to reach out via direct
message for emergencies, grievances or personal issues. Please consult your PA teams as to
the best solution given your time constraints. Solutions may include: placing a central POC in
the about section (PA Office, Public Inquiries line, etc.), disabling DMs, or referring them to the
appropriate POC.
If you’re considering a personal-professional page, one thing that must be kept in mind is the
number of impersonation pages that will likely pop up. Though most are not cause for alarm,
they can cause some angst amongst PA teams and security personnel. In order to help thwart
these efforts and enable audiences to distinguish between real and fake presences, have your
PA teams work to obtain page verification.
Source: Twitter@SecDef
This example does Not
reflect a real Twitter page.
For demonstration purposes
only.
!
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Verification Example
What Is Page Verification?
Page verification is essentially a blue badge with a checkmark
associated with an account that lets people know the page is
authentic and verified by the platform. These blue badges appear
on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and convey that a given page
is a credible source for information and/or a legitimate
representation of the individual or organization it claims to be.
Twitter verification is now in flux given their change in leadership,
but the badges still distinguish accounts as valid and are still
recommended. LinkedIn has worked very hard to ensure their
registration process catches any imposters up front and therefore
badges are not used on that platform as of yet.
Why Get Verified?
As with all good things, bad actors can use social media for
nefarious purposes. While having a presence has definite
communication benefits (and is encouraged), it also carries the
risk that actors will impersonate you and/or your command. More
and more scams are being seen where photos are used to create
imposter profiles which solicit money, information, or seek to
discredit or embarrass the individual and/or the Navy. For more on
Twitter as it continues to shift, please stay plugged in to OI-2 Fleet
Content meetings.
Source: Twitter@USNavy
One way to ensure your audiences know it’s you, is to
get verified. Think of it as a “firewall” for your account,
as this helps audiences distinguish between
official/real pages and impersonator pages at a glance.
“
“
How To Get Veried
To get your page(s) veried, have your PA team reach out to CHINFO OI-2 at
[email protected].mil. They will need to have your About/Bio sections fully lled out with
current working links to bio pages on Navy.mil (for personal professional pages) or command
page on Navy.mil (for organization pages), provide email addresses of admins to the page(s),
and the URLs for the pages.
*** Please be patient as this process CAN and DOES take time, because platforms must review
each presence for certain criteria. This could take from two weeks to two months depending
on the platform and current events.
Personal accounts should not be used to announce official
DoD information.
!
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Reporting Fake Pages
If you or your team notice fake/impersonator pages made in your likeness or under your
command name/logo, have your team do the following:
1. Report it within the platform (for Twitter, this will yield a case number).
2. Send links to the impersonator pages as well as a link to your REAL page(s) to CHINFO, OI-2
at[email protected].milfor action.
3. If this becomes a trend, please also report to NCIS.
AUDIENCES
One of the most important components of maintaining a successful and effective presence
on social media is clearly dening your target audience, understanding their expectations,
curiosities, and “meeting them where they’re at.” Tailor the language in your messages in such
a way that your intended audience will be receptive and engaging.
Audience-First Approach
When there were a limited number of news sources, we could package news, pitch it, get
it published; and expect it to be consumed. Today, with a 24-hour news cycle, and so many
different entities competing for the audiences’ attention, we must put the audience at the
forefront of our planning — where do they consume information? In what mediums do they
most consume/absorb information? How can I obtain and maintain their attention? This is
dicult and requires continuous evaluation and innovation; and perhaps an element of risk.
2020
Every Minute
of the D ay
Instagram
Users Post
347,222
Stories
Connect
52,083
Users
Microsoft
teams
twitter
Gains
319
New
Users
linkedin
Users Apply for
69,444
Jobs
facebook
Users Upload
147,000
Photos
zoom
Hosts
208,333
Participants in Meetings
tiktok
is Installed
2,704
Times
youtube
Users Upload
Hours of
500
Video
Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/every-minute-internet-2020/
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Who Do We Want To Talk To And Where Can We Find Them?
● Journalists: Journalists and celebrities often maintain a signicant presence on Twitter,
a fast-paced, news source and amplication platform. Though they are certainly found on
other platforms. Twitter is the space in which we primarily talk to and engage with them
and is where they are going for their news as well. Many use Twitter to gauge what is
happening before digging deeper on other or more traditional platforms.
● Sailors and Families: This is age dependent. Much like their civilian counterparts, 18-34
year old Sailors are likely to be found on Instagram Reels, Snapchat, and TikTok (NOT
approved for use on DoD devices), while 34+ are more likely to be found on Facebook and
LinkedIn. Sailors tend to hang in the background on Facebook until issues related to pay,
allowances and uniform changes arise.
● Local Community: Same as above; however, hashtags and geotags are very effective in
connecting with your local community. Hash-tagging the town, county etc. where your
command resides and/or adding location tags for special events (after they take place for
OPSEC reasons; UNLESS it’s an outreach event where you are hoping to boost attendance)
works very well in better connecting with the local community.
● Veterans: We nd the largest percentage of our Veteran audience on Facebook, with
younger Vets gravitating a bit more to Instagram.
● Partnership Nations/Allies: Our allies and partners tend to engage with us most on Twitter
and Instagram. Tagging their pages in your posts — during joint exercises, for example — is
a great way to engage.
● Civilian Workforce: The Civilian workforce, much like the Sailor audience, spans all
channels. However, for connecting with human resources (HR), hiring, and recruiting,
LinkedIn is the best place to connect and make an impact. Most commands do not have a
LinkedIn presence and LinkedIn is one area where we particularly encourage submission of
information and products to CHINFO for inclusion on the U.S. Navy page.
● Industry: LinkedIn is where we engage most with industry, though they pay attention to
Twitter as well. LinkedIn allows us to position the Navy as a thought-leader in the industrial
space in areas from HR to Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM).
● Academia: Twitter and LinkedIn are likely the best places to reach faculty. (Although,
University and college brands overall have become more actively engaged where their
student audiences live — Instagram, Snapchat, etc.)
● Congress/HASC/SASC: Twitter is the best place to reach these audiences.
● Potential Recruits: We nd potential recruits engaging with us most heavily on Instagram,
and some on Snapchat. Potential recruits seek positive spaces on which to engage and
ask questions of those who have served to get a sense of what to expect. Creative and
humorous memes do particularly well with this audience.
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Adversaries and Competitors Are Listening . . .
We MUST remain vigilant and be aware of these audiences as well. Their
monitoring and consumption of messages should be taken into consideration
when planning content on platforms. Any mission-related information you
voluntarily post on social media (personal accounts included) can potentially
assist the adversary’s intelligence collection activities. Additionally,
misinformation and disinformation attempts from adversaries using bots and/or
memes MUST be countered with factual and consistent information.
!
Tone and Voice
Just as you likely speak differently with your spouse or friends than you would, say, to your
parents — the way in which you communicate on each platform should vary by the audience
that is there. The tone and the voice you hone on each respective platform should speak to the
primary audience of that platform in a way in which they will understand it and most positively
receive it. This applies to the post copy, the content itself, and the responses to comments on
a given platform. There are many ways to get a point across; and though the voice will vary
between platforms, your key messages should remain consistent.
Use clear public language, get rid of mil-speak and consult your PA
staff when in doubt.
!
Audience vs. Platform
Journalists
Sailors & Families
Local Community
Veterans
Civilian Workforce
Industry
Academia
Potential Recruits
Congress / HASC
/ SASC
Partnership Nations
& Allies
Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Snapchat TikTok
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Selecting the right voice for a given platform: People do their best work when they are
interested in what they are doing. Though not required, a passion and interest in social
media can hold the key to being effective in the space. Many times the most junior person is
tossed the responsibility to “do social media”. This is not always the best approach. Though
it is helpful to be a “social media native”, our recommendation is that you ask who has an
interest in social and go from there. Those who have an interest will likely excel in the space
and continue to innovate and try to nd creative ways to communicate/connect with their
audiences.
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Most Followers
Cristiano Ronaldo
Kylie Jenner
Lionel (Leo) Messi
483 M
370 M
362 M
30
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
51%
Female
49%
Male
Monthly Users
1 Billion
Daily Users
500 Million
18-29
67%
30-49
47%
50-65
23%
65+
8%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
A photo and video sharing app
that has adapted to include an
ephemeral content feature (mod-
eled after Snapchat) called Stories
and its newest feature Reels
(modeled after TikTok). Instagram
makes sharing really simple and
includes a powerful hash-tagging
system which allows users and
brands to reach beyond their audi-
ences and engage in broader
conversations; as well as track
against their own hash tagged
content.
Instagram
Demographics source: The 2021 Social Media Users Demographics Guide | Khoros
PLATFORM DEMOGRAPHICS
Generalities and platform by number. What are each platform’s demographics and culture?
These infographics will give you a sense of where these audiences live, you can better provide
guidance to your team on where you would like to have a presence.
30
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
54%
Female
46%
Male
Monthly Users
2.9 Billion
18-29
86%
30-49
77%
50-65
51%
65+
34%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
Facebook is a social networking
website where users can post
comments, share photographs,
and post links to news or other
interesting content on the web,
chat live, and watch short-form
video and live event streaming.
Shared content can be made
publicly accessible, or it can be
shared only among a select group
of friends or family, or with even a
single person.
Facebook
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Most Followers
Barack Obama
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
133 M
114 M
109 M
35
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
27%
Female
73%
Male
Monthly Users
436 Million
18-29
38%
30-49
26%
50-65
17%
65+
7%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
An online news and social net-
working site where people com-
municate in short messages
called tweets. Tweeting is posting
short messages for anyone who
follows you on Twitter, with the
hope that your words are useful
and interesting to someone in your
audience. Another description of
Twitter and tweeting might be
microblogging. Twitter is the place
to find out about what's happening
in the world right now. Whether
you're interested in music, sports,
politics, news, celebrities, or every-
day moments — Twitter enables
you to see and join in on what's
happening/trending now.
Twitter
Additional Facts
70% of views are on mobile devices
1 billion hours of video is viewed each day
Available in 80 languages
Most Followers
T-Series
Cocomelon: Nursery Rhymes
SET India
221 M
139 M
138 M
46
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
46%
Female
54%
Male
Monthly Users
2.6 Billion
15-25
81%
26-35
71%
36-45 46-55
67%
66%
56+
58%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
A free video-sharing website and
the second largest search engine
behind Google Search. All you
need is a Google account to create
a YouTube account to watch
videos or create your own content.
YouTube
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US Navy
13
30
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
54%
Female
46%
Male
Monthly Users
2.9 Billion
18-29
86%
30-49
77%
50-65
51%
65+
34%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
Facebook is a social networking
website where users can post
comments, share photographs,
and post links to news or other
interesting content on the web,
chat live, and watch short-form
video and live event streaming.
Shared content can be made
publicly accessible, or it can be
shared only among a select group
of friends or family, or with even a
single person.
Facebook
Most Followers
Cristiano Ronaldo
Kylie Jenner
Lionel (Leo) Messi
483 M
370 M
362 M
30
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
51%
Female
49%
Male
Monthly Users
1 Billion
Daily Users
500 Million
18-29
67%
30-49
47%
50-65
23%
65+
8%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
A photo and video sharing app
that has adapted to include an
ephemeral content feature (mod-
eled after Snapchat) called Stories
and its newest feature Reels
(modeled after TikTok). Instagram
makes sharing really simple and
includes a powerful hash-tagging
system which allows users and
brands to reach beyond their audi-
ences and engage in broader
conversations; as well as track
against their own hash tagged
content.
Instagram
Most Followers
Barack Obama
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
133 M
114 M
109 M
35
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
27%
Female
73%
Male
Monthly Users
436 Million
18-29
38%
30-49
26%
50-65
17%
65+
7%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
An online news and social net-
working site where people com-
municate in short messages
called tweets. Tweeting is posting
short messages for anyone who
follows you on Twitter, with the
hope that your words are useful
and interesting to someone in your
audience. Another description of
Twitter and tweeting might be
microblogging. Twitter is the place
to find out about what's happening
in the world right now. Whether
you're interested in music, sports,
politics, news, celebrities, or every-
day moments — Twitter enables
you to see and join in on what's
happening/trending now.
Twitter
Most Followers
Bill Gates
Richard Branson
Jeff Weiner
37 M
20 M
11 M
8
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
Monthly Users
90 Million
By Gender
43%
Female
57%
Male
18-24
21%
25-34
60%
35-54
17%
55+
3%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
Considered the social media plat-
form for the working professional,
young entrepreneur, or networking
individual. LinkedIn users leverage
job opportunities, connect with
colleagues, and expand their pro-
fessional network. Successful
content on LinkedIn features
thought pieces on technological
advancements, inspiring anec-
dotes of success, and connecting
like minded individuals in similar
interest. LinkedIn currently has a
less monetized algorithm than
Facebook/Instagram/Twitter,
therefore the organic reach is
wider.
LinkedIn
Additional Facts
90% of weekly pinners used Pinterest to make purchase decisions
Pinterest drives 33% more referral traffic to shopping sites than Facebook
People who travel are 2X more likely to use Pinterest
14
min
Visit
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
70%
Female
30%
Male
Monthly Users
433 Million
18-29
34%
30-49
35%
50-65
27%
65+
15%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
A visual discovery engine for
finding ideas like recipes, home
and style inspiration, and more.
Your home feed is the center of
Pinterest. It’s where you'll find
ideas, or Pins, with recommenda-
tions based on your interests, as
well as what people you follow on
Pinterest are saving.
Pinterest
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14
30
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender
54%
Female
45%
Male
Monthly Users
557 Million
15-25
53%
26-35
34%
36-45 46-55
18%
11%
56+
4%
Percentage of People Who Use
Platform, By Age
Both a messaging platform and a
social network. It can't be used
from a desktop and opens directly
to a camera which makes it unique
to other platforms. There is no
feed or commentary. Just streams
of ephemeral content, or mo-
ments in time that may be shared
directly to another user to vanish
or to your “story” for 24 hours.
Snapchat is particularly popular
amongst teens and young adults.
A 2018 Pew report showed that
49% of Snapchat users visit the
app several times a day.
Snapchat
Additional Facts
Twitch has market share of 67% content hours
watched, and 90% of content streamed.
2 Billion
hours
Month
Time Spent
By Gender:
35%
Female
65%
Male
Monthly Users
2.9 Million
Monthly Streamers
9.5 Million
16-24
41%
25-34
32%
35-44 45-54
17%
7%
55-64
3%
Age of Platform Users
A live-streaming platform for
gamers and other lifestyle casters
that supports building communi-
ties around a shared and stream-
able interest.
Twitch streamers “broadcast”
their gameplay or activity by shar-
ing their screen with fans and sub-
scribers who can hear and watch
them live. There are both free and
paid versions of Twitch, with paid
tiers removing ads and giving
users access to more robust
social, streaming, and storage fea-
tures.
Twitch
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Additional Facts
26.5 million monthly active users are from the USA
In less than 18 months, the number of US adult TikTok users grew 5.5 times.
90% of TikTok users visit the app more than once per day
TikTok is available in 150 markets, in 75 languages
It’s currently the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year
95
min
Day
Time Spent
on average
By Gender:
57%
Female
43%
Male
Daily Users
50 Million
Monthly Users
1 Billion
13-17
27%
18-24
40%
25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64
25% 6% 2% .03%
Age of Platform Users
A short-form video sharing app
with a feed that features an end-
less slew of micro-videos made by
its users. Videos can be a maxi-
mum of 15 seconds long, with the
option to combine videos for a 60
second long compilation. The app
is known for its charming, often
hilarious content featuring real
people and real, home-made
videos.
Currently not approved by DoD.
TikTok
Additional Facts
Clubhouse has over six million users, most of which were added in early 2021
Over ten million people have downloaded the app
Celebrities such as Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Drake, Kevin Hart and Chris Rock have all
hosted conversations on the app
An audio-based social media app. The company describes itself as “a new type of social product
based on voice [that] allows people everywhere to talk, tell stories, develop ideas, deepen friend-
ships, and meet interesting new people around the world.”
This app allows users to gather in audio chat rooms to discuss various topics, whether it’s sports,
wellness, or Bitcoin. Rooms are usually divided into two groups: those who are talking and those
who are listening (participants can see a list of everyone who is in a conversation, and the numbers
sometimes run into the thousands).
Unlike Twitter, Clubhouse is a closed, hierarchical platform: A moderator oversees discussions and
has the ability to let someone chime in or to kick out the unruly. In addition to the “clubs” sorted by
topic, two or more users can join together and start their own chat room. Essentially, a podcast
with audience participation.
Clubhouse
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Recommendations by Industry
Retail
Media
Sports
Packaged
Goods
Financial
Services
Automotive
Health Care
Ideal for Industry
Depends on Strategy
Not right for Industry
Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedInYoutube SnapchatPinterest
Best Place
for Teens
Best Place
for Millennials
Best Place to Reach
a Male Audience
Instagram + Snapchat Facebook + Instagram Youtube
Source: https://khoros.com/resources/social-media-demographics-guide
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
The Art of Storytelling
Times have changed, with new apps and trends popping up daily. But the art of storytelling
remains the same. What makes a good story/a good storyteller remains the same. What
elements of storytelling you already know can be applied to the social space? What mediums
can you use to bring a story to life in an attention-grabbing and engaging way?
Social-First Planning
One thing that has changed is that communication has been ipped on its head. Where media
used to lead the news cycle; with people posting and reposting what they share. The media is
now nding much of their news on social media, retweeting and sharing or repurposing stories
they nd on Twitter or a story gone viral.
So how does that apply to our communication planning? Well, too often social media is an
afterthought, an “oh yeah, can you put this on social media, too?” When looking at planning it
is important to have social media in your initial consideration set. How (or will) this play in the
social media space?
Example: Visuals. Let’s say a conference is planned and the day comes and 15 photos
posted to Facebook of a person at a podium. This gets little to no engagement and falls at
because it’s not visually interesting or intriguing and because no one thought of the visuals or
social media at the start of planning for that event. If social media is kept top of mind at the
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beginning, interactive/experiential elements can be added to that conference — like a photo
booth or interactive comment wall that grows on a time-lapse photo as people post stickies
to a wall — or there are quote graphics pulled from the speech the speaker is to give that get
scheduled and posted shortly after his/her portion concludes.
If a tree falls in a forest and no one Tweeted,
Facebooked, Instagrammed, or posted a
#TreeFallChallenge to TikTok . . . it didn’t happen.
“
“
Approval Process
It is important to have a set of checks and balances within every social team so that we can
check each other’s homework and ensure mishaps do not occur.
Establish an approval process for your team that begins with creative discussion, goes through
at least two sets of eyes for review — in instances of cultural products at minimum run by
one person from that culture — and then a nal approval stage that includes whatever level of
stang your command leadership is comfortable with. Keep in mind that contractors cannot
be a release authority for content, therefore a uniformed service member or civilian must
be available to review and approve planned content. Some riskier items or newer formats —
memes and reels, may warrant extra scrutiny and lead time for those not familiar with the
medium.
THE AGE OF THE INFLUENCER
What is an influencer? One who exerts influence: a person who
inspires or guides the actions of others; often, specifically: a
person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a
consumer product) by posting about it on social media.
!
More and more, brands are beginning to rely on inuencer marketing. That is, having someone
with a large and/or engaged following in a given area carry your messaging for you to their own
audiences in an organic way. These are usually paid partnerships but, with service branches,
many inuencers are willing to participate for brand equity alone.
If your team brings you a list of inuencers they’d like to reach out to in order to amplify their
message or event, here are some questions to ask:
1. Have they been vetted? That means has your team looked at their previous post history to
ensure their feed isn’t politicized one way or the other, that they have not posted anything
derogatory with regard to the U.S. Navy, that they are veriably who they claim to be.
2. Do their audience demographics include the audiences you are attempting to reach.
3. What level of inuencer are they? What is their estimated reach? And do they have an
organic tie to the subject matter being discussed or the U.S. Navy. Bigger isn’t always
better. Someone might have a very large audience, but not be a good brand t; while
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another inuencer might have a smaller audience but in a very engaged niche that reaches
the target and/or Is better aligned to the messages you’re wanting to convey and the U.S.
Navy. Example: Smarter Everyday YouTuber paired with ICEX.
REGISTERING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
If you/your command decides on a social media presence it MUST be registered on Navy.mil
and at www.digitalgov.gov/services/u-s-digital-registry
U.S. NAVY ACCEPTABLE USE REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST:
Before beginning the registration process for the Navy Social Media Directory, please read
thoroughly:
AN OFFICIAL NAVY SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE MUST HAVE:
1. Approval by:
● Commanding ocer or designated public affairs ocer.
● Someone with release authority for the command.
2. Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement (see appendix A)
3. The page name MUST closely match the command’s name as displayed on Navy.mil’s
social media directory; this will also aid in page verication.
QUICK CHECK:
● Do not capitalize the entire page name. For example, USS ANY SHIP.
● Do not use “Page” in the title: Ex: “USS Ship Page”.
● Do not use only an abbreviation. All social platforms are external facing and therefore,
must account for non-military audiences.
Examples:
: Unacceptable: VFA-11
: Unacceptable: CVN-78
; Acceptable: Strike Fighter Squadron 11 - VFA-11
; Acceptable: USS Gerald R. Ford - CVN 78
4. Main POC must have a valid .mil address.
● The only exception is for a command authorized to use .edu or .com. These commands
should contact CHINFO directly for registration.
5. The page must link to the command’s ocial .mil website.
● If the command does not have a website, please use the ISIC’s website.
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6. The page must include the required disclaimers.
● The disclaimer identies the social media presence as an ocial Department of the
Navy presence and disclaims any endorsement. (see Appendix B)
● There must also be a disclaimer in the bio “following or liking ≠ endorsement.”
7. The presence must be set to public; not private and should be set up as a business page.
8. Two-step verication should be enabled to help ensure account security and linked to a
mobile phone number for designated administrators or use a third-party authentication app.
For instances on a ship, where connectivity may prohibit this, please ensure there is an
admin ashore that can handle this requirement.
9. Adhere to strong password standards i.e. be 15 characters long, include upper and
lowercase letters, numbers and at least one special character; AND be changed at
minimum once a quarter as well as any time the account is alerted to compromise, or
turnover of staff.
To add the required disclaimer on Facebook:
1. Click Settings on the upper right corner of the Facebook page.
2. On the left side of the Settings, click Page Info.
3. Under General Information, copy and paste the required disclaimer language into the
General Information eld. Replace the placeholder text with command specic information
and click Save. The disclaimer template is available at www.navy.mil/socialmedia under
digital media resources.
4. Go to www.navy.mil/socialmedia
Under Add Your Group, click Accept to submit the newly created page for registration.
5. The page will be reviewed for compliance with these registration requirements. The point
of contact, which was used during the registration process, will be contacted to conrm
registration or to address any issues that need to be corrected before the page is added to
the Navy Social Media Directory.
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PLATFORM SELECTION
Where Should You Be? And Where Do You Start?
1. Should you engage on social media?
Decision Tree For Admins
Is my audience
18-24 or younger?
Explore Instagram
and/or send
content to CHINFO
for Snapchat.
Establish a
personal
professional
page.
Create a
command
presence.
Explore Facebook,
LinkedIn and
Twitter.
Does my principal want
to establish a personal
connection with audi-
ences and/or does
he/she hold a position
audiences have a desire
to connect with?
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Is the level of transparency
required in social media
appropriate for your com-
mand and its mission?
Does your leadership
support having a social
media presence?
If not, consult
your PA team or
CHINFO to
discuss other
alternatives.
Do I have a message to
disseminate to a wider
audience?
Does my team have the
bandwidth to engage at
least once daily?
Is my primary
audience on
social media?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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2. Dene your audience (See ‘Audiences’ section on this page). Who do you want to reach?
What is your message?
● The answers to these questions will tell you where you should be based on platform
demographics and the type of information generally shared on that particular platform.
● Determine where your efforts will have the most impact. You DO NOT need a presence
on every platform. Do not feel that you must use multiple platforms. It’s far better to
have one successful social media site than multiple sites that aren’t used effectively.
● You must also keep in mind what is sustainable given your stang. Do you have the
content and personnel — both now and long term — to routinely engage with priority
audiences?
3. Once you determine which platforms you will engage, it’s time to create your presence.
● Create an account as a business versus a personal page. This will give you access to
better analytics.
● Create your account with a centrally accessible account to which your team has the
password. This will make it easier to deal with two-step verication and password
changes when there is personnel turnover.
● Ensure you protect your account with a strong password and link to a government
mobile phone number that makes sense given your structure and has texting capability.
Passwords should be changed at least quarterly and include uppercase, lowercase,
numbers and special characters; as well as utilize two-step verication using a
government cell phone number.
AUDIENCES
Who Are You Talking To? Where, How and About What?
1. Build a prole (persona) for whom you are talking to on each platform and the distinct voice
you will use to speak to each.
● What are they interested in? What should they know?
2. Include a ‘Tone and Voice’ section that speaks to what your voice will be on each platform.
For example: The tone and voice on Instagram may be snippy, playful, and informed,
whereas Facebook is more formal.
A helpful exercise can be to create a persona for a ctional individual in the group you wish to
target. For example. . .
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Source: https://gonavy.xtensio.com/nm8na8bo
See the Appendix for a blank, printable version.
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Snapchat
Cable TV
Newspaper
& Print
Media Activity
Archetype
Location
Occupation
Age/Generation 30’s / Millennial
Manager
Midwest
Small-town guy
Casual Carl spends most of his social media time on YouTube. He uses
Facebook and Instagram to communicate with friends and family. His
major goal this year is to marry his long-time girlfriend and begin a
family as he has just received a promotion at his job in cyber. When he is
on social media he mainly scrolls for funny videos. He rarely shares
anything, but keeps abreast of news feeds via Twitter.
Casual Carl
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Snapchat
Cable TV
Newspaper
& Print
Media Activity
Archetype
Location
Occupation
Age/Generation 60+ / Boomer
Retired
Southern US
Navy Veteran
Grandpa Eddie aspires to see is grandkids once per quarter at minimum
and to be the “cool grandpa” by communicating with them via Facebook
messenger. He communicates with other Veterans and old shipmates
via Facebook groups. He shares photos of his kids’ families and voices
his opinion on Navy platforms. He likes to travel and has two trips
planned overseas this year in areas where COVID restrictions are lifted.
Grandpa Eddie
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Snapchat
Cable TV
Newspaper
& Print
Media Activity
Archetype
Location
Occupation
Age/Generation 18 / Zoomer
High School Student
& Cheerleader
West Coast
Heading to college
Amazing Amy hopes to make the cheerleading squad at the collegiate
level while maintaining her scholarship GPA and acquiring a degree in
Physical Sciences. She has little to no connection to the Navy but knows
that we have one. She uses Instagram to build her personal brand and
connect with friends and keeps a Facebook just to correspond with her
family members on Messenger.
Amazing Amy
User Personas
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SETTING GOALS & OBJECTIVES
What Is Your Overarching Communication Goal?
What are your yearly, monthly, weekly and daily communication objectives to reach that goal?
Objectives:
When writing objectives, remember to make them specic, measurable, realistic, relevant to
your goals, and achievable within a realistic time frame. For quick reference, see the chart
below.
Source: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/smart-goals
S
a
r
t
m
Make your goals specific and
narrow for more effective planning.
Your goals should align with your
values and long-term objectives.
Define what evidence will prove
you’re making progress and
re-evaluate when necessary.
Make sure you can reasonably
accomplish your goal within a
certain timeframe.
Set a realistic, ambitious end
date for task prioritization
and motivation.
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound
Example Objective:
Publish content that increases understanding of the Navy with external audiences and makes
the Navy relevant to their lives and what they care about resulting in better positioning in the
market among other services per various survey results, by the end of Q1.
Engage younger Gen YZ demographics to expand reach beyond internal audiences.
Engage women particularly in the 18-24 demographic.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Once you have your goals and objectives, you must determine what metrics you will track in
order to measure how you are doing towards them.
What variables will you look at to indicate the success of your content?
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Here, turn your goals into metrics you can measure. Examples: views/impressions, shares.
● X increase in followers by the end of Q1.
● X increase in reach per by the end of Q1.
● X number of engagements by the end of Q1.
How will you measure them? What measures are important to your leadership?
Select Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to routinely track in order to gauge the above.
Example:
Primary KPIs:
5% Increase in X metric (subscriptions to your e-newsletter, for example).
Audience Reach:
16-24 demographic: Increase followership of 2% quarter over quarter on Facebook and
Instagram.
Increase in the percentage of women across platforms by 1% quarter over quarter.
Audience Engagement:
Aggregate increased engagement (likes/comments/shares) across platforms 2% quarter over
quarter.
50% increase in response rates.
Secondary KPIs:
Unique website visitors to website.
KEY CHANNELS
Next determine on which channels you will communicate to achieve the above and how you
will utilize each one.
Example:
1. Owned Social
● US Navy Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat/Pinterest/YouTube
● Fleet Accounts/Recruiter Pages
2. Social Inuencer (Internal/External)
● Page Posts/Mentions
● Shares
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3. Traditional Media
● News Coverage
● Associated Social Posts
4. Paid Media — While we do not participate in paid media in Public Affairs, we should look for
opportunities to capitalize on marketing/recruiting buys by aligning messaging with CNRC
where possible.
5. Web
● Navy.mil resources: Blogs, Photos, Video, News.
6. Outreach Events
● Leverage social media inuencers to make events more impactful with regard to reach.
Whereas having traditional media in attendance may yield an article, having a YouTuber,
Twitch Streamer, or Instagram/TikTok inuencer in attendance may pay dividends in
reaching particular segments. Example: A tech inuencer at the unveiling of new Navy
technology.
7. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)
● Submit content natively to DVIDS to increase collaboration and timely use of content
across the DON digital enterprise.
See the Appendix for a blank, printable version.
Key Channels
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Navy.mil
YouTube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Snapchat
Twitch
Demographic Content Voice
Where to
Submit Content
35+, largely internal,
parents, traditional
influencers and supporters
35+, adversaries
Gen YZ
Gen YZ
Gen Z
Women
Business
Professionals
All publics, largely
internal
All publics, largely
external
Photos, videos,
story links
Timely news and info,
story links and photos
Timely news articles,
photos and video
Industry articles, career
information, military
and civilian
Takeovers by leadership,
Sailor generated,
vertically shot
Live-streaming
video, podcasts
Engaging video content,
longer form, 3< minutes,
episodic
Interesting visuals and
aspects of the Navy,
How-to’s, linked photos
Young sailor,
funny, upbeat
Engaging, descriptive,
conversational
Self-publish,
flagged for sharing
Self-publish,
flagged for sharing
Flagged for
retweet
Positive, open,
engaging
Informative, real,
engaging
Professional,
authorative
Intriguing visual content,
vertically shot video for IGTV
and stories
Personal
Professional news
Professional news
Varies
Send content to
CHINFO for
native publishing
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CONTENT PLANNING
What Will You Share? And When?
1. Start by creating themes for each month and/or nest with CHINFO themes tying your
specic command messaging in with broader Navy messaging themes (See Appendix.
Sample Calendar.) Once you have your desired themes and key messages laid out for each
month it’s time to build your calendar.
2. Planned Events: Take a look at your organizational calendar. What events, speeches, special
anniversaries (Navy Birthday, for example) do you want to share with your audience(s)?
● Are they interesting for your audience(s)? If not, how do you tell that story in an
engaging way? For example, if it is a speech, what quotes can you pull to make a
graphic? If it is video, what kind of treatment will catch attention in six seconds or less?
3. Ad-hoc Events: Retweets/Shares of relevant content, (from eet/agship/DoD
pages or relevant and vetted inuencers), command updates, COVID policy updates,
accomplishments, media coverage etc.
● Save room in your calendar for these as they emerge. Perhaps pick one time of day that
you can keep open for anything that may help with a broader message.
● Again, how do you tell these stories? Experiment with days/times/formats to see what
works for your particular audience.
4. Yearly Social Media Days and Holidays: Join conversations like Fitness Fridays and
dates such as “National Siblings Day” using their associated hashtags (#FitnessFriday
#NationalSiblingsDay). Look at a social media calendar online or at the Navy’s social media
calendar at www.navy.mil/socialmedia to see what works/aligns with your organization
organically. For example, “National Basket Weaving Day” probably would not work for your
organization. But “National Pet Day” might. This is where a little creativity can go a long
way to reach audiences that do not currently follow your page and/or care about the Navy.
Although they might seem silly to some, they are a proven way to reach new audiences and
tie to a broader conversation in a tangible way.
Fitness Friday
National Siblings Day
Christmas
Coffee Day
Virtual Fleetweek World Emoji Day
Star Wars Day
Chocolate Day
Source: Instagram@USNavy
Source: Instagram@USNavy
Content Examples
Content Examples
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Fitness Friday
National Siblings Day
Christmas
Coffee Day
Virtual Fleetweek World Emoji Day
Star Wars Day
Chocolate Day
Source: Instagram@USNavy
Source: Instagram@USNavy
Content Examples
Content Examples
5. Interaction with Inuencers: Every once and a while you will notice a celebrity or inuencer
tag you or your organization, or more likely, the agship Navy page. In these cases,
depending on what is said, and how it’s said you may interact with their account with great
benet, ONLY if you can check the following two blocks:
; You review their social pages to ensure there is no inammatory, racist, extremist, high
profanity content or content that would otherwise reect badly upon the Navy.
; You inform your leadership before you interact. (This is so that they are prepared should
anything generate news by your interaction.)
What is an influencer? One who exerts influence: a person who
inspires or guides the actions of others; often, specifically: a
person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a
consumer product) by posting about it on social media.
!
6. Trending Topics: We are all aware of “trending” topics and memes, stories, videos that go
“viral” and probably share some understanding that tapping into those as they happen can
expose your content and presence to audiences who likely would not otherwise see it, as
well as provide a bump in followership and more importantly engagement. But how do you
tap into these effectively?
● Know your audience. For example, brands tend to post memes and have a little
more “fun” with communications on Instagram where the audience is younger and
more accepting versus other audiences may not share the same sense of humor nor
understand certain trends.
● DO NOT meme just for the sake of memeing. There must be a communication objective
and a clear and organic tie to your organization/brand. If not, it will not resonate and
may be seen as amateurish.
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USS Constellation
Greyhound Premiere
Incident in
South China Sea
Incident in
South China Sea
Social Distancing
Hand-washing
Techniques
Waiting for Top Gun 2
Urban Outfitters
Selling Navy Coveralls
Source: Instagram@USNavy
Memes Examples
CONTENT MEDIUMS
What kind of content do your audiences engage with? Try different forms of content and do
more of what works and/or tie into social media trends e.g.:
1. News Articles
2. Interviews
3. Blogs/Podcasts
4. Memes and GIFs
5. Navy photos (carousels, photo galleries)
6. Navy Trivia Questions #TriviaTuesday
7. Navy Videos: Testimonials, Infographics, Tutorials, Episodic content.
8. Vertical Video, Episodic content (IGTV/stories, Snapchat) putting credits or slates at the
end of videos.
9. Special Occasion Posts (Cultural months, holidays, etc.)
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10. Instagram Stories
11. Sailor Inuencer content: Build relationships with our Sailor-inuencers within your eet
and/or external inuencers with a narrative/brand that ties to the Navy or elements of the
Navy; and create content with them with the intent for them to share on their own platforms
to increase reach and engagement. Remember to provide ground rules to make sure Sailors
are not proting nancially by their engagement.
As you post, be aware of internal and external trends.
What type of content works for which platform based on your
analytics? Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
What is trending externally — conversations, topics, hashtags,
meme formats — that you can tie into organically?
!
CONTENT CREATION & DISTRIBUTION
1. Your content — stories, photos, videos (b-roll and productions), infographics (still and
video), blogs, etc. — is needed to tell our Navy’s story. Submit content to the Navy.mil
content management system and then amplify on your social media platforms.
2. Flag campaigns and content for CHINFO for greater amplication. In order to do so, simply
send an MS Teams message with a link to the post in the weekly Social Media Lead Huddle
channel or email [email protected].mil
3. Encourage eet participation.
● If you identify microinuencers with followings of 300+ within your command; ask them
to share content, do a takeover, or host a Q&A on your platform; or ag them to CHINFO
for a takeover inclusive of your messaging on big Navy platforms.
● Ask your Sailors to tag content they would like considered for sharing on big Navy
platforms to tag their content with #ShareMyNavy on Instagram.
4. Don’t stop your own greatness. If you have a creative idea, SHARE IT. The worst that can be
said is “no” and even then, tweaks can be made to get to “yes”. SHARE IT. (The Navy Social
Media Fo’c’sle Group on Facebook is great place to share your ideas in an open and creative
environment.)
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BEST PRACTICES PER FORMAT/PLATFORM
For All Platforms
9 Use plain language. Whether you’re writing a story, release, caption, or post — work to
ensure an external audience with little or no interaction with the Navy can understand
what you’re wanting to convey. How would you explain a photo or Navy concept to a
friend of yours who has no connection to the Navy?
9 If you make a mistake, do no attempt to cover it up. Just own up to it and humanize
your platform. Everyone makes mistakes. The best thing to do if someone points out a
mistake is acknowledge and let them know you’ve xed it (Facebook/Instagram) or post
the correction in the comments if you’re on Twitter where post editing is not an option.
Navy.mil Articles
9 Ensure you have a headline/lead that grabs attention.
9 Avoid the use of acronyms.
9 Use AP Style.
9 Include good quotes that can be pulled for social media amplication.
9 Include an impactful visuals [photos, graphics and video] captions.
Navy LIVE Blogs:
9 Speak in rst-person voice.
9 Be conversational versus newsy.
9 Make it personal.
9 Include impactful visuals.
Facebook:
9 Photos and videos perform the best.
9 Videos uploaded natively work the best and garner the most reach.
9 Like comments and reply where appropriate in a conversational tone; Facebook’s latest
algorithm rewards organic conversation happening in the comments.
Twitter
9 Use relevant hashtags/tags; no more than three per Tweet as a rule.
9 Keep it short.
9 Include embedded photo caption.
9 Post short form video.
9 Use Twitter tools i.e. polls; not to collect PII or demographic data, but for “fun” topics
and interests in order to engage the audience.
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Instagram
9 Use impactful visuals.
9 Upload videos into Instagram TV (IGTV). Keep videos between 90 seconds and 3
minutes.
9 Utilize stories. Stories pull people into your page. Utilize all stories’ features. Mix it up to
keep it fresh.
9 Utilize the new REELS feature which is Instagram’s answer to TikTok and shares a lot of
the same functionality.
9 Use relevant hashtags to pull you into other feeds and make your content discoverable
to a wider audience.
Capturing Video for Stories and Snapchat
9 Shoot vertically in the platform; or shoot horizontally, but wide enough so that it can be
cropped for vertical storytelling later.
9 Get close to your subject: Medium close-ups are ideal for capturing the best
composition and audio.
9 Don’t be afraid to let the subject hold the phone and speak to it. This gives the audience
a sense of connection.
9 Pick an interesting background: Try to shoot your talent in front of a background that is
relevant to your topic/theme.
9 Tell a COMPLETE visual story.
9 Stabilize your shot: Use a tripod or place your camera/phone up on the surface (table,
chair, shelf, etc.) if possible. If you have to shoot handheld make sure to enable camera
stabilization on your phone.
9 Avoid backlighting (e.g. light source placed behind your subject).
9 Audio matters: Place your camera/phone as close to your subject as possible (while still
following tip #2) so the dialogue is captured clearly. Listen to the audio after shooting to
make sure everything was captured cleanly.
Snapchat
9 @usnavy Snapchat is intended to be an aggregator of stories from across the eet. This
is the best practice on the platform and has resulted in much success for the Marines.
9 Please send your content to CHINFO.
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See the Appendix for a blank, printable version.
Channel Optimization
Platform Frequency Optimal Times
facebook.com/usnavy 1-2 times per day 9am, 12-3pm, 8-9pm
instagram.com/usnavy 1-2 times per day 7-9am, 11am-1pm, 7-9pm, 2am
youtube.com/usnavy 1 time per week 2-4pm MTW, 12-3pm ThF
twitter.com/usnavy 10-15 times per day 6-8am, 1-3pm
snapchat.com/usnavy 2 times per month 10pm-1am
pinterest.com/usnavy 11 pins per day 8-11pm
linkedin.com/usnavy 2 times per week 10-11am TWTh
*** These reect (generally) the best times/frequency per latest information on algorithms
and when the largest audience is online. That said, the BEST information for your respective
audiences is found in your platform insights which show the optimal posting times for your
particular platforms.
CRISIS COMMUNICATION
No matter the origin of a social media crisis, it is important to be prepared. In the age of
misinformation campaigns from our adversaries, quick, well-orchestrated action can mitigate
the potential for negative impact to the Navy’s reputation. It is also important to remember that
reactionary action can fuel or exacerbate crises.
Therefore, having a crisis communication plan in place is essential. Therefore, having a
social media crisis communication plan in place, where the news of crises usually hit rst, is
essential. Your social media crisis comm plan should nest within your commands overarching
crisis communications strategy.
Your rst step should occur before the crisis: ensure your team/command/families know
how to identify a potential or brewing crisis and who they need to inform. It is important to
establish in a crisis situation who is really responsible for responding and who needs to be
informed. This will vary widely if the crisis is one of misinformation or if it is something more
kinetic like a natural disaster or a law enforcement issue. Start by identifying who your primary
and secondary leads will be during a crisis and ensure you have shared after hours contact
information for them.
Please include as part of your plan alerting CHINFO if you notice
an uptick in comments on your platforms regarding a particular
issue or post and/or if there are any other areas of concern.
!
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What is an online crisis? Online chatter that indicates potential for a large negative impact on
the reputation of the U.S. Navy as an institution and brand; either within your physical area of
operation where lives may be at stake or online.
See Something, Say Something
Community managers across the eet should immediately alert the CHINFO OI-3 News Desk at
in their engagement queues.
AREAS OF POTENTIAL RISK
Security
This category covers situations that occur on an owned property, either physical or digital, that
have the potential to go viral online:
● U.S. Navy social media accounts hacked.
● Navy.mil hacked.
● Physical location threat.
● Personal, including leaked PII and high-impact catshing.
● Cybersecurity issues.
● Local or national terrorism including attacks from fundamentalist groups.
● Impersonation of Navy leadership.
Negative Media Coverage
This category covers negative media coverage that leaks to social media as well as tactics by
media to develop stories based on social posts.
● A negative or factually inaccurate article, coverage, or op-ed that gains traction on social
media.
● Articles expected to post that could have widespread negative implications if it spreads
on social media.
● Comments from reporters on a negative post wherein the reporter seeks more
information from the original author for a news story.
● A reporter soliciting negative stories on social about the Navy for an article.
● When a person tags the media in a negative post about the Navy they would like to see
published or investigated by the media.
Example: This U.S. Army tweet ultimately resulted in an article in The New York Times, Time,
NPR, and Slate.
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Non-Core Values/Sailor Issues
This category includes posts and comments that directly showcase poor behavior in current
Navy personnel that could negatively impact sentiment, whether posted by the Sailor or by
others highlighting values that do not reect honor, courage, commitment.
● Content from Sailors that is culturally insensitive.
● PII or classied information shared by Sailors on social channels.
● Allegations of sexual assault or other crimes creating a large negative impact.
● Allegations of hazing.
● Content that indicates bias, prejudice, sexism, racism or extremist views.
● Suicide ideations.
Political
This category includes posts and comments from inuential political gures, as well as
political news.
● Partisan tweets from key politicians about topics that could impact the Navy’s image.
● Partisan tweets from social media inuencers or celebrities that could impact public
perception of the Navy.
● Negative opinion pieces in key media outlets.
● Election-based posts that reference the Navy.
● Legislative moments in time.
● LGBTQA issues related to the Navy.
● Immigration issues related to the Navy.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
Individual responsibility online is a SHARED responsibility. We all play a part in putting our best
foot forward in representing our Navy as well as securing its operations and most importantly
the safety and well-being of all.
Online Behavior
Rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t tag your boss or Sailor’s boss in a post due to its content, you
probably shouldn’t post it. Keep in mind — rightly or wrongly — any time you post a photo of
yourself in uniform, you immediately become a spokesperson for the entire Navy in the eyes of
the external audience. Anything you post, no matter how small your audience can become viral
in a matter of seconds.
It is also important to note that just as with physical misconduct oine, misconduct ONLINE
is also subject to UCMJ. Scary thought, we know. However, this does not mean you are
discouraged from engaging. On the contrary, engaging on social media in a positive way;
representing yourself and the Navy well, serves to carry the Navy story to the American public
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and others and gives you an opportunity to tell your own story.
Consult with your immediate supervisors when you have questions.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Policy Memorandum, Hazing and Bullying Prevention and
Response in the Armed Forces, Dec. 23, 2015:
Identies hazing as so-called initiations or rites of passage in which individuals are subjected
to physical or psychological harm. It identiesbullyingas “acts of aggression intended to
single out individuals from their teammates or coworkers, or to exclude them from a military
element, unit or Department of Defense organization.” Additionally, the memo states that
hazing and bullying are unacceptable and prohibitedin all circumstances and environments,
including off-duty or unofficial unit functions and settings, as well as on social media and other
digital environments.
Also,intimate images taken without consent, or posted online without consent
constituteviolations of the UCMJ and Navy Regulations. As outlined in the CNO’s Design for
Maintaining Maritime Superiority core attributes, the Navy is a values-based organization
where everyone is expected to conduct himself or herself in a manner that is “always upright
and honorable, both in public or when no one is looking.”
THE UCMJ & NAVY REGULATIONS
When online,to include social media, Sailors are subject to theUCMJ and Navy
regulations,even when off duty. Commenting, posting or linking to material that violates
the UCMJ or Navy Regulations may result in administrative or disciplinary action, including
administrative separation and may, subject civilians to appropriate disciplinary action. Punitive
action may include Articles 88, 89, 91, 92, 120b, 120c, 133 or 134 (General Article provisions,
Contempt, Disrespect, Insubordination, Indecent Language, Communicating a threat,
Solicitation to commit another Offense, and Child Pornography offenses), as well as other
articles, including Navy Regulations Article 1168, non-consensual distribution or broadcast of
an image.
Behaviors with Legal Consequences
Electronic harassment
47 U.S.C. § 223 (a)(1)(C) makes it a crime to anonymously use a telecommunications device
(i.e. telephone, computer, or other electronic devices used for communication) to harass a
person; 47 U.S.C § 223 (a)(1)(E) prohibits initiating communication via a telecommunications
device solely to harass the recipient.
Electronic threats
18 U.S.C § 875 prohibits transmitting communications containing threats to kidnap or
physically injure someone. It also criminalizes the actions of someone who, with intent to
export (receive anything of value), electronically threatens to injure the property or reputation
of a person. Sextortion (being tricked into providing sexual images and then being asked for
money to not have the images published online) may fall under provisions of this law.
Cyberstalking
18 U.S.C. § 2261A prohibits a person, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate
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someone, from using a computer (or other digital communications system), to engage in
actions (course of conduct) reasonably expected to cause a person (or immediate family
member, spouse, or intimate partner) substantial emotional distress.
Obscenity
47 U.S.C. § 223(a)(1)(A) prohibits using a telecommunications device to make, create, or
solicit and transmit any obscene comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other
communication.
Child exploitation / Child sexual exploitation
18 U.S.C. § 2251, 2252, and 2252A. Using a computer (a smartphone is a computer) to solicit,
make, create, transmit, or receive child pornography is illegal. For these provisions, a child is
anyone under the age of 18. 18 U.S.C. § 1462 makes it a crime to transmit obscene matters.
18 U.S.C. § 1470 criminalizes the transfer of obscene materials, including digital images,
to persons under the age of 16.Sending sexually explicit (graphic dirty talk) electronic
messages to minors, or soliciting sexually explicit communications, also are criminal
offenses.
Computer misuse (hacking)
A person engaging in cyber misconduct may also commit violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1030, if,
for example, he or she exceeds authorized access to the computer or accesses the computer
without authorization (i.e. hacks into an account or network) to send harassing, intimidating,
humiliating, or even threatening communication.
Extremism
NAVADMIN 044/21 covers the Navy’s policy on Extremism in the ranks:
“Extremist behaviors and conduct, even if from only a small percentage of our force, violate
our Core Values, are detrimental to good order and discipline, reduce warghting readiness
and degrade the toughness, trust and connectedness we are building in our Sailors and teams
through our Culture of Excellence campaign.
Service members and civilian personnel must clearly understand the damaging effects of
extremism and begin developing more effective, sustainable ways to eliminate the corrosive
impacts extremist activity can have on our Force. As public servants, we took an oath to the
Constitution and we will not tolerate those who participate in actions that go against the
fundamental principles of the oath we share, particularly actions associated with extremist
or dissident ideologies. Service members, Department of Defense civilians and all those
who support our mission, are entitled to an environment free of discrimination, hate and
harassment.”
Speech in the workplace that interferes with the mission, espouses extremist or discriminatory
doctrine, or is disrespectful and harmful to colleagues, will have consequences.
Extremism Training and resources: https://go.usa.gov/xtsc8
Reporting Incidents
Reporting Incidents Any member of the Navy community who experiences or witnesses
incidents of improper online and/or extremist behavior should promptly report it to their chain
of command via the Command Managed Equal Opportunity manager or Fleet and Family
Support oce.
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Additional avenues for reporting include Equal Employment Opportunity oces, the Inspector
General, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response oces, and Naval Criminal Investigative
Service.
*** NCIS encourages anyone with knowledge of criminal activity to report it to their local
NCIS eld oce directly or via a web or smartphone app. Specic instructions are available
here:https://www.ncis.navy.mil/Resources/NCIS-Tips
Rules of the road for our Sailors, Families and Navy civilians online:
● When you are online,you are in public— so act like it.
● Do not do or say anything online you would not do or say in public.
● Keep relationships and personal life private;setting your page to private is a good
practice.
● There isno such thing as complete anonymityonline (even if your page is private).
● Before you post,STOPandTHINK.
● Words matter and can be taken out of context.
● Images can be taken out of context.
● Cool off before responding to messages in anger.
Anyone anywhere can see what you post. The internet doesn’t forget. All it takes is a
screenshot or download of an image to make sure one moment online lasts an eternity.
Anything shared online, although intended to be private and condential, has the possibility to
become public — if it is best left unsaid, do not say it. If you do not want it shared, do not post
it.
Protect your privacy and your friends’ privacy too by not sharing without their permission.
And unless you are prepared to attach that post, text, or photo to your next security clearance
package, or resume, again, do not post it.
Anything posted on the internet is permanent. Through the use of publicly available online
tools, data can be recovered and used against you.
OPSEC and Identity Management Concerns
We’ve all heard the phrase “practice good OPSEC” — but what does that mean in the social
space? The same thing it has always meant. The same information that can be collected
and pieced together by adversaries in person, can be done so more swiftly and easily via
social media. Be careful not to post movements, deployment dates, ship dates (if you are a
new recruit), when your spouse or parent is gone or coming home (if you are a Navy spouse
or dependent). If you wouldn’t share it with a complete stranger in person, do not disclose it
to complete strangers online. Even if your page is “private” there are ways for bad actors to
acquire information.
What is Identity Management?
Identity management (IdM), also known as identity and access management (IAM) aims to
ensure that ONLY authorized people have access to the technology resources they need to
perform their jobs. It includes policies and technologies that encompass an organization-wide
process to properly identify, authenticate, and authorize employees based on their identities.
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Identity management has gained importance over the past decade due to the growing number
of global regulatory, compliance, and governance mandates that seek to protect sensitive data
from exposure of any kind.
Take your identity and your personal brand seriously. Report fake proles of yourself,
leadership, or others you may know to the platforms themselves and ag them for CHINFO
staff if the page(s) are not taken down or taken to resolution. In the same way you protect your
credit, CAC card, social security number and other personal information; be careful what you
share about yourself online. Is your birthday, or other PII displayed on your prole? Make sure
to check your page from another browser or account in order to see what your prole actually
reveals to other and then x your prole settings accordingly to ensure you are not revealing
more about yourself than you’d want a stranger to know. A lot can often be gleaned from
proles even when they are set to “private”.
BOTS
Knowing whether an account is a bot or troll pretending to be an actual person is dicult.
By some estimates, a quarter of all social media accounts may be bots and/or inauthentic
accounts. Bots have been used by foreign governments, private companies, and terrorist
organizations.
Some are controlled by an AI, others are controlled in what are often referred to as “troll farms”,
places where real people are paid to use dozens to hundreds of fake accounts online to pose
as real people, usually using stolen identities. These types of accounts are sometimes referred
to as “sock puppets”.
If you come across a tweet and are not sure if it is from a bot, here are some things you can do
to assess whether it is a bot or a real person:
1. Check for account verication. If there is a check mark next to the account name, then it
has been veried to be a real person or organization by the site.
2. If there is no check mark: Check the handle of the account. Fake accounts often contain a
lot of random numbers or letters in the handle (i.e., RealPatriot274hg6yt).
3. Look at the age of the account. If an account is around or less than a year old, it could likely
be a bot. If the account is years old, but only appears to have started tweeting, posting,
sharing etc., within the past few months, it is also likely a bot. Many bad actors will create
hundreds of accounts with the intent of keeping them quiet for a couple years to try and
escape detection.
4. For Twitter you can use a free open-source tool called Bot Sentinel:
● Go to https://botsentinel.com
● Click on “Analyze Account” in the top left on the main page.
● Paste the account handle and hit “submit”. It will then go through all the Twitter activity
of the account and give it a grade on a scale of 0 to 100 on the likelihood that is it a bot
or a troll. Generally, it is a good idea to assume it is a fake account if the score is 65 or
over.
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GUIDANCE
Page Registration and Acceptable Use Policy
● All ocial Navy presences are required to register on Navy.mil
Account security
● Passwords should contain both Upper and Lowercase, numbers and special characters
and be 12-16 characters long.
● Change passwords at least quarterly.
● Enable two-factor authentication using your phone number or 3rd party authentication
app to help ensure your account stays secure.
● Only add/ allow people you know to follow you.
● Set your page to “private” for an added layer of security
● Report fake proles in your likeness, Navy leadership, or others to the platform via their
reporting options. If it is not resolved, report it to NCIS and/or alert CHINFO OI-2 at
Records Management
● NARA Bulletin 2014-02 provides guidance on managing social media records.
● Social media allows individuals to collaborate, create, organize, edit, comment on,
combine and share content, likely resulting in the creation of Federal records. The
Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. 3301) denes Federal records as any material that is
recorded, made or received in the course of Federal business, regardless of its form
or characteristics and is worthy of preservation. Social media content that meets this
denition must be managed according to the applicable laws and regulations.
● The statute and its implementing regulations place responsibility with each agency to
determine what Federal records they create or receive. Refer to 36 CFR, Chapter XII,
Subchapter B, for guidance on how agencies should apply the statutory denition of
Federal records.
The following non-exhaustive list of questions will help agencies determine record status of
social media content:
● Does it contain evidence of an agency’s policies, business, or mission?
● Is the information only available on the social media site?
● Does the agency use the tool to convey ocial agency information?
● Is there a business need for the information?
If the answers to any of the above questions are yes, then the content is likely to be a
Federal record. Also, social media content may be a Federal record when the use of social
media provides added functionality, such as enhanced searchability, opportunities for public
comment, or other collaboration. A complete Federal record must-have content, context, and
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structure along with associated metadata (e.g., author, date of creation). The complete record
must be maintained to ensure reliability and authenticity.
Agencies should take the following actions when establishing social media policies and
procedures:
● Identify what constitutes a Federal record in social media platforms.
● Dene ownership of content and responsibility for managing the records.
● Incorporate recordkeeping practices and requirements into terms of service.
● Communicate records policies so employees and the public understand how records
will be managed.
● Monitor the ongoing use of social media platforms to determine if that use changes the
value of the records.
● Monitor any changes to third-party terms of service on social media platforms that may
affect the management of records.
Content on social media is likely a Federal record. Agencies must identify the ocial record
and determine how it will be managed. Some social media records may be temporary; with a
transitory, short, or long term retention. Some may even be permanent, such as a blog by an
agency senior ocial.
Once social media content is identied as Federal records and associated with an approved
records schedule, agencies must decide how to manage social media records. Temporary
records whose retention is transitory or short-term may not need to be captured and can be
maintained in the social media platform. Agencies should assess their business needs and
evaluate risks associated with leaving these records in social media. Capture is important
for temporary records with long-term retentions or for permanent records. These should be
exported from the social media platform into an agency recordkeeping system.
Methods to capture social media include:
● Using web crawling or other software to create local versions of sites.
● Using web capture tools to capture social media.
● Using platform-specic application programming interfaces (APIs) to pull content.
● Using RSS Feeds, aggregators, or manual methods to capture content.
● Using tools built into some social media platforms to export content.
The options for successful social media capture will depend on the technical conguration of
a social media platform. Agency needs may also affect which social media capture method
is used. Once the agency determines the capture method, they must provide training to
applicable staff on how and when to use capture tools for social media. Agencies may need to
work with third-party providers to implement social media capture.
Each agency is responsible for managing its records. At a minimum, these responsibilities
include the ability to identify and retrieve Federal records that are being created and maintained
on social media. Agencies should be aware that a social media provider could discontinue
their service or delete information from an agency’s account. Additionally, agencies may stop
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using a social media platform at any time. In either situation, the agency is not relieved of its
records management and possible capture obligations.
● For a deeper dive on any of the above visit: Bulletin 2014-02 | National Archives.
● Agency social media managers, content creators, and other staff should contact their
agency records ocers and oce of general counsel to discuss social media records
management issues. A list of agency records ocers can be found on the NARA web
site athttp://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/agency/ocers-lists.html
Endorsements
Ocial/personal-professional Navy pages cannot appear to endorse another page, inuencer
or entity. What does this mean? DoD pages CANNOT outwardly post a call-to-action to follow
any non-DoD pages; promote/attempt to sell products or raise funds for any for-prot or non-
prot entity. Navy pages CAN “like” posts and/or follow pages that align with the Navy brand,
reply to @ messages that tag them (if the page aligns with the Navy brand).
What does “align with Navy brand” mean? It means organizations or individuals who generally
adhere to the same standards of moral conduct/professionalism. When scanning their pages,
they do not/have not posted incendiary/racist/homophobic etc. content.
Please use caution and when in doubt consult your JAG should a question of potential
endorsement arise.
Disclaimers should be added to all page bios that includes language “Following/Liking/Sharing
≠ (does not equal) endorsement.” DoD personnel may not use their ocial position for any
nancial gain or to promote any product, service or political campaign. Service members may
NOT endorse any product, service, or political campaign while in uniform. Please refer to DoD
Instruction 5400.17, Section 8, Appendix L in this playbook, for details.
Impersonators
In the fourth quarter of 2020, there were about 2.8 billion monthly active users on Facebook,
according to their earnings report and Facebook estimates that fake accounts represented
5% of monthly active users in that same timeframe. (Source: Facebook Banned 1.3 Billion
Accounts Over Three Months To Combat ‘Fake’ And ‘Harmful’ Content (forbes.com))
5% doesn’t sound like a lot, however, with the volume of active users on Facebook, that’s
roughly 140 million accounts.
What does this mean for Navy? This means that impersonations of ocials are extremely
likely. How do you protect against them? One way is to get your page veried. In order to do so,
the following criteria is required:
For Facebook and Instagram, required info is as follows:
● PAGE URL:
● EMAIL:
● PROFILE URL:
● INSTAGRAM:
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For Twitter: Only the Name of the page and @handle are required, however, the following
criteria must also be met:
For all of the @handles you list you must add an email address to the account under “Account
Information” at: https://twitter.com/settings/your_twitter_data/account. (While a government
email address is preferred; it is not required. A conrmation email that will be sent to the email
inbox of that address. Please tap the button to conrm.)
And pages must meet ALL of the following criteria:
● A prole photo that is not Twitter’s default photo.
● A header image that is not Twitter’s default photo.
● A link to a website with a .gov domain.
● A bio specic the person’s ocial title or purpose.
● Prole must be set as public, not private.
DOD PERSONNEL AND POLITICAL ACTIVITY: THE HATCH ACT
DoD Personnel and Political Activity: The Hatch Act
The U.S. Oce of Special Counsel (OSC) routinely receives questions from federal
employees and others about when the use of social media could violate the Hatch Act. Social
media platforms are easily accessible to most employees while at work — on computers,
smartphones, or other devices. OSC has created this guidance to help federal employees
understand what the Hatch Act does and does not.
In general, all federal employees may use social media and comply with the Hatch Act if they
remember the following three prohibitions:
1. On Duty or in the Workplace Prohibition — Employees may not engage in political activity
while on duty or in the federal workplace.
2. 24/7 Prohibition — Employees may not knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political
contribution for a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
3. 24/7 Prohibition — Employees may not use their ocial authority or inuence to affect the
outcome of an election.
Military Personnel: DoD has a longstanding policy of encouraging military personnel to carry
out the obligations of citizenship. However, AD members will not engage in partisan political
activities and all military personnel will avoid the inference that their political activities imply or
appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign
or cause.
Civilian Personnel: For DoD civilians, participation in political activity is regulated by a number
of sources: the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 7321 - 7326), implementing regulations (5 C.F. R. § 733
and 5 C.F.R. § 734), as well as DoD policy. For purposes of the Hatch Act, political activity is
dened as "an activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for
partisan political oce or partisan political group". Because application of the rules may vary
depending on an employee's position or oce, it is extremely important that employees who
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are considering engaging in political activity know which rules apply.
With regard to civilian employees, there are two sets of restrictions for three groups of
employees. The rst and more restrictive set of restrictions applies to: (1) individuals
appointed by the President and conrmed by the Senate and individuals serving in non-career
SES positions; and (2) career members of the SES, contract appeals board members, and
all employees of the National Security Agency (NSA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA),
and the National Geo-Spatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The second and more lenient set of
restrictions applies to all other employees (including Schedule C political appointees).
Employees in Groups 1 and 2 are prohibited from taking an active part in partisan political
management or political campaigns and are referred to as "further restricted" employees.
For further details on the above please see Appendix K.
RESOURCES
Fleet Resource Page.
GPA: Government, Politics and Advocacy Support Portal.
This team supports a range of technical, operational, and nance-related requests across
Facebook and Instagram, including:
; Veried badge requests
; Disapproved ad appeals
; Name or username changes
; Fake account reports
; Duplicate account merges
; Hacked account reports
; Product questions or issues
Registering for GPA: In order to register for GPA and get veried on Facebook and Twitter, the
following information is required of your team:
FB PAGE URL: https://www.facebook.com/yourorgnizationhandle
EMAIL: [email protected].mil
PROFILE URL: https://www.facebook.com/john.doe_pao
INSTAGRAM URL: https://www.instagram.com/yourorganizationhandle
TWITTER PAGE HANDLE: @yourorganizationhandle
Please ensure your organization page bios are lled out completely on each platform with a
link to your organization’s respective website and/or navy.mil URL, then contact CHINFO for
registration and assistance at [email protected].mil
Once registered you can access GPA by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/gpa
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For help on a variety of issues from requesting page verication to your account being hacked,
visit: https://www.facebook.com/gpa/help
Don't forget to bookmark the above links so you can easily reach out for help whenever
needed! Be sure you are logged into your Facebook account to access support and include
your government or organization email address when submitting a request.
Reporting Impersonation Accounts
If you see a page that is in the likeness and name of your leadership or organization, is not
veried, and is posting content that seems in misalignment with Navy values, or is selling, or
attempting to solicit funds from people:
1. IMMEDIATELY REPORT THE PAGE WITHIN THE PLATFORM.
2. Report it to NCIS.
3. Once reported to platform and NCIS, please send an email [email protected].mil with the
following information:
● URL of fake page.
● URL of veried/ocial page.
● Case number from the platform when you reported it (for Twitter only).
Hacked Accounts
If you feel you have been hacked and lose access to your account:
For Facebook:
1. Go to www.facebook.com/gpa/help
● Click on Account Security
● Click “I think my account or Page was hacked.” follow the prompts.
2. Report it to NCIS.
3. Send an email to [email protected]vy.mil with:
● URL to your page.
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● When you noticed the hacking and any actions taken not by you on the account.
For Twitter:
1. Go to https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security; select compromised or hacked
account and follow the prompts from there.
2. Report it to NCIS
3. Send an email to [email protected]vy.mil with:
● URL to your page
● Twitter case number
Reviving or Deleting Dead Accounts
What is a dead account? One that hasn’t been posted to in the past quarter.
To remove the page altogether, send an email to [email protected].mil with the page URL and
the action you want taken. If you want to reclaim the page, send an email to [email protected].
mil with the page URL, the email addresses of the desired admins (for Facebook only) and the
link to your command webpage.
HOW TO'S
Facebook
Steps to Create an Account:
1. A personal Facebook account is required in order to create a Facebook Page.
2. Login to your personal Facebook account, then go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/
create
3. Choose the type of page you would like to create:
● Local business or place
● Artist, band, or public gure
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● Company, organization, or institution
● Entertainment
● Brand or product
● Cause or community
4. Enter in your company’s info, review Facebook’s terms, and click on “Get Started”.
5. Facebook will provide four tabs:
● About
● Prole Picture
● Add to Favorite
● Reach More People.
6. Complete the elds within each tab and click on “Save Info”.
Other Related Resources: Visit www.navy.mil/socialmedia
Instagram
Steps to Create an Account:
1. Download the Instagram app for Apple iOS from the App Store, Android from Google Play
Store or Windows Phone from the Windows Phone Store.
2. Once the app is installed, tap to open it.
3. Tap “Register with Email” to sign up with your email address or “Register with Facebook” to
sign up with your Facebook account.
4. If you register with email, create a username and password, ll out your prole info and
then tap “Done”.
5. If you register with Facebook, you’ll be prompted to sign into your Facebook account if
you’re currently logged out.
Other Related Resources: Visit www.navy.mil/socialmedia
LinkedIn
(
company page
)
Steps to Create an Account:
1. A personal LinkedIn account is required in order to create a LinkedIn Company Page.
2. Login to your personal LinkedIn account at linkedin.com.
3. Click on “Interests” > “Companies” > “Create” (in right column, under “Create a Company
Page”.
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4. Enter in your company’s name and your email address, and click on the check box to verify
you are the ocial representative of the company.
5. To publish your company page, you must include a company description and company
website URL.
Other Related Resources: Visit www.navy.mil/socialmedia
Twitter
Steps to Create an Account:
1. Go to twitter.com
2. Enter your full name, email address, and a password in the “New to Twitter? Sign up” box.
3. Click “Sign up for Twitter”.
4. On the next page, you can select a username (usernames are unique identiers on Twitter)
— type your own or choose one Twitter suggest. Twitter will tell you if the username you
want is available.
5. Double-check your name, email address, password, and username.
6. Click “Create my account”.
7. You may be asked to complete a Captcha.
8. Twitter will send a conrmation email to the address you entered on sign up, click the link in
that email to conrm your email address and account.
Other Related Resources: Visit www.navy.mil/socialmedia
YouTube
Steps to Create an Account:
1. A personal Google account is required to set-up a YouTube account.
2. Go to youtube.com/channel_switcher and login using your Google account username and
password.
3. Click on “Create a new channel”.
4. Fill out the details to create your new channel.
5. From here you can begin setting-up your prole and uploading videos to share.
Other Related Resources: Visit www.navy.mil/socialmedia
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Pinterest
Steps to Create an Account:
1. Go to pinterest.com/business/create (if you have a personal account, make sure to log
out).
2. Enter your email address & create a new password.
3. Fill out the details about your business and contact info for the person who will manage the
account.
4. Review and accept the terms of service.
5. Click on “Create Account”.
Other Related Resources: Visit www.navy.mil/socialmedia
POSTING TO FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
How to schedule posts and stories
You can create and schedule posts and stories on Facebook Business Suite desktop:
This can help you save time and stay organized by scheduling ahead.
Before you begin
The steps below only apply if you’re trying to schedule posts for Business Suite desktop. There
is also a Business Suite mobile app. Before you start make sure:
1. You’re working in the correct account. To select a different Facebook Page and Instagram
account in Business Suite, click the dropdown menu in the top left of your sidebar.
2. Select the Facebook Page and Instagram account you want to create and schedule posts
for.
Create and schedule stories
Go to Posts & Stories or Calendar to begin:
1. Click Create Story.
2. Select where you want to create or schedule a post for your Facebook News Feed,
Instagram Feed, or both.
3. Click Upload Media and add a photo or video to your story.
4. Customize your story by cropping your media, or by adding text or stickers.
5. Preview how your story will look on Facebook and Instagram on the right.
6. Click Publish Story to publish immediately, or click the arrow to select Schedule Story to
publish it later.
You can see your story in the Calendar on the date that it was scheduled or published.
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Create and schedule posts
1. Go to Posts & Stories or Calendar to begin.
2. Click Create Post. You can also click Create Post from the Home.
3. Select where you want to schedule a post: Facebook News Feed, Instagram Feed, or both.
Note: If this is your rst time to schedule a post, you may have to reconnect your Instagram
account. Learn more about how to connect your Instagram account on Business Suite
desktop.
4. Enter in all of the details of your post, including text, media and an optional link and
location. Note: You can’t add both a photo and link preview for Facebook posts. Links for
Instagram posts won’t load photo preview.
5. For Facebook News Feed-only posts, select whether you want to add a Call to Action to
your post. This will add a button to your post and help encourage people to message you
from your post.
6. For Facebook News Feed-only posts, select an optional Feeling/Activity to add to your post.
Remember, you can only add either Call to Action or a Feeling/Activity to your post.
7. Preview your post on the right. To see a different preview, click on the dropdown on the top
of the window or on the arrows on the top right. You can see how it will look on Facebook
compared to Instagram or on desktop compared to phone.
8. Click Publish.
9. (Optional)To publish the post later, click the arrow next to Publish.
● Then, click Schedule Post. Add the date and time you want to publish your post.
● Click Schedule on the bottom right when you’re ready to schedule your post.
Steps to create an Instagram Reel
1. Find Reels in the Instagram camera. Reels is located at the bottom of the Instagram
camera.
2. Choose the length and creative tools. Select the length of your reel - 15 or 30 seconds, and
pick from a variety of tools like Effects, Timer, Speed, and Align to make your reel more
creative.
3. Record your reel. Record by tapping on the multi-clip shutter. Tap the multi-clip shutter
again to stop recording. Reels can be recorded in a series of clips, all at once, or you can
upload videos from your gallery. After recording, you can go back and trim or delete any
previous clips in your video.
4. Publish your reel. Choose your cover image, add a caption, hashtags, or tag other accounts.
If you have a public account, your reel has the chance to be seen and discovered by the
wider Instagram community.
Reels audio and fair use
Can you use copyrighted audio when using Instagram Reels? YES.
But keep in mind: Depending on the type of account you have: Business, Creator etc. Instagram
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gives you access to a music/audio library which you are free to use. The size of the libraries
vary depending on account type. For example, “business” accounts are generally attempting
to sell something and thus have smaller music libraries. “Creator” accounts, conversely, have
broader access to music and audio. As ocial government accounts we can also make our
accounts “creator” accounts as we are not in the business of selling products.
As long as you are using what you have access to in the library, based on your account type,
you are covered. Once you post, you will see the title of the song or audio in the lower left
corner along with the artist/creator. One area in which you should exercise caution is the use
of music labeled as “original audio.” These tracks may be protected from free use by Reels
creators and are best to avoid — even if they are trending. If there is audio in this category you
really want to use, please consult your legal oce who may provide guidance on a case-by-
case basis.
Rule of Thumb: When in doubt, use what is available to you in the Instagram music library.
How to build a following
No matter the platform, despite the algorithms there are a few things that will lead to a
consistently growing platform.
● CONSISTENCY. How many times can you post per day? Maintain that battle rhythm over
time and watch your audience grow.
● ENGAGING CONTENT. Keep videos short and to the point. Choose visuals that would
make you stop in your tracks (or on your feed).
● AUTHENTICITY. Keep your voice and what you post true to your “brand” and authentic.
In the case of the Navy, our Sailors are our proof points. They tell the story like no one
else can. Highlight and feature them. And when you notice Sailors who have grown their
own followings, engage them about telling their Navy story on your platforms while
enabling them to continue being themselves on their own.
ON THE HORIZON
This section is dedicated to up and coming platforms showing high rates of growth and
adoption that we may not have entered yet, but are keeping an eye on. Please note: New and
emerging platforms are covered under DoDI 5400.17. If you wish to jump in on a new platform,
there is a process for vetting per section 4.2. under Defense Information Systems Agency; new
platforms must be approved prior to engaging on a platform for ocial use.
TikTok
While use of TikTok is not banned at this time; TikTok is banned on government devices. While
TikTok is widely used and growing in the U.S., we are asked to keep in mind that it is owned by
China and that the full extent of data collection from the app is not clear.
● TikTok allows users to watch, create, and share 15-second videos shot on cellphones.
● The app was launched in 2016 by the Chinese technology company ByteDance.
● Now available in more than 150 different markets, TikTok has oces in Beijing, Los
Angeles, Moscow, Mumbai, Seoul, and Tokyo.
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● The app had about 1.1 billion active global users by early 2021 and is growing at a rapid
pace especially among 18-24 year olds.
Twitch
● Twitch is an online platform/app used to watch and stream digital video broadcasts.
Originally, it was focused almost entirely on video games, but has since expanded to
include streams dedicated to artwork creation, music, talk shows, and the occasional
TV series.
● The streaming service boasts over 2 million unique streamers every month and more
than 17 thousand of these users earn money through the Twitch Partner program, a
service that provides streamers with added features such as paid subscriptions and ad
placements.
● Amazon purchased Twitch in 2014 and it remains one of the highest sources of internet
trac in North America.
Clubhouse
● Clubhouse is an audio-only social media app known for its unconstrained conversations,
celebrity backers and invite-only status.
● Likened to something between call-in radio and a professional conference; or an
interactive podcast. Users self-select into rooms based on interest, and engage in live
conversation.
● The app is still in beta testing, but nonetheless reached 8 million downloads by mid-
February 2021 despite enrollment on an invite-only basis.
● Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates have all appeared on the app.
● Clubhouse seemingly gives access to public gures and thought leaders in a more
personal way than social media platforms.
● Content is generally non-recordable, so a major draw is catching a live session before
it’s gone.
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If you are a Navy Communications professional you are invited to Join our private Facebook
group to stay engaged with the Navy social media community and share ideas and
perspectives.
This is a creative space to collaborate and facilitate discussions among the community from
content planning, to developing strategic campaigns, to simply discussing current social trends
and inspiring creativity. Admins facilitate discussion questions, monitor activity, admit/remove
users as appropriate.
If you are interested in this level of discussion and/or would like to become an admin for this
group, please email [email protected]vy.mil in order to be added to the Facebook Group.
navy social media fo’c’sle:
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glossary
Avatar: A static or moving image or other graphic representation that acts as a proxy for a
person or is associated with a specic digital account or identity, as on the internet: Not the
blue animated characters, an avatar is another word for prole picture or icon that visually
represents and identies your organization on the social media platform.
Bio: Biography, or short description in prole that easily describes who and what your
organization is about. Recommend sharing website links, common hashtags, contact
information, or disclaimers in this section.
Bots: A software program that can execute commands, reply to messages, or perform routine
tasks, as online searches, either automatically or with minimal human intervention (often used
in combination): a social media bot retweeting certain posts; a customer service chatbot to
answer product questions. Especially prevalent on Twitter, a bot is an automated account run
by software capable of posting content or interacting with other users. Some bots pretend to
be humans.
Catshing: When a person assumes a false identity or personality on the internet, especially
on social media websites, as to deceive, manipulate, or swindle.
Command Presence: A prole on a social networking website which is considered distinct
from an actual user personal or personal-professional prole in that it is created and managed
by at least one other registered user, usually Public Affairs staff or Mass Communication
Specialist as a representation of a non-personal online identity for that command. These pages
are listed by command and/or ship name vice and individual and push out content to tell the
story of that particular command/ship and its mission writ large.
Content: Something that is to be expressed through some medium, as speech, writing, or any
of the various arts.
Cover Photo: A header image on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube that tells people what your
organization is about at rst glance upon coming to your page.
Disinformation: False information created intentionally and spread with the intent to deceive.
DM: Direct message, or not publicly posted communication between two accounts. Keep
in mind, however, that this correspondence is only private to the extent that one user can
screenshot and publish the conversation.
Engagements: Social media engagement measures the public shares, likes and comments
for an online business' social media efforts. Engagement has historically been a common
metric for evaluating social media performance. How people react to the content, including
likes, comments, retweets, shares, reactions, and more.
Ephemeral Content: Sometimes called “disappearing content,” these social media posts
delete automatically after a set amount of time has lapsed. Instagram and Snapchat stories
disappear after 24 hours. However, content is also susceptible to screen recording or other
methods of indenitely capturing the content.
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Feed: A social media feed is an updated list of all the new content posted by the user follows
on social media platforms. This stream of content published by other users, most often the
“homepage” and most common way to see and engage with posts. Rather than being purely
chronological, most social media feeds are controlled by an algorithm.
Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on social media websites and
applications, especially Twitter, to identify digital content on a specic topic.
Header: Your header photo is the image that spans the top of your Twitter, Facebook, or
YouTube prole page. It’s quite a bit larger than your prole photo so make sure to save it at
the highest resolution possible. Because you have more room to be creative with this picture
and it will likely be the rst thing your visitors see, make it something captivating.
Identity Management: IdM and IAM are terms often used interchangeably, however identity
management is more focused on a user identity (or username), and the roles, permissions,
and groups that user belongs to. IdM also focuses on protecting identities through a variety
of technologies such as passwords, biometrics, multi-factor authentication, and other digital
identities.
Impressions: How many people potentially saw the post; how many times the post was shown
in users’ feeds, can be duplicated, and different social media networks dene (and therefore
calculate) this metric a little differently.
Inuencer: One who exerts inuence: a person who inspires or guides the actions of others;
often, specically: a person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a consumer
product) by posting about it on social media.
Internet Sites: Any website or web page.
Malinformation: Information that is known to be true but is intentionally distorted and spread
to do harm.
Mentions: Social mentions include any mention of your organization or personal brand on
social media. It’s important to remember this doesn’t only include the mentions that tag your
page. There are tons of conversations about your organization on social media that you aren’t
receiving notications for. Keeping an eye on mentions, following what your audience is saying;
more passive approach than social listening.
Microinuencer: A micro-inuencer is someone who has between 1,000 to 100,000 followers.
Micro-inuencers focus on a specic niche or area and are generally regarded as an industry
expert or topic specialist. “ [Micro-inuencers] have stronger relationships than a typical
inuencer.
Misinformation: False information spread unintentionally.
Personal Page: Personal web pages are world wide web pages created by an individual to
contain content of a personal nature rather than content pertaining to a company, organization
or institution.
Personal-Professional Page: A page where you (or your team) represent(s) yourself as
yourself; but in a professional capacity; tied to your ocial Navy title and in your ocial Navy
capacity.
Platform: Also may be referred to as a social media “network” or social media “channel”.
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Post: A post is a message, such as text or photos, published online by a user while referring
to a message board, comment section, or social network.
Reach: Post reach is the number of people who saw a specic post in their news feed. Page
reach is the number of people who saw any of your post content during a given period of time
(daily, weekly or monthly).
Reels: Reels was created as a new way for users to create and discover short, entertaining
videos on the platform. Unlike other short-form video platforms, Reels are 15 or 30-second
multi-clip videos that you can record and edit them with audio, effects, and creative tools in a
similar way to TikTok.
Social Listening: Tracking conversations around key topics and terms related to your brand,
gathering mentions, comments, hashtags, and posts to provide insight on conversations
surrounding your brand.
Social Monitoring: In basic terms, social media monitoring is the act of using a tool to listen
to what is being said across the internet; monitoring media not just from traditional publishers,
but on millions of social sites too.
Stories: See Ephemeral Content.
Target Audience: A particular group at which a lm, book, advertising campaign, etc., is aimed.
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U.S. NAVY ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO DON OFFICIAL
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCES
REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO DON OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCES.
1. Administrators. Commands and activities shall designate administrators for ocial social
mdia properties in writing. The administrator is responsible for ensuring all posts and content
comply with DOD, DON, and command policy. Commands permitting postings by others (i.e.
takeovers) on their platforms must ensure those designated to do so are media trained and
understand what is acceptable and not acceptable.
2. Local Procedures. Commands and activities must develop written local procedures to
ensure the approval and release of all information posted on ocial social media platforms
is in alignment with U.S. Navy guidance. SECNAVINST 5720.44C U.S. Navy Public Affairs
Regulations (https://dvidshub.net/r/3c4ayp)
3. Security. Commands will actively monitor and evaluate ocial use of social media platforms
for compliance with security requirements and for fraudulent or unacceptable use. Misuse of
Navy brands or properties by imposters should be reported through the chain of command
and/or to the Navy Oce of Information (CHINFO) who can provide assistance and guidance
as needed. Passwords to ocial pages as well as admin accounts supporting those pages
must be changed at least quarterly and adhere to NMCI/DISA security protocols for strong
passwords including upper, lowercase, numeric and special characters.
4. Primary Web Presence. A command or activity social media presence, including those on
blog platforms, may not serve as a command’s primary web presence, and must link to the
command’s ocial website.
5. Prohibited Content. Commands and activities shall not publish and shall prohibit content
listed in the PA Regs CHAPTER 7 – PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ON THE INTERNET, Section
0702 REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE ONLY TO DON WEBSITES, as well as:
a. Personal attacks, vulgar, hateful, violent, or racist language, slurs, stereotyping, hate speech,
and other forms of discrimination based on any race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or
sexual orientation.
b. Information that may elicit threats to the security of Navy and Marine Corps operations or
assets, or to the safety of DON personnel and their families.
6. Correcting the Record. When engaging in the comments section on an ocial social media
presence with those who have posted inaccurate or misleading information, remember to be
respectful, clear, and concise providing factual, relevant information. Corrections to original
posts on Navy platforms must acknowledge the issue (typo etc.) and be followed with a
corrected post.
7. Personal Posts to Blogs and Social Media Sites. Individual members of the DON are
authorized to participate in or operate blogs or other social networking services. The DON
recognizes the value of these communication channels in posting current information and
supporting the morale of personnel, their families, and friends. As long as personnel adhere
acceptable use policy
Appendix A:
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to operational security requirements regarding the public release of information, the DON
encourages the use of blogs and social networking services. Furthermore, SECNAVINST
5720.44C CH-2 10 APR 2019 (Page 7-19) recognizes this free ow of information contributes
to legitimate transparency of the DON to the American public. HOWEVER, any individual
member of the DON who is identied as such, both directly or indirectly, on a blog or other
social media service, may be perceived to represent the DON and must act accordingly.
In addition to the types of information outlined in Chapter 7 of the PA Regs, the following
information must not be displayed on personal pages operated by individual members:
a. Any image, still or motion, of any military operation or activity (unless that image has been
cleared for public release by the proper authority) if there is a potential for a security or privacy
violation.
b. Language that may tend to diminish the condence in or respect for his or her superior(s),
per the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
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COMMUNITY GUIDELINES:
Welcome to the [Your Command/Organization] Facebook page. For the latest Navy news,
please visit our ocial website at http://www.navy.mil. While this is an open forum, it's also
a family friendly one, so please keep your comments and wall posts CLEAN and free from
profanity.
NOTE: Comments and posts that do not adhere to the following guidelines will be removed or
hidden. Continual violation of these guidelines will result in being blocked from this platform:
— We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit or racist comments or submissions, nor do we
allow comments that are abusive, hateful or intended to defame anyone or any organization.
— We do not allow solicitations or advertisements. This includes promotion or endorsement of
any nancial, commercial or non-governmental agency. Similarly, we do not allow attempts to
defame or defraud any nancial, commercial or non-governmental agency.
— We do not allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity.
— Apparent spam will be removed and may cause the author(s) to be blocked from page
without notice.
— You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your
username and any information provided.
— For Ocial Use Only (FOUO), classied, pre‐decisional, proprietary or business sensitive
information should never be discussed here. Don't post personnel lists, rosters, organization
charts or directories.
— Service members and their families/friends: Please practice good operations security
(OPSEC); never share personal information, mission/deployment schedules or any other
personally identiable information (PII) or on any other publicly available information here
(PAI). This includes all government websites and social media platforms.
— The appearance of external links on our Facebook page does not constitute ocial
endorsement on behalf of the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense.
— You are encouraged to quote, republish or share any content on this page on your own blog,
website or other communication/publications.
Thank you for your interest in and support of the U.S. Navy!
required disclaimer
Appendix B:
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references
Appendix c:
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 5, Section 2635
DoD 5500.7-R, “Joint Ethics Regulation (JER),” August 30 1993, as amended
Administrative Instruction 15, “OSD Records and Information Management Program,” May 3, 2013, as
amended
DoD Directive 1344.10, “Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces,” February 19, 2008
DoD Directive 3115.18, “DoD Access to and Use of Publicly Available Information (PAI).” June 11, 2019,
as amended
DoD Directive 5122.05, “Assistant to The Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD(PA)),” August 7,
2017
DoD Directive 5535.09, “DoD Branding and Trademark Licensing Program,” December 19, 2007
DoD Instruction 1304.35, “Military Marketing,” November 1, 2017, as amended
DoD Instruction 5015.02, “DoD Records Management Program,” February 24, 2015, as amended
DoD Instruction 5230.09, “Clearance of DoD Information for Public Release,” January 25, 2019
DoD Instruction 5230.29, “Security and Policy Review of DoD Information for Public Release,” August 13,
2014, as amended
DoD Instruction 8170.01, “Online Information Management and Electronic Messaging,” January 2, 2019
National Archives Records Administration Bulletin 2014-02, “Guidance on managing social media
records,” October 25, 2013
Oce of Government Ethics’ (OGE) Legal Advisory, LA-14-08, “Reference to Ocial Title and Position by
Employees Aliated with Outside Organizations in Their Personal Capacity,” November 19, 2014
Oce of Government Ethics’ Legal Advisory, LA-15-03, “The Standards of Conduct as Applied to
Personal Social Media Use,” April 9, 2015
United States Code, Title 5, Section 7321-7326
United States Code, Title 15, Section 6501-6505
United States Code, Title 44, Section 2911
Harassment Prevention and Response in the Armed Forces (DoDI 1020.03)
Information Collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (OMB Memo)
Joint Ethics Regulation (DoD 5500.7-R)
Management of The Department of Defense Information Enterprise (DoDD 8000.01)
Social Media, Web-Based Interactive Technologies, and the Paperwork Reduction Act (OMB Memo)
Standards of Conduct (DoDD 5500.07)
DoD Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
DODI 5400.13 Public Affairs (PA) Operations
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user persona templates
Appendix D:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Snapchat
Cable TV
Newspaper
& Print
Media Activity
Archetype
Location
Occupation
Age/Generation
Goals
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Snapchat
Cable TV
Newspaper
& Print
Media Activity
Archetype
Location
Occupation
Age/Generation
Goals
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Snapchat
Cable TV
Newspaper
& Print
Media Activity
Archetype
Location
Occupation
Age/Generation
Goals
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key channels template
Appendix E:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Navy.mil
YouTube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Snapchat
Twitch
Demographic Content Voice
Where to
Submit Content
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channel optimization template
Appendix f:
Platform Frequency Optimal Times
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format specs per platform
Appendix g:
Product
Shared Post
Video Landscape
Shared Post
Video Portrait
360 Video
Stories
Profile
Photo
Cover
Photo
Shared Image
(Timeline)
Shared Image
(Newsfeed)
Shared Link
(Timeline)
Shared Link
(Newsfeed)
Event
Image
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format Frame Rate
1280 x 720
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
240
minutes
30 fps
30 fps
30 fps
240
minutes
30
minutes
15
seconds
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
JPG, PNG
16:9 4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
10 GB
16:9
9:16
1.91 to 9:16
1:1
2.7:1
1.91:1
1.91:1
1.91:1
1.91:1
Monoscopic:
2:1
Stereoscopic
1:1
720 x 1280
180 x 180
820 x 312
1200 x 630
1200 x 630
1200 x 628
1200 x 628
1920 x 1080
Monoscopic:
5120 x 2560 maximum
Stereoscopic:
5120 x 5120 maximum
Each platform has its own format preferences in terms of file size and orientation
FACEBOOK
Product
In Feed
Landscape Video
In Feed
Square Video
In Feed
Vertical Video
Instagram
Stories (Organic)
Instagram
Reels
IGTV
Profile
Picture
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format Frame RateBit Rate
1080 x 1080
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
2
minutes
23 - 60 fps
23 - 60 fps
23 - 60 fps
23 - 60 fps
5 MBPS
5 MBPS
5 MBPS
5 MBPS
2
minutes
2
minutes
15
seconds
15 seconds
or 30 seconds
15 minutes when
uploaded from mobile
(60 minutes on desktop)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4
16:9 4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
1:1
4:5
9:16
9:16
9:16 (recommended)
or 16:9. In feed
previews = 4:5
650 MB (under 10
minutes) or 3.6 GB
(up to 60 minutes)
1080 x 1080
1080 x 1080
1080 x 1920
1080 x 1920
1080 x 1920
INSTAGRAM
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US Navy
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Product
Landscape
Video
Portrait
Video
Profile Photo
Header Photo
Image from a
Tweet with shared link
Tweet sharing
a single image
Tweet sharing
two images
Tweet sharing
three images
Tweet sharing
four images
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format Frame Rate
1280x720 (landscape)
720x1280 (portrait)
720x720 (square)
1280x720 (landscape)
720x1280 (portrait)
720x720 (square)
.MP4 or .MOV
.MP4 or .MOV
140
seconds
140
seconds
30 or 60 fps
30 or 60 fps
16:9 (landscape
or portrait)
1:1 (square)
16:9 (landscape
or portrait)
1:1 (square)
512 MB
512 MB
5 MB
5 MB
5 MB
5 MB
5 MB
5 MB
2 MB
3:1
16:9
(recommended)
16:9
(recommended)
16:9
(recommended)
16:9
(recommended)
16:9
(recommended)
1:1
1200 x 628
(recommended)
1200 x 675
(recommended)
1200 x 600
(per image)
700 x 800
(per image)
Left image:
700 x 800
Right images:
1200 x 686
400 x 400
1500 x 500
TWITTER
Instagram
Stories (Organic)
Instagram
Reels
IGTV
Profile
Picture
Photo
Thumbnails
Photo Size
(Instagram App)
Instagram
Stories
1080 x 1080
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
2
minutes
23 - 60 fps
23 - 60 fps
23 - 60 fps
23 - 60 fps
5 MBPS
5 MBPS
5 MBPS
5 MBPS
2
minutes
2
minutes
15
seconds
15 seconds
or 30 seconds
15 minutes when
uploaded from mobile
(60 minutes on desktop)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4 or .MOV
(recommended)
.MP4
16:9 4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
1:1
4:5
9:16
9:16
9:16 (recommended)
or 16:9. In feed
previews = 4:5
650 MB (under 10
minutes) or 3.6 GB
(up to 60 minutes)
Between
1.91:1
and 4:5
9:16
1080 x 1080
1080 x 1080
1080 x 1920
1080 x 1920
1080 x 1920
110 x 110
161 x 161
1080 x 1080 (square)
1080 x 1350 (4:5)
1080 x 1920
Product Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format Frame RateBit Rate
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US Navy
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Product
Shared
Video
Personal Profile
Image
Personal
Background Image
Company Logo
Image
Company Main
Image
Shared Link
Shared Image
Life Tab:
Main Image
Life Tab:
Company Photos
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format Frame Rate
10 minutes
max
60 fps
5 GB
8 MB PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
PNG, JPG, GIF
4 MB
4 MB
4 MB
2 MB
300 x 300
1:2.4 to
2.4:1
300 x 300
1584 x 396
1128 x 191
1200 x 627
1200 x 627
1128 x 376
900 x 600
LINKEDIN
.ASF, .AVI, .FLV, .MOV,
.MPEG-1, .MPEG-4,
.MKV, .WebM, .MP4
Product
Standard
Video
Max Width
Video
Profile
Picture
Pins
(Main Page)
Pins
(On Board)
Pins
(Expanded)
Pin Board
(Large Thumbnail)
Pin Board
(Smaller Thumbnail)
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format
4 seconds to
15 minutes
4 seconds to
15 minutes
2 GB
2 MB
JPG, PNG
10 MB
1:1 (square)
or 2:3, 4:5, or 9:16
(vertical)
1:1 (square)
or 16:9 (widescreen)
2:3 - 1:3.5
2:3 - 1:3.5
2:3 - 1:3.5
165 x 165
600 width, height scales
900 recommended height
222 x 150
55 x 55
PINTEREST
.MP4 or .MOV
.MP4 or .MOV
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Product
10-Second
Video (Stories)
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format
3 to 10
seconds
32 MB
1080 x 1920
9:16
SNAPCHAT
.MP4 or .MOV
Product
240p
Video
360p
Video
480p
Video
720p
Video
1080p
Video
1440p
Video
2160p
Video
Channel
Profile Image
Channel
Cover Art
Video
Uploads
Channel Cover:
Safe area for
logos and text
Resolution Length
Aspect Ratio File Size File Format
12 hours
max
12 hours
max
12 hours
max
12 hours
max
12 hours
max
12 hours
max
12 hours
max
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
128 GB or 12 hours
(whichever is less)
426 x 240
640 x 360
854 x 480
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
2560 x 1440
2560 x 1440
1235 x 338
Minimum HD
1280 x 720
3840 x 2160
800 x 800
16:9 (4:3 auto
adds pillarboxing)
16:9
16:9 (auto adds
pillarboxing if
set at 4:3)
16:9 (auto adds
pillarboxing if
set at 4:3)
16:9 (auto adds
pillarboxing if
set at 4:3)
16:9 (auto adds
pillarboxing if
set at 4:3)
16:9 (auto adds
pillarboxing if
set at 4:3)
16:9 (auto adds
pillarboxing if
set at 4:3)
YOUTUBE
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
.MOV, .MPEG4, MP4,
.AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS,
.FLV, 3GPP, WebM
Source: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-image-sizes-guide
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blank planning calendar
Appendix H:
MONTH: YEAR:
Sunday Monday Thursday Friday SaturdayTuesday Wednesday
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calendar dates
Appendix i:
January February March April May June
Theme: Women in
Service
• Women's History
Month
• 2 - First four
women pilots
begin training in
the U.S. Navy
• 3 - Navy Reserve
Birthday
• 5 - Seabee
Birthday
• 6 - National
Employee
Appreciation Day
• 8 - International
Women’s Day
• 9 - Battle of
Hampton Roads
• 13 - K9 Veterans
Day
• 14 - National Pi
Day
• Second Sunday -
Daylight Saving
Time Begins
• 17 - Saint
Patrick’s Day
• 19 - National Let's
Laugh Day
• 20 - Spring
Equinox
• 21 - World Poetry
Day
• 22 - World Water
Day
• 25 - Medal of
Honor Day
• 29 - National
Vietnam Veteran’s
Day
• 30 - National
Doctors' Day
Focus: Women’s
accomplishments
in the U.S. Navy
and their
contributions to
the fight.
Theme: New Year
and Navy
Resilience
• 1 - New Year’s
Day
• 15 - National Hat
Day
• Third Monday -
Martin Luther
King Jr. Day
• 24 - National
Compliment Day
• 25 - National
Spouses Day
• 27 - Holocaust
Remembrance
Day
• 28 - Space
Shuttle
Challenger
Disaster
• 28 - Data Privacy
Day
Focus: Various
aspects of
toughness –
mental, emotional,
and physical to
carry Sailors
throughout the
year.
Theme: Excellence
in Service
• Black History
Month
• Super Bowl
• 1 - Space Shuttle
Columbia
Disaster
• 2 - Groundhog
Day
• 9 - National Pizza
Day
• 14 - Valentines
Day
• 19 Feb-Mar 26 -
Battle of Iwo
Jima
• National
Engineers Week
• 20 - Love Your Pet
Day
• Third Monday -
Presidents’ Day
• 22 - First Navy
designated
female aviator to
earn her wings
Focus: Aspiring to
greatness through
service.
Theme: Sailors are
People, Too
• Mar or April -
Easter
• Month of the
Military Child
• Military Saves
Month
• 1 - Chief Petty
Officer Birthday
• 1 - April Fools Day
• 5 - Gold Star
Spouses Day
• 10 - National
Siblings Day
• 11 - Submarine
Birthday
• 11 - National Pet
Day
• 16 - National High
Five Day
• National
Volunteer Week
• 22 - Earth Day
• 27 - Holocaust
Remembrance
Day
• 28 - Pay it
Forward Day
• 30 - Department
of the Navy is
established
Focus: Sharing
personal Sailor
stories, and what
connects them to
others without
Navy ties.
Theme: Strength in
Diversity
• NYC Fleet Week
• Asian Pacific
Heritage Month
• Mental Health
Awareness Month
• 1 - National
Explosive
Ordnance
Disposal Day
• 4 - Beginning of
the Battle of the
Coral Sea
• 4 - Star Wars Day
• 6 - National
Nurses Day
• 8 - Birth of Naval
Aviation
• Friday before
Mother’s Day -
Military Spouse
Appreciation Day
• Second Sunday -
Mother’s Day
• 15 - International
Day of Families
• 13 - Nurse Corps
Birthday
• Third Saturday -
Armed Forces
Day
• 22 - Maritime Day
• Last Monday -
Memorial Day
Focus: Sharing
personal Sailor
stories, and what
connects them to
others without
Navy ties.
Theme: Where Old
meets New
• 1 - National Say
Something Nice
Day
• 4-7 - Battle of
Midway
• 6 - D-Day
• 8 - Best Friends
Day
• 8 - U.S. Navy and
USPS deliver the
first official
‘Missile Mail’
• 12 - Women
Veterans Day
• 14 - Flag Day
• 14 - Army
Birthday
• 19 - Juneteenth
National
Independence
Day
• 19 - Beginning of
the Battle of
Philippine Sea
• Third Sunday -
Father’s Day
• 21 - National
Selfie Day
• 30 - Social Media
Day
Focus: Making
Navy relevant to
today’s Gen Z and
late millennial
audiences. What
are we doing that
directly impacts
their lives? Let’s
convey it!
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July August September October November December
Theme: My
Shipmate’s Keeper
• 15 Sep-15 Oct -
Hispanic Heritage
Month
• Suicide
Prevention Month
• First Monday -
Labor Day
• 6 - Read a Book
Day
• 11 - Day of
Service and
Remembrance
• First Sunday after
Labor Day -
National
Grandparents Day
• 17 - Constitution
Day
• 18 - Air Force
Birthday
• 21 - International
Day of Peace
• 22 - First Day of
Fall
Focus:
Encouraging
Sailors to check on
their Shipmates,
engage in mental
wellness activities
and self-care,
reiterate leadership
support and
caring.
Theme: All Navy
Summer
• 1 - Samuel L.
Gravely Jr.
becomes first
African-American
flag officer
• 4 - Independence
Day
• 7 - World
Chocolate Day
• 15 - Give
Something Away
Day
• 17 - World Emoji
Day
• 20 - Anniversary
of the Moon
Landing
• 26 - President
Truman
desegregates the
Military in 1948
• 30 - WAVES is
established
Focus: Engaging
Sailors and
influencers in your
command and AO
to tell the Navy
story in new and
engaging ways.
Theme: Navy
Worldwide
• 4 - Coast Guard
Birthday
• 7 - Purple Heart
Day
• 8 - International
Cat Day
• 9 - National Book
Lovers Day
• 15 - National
Relaxation Day
• 16 - National Tell
a Joke Day
• 19 - World Photo
Day
• 19 - National
Aviation Day
• 26 - National Dog
Day
• 30 - International
Friendship Day
Focus: Navy
Partnerships and
exercises across
the globe. Engage
our partners in
completing virtual
PASSEXs where we
all share content
on the same day
and tag each other
in previous
exercises.
Theme:
Awareness. . . and
Cake!
• Breast Cancer
Awareness Month
• Cyber Awareness
Month
• 1 - World Smile
Day
• 1 - National
Coffee Day
• Second Monday -
Columbus Day
• 13 - Navy
Birthday
• 13 - National
Train Your Brain
Day
• 14 - National
Dessert Day
• 16 - Boss’s Day
• 21 - USS
Constitution’s
Birthday
• 27 - Navy Day
• 30 - Checklist Day
• 31 - Halloween
Focus: Keeping
folks informed and
aware about
Breast Cancer and
Cyber security
facts and
prevention; while
celebrating Latinx
Sailors, Navy
Birthday/Day,
Smiles and
Halloween!
Theme:
Thankfulness,
Service and
Sacrifice
• American Indian
Heritage Month
• Tuesday after the
First Monday -
Election Day
• First Sunday -
Daylight Saving
Time Ends
• 10 - Marine Corps
Birthday
• 11 - Veterans Day
• 20 - National
Entrepreneurs
Day
• Last Thursday -
Thanksgiving Day
• Last Friday -
Black Friday
• Last Saturday -
Small Business
Saturday
• Monday after
Thanksgiving -
Cyber Monday
• Tuesday after
Thanksgiving -
Giving Tuesday
Focus: Veteran
appreciation and
gratitude.
Theme: Giving
Back through the
Holidays
• Late Nov or Dec -
Hanukkah
• 4 - National
Cookie Day
• 7 - Pearl Harbor
Remembrance
Day
• 10 - Human
Rights Day
• 21 - First Day of
Winter
• 25 - Christmas
• 26 Dec-Jan 1 -
Kwanzaa
• 31 - New Year’s
Eve
Focus: Showcasing
how Sailors give
back to their
communities and
what they do for
the holidays.
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Naval history dates of interest
Appendix J:
Dates in history with signicant anniversaries in 2023.
Jan. 10, 1953 (70) The auxiliary motor minesweepers Merganser (AMS-26) and Firecrest
(AMS-10) receive 40 rounds of 105 mm enemy re from guns in the vicinity
of Ponggang-ni near North Korea. Reports reect no damage or casualties
from the attack.
Jan. 12, 1953 (70) Aircraft begin operational landing tests, day and night, onboard USS
Antietam (CVA-36), the rst angled ight deck carrier.
Jan. 27, 1973 (50) The Paris Peace Accords are signed, ending U.S. participation in the
Vietnam War.
Feb. 2, 1848 (175) The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican-American War
and establishes the boundaries between the two republics.
Feb. 6, 1973 (50) In accordance with the agreement at the Paris Peace Talks, Navy
Task Force 78 begins Operation End Sweep, the mine clearance of North
Vietnamese waters of mines laid in 1972.
Feb. 8, 1953 (70) USS Lyman K. Swenson (DD-729) conducts counterbattery re on a
gun-shelling Korean sampans in the Kojo area, silencing the enemy guns.
Feb. 15, 1898 (125) The battleship Maine explodes in Havana Harbor, and nearly three-
quarters of the battleship's crew die because of the blast. Popular opinion
blames Spain, and the Spanish-American war starts soon after.
Feb. 20, 2018 (5) The crew of a Navy P8-A Poseidon belonging to the “Fighting Tigers”
of Patrol Squadron (VP) 8 locate three missing shermen in a 19-foot skiff
from Chuuk Lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Feb. 23, 2018 (5) Independence-variant littoral combat ship, the future USS Omaha (LCS-
12) is commissioned in a ceremony at the Broadway pier in San Diego.
Feb. 27, 1973 (50) First airborne mine sweep in a live mineeld takes place in the
Haiphong, Vietnam, ship channel by helicopters from Helicopter Mine
Countermeasures Squadron Twelve on board USS New Orleans (LPH-11).
March 1, 1953 (70) During the Korean War, USS Valley Forge (CVA-45) aircraft raid the No.
1 power plant at Chosen, Korea, and heavily damage the strongly defended
industrial site.
March 2, 1973 (50) The rst four female U.S. Navy pilots begin training: Lt. j.g. Barbara A.
Allen; Lt. j.g. Judith A. Neuffer; Ensign Jane M. Skiles; and Ensign Kathleen
L. McNary.
March 5, 2018 (5) A detachment of F-35B Lightning II’s with Fighter Attack Squadron
121 (VMFA-121) arrived aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp
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(LHD-1), marking the rst time the aircraft has deployed aboard a U.S.
Navy ship and with a Marine expeditionary unit in the Indo-Pacic.
March 5, 2018 (5) USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) arrives in Da Nang, Vietnam, for a scheduled
port call, marking the rst time a U.S. aircraft carrier has visited the
country in more than 40 years.
March 7, 2018 (5) Commander, Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR) ocially kicks off
Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2018 in the Arctic Ocean with the construction of
temporary Ice Camp Skate and the arrival of two U.S. Navy fast-attack
submarines and one U.K. Royal Navy submarine.
March 10, 1948 (75) The carrier suitability of the FJ-1 Fury jet ghter is tested aboard USS
Boxer (CV-21) off San Diego, with a number of landings and takeoffs.
March 14, 2018 (5) Two U.S. naval aviators die when their F/A-18F Super Hornet crashes
on nal approach near Naval Air Station, Key West, Florida. Lt. Cmdr.
James Brice Johnson and Lt. Caleb Nathaniel King were assigned to the
"Blacklions" of Strike Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VFA-213), based at
Naval Air Station Oceana and assigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight.
March 15, 1953 (70) Marine pilots of VMA 312 destroy eight rail cars, two possible radar
towers, a power transformer and numerous other assorted targets in
Korea before returning to USS Bataan (CVL-29).
March 17, 1898 (125) John Holland’s submarine, Holland IV, performs the rst successful
diving and surfacing tests off Staten Island, NY.
March 17, 2018 (5) The 15th Virginia-class attack submarine, USS Colorado (SSN-788), is
commissioned during a ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London,
CT.
March 23, 1953 (70) During the Korean War, jet aircraft from USS Oriskany (CVA-34) stage
a "lights out" program by attacking a waterpower site below the Fusen
Reservoir, resulting in four cuts in the intake structures that control the
ow of water to the hydroelectric turbines and damaging two buildings
housing generators.
March 23, 2018 (5) The guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) is
commissioned during ceremony at Columbus Street Pier in Charleston, SC.
March 25, 1898 (125) Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt recommends
to Secretary of the Navy John D. Long that he appoint two ocers “of
scientic attainments and practical ability” who, with representatives from
the War Department, would examine Professor Samuel P. Langley’s ying
machine and report upon its practicability and its potential for use in war.
March 27, 2018 (5) Guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG-66) rescues three shermen
off the coast of Georgia.
March 28, 1848 (175) USS Supply, commanded by Lt. William F. Lynch, reaches the Bay of
Acre, Israel, during an expedition to explore the Dead Sea and tracing the
River Jordan to its source.
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March 28, 1953 (70) USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), USS Princeton (CV-37), and USS Oriskany
(CV-34) launch 216 sorties against a North Korean supply depot during the
Korean War.
March 30, 1973 (50) USS Forrestal (CVA-59) and Sixth Fleet ships provide aid to Tunisia
following a disastrous ood, relocating 729 persons, 27 tons of cargo, and
an entire herd of 227 sheep.
April 4, 2018 (5) Medal of Honor Recipient Capt. Thomas J. Hudner Jr. is laid to rest at
Arlington National Cemetery. Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman during the Battle of
Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.
April 6, 2013 (10) The commissioning ceremony for USS Arlington (LPD-24) is held
at Naval Station Norfolk, the ship’s homeport. The San Antonio-class
amphibious transport dock ship joins sister ships USS New York and
Somerset in being named for the sites attacked by terrorists on Sept.
11, 2001. Steel salvaged from the Pentagon, based in Arlington, are
showcased in the ship’s museum.
April 8, 1823 (200) The barges USS Mosquito and USS Gallinipper, and sloop-of-war
Peacock chase the pirate schooner, Pilot, which is driven ashore off
Havana, Cuba.
April 8, 1848 (175) The rst U.S. ag is own over the Sea of Galilee when Lt. William
F. Lynch sails in an iron boat up the Jordan River. He later authors a book,
"Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the
Dead Sea."
April 9, 1848 (175) A party of men from the sloop-of-war USS Dale march 12 miles
inland from Guaymas, Mexico, to capture and spike a 3-gun Mexican
battery that was ring at other ships.
April 12, 2003 (20) USS Mason (DDG-87) is commissioned at Cape Canaveral, FL. The
Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is the 37th in the class and the ninth of the
Flight IIA variant.
April 12, 2018 (5) The F-35 program accomplishes the nal developmental test ight of
the system development and demonstration phase of the program.
April 13, 2018 (5) U.S., French, and British forces strike targets in Syria as punishment
for Syrian leader Bashar Assad using chemical weapons against his own
people.
April 14, 1898 (125) The rst post-Civil War hospital ship, USS Solace (AH-2) is
commissioned and soon participates in the Spanish-American War,
attending to wounded servicemen from battles in Cuba.
April 18, 1848 (175) U.S. Navy expedition to explore the Dead Sea and the River Jordan,
commanded by Lt. William F. Lynch, reaches the Dead Sea.
April 20, 1953 (70) USS New Jersey (BB-62) shells Wonsan, Korea, from inside the harbor
during the Korean War.
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April 21, 1898 (125) President William McKinley orders the Navy to begin a blockade of
Cuba and Spain, the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Congress
responds with a formal declaration of war April 25, made retroactive to the
start of the blockade.
April 22, 1898 (125) Rear Adm. William T. Sampson leaves Key West, FL, with the North
Atlantic Squadron to begin the blockade of the northern Cuban ports, the
beginning of the Spanish-American War.
April 23, 1953 (70) After ve UN personnel are wounded on island of Tee-do, Korea, USS
Henderson (DD-785) is sent to suppress gunre, and USS Owen (DD-536)
evacuates the wounded to USS Manchester (CL-83).
April 24, 2018 (5) Amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD-27) is commissioned
during a ceremony in her namesake city.
April 25, 1998 (25) The guided missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG-74) is commissioned
at Garden City Terminal in Savannah, GA. The 24th Arleigh Burke-class
destroyer is named after Chief Petty Ocer Donald L. McFaul, a Navy
SEAL who posthumously received the Navy Cross for attempting to save a
platoon mate on Dec. 20, 1989, while serving in Panama during Operation
Just Cause.
April 25, 1998 (25) The rst-in-class Impeccable (T AGOS-23) is launched from
Pascagoula, MS. The ship is given to Military Sealift Command to be
operated by civilian and military crewmembers.
April 26, 1923 (100) The General Board completes a study on U.S. Navy strategy in the
Pacic that anticipates Japan as the only enemy in the foreseeable future.
It calls for the development of bases at Pearl Harbor, Guam and in the
Philippines and advocates for a eet capable of sustained operations in
the Western Pacic.
April 30, 1798 (225) Congress establishes the Department of the Navy as a separate
cabinet department. Previously, naval matters were under the cognizance
of the War Department. Benjamin Stoddert is named as the rst Secretary
of the Navy.
May 1, 1898 (125) The American squadron, commanded by Commodore George
Dewey, defeats the Spanish squadron under the command of Rear Adm.
Montojo at Manila Bay, Philippines.
May 4, 2013 (10) USS Anchorage (LPD-23) is commissioned in her namesake city. The
San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock is the second ship to be
named after the Alaskan city.
May 5, 1948 (75) Fighter Squadron Seventeen A (VF-17A), with 16 FH-1 Phantoms,
becomes the rst carrier-qualied jet squadron in the U.S. Navy.
May 11, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, Marines and Sailors from USS
Marblehead (C-11) and USS Nashville (PG-7) cut the transoceanic cable
near Cienfuegos, Cuba, isolating Cuba from Spain. For heroism during this
action, 54 Marines and Sailors received the Medal of Honor.
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May 17, 1973 (50) Capt. Robin Lindsay Catherine Quigley becomes the rst woman to
hold a major Navy command when she assumes command of U.S. Navy
Service School, San Diego, CA.
May 18, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, boat parties from USS St. Louis
and USS Wompatuck, under Capt. Caspar F. Goodrich, cut communication
cables at Santiago, Cuba.
May 24, 2018 (5) President Donald J. Trump presents the Medal of Honor to retired
Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Britt Slabinski during a
ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C. Slabinski received the
Medal of Honor for his actions while leading a team under heavy effective
enemy re in an attempt to rescue teammate Petty Ocer First Class Neil
Roberts during Operation Anaconda in March 2002.
May 25, 1973 (50) Skylab 2, the rst U.S. manned orbiting space station, launches with
an all-Navy crew: Capt. Charles Conrad Jr., Cmdr. Paul J. Weitz, and Cmdr.
Joseph P. Kerwin.
May 25, 2018 (5) Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Manchester (LCS-14) is
commissioned during a ceremony at the State Pier in Portsmouth, NH.
June 3, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, seven men serving as a volunteer
crew and the commander of USS Merrimac are taken as prisoners of
war by the Spanish following a courageous attempt to sink the collier to
obstruct navigation. For their “extraordinary heroism” during this operation,
the men are awarded the Medal of Honor.
June 5, 2013 (10) USNS Millinocket (JHSV-3) is launched in Mobile, AL. The joint high-
speed vessel is a noncombatant transport operated by Military Sealift
Command.
June 7, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, USS Marblehead (C-11), along
with auxiliary cruisers USS Yankee and USS St. Louis, engage the Spanish
gunboat Sandoval and the shore batteries at Guantanamo, Cuba for two
and a half hours.
June 16, 1953 (70) During the Korean War, USS Princeton (CVS-37) launches 184 sorties
against enemy front-line positions, a new record for offensive sorties own
from a carrier during the Korean War in a single day.
June 16, 2018 (5) Trilateral maritime exercise Malabar 2018 concludes. The exercise
accomplished maritime interoperability training objectives among
maritime forces from the United States, India, and Japan, emphasizing
high-end warghting skills, maritime superiority, and power projection. This
was the rst year that Malabar was conducted in the Guam operation area.
The two-phase exercise took place ashore in Guam and underway in the
Philippine Sea.
June 17, 1898 (125) President William McKinley signs into law a Congressional bill
authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps.
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June 21, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, the cruiser USS Charleston
captures the island of Guam without resistance from Spain because the
Spanish Navy had no sucient ammunition for defense.
June 21, 2018 (5) The 13th annual Pacic Partnership mission concludes after mission
stops in Japan and throughout South and Southeast Asia.
June 22, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, the Spanish destroyer Terror joins
Isabel II in an attempt to torpedo USS Saint Paul, which res at Terror,
damaging the ship.
June 22, 2018 (5) Lt. Christopher Carey Short is killed when the A-29 aircraft he was
piloting crashed while on a mission over the Red Rio Bombing Range, part
of White Sands Missile Range, north of Holloman Air Force Base in New
Mexico.
June 23, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, USS Dixie res on two Spanish
gunboats at Maria Aguilar Point, Cuba.
June 24, 1948 (75) The Berlin airlift “Operation Vittles” is initiated to offset the Soviet
Union's blockade access of the United States, France, and Great Britain to
their sectors of Berlin.
June 27, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, the 301-ton yacht Hornet captures
the Spanish steamer Benito Estenger off Cape Cruz, Cuba.
July 3, 1898 (125) During the Spanish American War, Rear Adm. Cervera’s Spanish eet
attempts to ee from the harbor at Santiago, Cuba, but the U.S. Navy’s
Atlantic Squadron successfully pursues, attacks, and systematically
destroys the Spanish vessels.
July 6, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, the auxiliary-cruiser USS Dixie
captures the Spanish vessels, Three Bells, Pilgrim, and Greeman Castle, off
Cape Cruz, Cuba.
July 7, 1798 (225) Congress rescinds treaties with France, and the Quasi War begins.
July 7, 1948 (75) The rst six enlisted women are sworn into the Regular Navy: Chief
Yeoman Wilma J. Marchal; Yeoman Second Class Edna E. Young; Hospital
Corpsman First Class Ruth Flora; Aviation Storekeeper First Class Kay L.
Langen; Storekeeper Second Class Frances T. Devaney; and Teleman Doris
R. Robertson.
July 11, 1798 (225) President John Adams signs an act that reestablishes the Marine
Corps under the Constitution. The following day, Maj. William W. Burrows
is appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps.
July 12, 2003 (20) USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is commissioned at Naval Station
Norfolk. The ninth in the Nimitz-class of nuclear-powered supercarriers,
the ship’s motto is “Peace through Strength,” a phrase coined by President
Reagan.
July 12, 2018 (5) Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer inducts U.S. Sen. John S.
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McCain III into the ocial namesake of the guided-missile destroyer USS
John S. McCain (DDG-56) in a ceremony on board the ship in Yokosuka,
Japan.
July 17, 1898 (125) Santiago, Cuba surrenders to U.S. Naval forces during the Spanish-
American War.
July 23, 1948 (75) During the Arab-Israeli War, USS Putnum (DD-757) evacuates the U.N.
team from Haifa, Israel, and becomes rst U.S. Navy ship to y the U.N.
ag.
July 25, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, a landing party from the armed
yacht USS Gloucester single-handedly captures Guanica, Puerto Rico.
July 25, 1998 (25) USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) is commissioned at Naval Station
Norfolk, VA. The eighth aircraft carrier of the Nimitz-class is the rst to be
named after the 33rd president of the United States.
July 25, 2018 (5) Retired Rear Adm. Alene B. Duerk, the Navy’s rst female admiral,
passes away. She was 98 years old.
July 26, 1948 (75) President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981, desegregating
the Armed Services.
July 26, 2003 (20) USS Mustin (DDG-89) is commissioned at Naval Air Station North
Island, CA. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer is the second
to be named Mustin but the rst to be named for the distinguished family
of that name: Capt. Henry D. Mustin (1874–1923; Vice Adm. Lloyd M.
Mustin (1911–1999); Vietnam War veteran Vice Adm. Henry C. Mustin
II; and Lt. Cmdr. Thomas M. Mustin. The rst USS Mustin, (DD-413) of
the World War II era, was named for the family patriarch: Capt. Henry D.
Mustin, who piloted the rst aircraft ever catapulted from a ship and ew
the rst combat missions of American aircraft from Mississippi during the
Mexican campaign in 1914.
July 27, 1953 (70) The Korean War armistice is signed at Panmunjon, Korea. The Korean
cease-re goes into effect at 22:00.
July 28, 1973 (50) Skylab 3 is launched. The mission is the second to the rst U.S.
manned space station. The commander of the mission is Capt. Alan L.
Bean, USN; the pilot is Maj. Jack R. Lousma, USMC; and the science pilot
is Owen K. Garriott, a former Navy electronics ocer. The mission lasts 59
days, 11 hours and includes 858 Earth orbits. USS New Orleans (LPH-11)
recovers the crew.
July 27, 2018 (5) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) rescues ve
mariners in distress July 27 near Hawaii’s westernmost inhabited island.
July 29, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, the gunboat USS Helena,
commanded by Cmdr. William T. Swinburne, captures the Spanish steamer
Manati at Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Aug. 2, 2018 (5) Exercise Rim of the Pacic, the world’s largest international maritime
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exercise, concludes following more than a month of training events
conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
Aug. 4, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, USS Monterey (BM-6) becomes
the rst monitor to cross the Pacic, reaching Manila Bay, Philippines, from
San Francisco, CA.
Aug. 11, 1898 (125) During the Spanish-American War, USS Cushing (TB-1), USS Gwin
(TB-16), and USS McKee (TB-18) capture and burn the Spanish schooner
Jover Genard at Carendas, Cuba.
Aug. 12, 1898 (125) USS Mohican and USS Philadelphia (C-4) crew members take part
in ocial ceremonies marking the assumption of sovereignty of the
Hawaiian Islands by the United States.
Aug. 15, 1953 (70) Adm. Arthur W. Radford, USN, becomes the rst naval ocer to be
appointed as the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving two terms until
Aug. 15, 1957.
Aug. 15, 1998 (25) USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) is commissioned at Pensacola, FL.
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship is the third to honor the frigate
used by Capt. John Paul Jones during the American Revolution.
Aug. 24, 2018 (5) U.S. 2nd Fleet is reestablished during a ceremony aboard the nuclear
aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), at Naval Station Norfolk,
VA, with Vice Adm. Andrew “Woody” Lewis as the commander.
Aug. 25, 2018 (5) Former naval aviator, Vietnam War prisoner of war, and U.S. Senator
John McCain passes away after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 81.
Aug. 29, 1998 (25) USS Decatur (DDG-73) is commissioned at Portland, OR. The Arleigh
Burke-class guided missile destroyer is the fth U.S. Navy ship named for
Commodore Stephen Decatur.
Aug. 29, 2018 (5) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson selects Fleet Master
Chief Russell Smith to be the 15th Master Chief Petty Ocer of the Navy.
Aug. 30, 1923 (100) USS Colorado (BB-45) is commissioned. Notable during her pre-
WWII service, she helps in the search for missing aviator, Amelia Earhart,
in 1937. During WWII, Colorado serves in the Pacic and in Leyte Gulf is hit
by kamikazes November 1944.
Aug. 30, 2018 (5) Guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) seizes an
illicit shipment of arms from a stateless skiff in the international waters of
the Gulf of Aden.
Sept. 5, 1923 (100) The U.S. Asiatic Fleet arrives at Yokohama, Japan, to provide
medical assistance and supplies after the Great Kanto earthquake, which
occurred just days prior. On Sept. 1, during the earthquake, Lt. j.g. Thomas
J. Ryan rescues a woman from the burning Grand Hotel in Yokohama. For
his "extraordinary heroism" on that occasion, he is awarded the Medal of
Honor.
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Sept. 6, 1953 (70) The exchange of prisoners of war from Korean War called Operation
Big Switch ends.
Sept. 7, 2013 (10) USS Minnesota (SSN-783) is commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk.
The submarine, homeported at Groton, CT, is the 10th of the Virginia-
class submarines and the third Navy vessel to be named after the state of
Minnesota.
Sept. 8, 1923 (100) At Honda Point, CA, seven destroyers are run aground due to bad
weather, strong currents, and faulty navigation. Twenty-three lives are lost
during the disaster.
Sept. 16, 1823 (200) Samuel Southard becomes the seventh Secretary of the Navy,
serving until March 3, 1829. During his tenure, he enlarges the Navy,
improves administration, purchases land for the rst naval hospitals,
begins construction of the rst Navy dry docks, undertakes surveying U.S.
coastal waters, and promotes exploration in the Pacic Ocean.
Sept. 26, 1953 (70) The governments of the United States and Spain agree to establish
a joint U.S.-Spanish naval facility at Rota in the Bay of Cadiz. The facility
ocially opens April 14, 1958.
Sept. 28, 2018 (5) U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 2
render immediate assistance to the passengers and crew of Air Niugini
ight PX56, after it crashes into the lagoon near Chuuk, Federated States
of Micronesia, International Airport.
Oct. 1, 2018 (5) USS Indiana, the third vessel to be named for the state, is
commissioned in a ceremony at Port Canaveral, FL.
Oct. 4, 1998 (25) U.S. and Algerian navies conduct the rst bilateral exercise—a search
and rescue operation involving USS Mitscher (DDG-57)—since Algerian
independence in 1962.
Oct. 7–8, 2018 (5) Off the coast of Somalia, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile
destroyer USS Decatur (DDG-73) renders assistance to seven distressed
mariners, whose shing boat had suffered an engine malfunction,
rendering the vessel inoperable.
Oct. 9, 1873 (150) Lt. Charles Belknap calls a meeting of 15 ocers at the U.S.
Naval Academy to establish the U.S. Naval Institute for the purpose of
disseminating scientic and professional knowledge throughout the Navy.
Oct. 10, 1923 (100) The rst American-built rigid airship USS Shenandoah (ZR-1),
powered by helium gas instead of hydrogen, is christened at Naval Air
Station Lakehurst, NJ. On Sept. 3, 1925, USS Shenandoah encounters
violent weather over southern Ohio and breaks up. Fourteen of her crew
lose their lives in this tragedy.
Oct. 15, 1948 (75) The rst women ocers on active duty are sworn in as commissioned
ocers in the Regular Navy under the Women’s Armed Services Integration
Act of June 1948 by Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan: Capt. Joy
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B. Hancock; Lt. Cmdr. Winifred R. Quick; Lt. Cmdr. Anne King; Lt. Cmdr.
Frances L. Willoughby; Lt. Ellen Ford; Lt. Doris Cranmore; Lt. j.g. Doris A.
Defenderfer; and Lt. j.g. Betty Rae Tennant.
Oct. 18, 2003 (20) USS Chafee (DDG-90) is commissioned at Newport, RI. The rst U.S.
Navy ship named to honor John Hubbard Chafee, the late Senator from
Rhode Island, who also served as Secretary of the Navy under President
Nixon.
Oct. 19, 2018 (5) For the rst time in nearly 30 years, a U.S. aircraft carrier enters the
Arctic Circle. USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and its strike group conduct
operations in the Norwegian Sea.
Oct. 22, 2018 (5) The U.S. Navy commissions its rst unmanned aircraft system test
and evaluation squadron during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Patuxent
River’s Webster Outlying Field.
Nov. 4, 1923 (100) Lt. Alford J. Williams, ying an R2C-1 equipped with a Curtiss D-12
engine, raises the world speed record to 266.59 mph at Mitchel Field,
Long Island, NY, beating the record set by Lt. Harold J. Brow only two days
before.
Nov. 5, 2018 (5) No one is injured when U.S. EP-3 Aries aircraft ying in international
airspace over the Black Sea is intercepted by a Russian SU-27. During the
unsafe interaction, the SU-27 conducts a high-speed pass directly in front
of the mission aircraft, putting the crew at risk. The intercepting SU-27
made an additional pass, closing with the EP-3 and applying its afterburner
while conducting a banking turn away.
Nov. 7, 1973 (50) The War Powers Resolution becomes law. The law requires the
president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces
to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than
60 days, with a further 30-day withdrawal period, without an authorization
of the use of military force or a declaration of war.
Nov. 12, 2018 (5) A Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 F/A-18 experiences a mechanical issue
that results in the crew ejecting while conducting routine operations in
the Philippine Sea. The crew is immediately and safely recovered by USS
Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) search and rescue aircraft.
Nov. 16, 1798 (225) Off Havana, the warship Baltimore is halted by the British, who
intend to impress Baltimore crewmembers who cannot prove American
citizenship. Fifty-ve seamen are imprisoned; 50 are later freed.
Nov. 16, 1973 (50) Skylab 4 is launched, LTC Gerald P. Carr, USMC in command. The
mission lasted 84 days and included 1,214 Earth orbits. Recovery by USS
New Orleans (LPH-11).
Nov. 17, 2018 (5) Littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS-11) is commissioned during a
ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Nov. 27, 2018 (5) USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) achieves a major milestone as it
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successfully launches from dry dock and moors pierside at Commander,
Fleet Activities Yokosuka. The ship had been in drydock for about nine
months following its collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while
underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21, 2017.
Nov. 30, 2018 (5) Former naval aviator and ex-President George H.W. Bush dies at age
94.
Dec. 1, 2013 (10) Pilots and Sailors of VP-16 arrive on station at Kadena Air Base
Okinawa for the rst deployment of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The P-8A
eventually replaces the venerable P-3 Orion.
Dec. 3, 2018 (5) The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Thomas Hudner
(DDG-116), is commissioned during a ceremony in Boston.
Dec. 4, 1998 (25) USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) is commissioned at Philadelphia, PA.
The ship is named in honor of the late Marine Corps Colonel Donald G.
Cook, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in
Vietnam while held as prisoner for three years by the Viet Cong.
Dec. 6, 2018 (5) Naval aviators from various commands under Commander, Strike
Fighter Wing Atlantic and Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, operating
out of Naval Air Station Oceana, y a 21-jet missing man formation over
the George Bush Library and Museum at the interment ceremony for the
late President George H.W. Bush.
Dec. 12, 2018 (5) The Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy Sailors manning the Aegis
Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex at the Pacic Missile Range Facility
at Kauai, HI, successfully conduct an operational live re test. The test
demonstrates the Aegis weapon system “engage on remote” capability to
track and intercept an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile target with an
Aegis Ashore-launched Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor.
Dec. 12, 2018 (5) Flying F-35C Lightning II aircraft, the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter
Squadron (VFA) 147 complete carrier qualications aboard USS Carl
Vinson (CVN-70), the nal required component for Commander, Joint
Strike Fighter Wing to issue the squadron its safe-for-ight operations
certication.
Dec. 16, 1998 (25) In Operation Desert Fox, Navy cruise missiles attack Iraq to degrade
Saddam Hussein’s ability to make and use weapons of mass destruction.
Dec. 29, 1798 (225) Secretary of Navy Benjamin Stoddert sends in his rst annual report
to Congress, requesting naval forces be increased “to make the most
powerful nation desire our friendship—the most unprincipled respect our
neutrality.”
Dec. 31, 1948 (75) The last annual report by a Secretary of the Navy to Congress and the
President is led by Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan. Thereafter the
Secretary of Defense reports annually to Congress.
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Overarching Guidance
The U.S. Oce of Special Counsel (OSC) routinely receives questions from federal
employees and others about when the use of social media could violate the Hatch Act. Social
media platforms are easily accessible to most employees while at work — on computers,
smartphones, or other devices. OSC has created this guidance to help federal employees
understand what the Hatch Act does and does not allow when using social media.
1
In general, all federal employees may use social media and comply with the Hatch Act if they
remember the following three prohibitions:
(1) On Duty or in the Workplace Prohibition — Employees may not engage in political activity
while on duty or in the federal workplace.
(2) 24/7 Prohibition — Employees may not knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political
contribution for a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
(3) 24/7 Prohibition — Employees may not use their ocial authority or inuence to affect the
outcome of an election.
Some employees are considered “further restricted” under the Hatch Act.
2
In addition to the
three prohibitions above, further restricted employees are subject to a fourth prohibition:
(4) 24/7 Prohibition — Further restricted employees may not take an active part in partisan
political management or campaigning.
As such, further restricted employees may not engage in political activity on behalf of or in
concert with a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group. For
instance, taking an “active part” would include: distributing material created by a political party,
candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group; speaking at a political rally organized
or sponsored by such entities; or serving as a campaign volunteer.
This guidance will discuss each of the above prohibitions in turn. The last prohibition
discussed is applicable only to further restricted employees. There are some very limited
exceptions to these prohibitions for certain employees in specic positions and, when in doubt,
employees are encouraged to contact OSC at [email protected] or (202) 804-7002 with any
additional questions.
1 This Hatch Act Guidance supersedes OSC’s prior guidance on social media in 2012 and 2015.
2 You are a further restricted employee under the Hatch Act if you are a career member of the Senior Executive
Service, an administrative law judge, a contract appeals board member, an administrative appeals judge, or if
you work in one of the following agencies, or agency components: (1) Central Intelligence Agency; (2) Criminal
Division of the Department of Justice; (3) Defense Intelligence Agency; (4) Election Assistance Commission; (5)
Federal Bureau of Investigation; (6) Federal Election Commission; (7) Merit Systems Protection Board; (8) Na-
tional Geospatial- Intelligence Agency; (9) National Security Agency; (10) National Security Council; (11) National
Security Division of the Department of Justice; (12) Oce of Criminal Investigation of the Internal Revenue Ser-
vice; (13) Oce of the Director of National Intelligence; (14) Oce of Investigative Programs of the United States
Customs Service; (15) Oce of Law Enforcement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; (16) Oce of
Special Counsel; or (17) Secret Service. See 5 U.S.C. § 7323(b)(2)-(3).
political activity
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(1) ON DUTY OR IN THE WORKPLACE PROHIBITION – Employees may not engage in political
activity while on duty or in the workplace.
3
Political activity is an activity directed at the
success or failure of a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
(A) Posting, Liking,
4
Sharing, or Retweeting Partisan Messages
Rule: Employees may not post, like, share, or retweet a message or comment in support of or
opposition to a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group while on
duty or in the workplace, even if their social media account is private.
Example 1: You are at home after work. You may like or tweet a message encouraging others
to vote for your favored candidate in a partisan race.
Example 2: You are on duty and looking at Facebook on your personal cell phone. You see that
a friend posted a message encouraging others to vote for members of a certain political party.
You may not like or share that message while you are on duty.
Example 3: You stay at work during your lunch break and check Facebook on your personal cell
phone. A Facebook friend posted a message about an upcoming event supporting a candidate
in a partisan race. Even if you are not in a pay status during your lunch break, you may not like
or share that post while you are in the workplace.
Example 4: You are teleworking from home and on your lunch break in which you are not in a
pay status. You are looking at Facebook on your personal iPad and see that a friend posted a
message about an upcoming event supporting a political party. Because you are on your lunch
break and not in a federal building, you may like or share that post.
Example 5: You are teleworking from home and looking at Twitter on your personal computer.
You see that the President tweeted an endorsement of a congressional candidate. You may
not like or retweet that message while on duty.
5
Example 6: You are teleworking and looking at Facebook on your personal cell phone. You see
that a Senate candidate posted a message asking for votes on Election Day. You may not post
a comment in support of that message while on duty.
(B) Liking, Following, or Friending Candidates or Partisan Groups
Rule: Employees may not like, follow, or friend the social media account of a political party,
candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group while on duty or in the workplace.
Example 1: You are at home after work and nd the Instagram account of a partisan political
group. You may follow them on Instagram and like their posts.
Example 2: You are at work and looking at your private Facebook account on your personal
iPad. A Facebook friend shared the post of a candidate in a partisan race announcing that he
or she received an endorsement. You may not like, follow, or friend the candidate’s Facebook
page while on duty or in the workplace.
(C) Liking, Following, or Friending the Ocial Social Media Accounts of Government Ocials
3 Employees also may not engage in political activity while wearing a uniform or ocial insignia identifying the
oce or employee’s position, or while using a government owned or leased vehicle.
4 Liking includes the use of other emojis or reactions, such as those in the “like” function of Facebook.
5 The President and Vice President are not covered under the Hatch Act and, as a result, are not subject to its
social media restrictions.
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Rule: Employees may continue to follow, be friends with, or like the ocial social media
accounts of government ocials after those ocials become candidates for reelection.
Example 1: You follow the ocial government Twitter account of the President or a Member of
Congress, who has just announced their candidacy for reelection. You may continue to follow
these ocial accounts.
(D) Using an Alias on Social Media
Rule: Employees may not use an alias on social media to engage in any activity that is directed
at the success or failure of a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political
group while on duty or in the workplace.
Example 1: Your name is John Smith, but you create a Facebook prole as John Jones. You
are at home after work and see that a Facebook friend posted a negative message about a
candidate in a partisan race. You may share or like that post.
Example 2: Your name is Jane Smith, but you create a Twitter account as Jane Jones. You
are at work, on duty, and looking at your alias Twitter account on your personal cell phone. An
actor you follow on Twitter posted a negative message about a political party. You may not like
or retweet that message either as Jane Smith or Jane Jones while on duty or in the workplace.
(E) Prole Pictures on Social Media Accounts
Rule: Employees may display a political party or current campaign logo or the photograph of
a candidate in a partisan race as a prole picture on personal Facebook or Twitter accounts;
however, they may not post, share, tweet, or retweet on those accounts while on duty or in the
workplace.
6
Example 1: You decide to use a current campaign logo as your prole picture on your personal
Twitter account. Although you may use the logo as your prole picture, you may not tweet or
retweet any messages on that account while on duty or in the workplace.
(F) Cover and Header Photographs on Social Media Accounts
Rule: Employees may display a political party or campaign logo or photograph of a candidate
in a partisan race as a cover or header photograph on their personal Twitter or Facebook
accounts.
7
Example 1: You recently took a photograph with a candidate in a local partisan race. You may
use the photograph as the header on your personal Facebook account.
(2) 24/7 PROHIBITION – Employees may not knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political
contribution for a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
(A) Posting or Tweeting Solicitations
6 Because a prole picture accompanies most actions on social media, employees would not be permitted, while
on duty or in the workplace, to post, share, tweet, or retweet any items on Facebook or Twitter, because each such
action would show their support for a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group, even
if the content of the post, share, tweet, or retweet is not about those entities.
7 Unlike prole pictures, cover and header photographs do not accompany most actions on social media. There-
fore, the Hatch Act generally does not prohibit employees from using their social media accounts at work, even
if they display a political party or campaign logo or photograph of a candidate in a partisan race as their cover or
header photograph. But employees should always consult their agency’s computer-use policies before using any
social media at work.
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Rule: Employees, even when not on duty or in the workplace, may not post or tweet a message
that solicits political contributions or invites people to a fundraising event.
Example 1: You may not tweet a message asking your Twitter followers to contribute ve
dollars to help a candidate in a local partisan race.
Example 2: You are attending a political party’s annual fundraising event. You may not post a
message on Facebook inviting friends to join you at the event.
(B) Liking, Sharing, or Retweeting Solicitations
Rule: Employees, even when not on duty or in the workplace, may not like, share, or retweet a
post that solicits political contributions, including invitations to fundraising events.
Example 1: Someone tweets a message offering to match the donation of the rst ve friends
that donate to a certain candidate in a local partisan race. Although the Hatch Act does not
prohibit you from donating to the campaign, you may not like, share, or retweet that post.
Example 2: A friend shares a post on Facebook that includes an invitation to a local fundraising
event for a political party. You may not like or share that post.
Example 3: Someone tags you in a post, or posts a message to your Facebook page, that asks
for donations for a partisan political group. You do not have an armative duty to remove that
post from your Facebook page or un-tag your name from the post; however, you may not like or
share the post.
(C) Accepting Invitations to Fundraising Events on Social Media
Rule: If not on duty or in the workplace, employees may accept invitations to, or mark
themselves as “attending,” a fundraising event on social media.
Example 1: A friend sends you an invitation on Facebook to a fundraising event for a candidate
in a partisan race. You may accept the invitation or mark yourself as “attending” the fundraising
event, provided you are not on duty or in the workplace.
(D) Using an Alias on Social Media
Rule: Employees, even when not on duty or in the workplace, may not use an alias on social
media to solicit a political contribution for a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or a
partisan political group.
Example 1: Your name is John Smith, but you create a Facebook prole as John Jones. You are
at home after work and see that a Facebook friend posted a message that solicits campaign
contributions for a candidate in a partisan race. You may not share that message either as
John Smith or John Jones.
(3) 24/7 PROHIBITION – Employees may not use their ocial authority or inuence to affect
the outcome of an election.
(A) Using Ocial Title or Position in Social Media Prole
Rule: Employees may include their ocial titles or positions and where they work in their social
media proles, even if they also include their political aliation or otherwise use their account
to engage in political activity.
Example 1: Your Twitter prole includes your ocial title or position and where you work. You
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may also list your political aliation.
Example 2: Your Facebook prole includes your ocial title or position, where you work, and
your political aliation. You may post a message supporting a candidate in a partisan race,
provided you are not on duty or in the workplace.
(B) Using Ocial Title or Position in Social Media Communications
Rule: Employees may not use their ocial titles or positions when posting messages directed
at the success or failure of a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political
group.
Example 1: While at home after work, you decide to post a positive comment on the Twitter
account of a candidate in a local partisan race. You may not mention your ocial title or
position in that comment, even if your Twitter account is private.
Example 2: Your LinkedIn prole headline includes your ocial title or position. You may not
use that LinkedIn account to post or share messages directed at the success or failure of a
political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
8
(C) Using Ocial Social Media Accounts
Rule: Employees may not use a social media account designated for ocial purposes to
post or share messages directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate in a
partisan race, or partisan political group. All such ocial social media accounts should remain
politically neutral.
Example 1: While accessing the Twitter account you use for ocial purposes, you see that a
political party tweeted its support for a candidate in a partisan race. You may not retweet or
like that post from the account used for ocial purposes (or from your personal social media
account if you are on duty or in the workplace).
(D) Misusing Personal Social Media Accounts
Rule: Employees may not engage in political activity on a personal social media account
if they are using such accounts for ocial purposes or posting in their ocial capacities.
Factors indicating that a personal social media account is being used in ways that suggest
it is an ocial social media account include, for example: (1) the account contains little to
no personal content; (2) the account identies the individual as a federal employee; (3) the
account extensively uses photographs of the employee’s ocial activities; (4) the account
often references, retweets, likes, comments, or otherwise shares material related to ocial
activities; or (5) the account is linked to an agency website or other ocial page. No one factor
is dispositive.
Example 1: You are a federal employee and maintain only a personal Twitter account. While
you have some personal posts about family vacations and events with friends, most of your
posts are retweets of your agency’s initiatives and photographs of you at ocial events. You
may not use this account to make posts directed at the success or failure of a political party,
candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
8 A LinkedIn prole headline accompanies most actions on LinkedIn. Therefore, employees who include an
ocial title or position in their LinkedIn prole headline would not be permitted to post or share any messages
on LinkedIn that are directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan
political group.
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(E) Targeting Subordinates and Certain Groups
9
in Social Media Communications
Rule: Supervisors and subordinates may be friends or follow one another on social media
platforms. However, supervisors may not send to subordinates, or to a subset of friends that
includes subordinates, any message that is directed at the success or failure of a political
party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
Example 1: You are a supervisor. You may tweet generally about your support of a candidate in
a local partisan race even if one of your subordinates follows you on Twitter, provided you are
not on duty or in the workplace.
Example 2: You are a supervisor. You may not mention, or use the Twitter handle of, a
subordinate who follows you on Twitter when tweeting your support of a candidate in a
partisan race.
Example 3: You are a supervisor. You want to send via Facebook Messenger your opinion
about which candidate to support in an upcoming partisan election. You may not include a
subordinate employee in the recipient group of that message.
(4) 24/7 PROHIBITION – *Further restricted employees* may not take an active part in partisan
political management or campaigning.
(A) Sharing or Retweeting Partisan Messages
Rule: Further restricted employees may not share or retweet posts from, or the page of, a
political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group, even if they are not on
duty or in the workplace.
Example 1: You are at home using your personal cell phone to look at Facebook. You see that
a political party has posted a message about voting on Election Day. You may not share that
post.
Example 2: You may like the campaign Facebook page of a candidate in a partisan race, but
you may not share that page.
Example 3: A friend has shared a Facebook post from the campaign of a Presidential
candidate. You may not share that post.
(B) Linking to Partisan Material or Websites
Rule: Further restricted employees may not link to campaign or other partisan material of a
political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group, even if they are not on
duty or in the workplace.
Example 1: You may not include in your Facebook prole the link to the website of a candidate
in a partisan race.
Example 2: You may not tweet a message in support of a candidate in a partisan race that
includes a link to that candidate’s Twitter account.
(C) Posting to or Liking Partisan Social Media Accounts or Messages
Rule: Further restricted employees may post to or like the social media accounts or messages
9 The Hatch Act prohibits an employee from knowingly soliciting or discouraging the political activity of any per-
son who, for example, has a grant application pending before, or is the subject of an investigation by, the employ-
ee’s employing oce.
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of a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group, provided they are
not on duty or in the workplace.
Example 1: Your friend is running for Congress. You may like her campaign Facebook page or
post a message of support on her page, provided you are not on duty or in the workplace.
(D) Posting Personal Political Opinions
Rule: While not on duty or in the workplace, further restricted employees may engage in
political activity on social media, provided it is not done in concert with or on behalf of a
political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.
Example 1: You may tweet your own message advocating the defeat of a Presidential
candidate, provided you are not on duty or in the workplace.
Guidance For Armed Forces
Q1. What is the DoD policy regarding political activities by members of the Armed Forces?
A1. DoD has a longstanding policy of encourage military personnel to carry out the obligations
of citizenship. However, AD members will not engage in partisan political activities and all
military personnel will avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply
DoD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign or cause.
Q2. Can political candidates visit a DoD installation or facility?
A2. A candidate for civil oce may not be permitted to engage in campaign or election
related activities (e.g., public assemblies, town hall meetings, speeches, fund-raisers,
press conferences, post-election celebrations, and concession addresses) while on a DoD
installation, which includes overseas installations and areas under the control of combat or
peacekeeping forces of the United States military.
Q3. Can a seated politician visit a DoD installation or facility if they are campaigning for oce?
A3. A candidate who holds a civil oce may visit a DoD installation or facility for the purpose
of conducting ocial business or to access entitlements or benets the candidate is
authorized to use; however, no candidate running for oce is permitted access for campaign
or election purposes.
Q4. How does DoD dene when a political campaign begins and ends?
A4. According to DoD policy, a political campaign or election begins when a candidate,
including an incumbent oceholder, makes a formal announcement to seek political oce
or when an individual les for candidacy with the Federal Election Commission or equivalent
regulatory oce. Once initiated, a political campaign or election does not end until one week
after the conclusion of the relevant election.
Q5. What political activities can a service member participate in and which ones are
prohibited?
A5. DoD has a longstanding policy of encouraging military personnel to carry out the
obligations of citizenship, and certain political activities are permitted, such as voting and
making a personal monetary donation. However, active duty members will not engage in
partisan political activities, and all military personnel will avoid the inference that their political
activities imply or appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political
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candidate, campaign or cause.
Examples of political activities that are prohibited include campaigning for a candidate,
soliciting contributions, marching in a partisan parade and wearing the uniform to a partisan
event. For a complete list of permissible and prohibited activities, please consult
DoD Directive 1344.10, Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces Guidance for
Military Personnel.
Q6. Does that mean a service member can vote, but not actively support a
particular candidate or cause?
A6. Unquestionably, service members can exercise their right to vote. However, AD members
will not engage in partisan political activities and will avoid the inference that their political
activities imply or appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval, or endorsement. For a list of
permissible and prohibited activities, please consult DoD Directive 1344.10, Political Activities
by Members of the Armed Forces (reference (c)).
Q7. Does DoD support and encourage its personnel to vote?
A7. DoD encourages all members of the Armed Forces and federal civilian employees to
register and vote. The department actively supports the Federal Voting Assistance Program
to ensure its personnel have the resources, time and ability to participate in their civic duty.
Additionally, department leaders and military commanders appoint voting assistance ocers
at every level of command and ensure they are trained and equipped to provide voting
assistance.
Q8. Can a DoD installation be used as a polling place in an election?
A8. As of December 31, 2000, if an installation facility is designated as an ocial polling place
by an election ocial or has been used as a polling place since January 1, 1996, installation
commanders will not deny the use of that facility as a polling place for any election. The
Secretary of Defense or the secretary of the military department concerned may grant a waiver
of the requirement to allow use of the facility if it is determined that security is a concern. All
members of the Armed Forces on AD are instructed to remain clear of all polling places expect
when voting.
Q9. Does DoD provide any voting assistance?
A9. Yes, DoD provides voting assistance via the Federal Voting Assistance Program. FVAP
works to ensure service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens are
aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so – from
anywhere in the world – via FVAP.gov. The services also provide voting assistance ocers at
the unit level to facilitate in-person assistance when required.
Guidance For Civilians
Before posting about politics on social media, Department of the Navy civilians need to
consider the Hatch Act and DoD policy.
In general, as a federal employee, you may use social media and comply with the Hatch Act if
you:
● Don’t engage in political activity while on duty or in the workplace, even if you’re using your
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personal smartphone, tablet, or laptop to do so. Federal employees are “on duty” when
they’re in a pay status (including during telework hours, but not including paid leave) or are
representing the government in an ocial capacity.
● Don’t post political opinions, likes, shares, etc. while on government property, even if inside
your vehicle on a lunch break, using your own device to post to your personal account.
● Don’t engage in political activity in an ocial capacity at any time. Political activity refers to
any activity directed at the success or failure of a political party or partisan political group
or candidate in a partisan race.
● Don’t solicit or receive political contributions at any time.
As a civilian, you may express your opinions about a partisan group or candidate in a partisan
race by posting, liking, sharing, tweeting or retweeting, but there are a few limitations. The
Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from:
● Referring to your ocial titles or positions while engaged in political activity at any time; it’s
important to note that including your ocial title or position in your social media prole is
not an improper use of ocial authority.
● Suggesting or asking anyone to make political contributions at any time, including providing
links to the political contribution page of any partisan group or candidate in a partisan race
or liking, sharing or retweeting a solicitation from one of those entities.
● Liking, sharing or retweeting an invitation to a political fundraising event; however, you may
accept an invitation to a political fundraising event from such entities via social media.
● Posting political opinions/likes/shares while on government property, even if inside your
vehicle on a lunch break, using your own device to post to your personal account.
Civilians who fall in the “further restricted employees” category may express opinions about
a partisan group or candidate in a partisan race by posting or sharing content, but there are a
few limitations. In addition to the limitations above, the Hatch Act prohibits further restricted
employees from:
● Posting or linking to campaign or other partisan material of a partisan group or candidate
in a partisan race. Sharing those entities’ social media sites or their content, including
retweeting.
Civilians are allowed to identify their political party aliation in their social media proles, even
if the prole also contains their ocial title or position, without more. As a civilian, you may
display a political party or campaign logo or a candidate photograph in your prole picture, but
it’s subject to the following limitations: Because a prole picture accompanies most actions
on social media, while in the workplace you would not be permitted to post, share, tweet, or
retweet any partisan social media content because each such action would show your support
for a partisan group or candidate in a partisan race, even if the content of the action is not
about those entities.
For the full policy and more details, see the U.S. Oce of Special Counsel website at:
http://www.osc.gov
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DOD INSTRUCTION 5400.17
O
FFICIAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS
PURPOSES
Originating Component: Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
Effective: August 12, 2022
Releasability: Cleared for public release. Available on the Directives Division Website
at https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/.
Approved by: Gordon Trowbridge, Acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for
Public Affairs
Purpose: In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5122.05 and DoD Instruction
(DoDI) 8170.01, this issuance:
• Establishes policies and provides procedures:
o For initiating an external official presence (EOP) on social media platforms for public affairs
(PA) purposes.
o To maintain an EOP on social media platforms.
• Assigns responsibility to OSD and DoD Components for EOP on social media platforms.
• Provides:
o Core principles regarding social media use within DoD.
o Guidance regarding records management procedures for social media accounts.
o Guidance on personal social media use by DoD personnel.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION .............................................................................. 4
1.1. Applicability. .................................................................................................................... 4
1.2. Policy. ............................................................................................................................... 4
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES ......................................................................................................... 5
2.1. Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD(PA)). ........................... 5
2.2. DoD Chief Information Officer. ....................................................................................... 5
2.3. OSD and DoD Component Heads. ................................................................................... 6
SECTION 3: CORE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE WITHIN DOD .............................................. 7
3.1. Official Use of Social Media. ........................................................................................... 7
3.2. DoD Social Media Principles............................................................................................ 7
a. Governance. ................................................................................................................... 7
b. Professionalism. ............................................................................................................. 7
c. Propriety. ........................................................................................................................ 8
d. Acumen. ......................................................................................................................... 8
e. Establishment Need. ....................................................................................................... 8
f. Transparency. ................................................................................................................. 8
SECTION 4: DOD EOP ..................................................................................................................... 9
4.1. Establishing An Official Presence. ................................................................................... 9
a. Considerations Concerning Official Accounts. .............................................................. 9
b. Registering an Account. ............................................................................................... 10
c. Establishing EOPs for OSD and DoD Component Heads. .......................................... 10
d. EOPs Below the Component Level. ............................................................................ 10
4.2. New and Emerging Platforms. ........................................................................................ 11
SECTION 5: BRANDING GUIDELINES .............................................................................................. 12
5.1. Clear Identification. ........................................................................................................ 12
5.2. Official DoD and Military Department and Service Seals vs. Emblems and Logos. ..... 12
SECTION 6: AUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS ............................................................................................ 13
6.1. Official Social Media Conduct. ...................................................................................... 13
6.2. PA Official Use of Social Media. ................................................................................... 15
a. Official Organizational Accounts. ............................................................................... 15
b. Official Institutional Accounts. .................................................................................... 15
c. Official Individual Accounts. ....................................................................................... 16
6.3. Military Marketing and Recruitment Accounts. ............................................................. 16
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP ............................................................................................... 17
7.1. Records Management...................................................................................................... 17
a. DoD Information Security............................................................................................ 17
b. Managing Social Media Records. ................................................................................ 17
c. Capturing Social Media. ............................................................................................... 17
d. Private or Direct Messages from DoD Social Media Accounts. ................................. 18
e. Account Transition and Archiving of Official Social Media Accounts. ...................... 18
7.2. Use of PAI For PA. ......................................................................................................... 19
7.3. Risks Associated with Operating EOP. .......................................................................... 20
a. Social Media Cyber-Vandalism. .................................................................................. 20
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
b. Fake or Imposter Social Media Accounts of DoD Employees and Service Members. 20
7.4. Linking and Sharing from Official Social Media Accounts. .......................................... 21
7.5. Social Media Platform VerIfied Accounts. ..................................................................... 22
SECTION 8: PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY DOD PERSONNEL ................................................. 23
a. Maintain a Clear Distinction Between Personal and Official Accounts. ..................... 23
b. Do Not Disclose Non-Public Information. .................................................................. 23
c. Do Not Conduct Official Business on Personal Social Media Accounts. .................... 24
d. Do Not Accept Compensation for any Activity Relating to One’s Status as a DoD
Civilian Employee or Military Service Member. ........................................................ 24
e. Do Not Engage in Prohibited Political Activity, as Defined in Applicable Law and
Regulation. .................................................................................................................. 24
GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................................... 25
G.1. Acronyms. ...................................................................................................................... 25
G.2. Definitions. ..................................................................................................................... 25
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................. 27
FIGURES
Figure 1. Mandatory Acceptable Use Policy Agreement Statements .......................................... 10
Figure 2 Sample Disclaimer for Personal Social Media Accounts .............................................. 23
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION 4
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION
1.1. APPLICABILITY.
a. This issuance:
(1) Applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of Inspector General of
the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other
organizational entities within the DoD (referred to collectively in this issuance as the “DoD
Components”).
(2) Does not apply to social media accounts established for marketing activities by
Military Service recruiting commands, in accordance with DoDI 1304.35.
b. Nothing in this issuance should be construed as preventing the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense from fulfilling their duties pursuant to Sections 7321-7326 of Title 5,
United States Code (U.S.C.), Appendix, also known as the Inspector General Act of 1978, as
amended.
1.2. POLICY.
a. It is DoD policy to use official DoD accounts on non-DoD controlled social media
platforms to amplify timely and relevant information about the national security, defense
strategy, and appropriate unclassified work of the Department.
b. It is DoD policy that:
(1) The ability to adapt to changing trends and technologies on dynamic social media
platforms is needed to take full advantage of social media as a communication tool and in
support of the National Defense Strategy in accordance with Section 113(g) of Title 10, U.S.C.
(2) The integration of social media is an integral element of DoD strategies to
communicate official information publicly in accordance with DoDI 8170.01.
(3) Information communicated by OSD and DoD Components on official social media
accounts constitutes a segment of PA activities, in accordance with DoDI 5400.13,
DoDD 5122.05, and this issuance.
(4) Information disclosed will be in compliance with the DoD Principles of Information
in accordance with DoDD 5122.05.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 5
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1. ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS
(ATSD(PA)).
The ATSD(PA):
a. Is the principal spokesperson for DoD and responsible for ensuring a free flow of
information to the news media, general public, internal audiences of DoD, and other applicable
forums through official DoD social media accounts managed by OSD and DoD Components, in
accordance with DoDD 5122.05.
b. Provides the final approval for all EOPs established by OSD and DoD Component heads
in accordance with DoDI 8170.01 concerning the use of social media.
c. May direct the removal of any official social media account that does not adhere to the
policy, procedures, and instructions provided in this issuance.
d. Oversees the implementation of integrated communication strategies that incorporate
digital media content on official DoD social media accounts.
e. Provides guidance and direction for OSD and DoD Components to use publicly available
information (PAI) for PA activities through third-party social media management platforms, in
accordance with DoDD 3115.18.
f. Ensures the conduct of appropriate pre-publication security and policy reviews in
accordance with DoDIs 5230.09 and 5230.29, as applicable.
2.2. DOD CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.
The DoD Chief Information Officer:
a. In coordination with ATSD(PA), oversees implementation of policy and procedures for
ensuring the quality of information the DoD disseminates to the public.
b. On a limited, case-by-case basis, reviews requests by OSD and DoD Component heads to
negotiate terms of service with a non-DoD controlled electronic messaging service. In
coordination with the ATSD(PA), Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, and DoD
Office of General Counsel, the DoD Chief Information Officer reviews the request in accordance
with DoDI 8170.01.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 6
2.3. OSD AND DOD COMPONENT HEADS.
The OSD and DoD Component heads:
a. May establish EOPs for their Components, in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.
b. May establish Component-specific social media regulations to manage social media
managers, accounts, and activities.
c. For any EOP they establish, ensure proper management of records created or received
through activity of the EOP throughout the lifecycle of the records in accordance with
DoDI 5015.02.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 3: CORE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE WITHIN DOD 7
SECTION 3: CORE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE WITHIN DOD
3.1. OFFICIAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
a. Social media communication provides the opportunity and responsibility to communicate
directly to the public. DoD uses official social media accounts for the sake of transparency and
to disseminate information.
b. If social media is mismanaged or mishandled, the U.S. Government’s reputation with the
American public; relationships with interagency, international, State, local, and tribal entities;
military operations; and reputation for a high ethical and professional standard may be
compromised. DoD social media content can be consumed by any audience, intended or
unintended, foreign or domestic. All DoD PA and social media managers should understand that
even the smallest or newest official account will be interpreted as a representative of the whole
of DoD.
c. DoD personnel may establish accounts for personal, non-official use in accordance with
DoDI 8170.01. Personal accounts may not be used to conduct official DoD communications,
unless by exception identified in Paragraph 3.26.a of DoDI 8170.01. DoD personnel must ensure
that their personal social media accounts avoid use of DoD titles, insignia, uniforms, or symbols
in a way that could imply DoD sanction or endorsement of the content. Where confusion or
doubt is likely to arise regarding the personal nature of social media activities, personnel are
encouraged to include a disclaimer clarifying that their social media communications reflect only
their personal views and do not necessarily represent the views of their agency or the United
States. See Section 8 of this instruction for additional guidance on the personal use of social
media by DoD personnel.
3.2. DOD SOCIAL MEDIA PRINCIPLES.
The following principles will apply to official use of social media for PA purposes:
a. Governance.
OSD and DoD Component PA teams oversee and provide guidance on the use and
management of official DoD social media accounts. Communications will align with and
support PA objectives and efforts across all platforms.
b. Professionalism.
All official social media content is a reflection of the Department. When posting to official
social media accounts, content should meet well-defined, appropriate objectives. Public Affairs
Officers will remain respectful, responsive, and genuine, and exercise the same high standard of
professional and ethical behavior on social media accounts as they do during any other function
or on any other platform. Content should inspire and engage with audiences. At no time,
however, should such content undermine the Department’s efforts to remain a good steward of
the public trust. No content will be released that could be reasonably construed as offensive,
inappropriate, or unbecoming. Official social media accounts must not be used to promote or
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 3: CORE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE WITHIN DOD 8
endorse non-Federal entities or personal financial interests. Only designated DoD personnel may
authorize release of information on social media accounts; contractor personnel may support
EOP maintenance but cannot authorize the release of public information.
c. Propriety.
Posts released from official DoD social media accounts must be:
(1) Accurate. The content is accurate.
(2) Appropriate. The account is the proper vehicle for the message.
(3) Timely. The message can be delivered at the proper time.
(4) In the Appropriate Tone. The message is being delivered in the proper tone.
(5) Approved for public release. The message has been reviewed for operations security
and information security concerns and approved for public release, in accordance with
DoDIs 5230.09 and 5230.29, as applicable.
d. Acumen.
PA officers and social media account managers should proactively maintain currency in the
latest social media tactics, best practices, and trends, coupled with an understanding of and
ability to apply PA objectives (e.g., as articulated in the DoD Communications Playbook).
Social media account managers must complete operations security training Level 2 and be
prepared to act quickly and implement evolving capabilities intelligently to remain effective in
the use of the platform.
e. Establishment Need.
New official accounts should only be established if a specific communications outcome
cannot be fulfilled by an existing account(s) or other means of communication. More for the
sake of more is not necessarily better.
f. Transparency.
Social media account managers will not remove social media content from official DoD
accounts unless there is a factual or typographical error; violation of a law, policy, term of
service, or user agreement; or an operations or information security concern. Removal of content
will be publicly acknowledged and communicated to audiences to provide context and
appropriate clarification for the action; managers must persistently monitor, communicate, and,
where appropriate, responsively engage with users regarding such removal. Removal of content
can unintentionally discredit DoD information if the action appears to be taken to:
(1) Avoid embarrassment;
(2) Stifle or silence discussion about a controversial topic; or
(3) Mislead users to believe an issue is inconsequential or of minor significance.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 4: DOD EOP 9
SECTION 4: DOD EOP
4.1. ESTABLISHING AN OFFICIAL PRESENCE.
a. Considerations Concerning Official Accounts.
(1) OSD and DoD Components must assess the communication value of establishing an
official presence on approved social media platforms to provide timely and accurate information
to the public and the news media in accordance with DoDD 5122.05 and Paragraph 3.24 of
DoDI 8170.01.
(2) The creation of EOPs on social media platforms should be carefully considered and
avoided, unless the proposed EOP meets a specific communications objective that is not being
fulfilled by any existing EOP or other PA activities. Commands at all levels will consolidate and
deactivate EOPs that detract or disrupt users searching for official DoD information. Content on
any deactivated official accounts must be archived in accordance with DoDI 5015.02.
(3) Organizations that identify a communication need that can be satisfied through social
media should evaluate available resources to establish and manage an account with the intent to
build and engage audiences, and use analytics to elevate their digital impact.
(4) PA offices should be resourced with the industry standard equipment, training, and
personnel to manage social media accounts, especially over multiple social media platforms,
including public web activities pursuant to DoDD 5122.05.
(5) Pursuant to Paragraph 3.24.k. of DoDI 8170.01, mission-related contact information
must be used to establish an EOP.
(6) DoD personnel managing or having access to an official social media account will
coordinate with their local information technology offices and sign an acceptable use policy
agreement for tracking purposes in accordance with Component cybersecurity regulations.
(7) Acceptable use policy agreements must include the statements in Figure 1. If the
existing acceptable use policy agreement does not contain the language in Figure 1, it should be
amended accordingly or a standalone acknowledgement containing the language in Figure 1
should be signed.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 4: DOD EOP 10
Figure 1. Mandatory Acceptable Use Policy Agreement Statements
I will use official DoD social media accounts on non-DoD-controlled social media platforms
(e.g., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram) only as authorized by my job or duty
description and to conduct official business, including to release official agency information or
other official communication. I will not use personal social media accounts to conduct official
business except as authorized in accordance with DoDI 8170.01.
b. Registering an Account.
(1) All DoD owned and/or operated social media accounts must be registered at
https://www.defense.gov/Resources/Register-a-Site/ and must register with the U.S. Digital
Registry at https://www.digitalgov.gov/services/u-s-digital-registry/ in accordance with
DoDI 8170.01.
(2) Registering accounts constitutes the official status for DoD social media accounts on
authorized platforms.
c. Establishing EOPs for OSD and DoD Component Heads.
(1) In coordination with the ATSD(PA), OSD and DoD Component heads approve the
creation of individual social media accounts for their positions. OSD and DoD Component
heads will submit an action memo to the ATSD(PA) requesting the establishment of a new
individual or institutional social media account.
(2) DoD personnel, including OSD and DoD Component heads and other military and
civilian leaders, are prohibited from converting personal accounts to official DoD accounts
associated with their DoD position, title, duty, component, or any other DoD organizational
entity.
(3) OSD and DoD Component heads are authorized to close or archive any social media
accounts deemed unnecessary and of no informational value to the public, media, or mission of
the Component. The process to archive and close a social media account is provided in
Paragraph 7.1.e.
d. EOPs Below the Component Level.
(1) OSD and DoD Component heads, in consultation with PA, will review and determine
the criteria for establishing an EOP for elements within their responsibility to operate and
execute their PA activities. PA representatives should assess establishing an EOP based on
mission or operational needs and support of approved communication plans and campaigns.
(2) EOPs at all levels must follow the procedures, policies, and guidelines outlined in
this issuance. Organizations that establish an EOP will provide guidance to social media
managers to effectively direct activities and properly maintain the organization’s public
presence.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 4: DOD EOP 11
4.2. NEW AND EMERGING PLATFORMS.
a. PA and social media managers must consider the communication value of expanding their
digital presence and conduct researched analysis of new platforms. Some of the elements that
PA and social media managers should consider include, but are not limited to, audience analysis,
content strategy for the platform, and available resources. Approving officials should obtain
data-driven decisions from PA and social media managers and ensure compliance with
Paragraph 3.24 of DoDI 8170.01 before accepting recommendations to expand their digital
footprint.
b. The process to review platforms for official presence requires an application to be vetted
through the Defense Information Systems Agency’s DoD Application Vetting Environment. The
application must be submitted after coordination with the Component Chief Information Officer
to ensure all information provided s complete.
c. Once the DoD Application Vetting Environment review process is completed, the Defense
Information Systems Agency will issue a decision. This decision is applicable for all OSD and
DoD Components and is considered final.
d. PA and social media managers should not test, use, or otherwise engage on new platforms
for official use (including on personal devices) prior to undertaking the steps in
Paragraphs 4.2.a- c.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 5: BRANDING GUIDELINES 12
SECTION 5: BRANDING GUIDELINES
5.1. CLEAR IDENTIFICATION.
To maintain an EOP, all DoD Components will adhere to branding guidelines in accordance with
DoDD 5535.09 and:
a. Provide clear identification that they are supplying the content for the EOP.
b. State their mission and provide the purpose of the EOP, as workable.
c. Will not mislead users of the site as to the originator of the EOP.
5.2. OFFICIAL DOD AND MILITARY DEPARTMENT AND SERVICE SEALS VS.
EMBLEMS AND LOGOS.
a. The use of the official DoD seal, official Military Department seals, and official Military
Service seals on EOP accounts is reserved for official communication only, such as letterheads,
and briefing documents. The use of DoD and Military Service emblems, logos, or coats of arms
may be more appropriate for general use on EOPs to affiliate the account with DoD. Social
media managers should reference Component guidance for the appropriate uses of Component
marks for official social media use.
b. DoD and OSD Components should develop Component-specific guidance for the use of
their emblems or logos on EOPs and social media content.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 6: AUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS 13
SECTION 6: AUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS
6.1. OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA CONDUCT.
a. All EOPs and their content represent DoD, reflect the values of the Department, and serve
as official communication platforms to the general public, the news media, and internal
audiences of DoD. Content posted on official accounts is subject to the same guidance, policy,
regulations, and oversight for the release of official DoD information.
b. PA chiefs and social media managers must establish communication planning techniques
to ensure the information published on a social media account is synchronized and approved for
release. Social media content management software and tools may be used for PA activities.
c. PA chiefs, social media managers, and other DoD personnel operating official individual
accounts must ensure all content is reviewed and approved for public release in accordance with
DoDIs 5230.09 and 5230.29, as applicable.
d. While not exhaustive, the following restrictions apply to the official use of social media
by DoD personnel. Restrictions pertaining to the personal use of social media by DoD personnel
are addressed in Section 8 of this instruction and in the standards of conduct that apply to DoD
personnel through DoD 5500.07-R and applicable Office of Government Ethics regulations.
(1) Misuse of Position.
DoD personnel will not:
(a) Use their official position or public office for private gain, for the endorsement of
any product, service, or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or other
acquaintances.
(b) Use or permit the use of their government position or title or any authority
associated with their public office in a manner that is intended to coerce or induce another person
to provide any benefit, financial or otherwise, to themselves or to friends, relatives, or persons
with whom the employees are affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity.
(c) Use their government position or title in a manner that could reasonably be
construed to imply that the government endorses or sanctions their personal activities or those of
another. The use of one’s official position or public office may include the use of any reference
to one’s status, name, image, or likeness as a DoD employee or member of the uniformed
services.
(2) Use of Government Time and Property.
Section 2635 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations and DoD 5500.07-R require that
DoD personnel use official time in an honest effort to perform official duties. These regulations
and standards also require employees and Service members to protect and conserve government
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 6: AUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS 14
property and to use government property only to perform official duties, unless they are
authorized to use government property for other purposes.
(3) Use of Non-Public Information.
(a) DoD personnel may not disclose non-public information on official or personal
social media accounts. They will not allow the improper use of non-public information to further
their own private interest or that of another.
(b) PA offices, social media managers, and other DoD personnel operating EOP
accounts will report known or suspected occurrences of information on the accounts that is not
authorized for release to their Component’s security office and insider threat hub, and respond
based on applicable DoD policy.
(4) Misuse of Personal Accounts.
DoD personnel must only use official DoD social media accounts to disseminate official
information. DoD personnel are prohibited from using personal social media accounts for
official purposes, including for conveying DoD information or official DoD positions. This does
not prohibit using personal social media accounts to forward, like, or link to official information,
provided it is done in a manner that does not express or imply DoD sanction or endorsement of
any personal content.
(5) Political Activity.
(a) Engaging in political activity on official DoD social media and EOP platforms is
prohibited. Additionally, DoD personnel may not engage in political activity, on their personal
social media, while in the Federal workplace or while on-duty including while teleworking.
Political activity is defined as an activity directed toward the success or failure of a political
party, candidate for partisan political office or partisan political group.
(b) Certain DoD personnel have additional restrictions. Guidance on political activity
restrictions is available from the DoD Standards of Conduct Office, https://dodsoco.ogc.osd.mil/.
(6) Discrimination, Harassment, and Extremism.
In accordance with DoDI 1020.03 and DoDI 1020.04, all DoD personnel must maintain
an appropriate level of professional conduct and treat others in the workplace with dignity and
respect. Military personnel are prohibited from actively participating in extremist activities in
accordance with DoDI 1325.06, which can include activity on social media. At all times, DoD
personnel must adhere to the terms of service and community guidelines dictated by the social
media platform and to applicable DoD discrimination, harassment, and extremism policies. On
official DoD social media and EOP platforms, engaging in activities that are illegal,
inappropriate, or offensive to fellow users or to the public is prohibited. Such activities include,
but are not limited to:
(a) Hate speech or material that ridicules others on the basis of race, religion, color,
sex, disability, national origin, gender-identity, or sexual orientation.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 6: AUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS 15
(b) Speech or material promoting violent extremist or terrorist activities.
(c) Speech or materials advocating the overthrow of the government.
(7) Children.
Agency social media accounts may not collect any personal information from children
(i.e., individuals under the age of 13), consistent with the standards of the Children’s Online
Privacy Protection Act (Section 6501-6506 of Title 15, U.S.C.) as applied to Federal agencies by
Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-03-22.
(8) Professionalism.
DoD personnel will at all times adhere to applicable standards of professionalism,
including as provided in this issuance.
(9) Possible Collection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
All DoD personnel must limit the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of PII
in accordance with DoDI 5400.11.
6.2. PA OFFICIAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
There are three types of official social media accounts for official use within DoD:
organizational, institutional, and individual. These account types are used to release official
DoD information and visual information materials. Any public disclosures must comply with
DoDI 5230.09 and DoDI 5230.29, as applicable.
a. Official Organizational Accounts.
Official organizational accounts communicate on behalf of the DoD or OSD Component or
program, and are representative of the DoD and Federal Government digital presence for public
information (e.g., @USArmy or @DeptofDefense). Organizational accounts are communication
platforms of an agency’s digital brand strategy and managed by a team that has access to the
account to publish content that supports a communication plan.
b. Official Institutional Accounts.
(1) Official institutional accounts are denominated only with an official position title
(e.g., @SecDef, @DepSecDef) and are not associated with a personal name. These accounts are
managed by the individual in the position in coordination with a PA office.
(2) When the official vacates the position, social media managers will archive the
content of their account. PA representatives will assess the communication value to transition
the account to the incoming official or archive the account. The out-going official is prohibited
from maintaining the account. If the account is archived, PA and social media managers will
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 6: AUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS 16
inform audiences that the account is no longer maintained and redirect users to platforms or
accounts that will provide information of similar interest.
c. Official Individual Accounts.
(1) Official individual accounts include a personal name or identifier (e.g.,
@DASDSmith). Individual accounts are the least preferred account type due to the custom name
associated with a position title.
(2) Individuals may not merge, rename, or convert a personal account or prior non-DoD
account into a DoD EOP.
(3) Individuals serving in DoD who assume a new position and title within DoD may not
merge, rename, or convert a prior official individual account to a personal account. The prior
individual account expires once the individual is no longer associated with the position or title.
(4) Individuals with an official DoD individual account who depart DoD may not merge,
rename, or convert the official DoD individual account into another account, personal or
otherwise. The prior DoD individual account expires once the individual is no longer associated
with the DoD position or title.
(5) Individuals from one OSD or DoD Component who are assigned to another joint,
interagency, intergovernmental, or multinational entity may establish an EOP for their position in
this new entity in accordance with Paragraph 4.1. The social media account is non-transferrable
and expires once the individual is no longer associated with that entity.
6.3. MILITARY MARKETING AND RECRUITMENT ACCOUNTS.
Although this issuance does not apply to military recruitment/marketing accounts, social media
accounts for PA activities may support local or national recruitment efforts by amplifying
appropriate content on their account. In accordance with DoDI 1304.35, recruiting personnel
will coordinate with local PA chiefs when conducting marketing engagement or other
community events, in accordance with Paragraph 3.3 of DoDI 1304.35.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP 17
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP
7.1. RECORDS MANAGEMENT.
a. DoD Information Security
DoD personnel must ensure that only information authorized for release is released to the
public via social media, in accordance with DoDIs 5230.09 and 5230.29, as applicable.
b. Managing Social Media Records.
(1) Any content posted by DoD to an EOP is an official communication, regardless of
the format.
(2) The records associated with the EOP will be managed in accordance with the
appropriate OSD or DoD Component records schedule pursuant to Part 1226 of Title 36, Code of
Federal Regulations.
(3) A complete social media Federal record must have content, context, and structure,
along with associated metadata. The complete record must be maintained pursuant to OSD or
DoD Component records management policies and procedures to ensure reliability and
authenticity.
(4) Derogatory, inappropriate, and offensive content posted on an EOP by a user on the
platform must be addressed in accordance with the terms of service and acceptable online
conduct guidelines. Social media and records managers should evaluate the content in context,
including whether a DoD response was provided, to determine if the post is a Federal record.
c. Capturing Social Media.
(1) Social media managers and other DoD personnel responsible for retaining social
media content on behalf of their component can use the following non-exhaustive list of
questions to help determine the appropriate disposition authorities applicable to a social media
post:
(a) Does it contain evidence of the department or agency’s policies, business, or
mission?
(b) Is the information only available on the social media site?
(c) Does the agency use the social media platform to convey official agency
information?
(d) Is there a business need for the information?
(2) Methods to capture social media records include:
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP 18
(a) Using web crawling or other software to create local versions of sites.
(b) Using web capture tools to capture social media.
(c) Using platform-specific application programming interfaces to pull content.
(d) Using Really Simple Syndication feeds, aggregators, or manual methods to
capture content.
(e) Using tools built into some social media platforms to export content.
(3) The options for successful social media capture will depend on the technical
configuration of a social media platform. Component needs may also affect which social media
capture method is used. Once the Component determines the capture method, they must provide
training to applicable staff on how and when to use capture tools for social media. Components
may need to work with third-party providers to implement social media capture.
d. Private or Direct Messages from DoD Social Media Accounts.
(1) Engaging in private or direct messaging to communicate official DoD information
from DoD social media accounts should be conducted with care.
(2) Private or direct messaging is allowed if PA and social media managers identify a
specific need to remain responsive to authentic public interest or questions.
(3) Due to potential preservation issues, DoD social media accounts may not send direct
or private electronic messages that automatically expire.
(4) If public comments on or to a DoD social media account warrant a non-public
response, the DoD social media account manager(s) should publicly comment on the post(s) and
suggest the individual(s) email the specific question(s) to the official DoD email account
displayed in the profile.
e. Account Transition and Archiving of Official Social Media Accounts.
Consistent with Paragraph 6.2 of this instruction, DoD personnel operating an EOP may not
retain official accounts or access to any official accounts in a personal capacity after departing
the government or the government position associated with the account, as applicable.
(1) Official Organizational and Institutional Accounts.
(a) Within 30 days after the departure of the official associated with the institutional
account, content posted to the account during the departing official’s tenure must be managed
and preserved in accordance with the proper records schedule.
(b) OSD and DoD Components should follow the most pertinent records schedule, in
consultation with their records manager, because not every Component has a records schedule
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP 19
specific to social media records. This is to ensure the records are preserved appropriately if the
new official chooses not to use the previously established official presence.
(c) On the final day of activity for the account, PA and social media managers will
post a final message, and provide the password and login information to the designated point of
contact for use by the next official.
(d) If the new official indicates he or she does not want to use the official
institutional account before the account holder’s final day of service, the account should be
closed, and the associated records managed in accordance with the proper records schedule.
(2) Official Individual Account.
Within 30 business days after the departure of the official associated with the official
individual account, all content posted to the account during the departing official’s tenure must
be managed and preserved in accordance with the proper records schedule. On the final day of
activity for the account, the account will issue its final content and the account will be closed.
7.2. USE OF PAI FOR PA.
a. Public engagement on social media platforms requires situational awareness of the
information environment. PAI enables PA to generate audience insights, provides social media
trend analysis, and inform leaders of emerging communication crises. In accordance with
DoDD 3115.18, and Appendix 3A of DoDI 8170.01, PA offices may access and use PAI for PA
activities.
b. PA offices may use third-party social media management platforms or services to manage
official social media accounts. OSD and DoD Component PA offices must follow acquisition
processes and procedures to obtain authorization for software or services. PA offices may need
to coordinate with relevant Component offices, including their Chief Information Officer, for
additional instructions, guidance, and policy to access third-party or commercial off-the-shelf
services to access PAI.
c. PA offices with authorization and authority to use third-party social media management
platforms must maintain records management procedures in accordance with Paragraph 7.1.
d. PA offices will coordinate with their local records manager for specific guidance and
recommendations to capture and schedule records through third-party content scheduling
platforms, if the platform or service has the capability or function to capture social media
records. PA offices default to capturing and scheduling records directly from the social media
platform if the content scheduling platform is inadequate or incapable of providing content,
context, and structure along with associated metadata for records management.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP 20
7.3. RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATING EOP.
a. Social Media Cyber-Vandalism.
(1) Responding to cyber-vandalism events involving official social media accounts is the
responsibility of multiple officials including, but not limited to, PA officials, social media
account manager(s), legal advisors, and information technology security personnel. These key
personnel form the response team that must establish incident response procedures, consistent
with DoDIs 8500.01 and 8170.01. The response team must exercise and rehearse various
scenarios to quickly assess, recover, and respond to an incident. The response team manages the
process to ensure all elements of the incident are reported and addressed. The response team will
determine when the incident is closed.
(2) The response team should conduct an incident after-action report and assessment to
review, update, or draft procedural tasks, regulations, or policy.
(3) A template response to cyber-vandalism is provided through the General Services
Administration’s Technology Transformation Services at https://digital.gov/resources/readiness-
recovery-response-social-media-cyber-vandalism-toolkit/. The response team should amend and
adapt the template as necessary to conform to its Component’s guidance, regulations, and
policies.
b. Fake or Imposter Social Media Accounts of DoD Employees and Service Members.
Users, malign actors, and adversaries on social media platforms may attempt to impersonate
DoD employees and Service members to disrupt online activity, distract audiences from official
accounts, discredit DoD information, or manipulate audiences through disinformation
campaigns. PA offices managing an EOP must address fake or imposter accounts.
(1) Reporting Fake or Imposter Social Media Accounts.
(a) PA chiefs and social media managers must report fake or imposter accounts
through the social media platform’s reporting system. Social media platforms and applications
establish the information requirements to report such accounts. PA offices must establish local
procedures to identify, review, and report fake or imposter accounts. PA and social media
managers must notify operations security officials of fake or imposter accounts, as well as cyber
operations, counterintelligence elements, and Military Department Counterintelligence
Organization in accordance with DoDD 5240.06
(b) PA chiefs and social media managers must record the reporting of fake or
imposter accounts.
(c) PA chiefs or social media managers may need to provide additional information
as evidence that the identified account is fake or impersonating a DoD official.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP 21
(2) Indications or Common Identifiers Associated with Imposter Accounts.
Indications or common identifiers associated with imposter accounts include, but are not
limited to the following:
(a) The account is not registered as an official DoD account.
(b) The account has very few photos that were recently uploaded and reflect the same
date range.
(c) The account has very few followers and comments.
(d) The account sends friend requests to individual users on the platform.
(e) The account name and photos do not match.
(f) There are obvious grammatical or spelling errors.
(g) Key information is missing.
7.4. LINKING AND SHARING FROM OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS.
a. In accordance with DoDI 8170.01, OSD and DoD Components may establish hyperlinks
only to information or services related to the performance of the DoD Component’s function or
mission and the purpose of the electronic messaging service. Any links from an official social
media account must comply with DoDI 8170.01, section 3.20.
b. DoD cannot endorse, sponsor or advertise on behalf of another non-government service,
facility, event, or product. The use of external links on official accounts may convey a
misrepresentation of government endorsement or provide an incorrect interpretation of DoD
policy, position, or message. DoD officials, PA chiefs, and social media managers of EOP must
assess the information value of the source before sharing an external link by considering factors
including, but not limited to, the author and publisher’s credibility, the validity of the
information at the source, the references or subject matter experts cited within the source, and
whether the information is true and factual. When external links to non-U.S. Government
websites are posted on official social media accounts, content managers will include the
following disclaimer: “The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement
by the United States Department of Defense of the linked websites, or the information, products
or services contained therein. Other than for authorized activities, such as military exchanges and
Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise
any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.” Content managers
will not direct users to paid sites or subscription services.
c. OSD and DoD Component EOPs may link and share content found on DoD-registered,
public-facing websites, and social media platforms without formal coordination.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 7: MAINTAINING AN EOP 22
d. PA and social media managers will establish local guidelines to share external links from
non-DoD sources that support PA activities, including a specific, mission-essential reason or a
Commander’s information objective(s) in accordance with DoDI 8170.01.
7.5. SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM VERIFIED ACCOUNTS.
a. EOPs registered with DoD do not need to display a “verified” status with the social media
platform to be recognized by DoD as an official account. While PA chiefs and social media
managers should attempt to have an EOP recognized as a verified account by the social media
platform for all account types, they are not required to do so. All registered EOPs in the DoD
registry or the U.S. Digital Registry are official accounts, in accordance with Paragraph 4.1.b.
b. A “verified” personal account on a social media platform does not constitute an official
DoD account. Personal accounts that are “verified” as a government account by a social media
platform may be misconstrued as an official DoD account.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 8: PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY DOD PERSONNEL 23
SECTION 8: PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY DOD PERSONNEL
DoD personnel may use unofficial personal social media. In doing so, DoD personnel must
adhere to the rules discussed in this instruction, including preventing the unauthorized disclosure
of non-public information (or unclassified information that aggregates to reveal classified
information) and refraining from any appearance of DoD endorsement or sanction. The
following guidance applies to DoD personnel who maintain a personal social media presence.
a. Maintain a Clear Distinction Between Personal and Official Accounts.
(1) DoD personnel must ensure that all personal social media accounts are clearly
identifiable as personal accounts. DoD personnel must ensure that their personal social media
accounts avoid use of DoD titles, insignia, uniforms, or symbols in a way that could imply DoD
sanction or endorsement of the content. DoD personnel should use personal, non-official contact
information, such as personal telephone numbers or postal and e-mail addresses, to establish
personal, nonofficial accounts.
(2) Where confusion or doubt is likely to arise regarding the personal nature of social
media activities, personnel are encouraged to include a disclaimer clarifying that their social
media communications reflect only their personal views and do not necessarily represent the
views of their agency or the United States. (See sample disclaimer Figure 2.) The use of a
disclaimer does not otherwise allow DoD personnel to accept compensation that is prohibited by
this instruction or other applicable regulations.
Figure 2 Sample Disclaimer for Personal Social Media Accounts
The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily
represent the views of DoD or its Components. Appearance of, or reference to, any
commercial products or services does not constitute DoD endorsement of those products or
services. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute DoD endorsement of the
linked websites, or the information, products or services therein.
(3) DoD personnel are not prohibited from using personal social media accounts to
forward, like, or link to official information, provided it is done in a manner that does not express
or imply DoD sanction or endorsement of any personal content.
b. Do Not Disclose Non-Public Information.
DoD personnel are prohibited from disclosing non-public information to further their private
interests or the private interests of others. Additionally, DoD personnel must adhere to
operations security and unit-level directives, including while in forward-operating environments.
Release of unauthorized content through any means, including social media, may unnecessarily
hazard individuals, units, and the mission.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
SECTION 8: PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY DOD PERSONNEL 24
c. Do Not Conduct Official Business on Personal Social Media Accounts.
(1) Personal accounts may not be used to conduct official DoD communications, in
accordance with Paragraph 3.26.a of DoDI 8170.01 and Section 2911 of Title 44, U.S.C.
(2) A personal social media account must not be an avenue for friends, followers, or
private contacts to gain access to DoD programs or seek action from DoD officials in a manner
not available to the general public.
d. Do Not Accept Compensation for any Activity Relating to One’s Status as a DoD
Civilian Employee or Military Service Member.
DoD personnel are prohibited from using their official position or public office for personal
financial gain, for the endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise, or for the private gain
of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental
capacity. (Section 2635.702 of Title 5, CFR). DoD personnel are also prohibited from using
government resources for non-official, personal activities.
(1) Use of Official Position or Public Office.
The use of one’s official position or public office includes the use of any reference to
one’s status, name, image, or likeness as a DoD civilian employee or Service member. This
includes the use of official titles, photographs that display a connection to one’s status as a DoD
civilian employee or Service member (e.g., a photograph while in uniform or while wearing an
identifying device such as a lanyard or lapel pin); and the personal use of DoD protected symbols
or other imagery.
(2) Endorsement.
DoD personnel are prohibited from using their official positon to either affirmatively
endorse a non-federal entity, product, service, or enterprise, or by taking action that implies DoD
endorsement through the unauthorized use of one’s official position or public office.
(3) Private Gain.
Private gain includes the receipt of compensation from a third party, to include revenue
from advertising, sponsorships or sponsorship agreements, affiliate marketing agreements, or
promotion of commercial ventures on personal social media accounts. This does not preclude
DoD personnel from engaging in compensated outside employment when permitted by
applicable ethics and other regulations.
e. Do Not Engage in Prohibited Political Activity, as Defined in Applicable Law and
Regulation.
See Paragraph 6.1.d.(5) of this instruction.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
GLOSSARY 25
GLOSSARY
G.1. ACRONYMS.
A
CRONYM
M
EANING
ATSD(PA)
Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
DoDD
DoD directive
DoDI
DoD instruction
EOP
external official presence
PA
public affairs
PAI
publicly available information
U.S.C.
United States Code
G.2. DEFINITIONS.
Unless otherwise noted, these terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this issuance.
T
ERM
D
EFINITION
counterintelligence
Defined in DoDD 5240.02.
DoD personnel
DoD civilian employees and military service members. For
purposes of this issuance, “DoD personnel” does not include
employees of DoD contractors.
electronic messaging
services
Defined in DoDI 8170.01.
EOP
Defined in DoDI 8170.01.
Federal record
A “record” as defined in Section 3301 of Title 44, U.S.C.
manager
DoD employee or Service member responsible for managing DoD
social media EOPs.
marketing
Defined in DoDI 1304.35.
Military Department
Counterintelligence
Organization
Defined in DoDD 5240.02.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
GLOSSARY 26
T
ERM
D
EFINITION
non-public information
Defined in DoD 5500.07-R.
PAI
Defined in DoDD 3115.18.
personal account
Non-DoD-controlled electronic messaging services account
intended for personal use and not associated with official DoD
functions.
social media platform
Non-DoD-controlled electronic messaging service with publicly
accessible information capabilities and applications available
across the internet that facilitates the sharing of user-generated
content through virtual connections, networks, and communities
through a computer or mobile device.
social media cyber-
vandalism
An intrusion of social media accounts when an outside party takes
control of an agency communication channel, establishes an
impostor DoD social media account, or impersonates a DoD
official using a social media account in an attempt to mislead the
public or threaten the agency or the individual account.
terms of service
Defined in DoDI 8170.01.
third-party social media
management platforms
Free or paid social media management tools that can schedule
content and generate social media reports to improve audience
engagement and manage social media platform capabilities.
verified account
A moniker or symbol which notifies users on the social media
platform that the account of public interest is authentic and helps
reassure users to trust the information on the account.
DoDI 5400.17, August 12, 2022
REFERENCES 27
REFERENCES
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 5, Section 2635
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Part 1226
DoD 5500.07-R, “Joint Ethics Regulation (JER),” August 30 1993, as amended
DoD Directive 3115.18, “DoD Access to and Use of Publicly Available Information (PAI),”
June 11, 2019, as amended
DoD Directive 5122.05, “Assistant to The Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD(PA)),”
August 7, 2017
DoD Directive 5240.02, “Counterintelligence (CI),” March 17, 2015, as amended
DoD Directive 5240.06, “Counterintelligence Awareness and Reporting (CIAR),” May 17, 2011,
as amended
DoD Directive 5535.09, “DoD Branding and Trademark Licensing Program,”
December 19, 2007
DoD Instruction 1020.03, “Harassment Prevention and Response in the Armed Forces,”
February 8, 2018, as amended
DoD Instruction 1020.04, “Harassment Prevention and Responses for DoD Civilian Employees,”
June 30, 2020
DoD Instruction 1304.35, “Military Marketing,” November 1, 2017, as amended
DoD Instruction 1325.06, “Handling Protest, Extremist, and Criminal Gang Activities Among
Members of the Armed Forces,” November 27, 2009, as amended
DoD Instruction 5015.02, “DoD Records Management Program,” February 24, 2015, as
amended
DoD Instruction 5230.09, “Clearance of DoD Information for Public Release,” January 25, 2019,
as amended
DoD Instruction 5230.29, “Security and Policy Review of DoD Information for Public Release,”
August 13, 2014, as amended
DoD Instruction 5400.11, “DoD Privacy and Civil Liberties Programs,” January 29, 2019, as
amended
DoD Instruction 5400.13, “Public Affairs (PA) Operations,” October 15, 2008
DoD Instruction 8170.01, “Online Information Management and Electronic Messaging,”
January 2, 2019, as amended
DoD Instruction 8500.01, “Cybersecurity,” March 14, 2014, as amended
Office of Government Ethics’ (OGE) Legal Advisory, LA-14-08, “Reference to Official Title
and Position by Employees Affiliated with Outside Organizations in Their Personal
Capacity,” November 19, 2014
Office of Government Ethics’ (OGE) Legal Advisory, LA-15-03, “The Standards of Conduct as
Applied to Personal Social Media Use,” April 9, 2015
Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-03-22, “OMB Guidance for Implementing
the Privacy Provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002,” September 26, 2003
United States Code, Title 5
United States Code, Title 15
United States Code, Title 44
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