Scottish Government policy on social media messaging: FOI release
- Published
- 6 December 2023
- Directorate
- Digital Directorate
- Topic
- Public sector
- FOI reference
- FOI/202300382914
- Date received
- 27 October 2023
- Date responded
- 27 November 2023
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
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.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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