Different information has different value and purpose. More valuable social media information, such as policy feedback, announcements or complaints, needs to be retained appropriately. You must make a judgement about the material's relevance to your agency's business. Contact your information management unit for specific advice.

When using third-party social platforms, you must ensure that you meet any Australian Government obligations, including the management of information.

Social media records held in their native applications on third-party sites may not be legally regarded as a Commonwealth record. Despite being created by an Australian Government agency, the information may not be able to be retained or accessed over the long term.

Your agency’s social media policy should identify what type of information needs to be captured in your agency’s records management system, endorsed business system, or social media capturing tools. The same information management principles apply to social media content as to other business information created in your agency.

One option when setting up a blog might be to use an agency-hosted or an Australian Government-hosted platform to ensure the information on there remains Australian Government property.

Social media is dynamic. The content is ever-changing and government information may be taken up by others for use and reuse. It is important that your agency keeps an accurate and authentic ‘original’ copy of business information posted on social media and captures it in your records management system or other endorsed business system.

If your agency uses social media, it should have a social media policy outlining the information management requirements and protocols for social media use. The social media policy should be linked to, or be part of, your agency’s information management policy.

Web administrators may routinely capture records of social media interactions in your agency’s records management system or other endorsed business system. Social media policy needs to be clear about when this routine capture is sufficient and when individual authors are responsible for capturing information from the social media platforms. Your information management unit should be able to assist with these decisions.

For more advice on developing a social media policy, refer to Your social media policy – what about records?

The processes below allow you to capture multiple records at regular intervals (for example, weekly, fortnightly, or monthly) as part of a business process.

Option 1: Download directly from the platform

• Use the export or download feature of the social media platform or messaging app. You can select a particular date range, type of information (for example, posts, photos and videos, messages) or different file formats for download.
• The downloaded file should be captured into your agency's records management system. Data may be downloaded as a CSV, Excel or HTML file from a social media account and saved locally to an official PC before being captured into the system.

Option 2: Use third-party software

• Use third-party social media management software solutions, archiving platforms, or apps specific to various social media networks or messaging apps. These can be used to sort, select, download and save social media content locally to an official PC.
• Some solutions can also generate customised periodic reports about social media activity, which should be captured into your agency's records management system.

You may want to capture records on an ad hoc basis where social media use is infrequent or if you only have a small number of records.

Option 1: Take a screenshot

Take a screenshot of the relevant interaction (for example, a policy decision, direction, action, or instant messaging conversation).

If you are using a mobile device, forward the image via email to the applicable official email account. The email should then be captured into your agency's records management system.

If you are using a PC, take a screenshot (for example, with PrintScreen, Snipping Tool or a third-party tool) and save locally before capturing into the system.

Option 2: Save content

Social media posts and webpages can be saved using their URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

Webpage URLs (known as web addresses) are provided in browser address bars whereas posts on social media have a 'share' button that when clicked, provide a URL linked to content. These URLs can be used to download and save content locally to an official PC before capturing it in your system.

Complete webpages can also be saved by using the browser's 'save', 'save post', or 'save page as' commands. Different browsers offer different options for saving webpage content. Choose the option 'Save as type: Webpage, complete' where possible.

Option 3: Make a file note

Summarise the interaction in a file note, or list multiple interactions in supporting documentation (for example, a spreadsheet).

Your note should include the relevant descriptive information:

• author
• title or subject
• content
• the date the content was uploaded or deleted

Capture the file note and supporting documentation into your agency's records management system.

Below are some examples of how to capture a social media interaction.

Example  1: Downloading Facebook interactions to an official PC

• From the desktop application, select 'Settings', select 'Your Facebook information' and click 'Download your information'
• Select a date range and a particular type of information (for example, posts, messages) then click 'Create file'
• Once the file is processed, click 'Download' and select the location on your PC (for example, Desktop) for the compressed .zip folder
• Capture the uncompressed or compressed (if it contains hundreds of files) folder into your agency's records management system.

Example 2: Exporting WhatsApp conversations on mobile devices

• Open the chat by selecting the person or group's name
• From the chat settings, select the 'More' option then 'Export chat'.
• Choose whether to include media in the file.
• Select the method for sharing the file. Use the export feature of the mobile device.
• Select 'Mail' option.
• Enter or select the relevant email address and 'Send'.