The following best practices are meant as guidelines for personal social media use of individuals connected to the university.

• Protect Your Privacy & Identity: True privacy is difficult to maintain on social media. Public posts can appear in search engine results, and even private comments can be screenshotted and shared. Be mindful of your audience and interactions. Never impersonate others.
• Be Cautious About the Information You Share: Do not post confidential or proprietary university information, nor share details about University of Illinois students, employees or alumni. Employees must comply with FERPA, HIPAA, and other data privacy laws. Social media posts can spread quickly and be difficult to erase. Consider how your posts might be perceived years from now.
• Maintain Professionalism & Respect: Even on personal accounts, your conduct online can impact your academic or professional reputation. Avoid engaging in harassment, discrimination or behavior that could reflect poorly on you or the university.
• Consider Academic & Professional Implications: University faculty, staff or students may be seen as representatives of their field, department or institution as a whole. If you engage in discussions related to your expertise or experience, ensure accuracy and responsibility.
• Clarify That You Are Not Speaking for the University: When posting from personal accounts, do not present yourself as an official spokesperson. If your comments could be linked to the university, include a disclaimer stating that your views are your own and do not represent the institution.
• Be Aware of Cybersecurity Risks: Protect yourself from phishing scams, impersonation and hacking. Use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication and be cautious when sharing personal details.
• Engage Thoughtfully in Campus & Community Discussions: If discussing university policies, events or leadership, be aware that social media can amplify messages quickly. Constructive dialogue is valuable, but misinformation can spread just as easily.
• Do Not Use or Alter University Branding: The university’s name, logo and wordmark may not be used for personal purposes, commercial endorsements or the promotion of political candidates, partisan political causes or legislation.
• Respect Copyright & Intellectual Property: If sharing academic research, photography or other creative work, ensure proper attribution and comply with copyright laws.