In today’s digital world, social media plays a vital role in how organisations communicate, represent themselves, and engage with their communities. For UMSU, social media is a powerful tool—but also one that comes with legal, reputational, and ethical responsibilities. The Social Media Regulations articles on HelpDocs exist to help staff and student representatives navigate these responsibilities and use social media effectively, safely, and in alignment with UMSU’s values and obligations.


The Full UMSU Social Media Policy & Publishing Procedure

The following document outlines the expectations, responsibilities, and procedures for anyone affiliated with UMSU who engages with social media, either in an official capacity or on personal accounts where UMSU is referenced. You can read it here:

The overall aims of our regulations are to:
  • Protect UMSU from reputational, legal, or operational harm.
  • Ensure that social media use aligns with UMSU’s Constitution, policies, and values.
  • Provide a framework for responsible publishing and content moderation.
  • Clarify how to handle inappropriate content or online interactions.
Staff and Office Bearers should read and understand this document when posting on an official UMSU account, planning a social media campaign, encountering conflict or harassment online, or unsure about the appropriateness of a post.

Summary of the UMSU Social Media and Publishing Procedures


The eight page document covers several key areas, including:

  • Official Use: Only authorised individuals may post on UMSU-branded accounts. These users must follow professional standards, avoid legal risks, and coordinate with the Communications department.
  • Personal Accounts: While UMSU respects personal expression, posts that reference UMSU must still comply with conduct guidelines and may be subject to review or disciplinary action.
  • Moderation & Takedown: UMSU has the right to remove content that violates policy, whether posted on official or personal accounts, and maintains procedures for takedown requests and dispute resolution.
  • Prohibited Content: Posts that are defamatory, harassing, discriminatory, misleading, or that disclose confidential information are strictly forbidden.
  • Security & Privacy: All users must take steps to protect personal data and UMSU information when using social media platforms.

UMSU’s Social Media Policy serves as a clear and practical guide for safe, ethical, and effective social media use. Whether you’re promoting an event, responding to a student query, or sharing your views online, this policy ensures that your actions protect both UMSU’s interests and your own.