Wright State University Social Media Guidelines

1.0 Generally

This policy governs all official and affiliated social media platforms listed in Wright State University’s Social Media Directory (wright.edu/social) (the “Directory”). This policy is intended to be read in conjunction with Wright State’s policies related to freedom of speech and expression, including, but not limited to, Policy 1260, et seq.; however, where there may be an irreconcilable conflict, Wright State’s policies related to freedom of speech and expression shall take precedence.

This policy does not apply to social media platform accounts created by any person for purely personal use. This policy also does not apply to social media platform accounts created by registered student organizations (“RSOs”), non-registered student organizations, club teams, or any other social media platform accounts which may be controlled by university students or employees and used for their own personal purposes. All such social media platforms are neither authorized by nor affiliated with Wright State in any official capacity.

2.0 Official Social Media Platforms

Wright State reserves the right to modify, remove, and otherwise maintain university-generated content on its official social media platforms at any time. Such official social media platforms include:

• Facebook: facebook.com/wrightstateuniversity and facebook.com/wrightstatenews;
• X: twitter.com/wrightstate and twitter.com/wrightstatenews;
• Instagram: instagram.com/wrightstateu and instagram.com/wrightstatenews;
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrightstate;
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wrightstateu.bsky.social;
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/WrightStateU;
• Threads: https://www.threads.net; and
• YouTube: Wright State University.

Such official platforms are intended to be used by the university in a professional capacity for communications and/or marketing. Wright State reserves the right to restrict and control access and posting to all official social media platforms at any time for any reason. Wright State also reserves the right to remove content from its official social media platforms at any time for any reason.

3.0 Affiliated Social Media Platforms

Affiliated social media platforms are those created by any university office, department, division, organization, or other academic or administrative unit (the “University Unit”) used to reach online communities in a professional or official capacity for communications and/or marketing. Wright State is the owner of all social media accounts and digital properties created and/or used by any university office, department, division, organization or other academic or administrative unit. All content posted by a University Unit must comply with University Policy.

To establish an affiliated social media platform, the University Unit must do all of the following:

• Designate a social media manager (the “Social Media Manager”), who must be a full-time employee that has administrative access and passwords and shall be responsible for ensuring the affiliated social media platform is operated in accordance with University Policy;
• Provide University Communications and Marketing with administrative access and passwords for each of its affiliated social media platforms;
• Register the affiliated social media platform with University Communications and Marketing by completing a Social Media Account Application;
• Register the Social Media Manager with the University’s Social Media Managers’ Group; and
• Use only university-approved social media profile pictures, logos, and marks, as determined by the University Communications and Marketing in its sole discretion.

All Social Media Managers shall be responsible for ensuring their designated affiliated social media platform(s) comply with all of the following, as applicable:

• University policies for their college/school, division, department, profession, or bargaining unit;
• Applicable trademark and copyright law;
• Fair use regulations;
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA);
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA);
• NCAA regulations;
• Each platform’s Terms of Use;
• All federal anti-discrimination laws, such as Titles VI, VII, and IX;
• All other federal, state, and local laws and regulations; and
• Direction from University Communications and or General Counsel.

If a Social Media Manager separates from the university, account administration rights must be relinquished to an internal successor and/or University Communications and Marketing.

Affiliated social media platforms do not speak on behalf of the University, unless authorized in writing by the Associate Vice President of University Communications and Marketing. All third-party requests for public or official comment shall be referred promptly by the applicable Social Media Manager to the University Communications and Marketing without further comment.

Affiliated social media platforms shall not contain any of the following:

• Disparagement of the University, its operations, or its Trustees, employees, or students;
• Statements which are contrary to the University's business interests, illegal, or might tend to adversely reflect upon the University's reputation; or
• Information related or pertaining to a current or ongoing crisis on campus.

4.0 Affiliated Social Media Platform Activity

All affiliated social media platforms must post permanent content to their pages at least once a week to ensure that accounts remain active. If the account cannot make the time commitment to meet these expectations, it should use an already established account to relay their information to the public. Accounts that are not meeting the content expectations or accounts with less than 250 followers will be subject to deletion at the discretion of University Communications and Marketing and should consider using an already established account to relay their information.

5.0 University Branding on Social Media Platforms

All official and affiliated social media platforms must adhere to the University's brand style guide and use an approved profile picture. All such pictures, as well as the use of the University’s logos, marks, and other intellectual property, must be approved in writing by University Communications and Marketing before use on a social media platform. Only the University's primary social media accounts, which are operated through University Communications and Marketing, have default permission to use the University bi-plane or three-line wordmark in their profile pictures; however, exceptions may be requested in writing to the University’s University Communications and Marketing.

Wright State monitors social media for all brand and related keyword mentions. Any content posted to affiliated accounts that violates University policy or branding must be removed upon request from University Communications and Marketing. University Communications and Marketing must be consulted before launching new campaign or identity graphics or messaging.

6.0 Annual Audit

University Communications and Marketing will complete an annual audit of all official and affiliated social media accounts. Audit items will include, but is not limited to:

• Consistency of posting and meeting the one post-per-week guidelines;
• Follower count;
• Use of approved profile pictures, logos, marks, and other university intellectual property; and
• Compliance with University Policy.

Upon completion of the audit, University Communications and Marketing shall notify the respective Social Media Managers of its findings and propose corrective measures, if any, to be completed within thirty (30) days. Failure to comply with University Communications and Marketing’s corrective measures may result in:

• Removal from the Social Media Directory;
• Setting the account to an inactive/unpublished state; or
• Deletion of the social media platform.

7.0 Comments on Social Media Platforms

Wright State, in its sole discretion, may use any of its official and affiliated social media platforms to promote and share information about university news, initiatives, events, media, and other announcements. It may also, in its sole discretion, permit discussion on limited public forums. It may further remove comments, messages, and other communications (hereafter "Comments,") and restrict access to users whose Comments violate Wright State’s policies or mission.

Wright State may remove Comments that contain, constitute, or link to:

• Malicious or harmful software;
• Non-University advertisements, promotions, spam, off-topic content, or solicitations;
• Confidential, personally identifying, or private information (as defined by state law);
• Profanity, nudity, obscenity;
• Threats of violence or threats to public safety;
• Users who make threats of violence or threats to public safety may be reported to the Wright State University Police Department, Office of Student Conduct, Wright State Human Resources, and/or other local or state authorities for investigation.
• Copyrighted materials in violation of state or federal law;
• Disruptively repetitive content; or
• If the Comment materially interrupts University business or interferes with the opportunity of other students to obtain an education.

Wright State may, in its sole discretion, activate platform-provided profanity filter tools which automatically hide Comments that use profanity.

Removed Comments: Removed Comments cannot be restored, as they are no longer accessible to the University. An individual whose post has been removed may review Comment Guidelines and post a new Comment in a way that does not violate Guidelines. Any content removed pursuant to these Guidelines will be photographed via screen shot and retained for a minimum of 60 days.

Hidden Comments: Hidden Comments are typically the product of one of three scenarios.

1. The platform itself has an algorithm or other display methodology that the University cannot control.
2. An individual has platform settings or privacy settings that affect Comment display and availability.
3. The University shall have the right in its discretion to activate platform-provided profanity filter tools that automatically hide Comments that use profanity.

The University cannot unhide or alter the display of Comments as arranged or determined by the platform itself or an individual's settings as outlined in the first two scenarios. Hidden Comments due to a profanity filter may be unhidden pending review by the University.

Banned Accounts: An individual's user profile may be temporarily or permanently restricted from accessing the official and/or University-affiliated social-media profile if they repeatedly and consistently violate university policy or as a result of a single significant violation that is disruptive to the University's activities.

Individuals may contact University Communications and Marketing at socialmedia@wright.edu at any time to identify Comments or other conduct in violation of this policy.

8.0 Contests and Appeals

To contest the restriction of access to a social media platform, or the removal or hiding of a Comment, or any other decision made by a Social Media Manager, University Communications and Marketing, or any other person with authority to make such decision, a person shall submit a written statement stating grounds for reconsideration of such decision to University Communications and Marketing’s Social Media Team at socialmedia@wright.edu. Contests shall be responded to on a reasonably timely basis. A decision may be revised if it is determined that the grounds for reconsideration are sufficient.

A statement that a person will abide by this policy in the future may be sufficient, unless such person has already violated this policy after having already made such a statement.