Social Media Community Rules
For Social Media Use Policy #WF020
Revision Date: March 17, 2023
Print Social Media Community Rules (pdf)
These rules apply to comments, questions, and messages on or directed at a MnDOT social media account.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT’s) official social media accounts are limited public forums. The purpose is to provide information about MnDOT and the services we provide. Our online sites are governed by the general rules of respectful civil discourse. We encourage you to engage with us by submitting comments and questions related to MnDOT and by sharing MnDOT’s information with your network. You are fully responsible for everything that you post.
MnDOT staff monitor the social media accounts during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. MnDOT social media accounts are not to be relied upon for road emergencies. For emergencies, including debris or dangerous driving on state highways or interstates, please call 911. Requests to post messages submitted outside our normal business hours may be declined if the subject of the request to post no longer pertains to a current situation or event.
MnDOT’s Social Media Community Rules provide guidelines for engagement for people who choose to communicate on MnDOT’s official social media platforms. We do not allow content that:
- is off-topic;
- is obscene, sexually explicit, defamatory, threatening, or directed at any legally protected class of persons under federal and state laws;
- contains personally identifiable information, including, but not limited to home address or phone number;
- contains solicitations, advertisements, or spam (including items posted repeatedly). This includes promotion or endorsement of any non-state government entity or any advertisement of a business or product;
- promotes or opposes any person campaigning for election to a political office;
- incites or promotes violence or encourages illegal activity;
- contains information that reasonably could compromise individual or public safety; or
- infringes on copyrights or trademarks.
By participating on a MnDOT social media account, you are agreeing to abide by our rules. We reserve the right to ignore, hide or delete comments that violate these rules. These rules are subject to amendment or modification at any time. Repeated violation of these rules may result in the author being blocked from MnDOT’s social media accounts.
If you have questions or concerns about the social media community rules, contact socialmedia.DOT@state.mn.us.