Social Media Guidelines

Setting up your own social media accounts

If you want to set up your own social media account, first answer the following questions:

• Who exactly do you want to reach with this account? Be as specific as possible – you may also imagine exemplary target persons (so-called personas). If you identify "everyone" or "the general public" as your target audience, think of some examples of people you specifically do not wish to reach.
• What is your content and what message do you want to convey to your target groups?
• Are there more effective ways to reach your target groups, such as face-to-face?
• How is your content relevant to the target groups? Which concrete benefit do you offer?
• What do you want to achieve with this account? How can you determine that you are successful?
• Are there sufficient human and financial resources to run this account regularly for years?

Instead of setting up an account that only publishes a small amount of content on an irregular basis, you can also contact the University's social media team. We can also publish your content if it is relevant to our target audiences, such as students, for example.

Account management

If you communicate on social media as part of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, you should do so regularly and on a long-term basis. Create a content schedule, and budget time and capacity for the creation, coordination and publication of content. Regularly check the feedback from social media and answer or host messages and comments.

Ensure that more than one person has access to keep the account running in case of staff changes or shortages.

Accountability for content

You are responsible for the content you publish on your social media profiles. Nevertheless, be aware that if you are acting as part of the University, this means that content and statements will always reflect on the University.

Also be aware that the internet does not forget. If you delete or subsequently edit your own post or comment, it may already have been shared by others, possibly as a screenshot.

Legal

Copyright, rights of use and personal rights also apply in social media. Copyright infringements can be costly. Offensive, anti-constitutional and similar statements can have consequences under labour or criminal law.

In general, the following regulations must be observed:

• Imprint obligation (§ 5 TMG and § 55 RStV) for print products and online publications. This also includes Facebook pages and other social media profiles. According to the Federal Supreme Court, the imprint must be easily recognisable, directly accessible and permanently available. In practice, the so-called two-click rule is widely adopted. This means that you can link to your website in your profile (first click), provided it has an imprint in the footer (second click).
• The Telemediengesetz (TMG, German Telemedia Act) regulates information on the obligation to provide an imprint, information on the liability of the operator of the respective social media platform (so-called service provider) and on data protection.
• Freedom of speech is widely protected under Article 5 of the Grundgesetz (German Constitution). However, factual claims that do not correspond to the truth are not permissible. Insults and so-called defamatory criticism are also not permissible.
• The Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG, Federal Data Protection Act) regulates the collection, storage and processing of personal data.

• The Kunsturhebergesetz (KunstUrhG, Art Copyright Act) regulates the right to one's own image. Generally, the explicit consent of the person depicted is required before the image or video recording can be published. In the case of children, the consent of the parent or guardian must be given. The declaration of consentpdf, 877 kb · de should be made in writing.
• Exceptions apply to images of public gatherings, persons of contemporary history or images in which the persons are not the motif but merely an accessory.
• The Urheberrechtsgesetz (UrhG, Copyright Act) protects texts, images, audio and video content. In most cases, these works may only be published with the consent of the person who created the work in question. If you reproduce works, also note that this person has the right to be named in their work. When uploading content to social networks, you usually surrender extensive rights of use to the network. So make sure that usage of the works on social networks is covered in the licences.
• The Markengesetz (MarkenG, Trade Mark Act) protects names and logos.
• The employment relationship often also includes the duty of confidentiality or official secrecy.
• The general terms and conditions, terms of use and guidelines of the respective social network apply.

Transparency

Be transparent about who manages the content of your social media presence. If you appear as an individual in relation to the University, then identify yourself by name. Make it clear at any time in which function and role you are communicating.

In the name of transparency, own up to your mistakes. If you are wrong or (rightly) criticised, do not delete the critical contribution without comment, but openly admit your mistake and correct the statement immediately.

Design, Corporate Identity

The University logo may only be used by central accounts. For your own social media profiles with reference to the Friedrich Schiller University, there are profile picture templates in the corporate design de wich can be supplemented accordingly.

Your non-central social media profile should be named in a way that it is immediately recognisable as such to an external audience. The in-house abbreviation "FSU" for the University should therefore be avoided. Instead, "Uni Jena", for example, is immediately comprehensible even to the uninitiated. The same applies to the name of your institution: Here, too, it is advisable to use the institution's own name instead of an abbreviation.

Netiquette and community management

Social media posts should be appealing, informative and entertaining and enable an exchange. Opinions, tips and questions from the community are essential for this. A respectful tone and constructive and objective criticism are important. It is therefore always advisable to formulate and publish a so-called netiquette de, i.e. rules of communication and discussion recommendations for the social media channels, which can be referred to if necessary.

Comments and direct messages must be checked regularly and answered if necessary. Content that violates the netiquette is transparently deleted if necessary. This means that a screenshot of the respective content is made and locally stored, and the deletion is also indicated and justified at the appropriate place. Illegal content shall be deleted within 24 hours of becoming aware of it (notice-and-takedown principle). If necessary, the legal department is informed. In this case, the screenshots also serve as evidence.

As a matter of principle, take all questions and concerns seriously, even if they may seem trivial or be written casually. Every reaction means that a person has taken your content into consideration. If questions and concerns are brought to your attention, it means that you are being taken seriously. Remember that you are here for the audience, not the other way around. You will quickly find that even a person who comments in a gruff manner can respond with surprise and friendliness if they realise that you are listening to them, taking them seriously and trying to help them along.

If you are unsure, feel free to contact the University Communications social media team at:  online-redaktion@uni-jena.de. We will also gladly support and advise you if you notice that you are struggling to deal with emerging criticism (shitstorm).