Social Media Guidelines

Welcome to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Social Media Guidelines. These standards are designed to help DOE staff and contractors manage social media accounts effectively while maintaining consistency, accessibility, and professionalism. By following these guidelines, we can ensure our digital presence aligns with the DOE mission and values. 

Managing DOE Social Media Accounts

Adhere to DOE Branding: 

  • All DOE social media accounts must follow established branding guidelines, including the correct use of the DOE logo and colors. Refer to the DOE Communicators Hub for approved assets and templates. 

Maintain a Unified Presence: 

  • Profile and cover images should reflect DOE’s brand guidelines. 

  • Consistent formatting and tone help convey a unified voice across all platforms. 

Stay Accountable: 

DOE Flagship Social Media Accounts

We encourage you to pitch program-specific content to be featured on DOE flagship social media platforms by filling out our request form located at the Communicators Hub (DOE & Lab Staff Only). The DOE Office of Digital Strategy and Communications will evaluate submitted content on a case-by-case basis to determine its appropriateness for the intended audience before deciding to amplify and/or promote. Find a list of DOE flagship accounts at www.energy.gov/social. 

Communicating Clearly

Use Plain Language: 

  • Make your content accessible to all audiences by following PlainLanguage.gov guidelines. 

  • Avoid acronyms or technical jargon unless necessary, and always provide explanations for specialized terms. 

Accessibility Matters: 

  • Ensure posts include alternative text for images and captions for videos to comply with federal accessibility standards. 

  • Write concise, clear, and engaging content that prioritizes user understanding. 

Compliance with Federal Standards

The DOE is committed to meeting the requirements of the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA). This includes: 

DOE Social Media Directory

To enhance public engagement and transparency, the DOE maintains an updated directory of official social media accounts. This directory makes it easy for the public to find and follow DOE’s activities across platforms. 

  • Visit the directory to explore program office accounts and enterprise channels. 

  • Ensure your account is listed by contacting the Office of Public Affairs. 

  • Any DOE social media account not listed in this directory is not sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. Such accounts are not considered official and are therefore prohibited from posting content on behalf of the agency. 

Using Sprout Social

Sprout Social is the DOE’s required platform for managing social media accounts. This tool enables: 

  • Collaboration: Streamline content planning and approvals. 

  • Oversight: Provide the Office of Public Affairs with visibility into DOE’s overall messaging. 

  • Accountability: Program offices fund their own accounts, incentivizing active maintenance. 

Training and support for Sprout Social are available through the Office of Public Affairs.

Images and Media

Visual Standards: 

  • Use high-quality images and videos optimized for specific platforms. For example, vertical formats work best for Instagram Stories and Reels. 

  • Ensure images and videos are clear, professional, and aligned with DOE’s brand guidelines. 

  • Verify that color contrasts are accessible by using tools like the Adobe Color Contrast Analyzer to ensure compliance with Section 508 guidelines. 

Accessibility Standards: 

  • Follow Section 508 compliance requirements to make all images and media accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes: 

  • Adding alternative text for images that describes their content and purpose. 

  • Providing audio descriptions or transcripts for video content. 

  • Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background colors in media. 

  • For a comprehensive overview of best practices, visit Section508.gov. 

Copyright and Permissions: 

  • Only use media that DOE owns or has the rights to share. Obtain proper permissions and provide appropriate attribution for third-party content. 

  • DO NOT use copyrighted material unless explicit written consent is obtained. 

Professionalism: 

  • All visuals must reflect DOE’s mission, values, and professionalism. Use content that aligns with DOE’s objectives and avoids political or controversial imagery. 

  • DO NOT use images or media that could be misinterpreted or deemed inappropriate for the DOE’s public-facing platforms. 

Enhancing Reach and Usability: 

  • Caption all videos to enhance accessibility and improve user engagement. 

  • Design graphics with mobile-friendly considerations, such as ensuring text is legible on smaller screens. 

  • Use platform-specific tools (e.g., alt text editors on Twitter and Facebook) to enhance accessibility directly within social media platforms. 

Records Management

Effective records management is a critical component of DOE’s social media strategy. Social media content is considered a federal record and must comply with the Federal Records Act. This includes posts, comments, direct messages, and other interactions made on official DOE accounts.

Guidelines for Records Management: 

Preservation: 

  • Use tools like Sprout Social to archive all social media activity, ensuring compliance with records retention schedules. 

  • Maintain records in formats that can be retrieved and reviewed for audits, legal requests, or historical purposes. 

  • Document the deletion of social media posts and ensure the content, along with its context (e.g., date, time, platform, and reasons for deletion), is preserved as a record. Deletions must align with the National Archives’ guidance to ensure transparency and compliance with the Federal Records Act. 

Responsibility: 

  • Program offices are accountable for the proper retention of their social media records. 

  • Collaborate with DOE’s records management team to ensure compliance with agency policies. 

Best Practices: 

By integrating robust records management practices, DOE ensures transparency, accountability, and adherence to federal requirements. 

Comment Policy and Moderation

The Department of Energy respects different opinions and hopes to foster conversation within our online presence. To that end, the Department does not pre-moderate users' comments on our enterprise accounts. This means that users' comments are automatically published, but they may be removed by a Department of Energy official if they violate our comment policy. 

Comments may be removed from Department of Energy blogs or social media accounts if they: 

  • Contain obscene, indecent, or profane language; 

  • Contain threats or defamatory statements; 

  • Contain hate speech directed at race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, or disability; 

  • Contain sensitive or personally identifiable information; and/or 

  • Promote or endorse specific commercial services or products. 

FOIA Requirements

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, provides a right of access to federal agency records, including any information created or maintained by the Department.

Key Considerations: 

  • Voluntary disclosure of information through a social media platform outside the federal government may waive the application of statutory privileges under federal law. This could compromise the Department's ability to withhold such information in the future. 

  • Social media managers must exercise caution when sharing information to ensure that sensitive or privileged content is not inadvertently disclosed. 

Guidance for Staff: 

  • If you are concerned about making information publicly available through social media, or have questions regarding federal information law, contact the Office of General Counsel or the Office of Public Affairs. 

  • Ensure that all information shared aligns with DOE’s FOIA policies and does not compromise the Department’s operational or legal integrity.