Govt issued advisory for Govt Employees regarding use of Social media

The government has issued a detailed advisory outlining guidelines for the use of social media by government employees. These guidelines, as per Government Order No. 1646-JK(GAD) of 2017 dated 26.12.2017, emphasize strict adherence and compliance. They highlight provisions from the Jammu and Kashmir Employees Conduct Rules, 1971, specifically sub-rules (3) of Rule 13 and Rule-18, which prohibit government employees from publicly discussing or criticizing government policies or actions.

Furthermore, the advisory underscores the legal framework governing social media usage, including Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India, which imposes reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech in the interest of national sovereignty, security, public order, and more. The Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971, and the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956, provide additional regulations and penalties for violations.

Despite these guidelines and regulations, there have been instances of government employees engaging in social media activities that contravene the rules. Such actions range from unauthorized dissemination of official information to posting politically or communally sensitive content under real or assumed identities.

To address these issues, the advisory reiterates key points for government employees to follow, including refraining from sharing confidential information, criticizing government policies, posting political or anti-secular content, and engaging in subversive activities. Employees are encouraged to use social media for constructive purposes and to defend government policies when necessary.

Additionally, the advisory prohibits employees from posting vulgar, obscene, or threatening content about colleagues, airing workplace grievances on social media, or participating in potentially fraudulent activities such as giveaways and contests.

In conclusion, while emphasizing the importance of social media usage for positive purposes, the advisory emphasizes the need for government employees to adhere strictly to the outlined guidelines to maintain professionalism and uphold the integrity of their positions.