Institutional Use of Social Media

This policy applies to all existing and future social media accounts representing NIU and/or one of its divisions, offices, departments, centers, colleges, schools or programs.

This policy does not apply to personal social media accounts of students or employees. The views, thoughts or opinions expressed by students or employees on their personal social media accounts are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not represent the opinions or views of Northern Illinois University or its affiliates.

This policy does not apply to student organization social media accounts. The views, thoughts or opinions expressed on student organization social media accounts are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not represent the opinions or views of Northern Illinois University or its affiliates.

Account Administrator

Any university employee with login credentials responsible for serving as an administrator for an official NIU social media account.

College/Division Communications Designee

The marketing director or designated communications representative of a division, office, department, center, college, school or program that owns such university unit’s social media account(s), as designated by the division’s vice president, college’s dean or other final administrative approver.

Dormant Social Media Account

An account where no new content has been posted for one month or more.

Official NIU Social Media Account

Any social media account approved by the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications (EMMC).

Social Media

Public channels on the internet designed to facilitate dialogue with audiences and share relevant public information.

Social Media Account in Good Standing

An account that posts at least two to three times per week and has two full-time staff account administrators assigned to the account.

Social Media Channels/Platforms

Interactive, digital channels and online platforms which include, but are not limited to, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp, Discord, Twitch, Pinterest and platforms using interactive geo-location services and any other related systems including blogs.

Social Media Group

A virtual community or forum within a social media channel/platform where users with shared interests, goals or affiliations can interact, share content and discuss topics. These groups can be public, allowing anyone to join and view content, or private, requiring approval for membership and often restricting access to posts and discussions to group members only based on the purpose/objective for which the group was created. Examples include Facebook groups and LinkedIn groups that are specifically created to discuss specific topics or subject matter.

Social Media Page

A profile or space on a social media channel/platform where individuals, businesses or organizations can create, share and interact with content.

Unofficial Social Media Account

Social media accounts that are run by organizations with university ties but do not represent the university. This includes accounts of registered student organizations or online communities not administered by a university employee.

The college/division communications designee is responsible for determining the need and intent of an official NIU social media account. Once determined, the college/division communications designee shall seek approval from the EMMC social media team to ensure alignment with university standards and strategic goals. The EMMC social media team will evaluate whether the creation of the new social media account meets a need, avoids redundancy and is an appropriate tool for the objective it seeks.

Administrative rights to social media accounts must be reserved for university employees, requiring at least two full-time staff/faculty administrators to ensure consistent management, using an niu.edu email address. For platforms without individual profile passwords, the list of account administrators shall be reviewed each semester.

EMMC maintains the NIU Social Media Directory, a comprehensive database and directory of all official NIU social media accounts. Accounts in good standing will be included in the directory.

Dormant accounts (no new content posted for one month) will be subject to deactivation/deletion. It is the responsibility of the college/division communications designee to regularly check the social media accounts within their area and identify those that have gone dormant. The college/division communications designee will reach out to the account administrator responsible for the dormant social media account and decide if deactivation/deletion is required or if the account can move into a probationary period where a three-month action plan will go into effect.

Those seeking an action plan will need to submit a three-month content calendar to the college/division communications designee. If, after three months, their social media account has not been utilized to the satisfaction of the college/division communications designee and the EMMC social media team, the account will be deactivated/deleted.

The college/division communications designee and the EMMC social media team must be able to access all official NIU social media accounts.

The names and NIU email addresses of the two full-time staff account administrators must be provided to the college/division communications designee and the EMMC social media team.

It is recommended that passwords be changed on a consistent schedule and/or immediately after any suspicious activity, such as a security notification or when an account administrator transitions. In the event of suspicious activity, please notify the EMMC social media team and abuse@niu.edu to make them aware.

When an account administrator is no longer with the account, the college/division communications designee is responsible for removing them from all accounts and designating a new account administrator, so the account remains compliant with at least two full-time staff social media account administrators.

Account administrators must supervise student access to any official NIU social media account and ensure content and use adheres to this policy.

All use of official NIU social media accounts is strictly for university business purposes only, and such accounts cannot be used for personal, private, non-university commercial and/or prohibited political activities.

Maintaining an official NIU social media account does not grant any account administrator or other person using the social media account the authority to speak on behalf of Northern Illinois University. No statements on behalf of NIU can be made through social media, unless done by a university official with actual authority and disseminated by the Division of Enrollment, Management, Marketing and Communications. Official NIU social media accounts can only link to, or share, official NIU statements when instructed by the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications.

All official NIU social media accounts must adhere to the Communication Standards for Institutional Brand Identity, and ensure that all graphics, images and videos comply with approved university branding standards. If the account administrator intends to publish a photo on an official NIU social media account where the subject can be recognized, the account administrator must comply with the university’s photo policies.

• Any use of the university name, logos or trademarks must comply with the university’s Communication Standards for Institutional Brand Identity and, when applicable, the Athletic Marks Standards Guide.
• Please remember that the Huskie logo is specifically reserved for media directly related to the NIU Athletics program; the Presidential Seal is reserved for use on social media related to the Office of the President, Board of Trustees or formal university documents.

NIU is committed to freedom of expression, ensuring that all members of the university community have the broad latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn. NIU values all individuals and their rights, and encourages meaningful dialogue and a respectful exchange of ideas and opinions so that the voices of every student, faculty, staff and visitor to our campus can be acknowledged. Visit go.niu.edu/freedom for the NIU Statement of Freedom of Expression full policy, regulations, procedures and other relevant information.

Actively engaging with followers and the NIU community through NIU social media accounts is recommended. Interactive dialogue in comments can enhance your account’s visibility and foster meaningful engagement.

To manage content on social media that might violate this policy, account administrators are advised to follow a collaborative and cautious approach before taking any action. This includes consulting with key departments such as the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications; the college/division communications designee; the Office of General Counsel; or the Department of Police and Public Safety to ensure a comprehensive situation assessment. If the content necessitates further action, it can be reported to the relevant social media platforms for review or, if necessary, escalated to law enforcement or other appropriate authorities. This process ensures that any response is well-considered, legally compliant and aligns with the university’s policies, mission and reputation.

Account administrators are responsible for monitoring and moderating posts, comments and direct messages to their account from other users. Social media users have a right to disagree and express their opinion, so deleting or hiding comments should be used as a last resort when the comments contain:

• Obscene content that appeals to prurient interests, is patently offensive and lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value
• Threats or incitement of violence
• A clear and present danger
• Harassment or hate speech that violates university policies, state or federal laws
• Commercial spam or solicitations
• False or misleading statements related to public safety
• Copyright or trademark violations
• Other violations of applicable law

Account administrators who believe they have encountered users who repeatedly violates these guidelines should contact their college/division communications designees and/or NIU’s social media team to discuss the appropriate course of action. For concerns about a post or comment, please contact your college/division communications designee and/or the NIU social media team. If the account administrator believes a post demonstrates a credible threat, immediately notify the NIU Department of Police and Public Safety at 815-753-1212 or 911 in the event of an emergency.

All university social media use must respect intellectual property and copyright laws. Content including, but not limited to, photos, audio, music and video must not infringe on intellectual property or privacy rights, and must always adhere to federal copyright and other applicable laws, rules and regulations and university policies. To help reduce the spread of misinformation, and to also drive traffic, account administrators are encouraged to link to official NIU source material whenever possible.

All content must be accessible according to NIU and state guidelines, with the responsibility for accessibility falling to the account administrators.

The NIU Foundation is the only agency authorized to seek gift support using the university's name. Consistent with university policy regarding fundraising, all solicitations, by any method, including through any NIU social media sites, must be coordinated with and approved by the NIU Foundation.

No confidential information should be posted on any official NIU social media account, including, but not limited to, unpublished experimental methods, confidential research results or protected intellectual property. Account administrators are responsible for adhering to state and federal laws and regulations related to the security and privacy of information (e.g., FERPA and HIPAA, NCAA, Horizon League, Mountain West and Mid-American Conference [MAC] guidelines, if applicable) as well as to university privacy policies.

All social media use must comply with university policies, state and federal law, as well as with the policies of the particular social media platforms.

Failure to adhere to these procedures and guidelines will initiate a recommendation to remove or deactivate the social media account.

• Communication Standards for Institutional Brand Identity
• Cyber Bullying
• Ethics and Compliance Office
• NIU Civil Rights Office
• FERPA
• Freedom of Expression at NIU
• Incident Reporting
• Student Conduct
• Title IX