The government on Sunday issued a set of guidelines for public servants using social media networking sites, including facebook, twitter, skype and viber to ensure the ‘proper use’ of the internet-based communications in its offices.
Through the instructions for use of social media in the government offices, the public servants have been asked to refrain from making any comment online that goes against the national unity and spirit or hurts religious sentiments or goes against the principle of secularism.
They would not be allowed to make any such comments that appear discriminatory against any ethnic or religious minorities in the country.
The government officials and employees have been asked to refrain from publishing any contents relating to political ideology or discussions or humiliating any persons, institutions or the state, according to the instructions issued by the cabinet division.
All public servants have also been asked to maintain rules and regulations including the Official Secrets Act 1923, Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1985), Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1979 and Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 while using the social media networking sites.
The cabinet division instructions mentioned that 80 per cent of the internet users across the country use social media networking sites.
Around 800 government offices are using the online networking sites in their office activities, according to the official statistics.
Source: New Age
