Directorate of Media and Communication

Freedom of Information Request Reference No:
I note you seek access to the following information:
I am interested in the use of social media both as a way for police to engage with their
communities as well as to aid in criminal investigations (for instance by using social
media, Flickr, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, the Facewatch smartphone app, or police
department webpages to allow citizens to identify suspects).
Could you please provide me with departmental social media policies (and plans for
future changes to such policies, if applicable), as well as documents related to the
August 2011 London riots that discuss the use of social media by MPS - including the
use of the social media platforms mentioned above.
I am also requesting documents that detail or summarize the results of such use of
social media, such as how many suspects have been identified by citizens through use
of these technologies, and how many tips or identifications MPS has received through
each of its social media channels (and whether these have been useful to MPS).
Please also provide documents that discuss or summarize what types of information
(such as photos or video of the riots) citizens have submitted to MPS to aid in the
investigation and prosecution of crimes committed during the riots, and how much video
or photographic material has been submitted.
DECISION
I have today decided to disclose relevant records, subject to the deletion of information
pursuant to the provisions of section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the
Act).
Attached are copies of four documents, which contain guidance and instructions for
officers and staff using official MPS social media channels:
- ‘Twitter In The MPS’
- ‘Borough Commander’s blog guidance document’
- ‘Flickr presentation’
- ‘DMC Flickr training’
I also strongly recommend you read the publicly available document entitled ‘Four Days
In August’, which is the official MPS report on the disorder in London in August 2011,
and features social media and its role prominently.
Here is a link to the report on the MPS website: http://content.met.police.uk/News/MPSreport-into-summer-disorder/1400007360193/1257246745756
Directorate of Media and Communication
Freedom of Information Act Publ icat ion Schem e
Not Protectively Marked
Yes ❑
No[:]
Borough Commander's
Version 1 .0
DMC
15.08. 2012
15.08.201 3
- Guidance
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Protective Mark ing
Publ icat ion Scheme Y/N
Title
Version
Summa ry
Branch / OCU
Autho r
Date created
Review date
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Borough Commander ' s Blogs - Guidance Document
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Contents
1 . Introduct ion and Appl icat ion Process
2. Th i ngs to Cons ider Before Apply ing
3. Purpose and Object ive
4. Risks
5. Setting Up Your Blog
6. Rules for Conten t
6a. Blog Content - Red Amber Green S
7. Contacts
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Introduction and Application Proces s
This gu idance document is intended to g ive BOCUs a real istic view i nto the work
requ i red to successfully run a Borough Commander ' s Blog . It deta ils how BoroL.y
Commanders should use blogs to engage w ith the ir local commun ities and their
they must go through to ga in approval to set up and run a blog .
To set up a Borough Commander's Blog , BOCUs must :
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1 . Read th is `Bo ro ugh Commander's Blog -Guidance Document'
2 . Get the Borough Commander 's approval.
ra t T M% nd make one
STL ill support the
s from members
publ ic, sourc ing
1 cover (with absence
Med ia and
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3 . Borough Commander then needs to appo i nt a Blog
of the team the Blog Suppo rt Team Leader (BSTL ).
Borough Commander in post ing blog entries, answ
of the publ i c, revi ewi ng posts subm itted by me m
appropriate computer equ ipment , ensurin up
contingency plans ) and ga in the support o
Commun icat ions Officer and/or the relevant
4 . BSTL to complete El ig ibil ity Check ', s igned orough Commander. If the
appl icat ion is successful , Boroug mander
ill need to assume full
respons ibi lity for the content and up f th log . They must also agree to
rev iew the blog 's objectives and progres erly.
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5 . Appl icat i on e i ther approv l i ned by the D i rectorate of Med i a &
Commun icat ions (DMC) i
up .
6 . If successful , BOC set e i r Borough Commander Blog , in accordance
with `Borough Comma BI
- Gu idance Document ' .
Things to Conside r
Each blog
commun
we ca
clea
(B)OC .
Checkl ist.
'cation mu have spec ific objectives and be part of a w ide r
trate uffhere i s little benef it to se tting up a blog just because
'he ations are do ing it. To get your blog appl icat ion
wi ll need to demonstrate that you have specific object ives and can
i how it forms part of the overall commun icat ions strategy for your
wi ll be asked to spec ify your object ives as pa rt of the El igi b ili ty
el t existing blogs, webs ites , forums or Twitter channels should be
ed to see if onl ine d iscussions about pol icing in your borough are be ing
d els here . (B)OCUs should try to jo i n that conversation instead of/as well a s
cr a
new blog .
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Give prior consideration on the potential impact on reputat ion and resources .
(Thi s wi ll be covered i n more deta il i n the ` Ri sks' secti on .)
P se and Objective s
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BOCUs should take the follow ing into consideration when defining the ir own specifi
objectives for the ir Borough Commander's Blog.
Borough Commanders Blogs should :
Aw~
Help Borough Commanders engage d irectly w ith their local co m
Th is blog is an oppo rtun ity for Borough Commanders to talk about loc pol ice issues
from a personal perspect ive and to give readers an insight into wo they d and the
wider work be ing carried out on the ir borough .
Publ i c i nvolvement and s imple
Mn wh ich
by an
who might not come
wi th the Met vi a a
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Blogs should be used to provide local pol icing
to the Metropol itan Pol i ce Serv i ce webs i te and
social platform .
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Posts are l i kely to cover local successes , updates on local in iti
pol ice are foster ing good l inks within the community, etc. As al
i nd iv idual , posts are l i kely to have a fri endly and personal tone
to empower
Risks
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As a blog , members of the publ ic should be enco O lWd to ask quest i ons and subm i t
the ir own vi ews on subjects . Res i dents and members of the commun i ty should be g iven
a chance to get i nvolved in pr iori
the ir local ne ighbourhood and d iscuss ways
of solv ing pol ici ng issues at a loca vel .
ugh Commander's Blogs w ill be hosted
by the Tumblr blogg ing platF rm . Tu as both an ` ask' and `subm i t' funct ion wh i ch
readers can use to ask the r qu ns and to subm it the ir own entr ies for
publ icat ion on the blog . Reade ul encouraged to make use of both of these
tools. All Borough Co to ould use Tumblr . No other blogg i ng platform
should be used .
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There are r
i dent ifi ed a
these r i sks
der when setti ng up a Bo rough Commander's Blog. Those
rsi' are grouped i nto sect i ons below . BOCUs need to be aware of
a pos i t ion to m iti gate them .
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Reputational Risks
Poor qual ity blogg ing or blogg ing excessively .
• Only BOCUs who have fulf illed the El igi bil ity Checkl ist wi ll be grante 0
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perm iss i on to set up a blog .
Publ i sh ing i nappropr i ate or confl i ct ing informat i on i n the publ i c domai 1
Borough Commanders Blogs should only be used to
about that spec ific borough
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The `Blog Content - Red Amber Green System' mu
(Please see page 9) . Thi s system sets out what tor
blogged about.
Fa i lure to meet expectat i ons of the publ i c
Any sensi ble questions `asked ' MM
`subm itted ' by members of the publ ic
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The hacki ng and clon ing of a
he description to
ans for local out of hours
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If blogs cannot be manned 24/7 this must k
mange public expectations . (Howev
access must be made on BOCU .)
all times
t be
• Please see I .T. an d
led to. Any sens ible posts
given consideration
section (page 5 )
Security Risk s
Publ i sh ing in
publ ic at r isk
which
fi nality,
damage operat ional effecti veness or put the
by MPS or by members of the publ ic
n ~ve been la id out about what can and cannot be tweeted (RAG
format i on , i nclud ing personal i nformati on , wh i ch could affect an
or an investigat ion should never be publ ished .
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should be Marly stated on all blogs that cr ime repo rting ,
ridence/i ntelligence should not be posted , and alternate contact informat ion
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Resourcing Risk s
Diverti ng staff from the ir existing duties to set up and help ma intain blogs .
• You must have team capac ity to update, monitor and rev iew the bl
regularly . You should a i m to update the blog w i th two new posts a
Quest ions and repl ies from members of the publ ic should be check n d
responded to da ily.
• Have staff cont i ngency plans i f the Blog Suppo rt T
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I.T. and Password Security Risk s
Use of i nappropri ate I .T. equ ipment .
Accounts accessed by unauthor i zed
ed ICT equ ipment .
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• Blogs should only be updated from secu *
Do not use a covert standalone computer t
of equ i pment can result i n d i sc ipl in aiIII10%
ed.
• Passwords must be kept securely . Thy
should be the Blog Suppo rt Team Lead
Sople to know the password
m and BOCU Commander .
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The Blog Suppo rt Tea Iso tell the DMC Soc ial Med ia Group
(SMG ) the password and p e updated i f the password changes.
• Passwords must be ed h t ime. No computer should be set to
remember th is p~,g&wo
•
Tumblr sho~ only be
download e
through a web browser . Apps must not b e
Setting Up Yo
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ernes and band i ng wi ll be g iven to you once you 've subm itted the Elig ibility
n your appl icat ion for a blog has been approved .
In
here are a few t ips and features of Tumblr wh ich you may w ish to think
ing started . You should not set up your blog until you 've rece ived
so from the DMC Soc ial Med ia Group .
Signing up . Using Moz illa F irefox, head to Tumblr.com . You 'll need to enter ,
ema i l address , password and username . 2
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( Make a note of the password you set up and cl i ck `Sta rt' . Yi
need to then g i ve your age (the MPS i s 183 years old! ) and cl i ck to say you
agree w i th the terms and cond it i ons
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Verifying your account . You'll th
Tumblr. Click on the Verify Email I
to the address you gave
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Dashboard . You'll then get taken thro at's known as the `dashboard ' .
This is the f irst th ing you'll see each time y og in. At the top of the page ,
you've got a number of d i rent buttons (e . g. text, photo, etc.). Cl i ck on one of
these to add a new post .
uttons will be a l ist of recent updates from
blogs you follow .
Aftoob 4 0
,Text Photo Quote Link Chat Audio
Vide o
Yo u r D aslti boa i d now in c lu des p asts fr o m po pul ar Fl ogs.
U p date yo ur Pr e fe r e n ces to d isab l e this fea tu re o f follow b l o a s we
reco mm e n d in a ui Spo tli g ht .
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`5
•e and description . Click on `Untitled ' at the top of the page . This wi ll
e you to your blog. It'll be called Untitled unt il you g ive it a new name . To
change your blog 's name, cl i ck on ` Custom i ze theme ' . On the nav i gati on bar
on the left-hand s ide enter your blog 's name in the `Title' box. Your title
should be `(Borough name) Borough Commander 's Blog' . In the descri ption
box, you should write the Borough Commander's full name and t itle followe d
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*tQ)
by a short d i scla imer:
e .g . Chief Super intendent Joe Bloggs , Borough Commander for XXX ,
Metropol i tan Pol i ce Servi ce. Please don 't report cri me or post sens i t i
on this page . Call 101 or in an emergency , always d ial 999 .
You w i ll rece i ve fu rther brand ing i nstruct i ons once your appl i cati
blog has been approved .
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Dashboard Uittitle d
fo
ktti
.G
to djPk your blog and select `Blog Sett ings ' from th e
ono
WD-han
side. You w ill be g iven a p icture for your po rtrait
nj&your appl i cati on has been approved . You need to conf i gure th e
Replies: leth t ick boxes blank (there is no option to delete or ed it replies
m other use 7g )
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he `Let people ask quest ions' and call your ask page `Ask me a
estio Leave the `Allow anonymous quest ions' box blank .
ssions : Tick `Let people subm it posts'. You can approve subm issions
before they get posted to your page . Type `Subm it a post' in the page t itle box. In
the gu idel i nes box, enter the follow ing : `Want to submit a post? Please keep it
clean , legal and on topic . We won't publ ish any posts we th ink could be foun d
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offens i ve. Thanks for your help .' Leave all subm i ss i on type boxes t i cked
Facebook: Leave th is box unt icked .
Twitter: Tick th i s box to l i nk the blog to your Tw itt er account. You ' ll
cl ick on the `Sign in with Tw itt er' process .
Other: Make sure you have the correct language and t i me zone
Directory, tick the box that says `Allow search eng ines to index ;
U
for y r blog ,
to see
once a day .
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• Messages . If someone asks you a question or s~
you'll get a message notification at the top of the
your latest messages . Messages need to be th e
PSI
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F---]
Add i ng a post . T add a
' post, cl i ck on the Dashboard button and select
the type of post ant ake . Whatever type of post it is (e .g. text,
photo) , the general s always the same . The drop down box g ives
l i s r post now , later, save i t as a draft, etc . If wha t
you the opti
you 're po g rela anther source on the web , always include the l i nk in
the `cont source' b on the r ight-hand s ide . Add `tags' to make your pos t
more sea able , e.g ol ice, Hounslow , ant i-soc ial behav iour. Never cl ick
pho pl II
i te a tweet to go i n the box below the Twitter i con to
au at ic ly s a tweet about your blog once you 've posted . Once you 're
e a eady to post , cl ick on the `Create post' bu tton at the bottom of th e
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Co
ifi
s top ics that can and cannot be blogged about can be found in the `Blog
- Red
ber Green (RAG ) System ' on page 9 . The po i nts below offer some
ral
e on what makes a good post .
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Blog Content - Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Syste m
Below is the RAG Traffic Light System for Borough Commander's blogs . This illust s
what subjects can be blogged about, and what subjects require approval or
prohibited . The RAG system must be followed to ensure that blogs are approp and
of a high quality .
Green - go ahead without contacting BPLO/ DM(
- Local good news, local policing initiatives, burglary, assault, car crime
damage, anti-social behaviour, non KSI RTCs, crime prevention, stre n
mun ity
meetings, reblogging other police or local council/community gr ups ts, l in to
content on MPS website
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Amber - blog , but inform BPLO/DMA
The follow ing ONLY if they ARE already in the publ ic doma i n
cou rt results , local jo int in itiatives, KSI RTCs , ASBOs , eve
Red - always call DMC Social
idji /Group first!
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Any of the amber top i cs NOT already i n the
invest igations , budgeta ry/financ ial issues ,
tical/g
issues, SOPs and pol icies, reputational i
s, majc
prisoners .
~ operat ions ,
emergency,
m
issuesdisciplinary
cal Incidents, escape d
If you want to blog about a top ic not on the RAG pl Wse contact the DMC Soc ial Med ia
Group during office hours . Outs id f office hours , please call the DMC Press Bureau on
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General Tips
Generally speaki ng , all blog posts should :
1.
2.
3.
4.
Be cred ible
Be cons istent
Be eth i ca l
Be inclus ive
Be engagin g
A Borough Commander's blog w ill involve a sh ift from tell ing th
actively engag i ng in d iscussion . The aim should be to get the r
sharing and convers ing w ith the Metropolitan Pol ice . It is not ju
good news . Encourage your readers to get i nvolved by aski n
posts .
I
sc
cing to
0 ating
i ,
tool for
subm itt ing
your posts should
Iffe sure you write us ing
id pol ice speak at all
of your aud ience when
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Keep it huma n
Wh ilst content should be i n keeping w ith corpora
reflect the Borough Commander's thoughts and
simple , access ible language and try to stri ke a
costs! Ensure that you show an understand i
you wr ite.
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Be credible
Wh ile posts may be informal they should invoke ence and trust i n the MPS . Make
sure that content can be defended . Where poss i ble ou should i nclude l inks , photos ,
quotes , etc to i llustrate what you 'jO&JUggi ng about .
Be creative
Tumblr i s a really versat i le
ing orm . T ry and make your content var i ed by
includ ing pictures , links to we
, s videos , audio, clips, etc . Make sure you 're
only post ing content yo v copyright of .
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Be inclusive
Social med ia is all a t sharing . ocal pa rtners , pol iticians , newspapers , commun ity
groups and lead e us i
umblr too . You can choose to `follow' other bloggers
on Tumblr. W you et a l i st of the i r most recent updates each t i me you log
in. If someo as
91 ted someth ing interest ing you want to share w ith your followers
,
` re-blog ' it by cl i ck ing on the `re-blog ' button at the top of the post .
and reader
`Re-blog '
button
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Ensure complete transparenc y
Clearly state your name and position within the Met .
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Take responsibility
Remember you are personally responsible for what you publish .
can remain online indefinitely .
Think lega l
Ensure you do not d iscuss any current cases or investigations to avo i
contempt of cou rt. Avoid identifying v icti ms or suspects .
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Think about knowledge
Only cover your own bus i ness area - don't engage i n conver ono es wh ich are
beyond your rem it w ithout first check ing w ith those whose re
it is.
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Be accurate
Ensure anyth ing you say is verifiable . Use facts , r~t ar correct errors Avoid
emotional exchanges and arguments .
r4w*j
. Only post informat ion
Nhich should be in the
Met's . Do not post anyth i ng protected by
owner . This includes origi nal written
anon in i tself.
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Remember copyrigh t
Only post material wh i ch i s your
copyright w ithout the permiss ion
work, logos, images , vi deos - but
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Don't reveal sensitive information
Do not violate privacy or post sensitive
which will not infringe on the privacy of
public domain .
Spelling and grammar
Always spell check and
have released is well A
Be accessible
Ensure that info
non web-user s
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Shout
You wil l
to come to your
with thi a.Cons ic
'HING before posti ng . Make sure what you
al standard .
ing is ava i lable i n other formats , for example to
cial media !
ed to use trad i ti onal commun i cat i on methods to encourage people
~ ntact your borough Med ia and Commun icat ions Off icer for help
Nei hborhood Watch and Safer Ne ighbourhoods Team ward panel
to help promote your blog in a cost-effective way .
fy fu rt her quest ions about th i s document, please contact the DMC Soc i al
on 8
more tips about us ing Tumblr , please visit: http://www .tumblr .com/tips
kb-. Ip on using Tumblr , please visit: http://www .tumblr .com/hel p
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How to update the MPS Flickr sit e
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DMC Flickr Trainin g
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Contact:
p .2
2) Process to upload picture s
p.3
3) Public viewing setting s
4) How to delete a photo
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5) BOCU Withern sets
For BOCU Withern sets - you
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In Flickr, albums of photos
together then you need
set and just want to a
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Note: if you ever wa to get
the right hand o
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1) Process to create a new set
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Contents :
6 before you start to uploa d
its . If you want to display a number of photos
is is detailed below. If you already have a
to page 2 ` Process to upload a photo . '
to the home page click on the Flickr logo o n
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Process to create a new set (an album of pictures )
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Click on ` organize and create drop down arrow ' -then click `Your sets'
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Batch o rgan-
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Sets Pr ima Crewe
Tip. Double c li ck a set to open it, o r drag the sets sound to
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3.
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Fl€c kn Orga nize your
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Name the se#Mall,ur SNT/(B)OCU name is at the beginning and add
description ~udiAp c ct details .
4 . In order to s
et you must add a photo . Because you want to create and
keep the sentil you are ready to launch, it is suggested uploading on e
of th fistithen
N
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5. 0 th :0 you should see the option click batch edit - select this
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Set: test set x
Print&Create Groups Ma p
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Batch Organ i ze Sets
7 item in the s et
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test set
6. Under the batch edit click change permissions (select onl y
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7. Under the batch edit select add tags - put any words/te o k g ht be
searched to find your set . E .g . for a disorder suspect in Ha police
,
;
disorder , riot, Hackney etc .
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8. Press sav e
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9. Go back to the home page (do this by clickijW th r go on your right hand
r4O
corner)
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Process to upload photos
1 . Click `Upload Photos and Video '
Yap Orga n ize B Create
2
He re's ho w to g et started :
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S ear c h
Upload Photos & Vide
nLirfirs*rnoto=_
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Find your friends an Flick r
ar, iba~~ m«a ano~o ~~maaa
Contac ts G ro ups
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Home
2. Click'C
oPersnalizdp!
fit .
and choose your photo/video when prompte d
Upload to Flic k
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pou r 2 v in~ lim i[this month Upgrade ?
and videos IE .
Le a rn m ore ...
u want to keep the photo private for the time being select private
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upioaa to Flickr
Iotosa~a~~aaoso~to~,--I,a~a,maa~~~, .
The next screen will ask you if you want to add a desc n ,
have a description and/or a reference number .
ch oto should
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Fi n i shed! Next : add a desc ri ption, perhaps ?
D e s c ri be th i s uplo a d
_ r. oF~i~ in Cranl J ~.r ~•. re fina-_~I n.a c. ntrol .
Add t o a S et
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Li g hth o us e
create e n ew set ...
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Add T a gs [? ]
Titles descriptions . tags
ich are any
K.g. for a disorder
etc.
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5. Add the description and title of the photo ;
words/terms you think might be search
suspect in Hackney put : police , disord
6. Pr~ Wave
u viewin settings
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u are ready to make your set and photos public:
the homepage select the arrow on the tab ' Organise and Create '
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2. Select your Sets and Collection s
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3. Select Your Set e .g . Operation Diamant e
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4 . Select Batch Edi t
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5. Then change the permissions to public.
Always open up the set and check all photos are displaying that
for any chance they are not click edit next to the picture and ch a
How to delete a picture
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1 . On your home page select `Your Photostream '
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Here's how to get sta rt ed :
Persanaiizevourpr-6;iie
Upload your first photo s
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If
Find your friends on Fklekr
Or, learn more about conta ct s
>> Your Photostrea m
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Re cent lJpl oa : s ~ , .
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and click delete .
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2. Find the picture
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BOCU Withern sets
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The following will need to be placed in the main description box :
'These images have been released by (NAME OF BOROUGH) as
Operation Withern . Police are seeking assistance in identifying
individuals . If anyone recognises an individual please contact tl
number or email address below the image or call Crim
.'
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Each borough Album will must be labeled ' London Disorder (NAME OF
BOROUGH )'
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For each image that is uploaded you will need to put its M :)4
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. This reference code must be a METCU code Etheopbx
responsibility to ensure that your OIC provides you with
t can always check whether the code you have be n given M E
speaking to o
the
code i n
'our
irmation . You
code b y
In the box below the ref code the following will ne
Di
~p b erted :
'These images have been released asp ern Withern .
Police are seeking assistance in ide ing the Ilowing individual in
connection with the serious disorder iole that took place in August
2011 in (BOROUGH NAME , or if you have nd further dets ie road name
this can be included) .
IA
If anyone recognises the indi ase call XXXX (if a local CID/Withern
hub number you will also nee in hen the phone line is staffed from)
or email IDSOUGHT@MET OLI Alternatively please call Crimestoppers
anonymously on 0800 55
FO
It will be the responsi ity of th
PLO to upload and remove ALL images . You wil l
need to consult with
they Flickr is a tool they wish to explore . If this is
the case it is the ~
he OIC to inform the BPLO when an arrest ha s
been made in ori~r
e to be removed . Likewise BPLOs should b e
ICs to ensure images that need to be taken down are take n
MP
S
d OICs to take responsibility for any images the y
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of will take NO responsibility for any legal outcomes
being left on the site when they should have bee n
sdia ets pull of the images and store them , so it is paramount that
A
Press Bureau know when a positive identification has been
order for a request to be circulated for media not to use the image
6 of 6
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Twitter in the MPS guidance document
Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme
Protective Markin g
Not Protectively Marke d
Publication Scheme
Y/N
Title
Version
Summary
Branch / OCU
Author
Date created
Review date
Yes ❑
No❑
Twitter in the M
Version 1 . 1
1
16 . 08 .201 1
Contents
1 . Purpose and sc
2 . The process of Effplying fo Twitter site
3. Appropriate usi
Twitter ' the MPS
4. Principles
nsi settin up a Twitter sit e
5. Applying
oval to create a Twitter site
6. Risks an
15ting Actions
7. Twitter Ru
ad Regulation s
7a . RAG Sys em towosting s
8. UPWal D i nciples for Social media
2
2
3
3
5
6
6
10
11
,Rk
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1 . Purpose and Scope of Twi tt er in the MPS guidance document
44t Q
)
"The media report has changed dramatically over recent years - mobile
phone footage, citizen journalists and social media such as twitter are al
immediate , direct communication which sit outside the traditiona l
broadcast and print arenas . They have become part of the mainstr
controlling the facts and flow of information is increasingly difFi
ACPO Communication Adv isory Group 201 0
Introducti on
The rapid expansion of social media technologies such as Twitter pres th S
opportunities to engage with a wide range of people, in a way, which is bo c e and
responsive.
This guidance document is intended to give (B)OCUs a realistic
Twitter successfully . It details how the (B)OCUs will use Tw '
through to gain approval for the establishment and continuati
There are a number of ri sks associated with the MPS u
with training provided seeks to mitigate risks i
potential situations they could encounter using er
S(
required to run
they must go
site .
15 dia . This document along
officers and staff plan fo r
In order to ensure that only appropriate , high Tq&an d c ctly ri sk managed Twi tt er sites are
established , a system for seeking approval and o to ri ng has been agreed .
DPA will be responsible for assessin
practise .
ag nd approving o rejecting applications and to share best
ap
2 . Process of apply!
a
1 . All BOC ~n
under din
and di
tives to read ` Twitter and the MPS ' - this document to gain a
MPS will utilise Twitter, rules for MPS Twitter sites and a
)w
basic Twitter principles.
2 . All BOCU
representatives to attend training in Februar y
Mr'
CUs to complete the Twitter Application Form
rov decision by the SMG DPA
0 royal BOCUs will receive a comprehensive `Setting up Twitter presentation .'
6.
BOCUs to set up the i r Tw itt er s i t e
Po ite set up BOCUs will be invited to Twitter Workshops to share learning's and best practice .
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3 . Appropriate use of Twi tt er in the MPS
~4h' P
In general, the following principles should be the overall guiding force behind any Twitt
interaction . The DPA will only approve new Twitter accounts if they follow the provid ec
All applications must link directly to the Corporate Communications Strategy .
1 . To i ncrease commun ity engagement and to prov i de i nformat i on a rece feedback
from the publ ic
Providing information, such as good news and information relatin specific (B)OCU .
Additionally listening to specific audience groups that are unlikely to to ebsite and who
can be demonstrated to be more likely to engage with the MPS usin Social dia .
2 . S i mple feedback mechan i sms to empower
r
Such as surveys, customer satisfaction, ratings and coftu at n o r to identify issues that
the MPS need to be addressed, or as an integral part ai here the MPS wants to
generate debate .
3 . Publ i c i nvolvement
To allow the public to get involved in priority settin local neighbourhood and to receive
feedback and discuss ways of solving particularly at a level .
4 . Commun i cat i on for major publ i c er
Communicating and engaging the lic during the planning and policing or major publi c
order events .
Application Form QUEST
1
4 . Pr i nci ples Is!r
ett i ng up a Tw itt er s i te :
1 . Each Twill
communication
must have specific objectives and be part of a wide r
benefit to -setting up a Twi tt er site just because we can and other organisations a
W ry approval will be based of specific objectives and a clear explanation of how it
verall communications strategy for your (B)OCU .
QU ESTI ON 2
)CU relevant existing websites , forums or Twi tter channels should be investigated to
online (B)OCU discussions are being had elsewher e
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(B)OCUs should try to join that conversation instead/as well as creating a new Twitter site .
3 . G i ve pr i or consi derat i on on the i mpact to reputati on and resource capab i l iti es
tQ)
(B)OCUs must ensure that care is taken about what aspects of the MPS work are ope to
social media . Impact on resources necessary for creating, moderation and maintena m
considered .
5 . Apply i ng for approval to create a Tw itter s ite :
In order for a Twitter application to be approved the following three poi ism have n
actione d
1.
Have ( B ) OCU Commander Approva l
•
(B)OCU Commanders must want and approve th e
(B)OCU Commanders must sign the Twitter Ali
responsibility of the running and ri sks of the site .
• (B)OCU Commanders must agree to
quarterly .
us accepting ful l
objectives and progres s
Application Form
QU ESTI ON 3
QU ESTI ON 1 1
2.
Nominate a Twi tt er Team
• (B)OCU Commanders elecfX TL (and team if applicable . ) Please note a (B)OCU
Commander can choose th dW L .
• The TTL will take ponsi fo?Ve Twitter account ; ensure staffing cover (with absence
contingency pl s) and gal he support of the relevant communication manager/press
officer.
App li cat i on Fo r
QUESTION 4
3.
DPAI BPLOIn v e n t
Su per must be gained from BPLO/Comms manager if applicable . If there is no
~~~mms manager - guidance should be sort from the DPA .
sks and Mitigating Action s
are ri sks to consider when setting up a MPS Twi tter site . The ones mentioned in this
gent are the top risks identified by the DPA.
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The brief points underneath the risks must be followed in order to prevent MPS Twi tter sites from
becoming a reputational/operational ri sk.
The rules explained in the next part of this document seek to mitigate all ri sks identified .
Reputationa l
The publishing by MPS staff of inappropriate or conflicting information in
domain .
rn
_
• Only (B)OCU specific, information must be published . If unsure
appropriate a BPLO or the DPA must be contacted for guidance
•
Any pan London/Col 1 information must only be given out by re-t~
or @Co11 MetPolice .
etpoliceuk
•
The Twitter posting RAG system must be followed at all tim Plea see page 10)
Fa i lure to meet the expectat i ons of the publ i c.
•
If Twitter sites cannot be manned 24/7 this must tate e Twitter bio to mange
public expectations . However conti nge s u of hours access must be
made on BOCU .
•
Any sensible tweet must be
Damage to the MPS reputat i on and brand ident it99Wgh poor qual i ty or excess i ve
prol iferat i on of Twitt er channel.
•
Only (B)OCUs who have ful t application check list criteria will be granted
a Twitter site .
The hack i ng and clon i ng of a r p ence wh i ch could others to i mpersonate the
MPS .
•
Please see s rity sectio n password rules p6
Secur i t y
The publ i s bot y MPS staff or the publ i c of i nformati on wh i ch could damage
operat i onal Hess .
•
Clear rules been laid out about what can and cannot be tweeted (RAG System
0) .
•
clearly stated on all Twitter sites that crime reporting, evidence/intelligence
oul t be posted, and alternate contact information given .
T pu ng of i nformati on by e i ther MPS staff or the publ i c wh i ch could put the publ i c
sk from cr i m i nal i ty.
`
•
Clear rules have been laid out to MPS staff about appropriate tweeting (RAG System) .
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Resources
The diverting of staff from their existing duties to initiate and maintaining Twi tt er
channels effectively.
You must have team capacity to :
- Dedicate 15 minutes per three hours to check and respond to Twitter messages
- Monitor and review the site on re9ular occasions
- Have staff contingency plans if the Twitter Team Leader is absent .
It is recommended there are at least three p eop le in your B(OCU) w n on
demands of a Twitter channel .
•
Twitter technologies must only be used to access MPS Twi - thi to be managed
locally by (B)OCU management . Inappropriate use of ip result in
disciplinary proceedings .
Appl i cat i on Form QUESTION 6
Twitter Rules and Regulation s
vuc w L I Is aci iaiuvc i ia L w c Ui m r10 wU i n C11 1
na aw I Uw wu i y I wi uci aNc~ .u w I wc a
have been written for MPS usage .
Admin of the (B)OCU Twitte r
TWITTER USER NAME
Must be prefixed with
@ MPSHari ngey, @ MPy
characters long e .g . @MPSEnfi eld ,
be kept securely . The only people to know the password should be the
i der , team and (B)OCU Commander .
Twi tter Team Leader must tell the SMG the password and keep the SMG updated if
Sword changes .
:rs should be made aware of the location or holders of passwords for out of
24/7 access.
Passwords must be entered each time - no computer should be set to remember this
password .
Twitter should only be accessed through the webpage - Apps must not be downloaded
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EQUIPMENT /ACCESSIN G
You must access your Twitter site only from secure and Met approved ICT equipment .
Do not use a covert standalone computer to access Twitte r
Application Form QU ESTI ON 7
STATE THE LIMITATIONS OF YOUR SIT E
Make sure there is adequate cover to monitor and respond to tweet s
If the site cannot be manned 24/7, manned hours must be stated . to nat ources of
information/reporting channels @metpoliceuk and 101/99 9
METSEC and OFFICERS CODE OF CONDUCT
As always officers must adhere to the MetSec and Officer Code of duct II times .
FOI REQUESTS
Valid Fol requests on Twitter follow the same Fol guid*es a elephone call or face to
face request :
The Public Access Office must be contacted i
will be able to help co-ordinate a response .
Information Manager who
Application Form
QU ESTI ON 8
SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION
(B)OCUs must publish significa
social media .
Appropriate press of
issued via the Twitter
Mon i tor i ng the
on their website first and only then if approp ri ate , o n
kept informed of any significant information bein g
e - Re to Tweets
RESPON D
Twitter should be c d a m i n i mum of eve ry three hours, and a gu i de t i me of 15 m i nutes
per c
should beg n to ensure there is adequate time to respond to Twitter postings .
Th orl 'tter is extremely fast moving, all sens i ble post i ngs must be responded to .
Ev just ank you for your tweet . I will pass on your comments to the relevant party . "
CU ost regularly to maintain relationships with the audience and for successful twow ngaqement with their communitie s
Form
9
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MONITORING
(B)OCUs must monitor what effect communications are having in online worlds . Are they
commented on favorably, ridiculed, shared by their audience with friends . This should be
documented .
RENEWING
The TTL must review their site against its objectives on a monthly basis . A quarte e'
be held with the signing (B)OCU Commander . Successes and learning ' s shoul d
the SMG if asked .
~4h, P
to
Application Form QU ESTI ON 9
Tweeting Rules
LIMITS
Twitter imposes a 140 characters limit on twe
followers can re-tweet .
DESCRIPTIONS
Do not describe people in images published
(In the case of Operation Withern) Do not us(
0XW,9A
character limit so
o rder'
PUBLIC PROPERT Y
Everything said in the world of Twitter is immE
before tweeting . Never delete as this can cau
rlala4inn
riduals must check
retweeted prio r
FOLLOW MEDIA AND COPYRIGH T
• No photos to be tweet nless yright is possessed
• Arrested individuals mus be ed unless charge d
• Images of individu st i ed on social media . Link to Flickr http ://bit .ly/rnird1
or the agqroqri eb
LINKING
All (B)OCU tweet o 'i
appropriate) for re det
not have acce o soi l m
6 the (B)OCU/MPS website (or existing micro sites i f
ation . Information must be available to view for those who d o
NO PERSONA
S
All views expresse t be in line with those of the MPS . No personal opinions are to be
expre As per the G system below - no mention of politics . Remember that the tone of
you s is important and should be respectful of the diversity of the community you serve .
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RULES FOR TWEET CONTEN T
Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Syste m
Below is the RAG Traffic Light System for tweeting . This illustrates what subjects can be tweeted by (B)OCUs ,
and what subjects require approval or are prohibited The RAG system must be followed to ensure that t et s
P
are appropriate and of a high quality '1
Green
- go ahead without contacting BP L O/ DPA
40
- L ocal Good News , Burgla ry, Assault , Car Crime , Criminal Damage , Anti-Social rCSI
RTCs , Crime Prevention , Street and Community Meetings, Road traffic collision if si road
closure following police incident , Retweeting (RT) @C011 metpolice or @
Ii uk t eets or local
council/community groups tweets , Links to content on MPS website *
Amber -tweet, b ut inform BP L O/d,
The following ONLY if they ARE already in the public domain
joint initiatives , KSI RTCs , ASBOs, Evacuation/Ot merge
suspects , Missing people, Charge details.
Red
LN,
operations , Court results , Local
ng/Crackdown , Wanted
- always ca l
Any of the mentioned amb
Budgetary/Financial , Politic
Major/Critical Incident, Escap
public domain . Plus- SCD/SO/CO Investigations ,
Staff/Officer disciplinary, Force SOP, Force Reputation,
Any Olympics related news /stories .
t a topic not on
contact the SM G
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General principles for Twitte r
Social media . This section b ri efly explains the general principles of Twitter in order to give
understanding to those who are not familiar with the site .
Four Main MPS Twitter Principle s
1.
2.
3.
4.
Be Credibl e
Be Consistent
Be Ethica l
Be Inclusiv e
Be engagin g
The MPS ' s use of Twi tter will involve a shift from telling the public
engaging in discussion . Our aim will be to get the public talking , ci
with the Metropolitan Police . It is not just a broadcast tool for g gM
Keep it huma n
Twitter users can be hostile to the use of jargon or
be in keeping with corporate key messages make
accessible , human and succinct.
Whilst the content must
I for the messages i s
Be credibl e
While tweets may be informal they should invoke den nd trust in the MPS . Make sure
that content can be defended . Where possible you s clude web links to illustrate what the
MPS are tweeting (e . g photograph to support a road clo re tweet) .
Be In clusive
In keeping with the knowledge- sharing It o cial media , you should pursue opportunities to
signpost relevant content else e an weet messages from key influencers, stakeholders
and other Twitter users . Exclusiv of
' tter for self- promotion can lead to c ri ticism .
Ensure complete try
Never publish posts
within the MPS or
represented is co
iusly o nder pseudonyms . Clearly state your name and position
are n sing names make sure the part of the MPS being
Take response
Remember you
remain online it
ly responsible for what you publish . Remember that the posts ma y
Thi
En re y t discuss any current cases or investigations to avoid the risk of contempt of
co ide fying victims or suspects .
a wledg e
O cover your own business area - don't engage in conversation on issues , which are beyond
remit without first checking with those whose remit it is .
ccurate
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Ensure anything you say is verifiable - do not include opinion or hearsay .
Use facts , not arguments to correct errors . Avoid emotional exchanges and arguments .
Don ' t reveal sensitive informatio n
Do not violate privacy or post sensitive or restricted information - only post information which
not infringe on the privacy of others and information which can be in the public domain .
Remember copyrigh t
Only post mate rial which is your own or the Met ' s , do not post anything protected b
p
without the permission of the copyright owner. This includes original wri tten work , I a s ,
videos - but not information in itself .
Respect your audience
Ensure that you show an understanding and awareness of your audie M ure ur posts
use the appropriate language and tone and that information that is poste r MPS
professionally.
Spelling and gramma r
Always spell check and proof read EVERYTHING before posti a hat you have
released is well written to a professional standard in line wit h
Link smart
•
When linking to web resources with long URL ' s al e pressors such as
www. TinyURL . com or www . bit . ly. com which will to
more text in your tweets . If you
set up an account with these websites you will o be abl track your links to review stats on
click throughs .
Be Accessibl e
Ensure that information you are providing is available in her formats , for example to non webusers, if required .
Shout about your social media !
You will probably need to use
'tiona munication methods to encourage people to come to
your Twitter space - contact you ms ager for help with this. Consider Neighborhood
Watch and SNT ward pan oc t to help promote your Twitter in a cost -effective
way .
Full guidance on
will be provided .
Enquiries
- Twitter
'A
will b§provided through the ` Setting up Twitter Pack ' and trainin g
should be directed to the DPA via e-mail mailbox . DPA Mailbox
(Office Hours only)
j
Not Protectively Marked
O Metropolitan Police Authority 2011
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