Laserfiche WebLink
5. Disclosing Nonpublic Information <br />The Standards of Conduct prohibit employees from disclosing nonpublic information to <br />further their private interests or the private interests of others. See 5 C.F.R. § 2635.703. This <br />prohibition applies without regard to the medium used for the unauthorized disclosure. In <br />addition to the Standards of Conduct, other statutes and regulations prohibit the disclosure of <br />specific categories of nonpublic information, such as classified or confidential information. <br />Employees must follow the rules regarding the disclosure of nonpublic information found in the <br />Standards of Conduct and all other applicable rules when using social media. The Standards of <br />Conduct generally do not prevent employees from discussing or sharing government information <br />that is publicly available. Employees may not, however, accept compensation for statements or <br />communications made over social media that relate to their official duties. See 5 C.F.R. <br />§§ 2635.807(a); 2635.703. <br />6. Personal Fundraising <br />Employees may use personal social media accounts to fundraise for nonprofit charitable <br />organizations in a personal capacity, but they must comply with 5 C.F.R. § 2635.808, the section <br />of the Standards of Conduct that covers fundraising. As a general rule, fundraising solicitations <br />over social media are permissible so long as the employee does not "personally solicit" funds <br />from a subordinate or a known prohibited source. See 5 C.F.R. § 2635.808(c)(1). <br />Fundraising requests over social media are potentially visible to a wide audience of <br />followers and connections. An employee who posts or publishes a general fundraising <br />announcement or request over social media has not "personally solicited" any prohibited source <br />or subordinate merely because the employee is connected with the prohibited source or <br />subordinate through the social media network. The same is true even if the prohibited source or <br />subordinate views, comments on, or responds to the post. However, an employee may not <br />respond to inquiries posted by prohibited sources or subordinates in reference to the fundraising <br />reyuest. Furthermore, an employee may not specifically reference, link to, or otherwise target a <br />subordinate or known prohibited source when fundraising over social media. An employee doing <br />so will be considered to have "personally solicited" that person in violation of 5 C.F.R. <br />§ 2635.808(c)(1). See OGE Informal Advisory Opinion 93 x 19; OGE Informal Advisory <br />Opinion 93 x 8. <br />Additionally, employees may not use their official titles, positions, or authority associated <br />with their positions to further fundraising efforts. See 5 C.F.R. § 2635.808(c)(2); OGE Informal <br />Advisory Opinion 96 x 2. Employees are not considered to have used their official titles, <br />positions, or authority associated with their positions to further fundraising efforts merely <br />because they have provided this information in areas of their personal social media accounts <br />designated for biographical information. <br />7. Official Social Media Accounts <br />Many Federal agencies maintain one or more of�cial socia] media accounts for use in <br />conducting of�icial business. Subject to applicable legal authorities, each agency deterinines the <br />5 <br />