Social media guidelines for Scottish Ministers and staff: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
Provide any documents the Scottish Government has published on the following:
1. Guidelines for the use of social media by Scottish Ministers
2. Guidelines for the use of social media by Scottish Government Staff.
Response
Some of the information you have requested is available from the Scottish Government website. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
1. The Scottish Ministerial Code sets out a Code of Conduct and Guidance on Procedures for Members of the Scottish Government and Junior Scottish Ministers. There is reference to social media in Chapter 9: Ministers and the Presentation of Policy. You can access this via the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2025-edition/pages/10/
This is a formal notice under section 25(1) of FOISA that we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.
2. A Social Media Policy is available from the Scottish Government website, providing the policy and guidance covering the use of social media by Scottish Government staff. You can access this via the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-media-policy/
This is a formal notice under section 25(1) of FOISA that we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.
Additionally, we conducted a search for internal publications and found three documents that match your request for guidelines for the use of social media by Scottish Government Staff. These documents are as follows, and I enclose copies of this information:
Document 1. Social media guidance
Document 2. Social media accessibility
Document 3. Social media evaluation
About FOI
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG