Scottish Government policy on social media messaging: FOI release

Information requested

In an interview with LBC regarding the deletion of messages during the Covid pandemic, FM Humza Yousaf stated that: "we had a social media messaging policy which actually required us to routinely delete whatsapp messages."

Please release the following under FOISA:

• Full and complete details of the policy (including the date on which it was implemented)
• Full and complete details of the policy prior to implementation of the new approach (as described by the FM)
• Full and complete details of the current policy (including the date on which it was implemented)

Response

In answer to questions 1 & 3 please see the link below to the Scottish Government Mobile messaging apps – usage and policy: guidance referred to in the statement.

Mobile messaging apps – usage and policy: guidance – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

In answer to question 2 the Scottish Government’s long-standing Records Management Policy has always been clear that regardless of the source medium, information relevant to the corporate record must be saved. This is complemented by the Scottish Government Mobile messaging apps – usage and policy guidance.

The following guidance was also posted on ‘Saltire’, the Scottish Government intranet, available to all SCOTS users, on 27 April 2020:

Non-SCOTS platforms

Keeping in touch with colleagues and having social and business contact during this time is vitally important. Apps like Zoom, Slack and WhatsApp can be downloaded on your SCOTS mobile but must be used in a responsible, professional manner. When using them remember:

• apps are for official info only
• messages are only encrypted when in transit - as soon as they arrive on your device it depends on your security settings
• messages are subject to Freedom of Information (FOI)
• messages should be transitory and not used as the official record
• messages should be deleted as soon as they are no longer needed

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.