BYU’s Social Media Management Policy requires that all Social Media Accounts on behalf of any campus unit or entity must be approved by the Strategic Communications Committee or University Communications.

The campus unit or entity requesting a new account must submit a proposal, which should include the following information:

• Purpose of the Account
• Platform
• Target audience
• Account name/handle suggestions
• Planned content and engagement strategy
• Identification of the Account Manager
• Identification of the Social Media Support Team
• The approximate weekly hours to be spent on managing the Account (creating content, monitoring, maintenance, etc.)
  

Upon approval of the proposal, all proposed Account Managers and Social Media Support Team members must participate in a brief training from University Communications, either online or in-person. This training emphasizes accountability for the existence of the account and proper social media strategy. Account managers and Support Team members should also review this website hub.

When setting up the new account, please ensure that the account is set up with:

• An appropriate logo that is in alignment with the Campus Branding [link]
• A byu.edu email that is attached to the campus unit (NOT a personal email, ABSOLUTELY NOT a student email)
• Any entity wishing to terminate an account must also seek permission from University Communications prior to terminating the account.

Per the Social Media Management Policy, all social media content must be reviewed by the Account Manager of the account before the content goes live. The Account Manager is always a nonstudent employee. The Account Manager has the responsibility to set up a workable system with their Support Team to ensure approvals occur before content goes live.

Account Managers and Social Media Support Team are required to have annual training from University Communications. You may do this training online here [hyperlink coming] or you may request a training either in-person or on Zoom by emailing kylie_brooks@byu.edu.

Please ensure that your social media platforms use a byu.edu email address, one that is linked to a unit, rather than to an individual. Never use a student.byu.edu email address for a social media platform.

Best practices of security guide that you change the password of your account several times a year. Account managers have the responsibility to make sure that those who have login access to the account are current social media support team only.

It is also best to reset account passwords anytime there is turnover among the people that have access to your social media accounts. Consider using third-party applications that are built for multiple users on a single account (many are free). Using these tools can help you avoid any misuse by former employees.

BYU social media channels are intended to foster respectful conversation, answer questions, and build community. We welcome thoughtful discussion and recognize that people may hold differing opinions. In many cases, comments should remain visible, even when they express disagreement or general criticism, provided they contribute to a respectful conversation.

The following guidelines are intended to help social media account managers create safe and welcoming online communities while encouraging open dialogue.

Engage with your community by:

• Answering questions accurately and promptly.
• Correcting misinformation with factual, respectful responses.
• Directing users to appropriate university resources when needed.
• Maintaining a professional, friendly, and helpful tone.

Not every comment requires a response. Sometimes the best course of action is simply to monitor the conversation.

Please post your community standards somewhere they can be referenced by user (a website, a bio, etc.) Account managers should remove comments or messages that violate community standards, including:

• Hate speech or discriminatory language targeting individuals or groups.
• Profanity or obscene language.
• Personal attacks, harassment, bullying, or intimidation.
• Spam, scams, or repetitive promotional content.
• Impersonation or fraudulent activity.
• Content that encourages illegal or dangerous behavior.
• Comments containing sensitive personal information, such as phone numbers, addresses, or other private data.
  

If a user repeatedly violates these guidelines, account managers should delete the comment and block the user from interacting with the account. Take screenshots of all comments and interactions before deleting.

Sample language you can use (in a case-by-case basis) could include:

"Hi, just letting you know that we recently deleted a comment you made on a [social media post] from the [social media channel] because it violated our community standards of commenting. Please DM us with any questions."

"Hi, our community standards of commenting do not allow personal attacks, hate speech, nor profanity. As such, we have deleted a recent comment you made on one of our Facebook posts."

"Hi, we recently deleted a comment you made on one of our Facebook posts because it violated our community standards."

Blocking Users

Blocking should be reserved for situations in which a user repeatedly violates community standards or engages in aggressive online behaviors.

Users who engage in hate speech, profanity, personal attacks, harassment, or spam may be blocked immediately without prior warning.

Whenever possible, screenshot moderation actions before deleting comments or blocking users, particularly if the interaction may require future reference or escalation.

What Should Generally Remain
Critical or negative comments should not automatically be removed simply because they express dissatisfaction with BYU or a university department.

Comments should generally remain visible if they:

• Express disagreement respectfully.
• Offer constructive criticism.
• Voice concerns without violating the guidelines above.

Open and respectful dialogue helps build trust and demonstrates a willingness to engage with our community.

When to Escalate
Some situations require additional review before responding or moderating. Escalate comments or direct messages to college-level communications teams or to University Communications if they involve:

• Credible threats of violence or harm.
• Potential legal issues.
• Media inquiries.
• Significant misinformation that could affect public safety or the university's reputation.
• Emerging issues that may develop into a broader communications concern.