Social Media Policy

New York State Social Media Use Policy

New York State engages New Yorkers through many digital outlets, including NY.gov and Governor.NY.gov. Communicating with the State through social media enables you to contact us in a direct and meaningful way.

New York State agencies’ social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter pages are located within host sites that maintain their own terms of service, terms of use, privacy policies or other rules (“Terms of Service”, TOS) governing the use of these sites. You are subject to the TOS of the host site when you visit a New York State agency social media site. Information (photos, videos, messages etc.) you share with or post to New York State agency pages may be used by the owners of the host site for their own purposes pursuant to its TOS. For more information, consult the host website's TOS.

New York State may also host its own social media sites, whose site-specific Terms of Service govern your use of those sites. You agree that any information you post on a New York State social media site is irrevocably, permanently licensed to New York State and may be treated by the State as public information subject to disclosure to third parties. If a copyright is indicated on a video, photo, graphic or other material, permission to copy the material must be obtained from the original source of the material before posting.

Communications made to a State government entity through a New York State social media site will not be considered formal public comment and shall not constitute official legal notice to the State or requests for records under the Freedom of Information Law. Such submissions will not be acknowledged.

Questions regarding the New York State social media use policy may be directed to [email protected].