Recently, we’ve seen a few social media conversations become more intense than expected. This can happen on any university channel—it’s part of the nature of public platforms. To help you anticipate and manage this, here are some best practices:
The University of Iowa, as an entity of the state, is bound by the First Amendment and committed to freedom of speech and expression. Our social media pages are public spaces, so comments—even critical or factually incorrect ones—are typically protected, with only very rare exceptions.. That means we cannot delete comments or posts with comments attached. For more information see this guidance from the Office of General Counsel.
If a post attracts negative or critical comments, don’t panic—and don’t delete. Monitor the conversation, and if it feels overwhelming, consider publishing a new post to move forward. If comments seem obscene, threatening, or harassing under UI policy, please contact us so we can review and involve the right offices on campus as needed.
As you plan your content, here are some things to consider:
- Platform: Choose the correct platform for the communication; some channels (like Facebook) invite more negative commentary or debate.
- Topic: Be aware that controversial subjects may spark strong opinions we cannot censor and manage unit expectations regarding the same.
- Framing: Does the image or wording support your goal—or could it unintentionally undermine that intent?
- Comfort level: Know that every post carries some risk of negative commentary. Decide your level of risk before publishing.
- Consult: If you are concerned about particular content, consult with us before posting.
Consistency helps. Following these best practices makes managing social media easier and less stressful. Additional planning tips are on the CLAS MarCom Toolkit.
The bottom line is that if you manage a UI social media account, these guidelines aren’t optional—they’re part of doing it right. As always please reach out with any questions or if we can be of assistance.