Ethics and Social Media Q&A

Social media is constantly changing and has created an ethical grey area for libraries. As professionals we must stay current to foster our own skills and encourage the professional development and aspirations of others. By using social media we are better able to serve our public as the world around us changes. We must be careful when using social media to avoid advancing any personal interests and to avoid invading anyone’s privacy.

Ethics and Social Media Q&A

Libraries participate in social media primarily to communicate information about services and resources and to engage with their communities. Library professionals operate within various institutional frameworks—governed by Boards of Education, Public Library Boards, or University Administrations. While library workers must align their practices with locally mandated policies, the ALA, AASL, and ACRL serve as essential pillars of support, providing the professional standards needed to navigate these unique environments.

We strongly encourage libraries to utilize social media as a dynamic tool for community engagement and digital education. By integrating professional standards with local board rules, library workers lead the way in showing patrons and students how to use these digital tools responsibly. The library remains the ideal space to model the balance between creative online expression and the critical principles of privacy, intellectual freedom, and informed digital citizenship.

Social media —defined by Merriam-Webster as forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information and content— offer valuable third-party environments known as platforms. These platforms have their own data and privacy policies, therefore libraries must remain committed to being transparent partners in protecting patron confidentiality.

Communities are encouraged to engage with library resources across all digital spaces. To support this, libraries are dedicated to providing the tools necessary to navigate these platforms with confidence and privacy in mind. We recommend that member organizations develop their own brief, user-friendly privacy statements to guide patron interactions and promote digital wellness on their specific social media channels.

Most of the statements in ALA’s Code of Ethics encompass various ethical concerns that may arise from social media use. However, this document is intended to provide general guidance for library workers of all types regarding ethical issues arising from social media and is not intended as a comprehensive list or legal advice. For guidance in creating and implementing a policy to govern how libraries operate social media platforms, please see ALA’s Social Media Guidelines for Public and Academic Libraries. 

1) Do libraries have an ethical obligation to educate patrons on the use of social media? 

As an institution, a library possesses the same ethical obligation regarding patron education and social media as it does toward information presented in any format. As part of the American Library Association’s mission, priorities, and goals, “ALA promotes the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of a learning society, encouraging its members to… ensure that school, public, academic, and special libraries in every community cooperate to provide lifelong learning services to all.”  

Information literacy is “a crucial skill for navigating the digital world” and, thus, information literacy education is a part of those lifelong learning services.  As referenced in ACRL’s Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction, “information literacy encompasses more than good information seeking behavior...It includes evaluating and then using information appropriately and ethically once it is retrieved from any media” [including social media]. 

In addition, with the role that social media plays in today’s world and its possible impact on mental health, many health and education organizations are emphasizing the need for education on social media use.  For instance, the American Psychological Association writes “Just as we require young people to be trained in order to get a driver’s license, our youth need instruction in the safe and healthy use of social media.”   

2)  Do library workers have an ethical responsibility to be respectful to one another in social media? 

Article V of the Code of Ethics states "We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.” This can be broadened to the online social environment. When communicating online, library workers should be cognizant of who may see or share their posts. Individuals should take responsibility for any and all online behaviors. 

Library workers have an ethical responsibility to represent themselves and their colleagues, institutions and associations, in both their professional and personal lives, with respect, courtesy, sensitivity and fairness. Losing sight of this responsibility can lead to ethical violations in the form of social media interactions that are inappropriate and insensitive to colleagues which may damage the reputations of those involved, or lead to other negative consequences.  

Article 7 of the Code of Ethics states, “We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.”  In a digital environment, and when discussing controversial issues, these distinctions can blur and present challenges. Article 9 of the Code of Ethics states, “We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person.” These mindsets can help engage library workers in forming a productive relationship with their communities and audiences.  

3) Does the library have the right to delete offensive comments on its social media?   

Yes. Under Section 230, the library is legally protected when it moderates its digital spaces. This law allows us to remove dangerous, harassing, or offensive content to ensure our social media remains a safe and welcoming environment for all community members. More information can be found on ALA’s Social Media Guidelines for Public and Academic Libraries page.

4 ) What responsibilities do library workers have when sharing or re-posting information via social media? Are library workers ethically required to fact-check information? 

As the library is a trusted source of information in our communities, the information shared through the library’s social media outlets may carry more weight than realized. For that reason, it’s important to be thoughtful about what content is shared. 

Before sharing through the library’s social media, here are some points to consider: 

  • Consider if the post is providing essential community information (like a local event or new database) or is it a "strategic sparkle" post designed to build connection and brand awareness? There is a valued place for creative or humorous videos on our feed—especially when they humanize our staff or draw attention to a special collection, cultural month, or national event. 
  • If facts of the information can’t be verified, be certain to indicate the actual source of the story. Also, consider the reliability of the source. Just as the reputation of information providers are considered when materials are selected for library collections, so should the source and authenticity of digital information be considered before it is amplified on social media.
  • Unlike clippings or stories that may have been temporarily posted on bulletin boards, social media preserves what has been shared, including any lapses in judgment in deciding what to share. 

When deciding to share content, first remember Article IV of the Code of Ethics: “We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders.” Individual users often hold all intellectual property rights to their original posted content as stated in the terms of use agreed to when creating accounts on most platforms. It’s always best to link to information rather than reproduce what isn’t owned, and this is an opportunity to model best practices for users regarding the use of copyrighted material. 

For more details on what to consider, consult the Social Media Policy for YALSA Appointees for a thorough and thoughtful approach to organizational use of social media. Ultimately, what the library shares reflects on its reputation in the community. Thoughtful decisions about using social media are worth the time and effort. 

5) Do professional ethics for library workers extend to personal social media accounts? 

The ALA Code of Ethics provides the foundational framework for navigating the intersection of personal expression and professional responsibility. Specifically: 

  • Article VI states: “We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.” 
  • Article VII emphasizes the duty to “distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties” to ensure personal beliefs do not interfere with the fair representation of the institution’s aims or the provision of access to information. 

While these articles establish a clear theoretical separation between the private and the professional, the technical reality of social media—where algorithms often link individuals to their workplaces regardless of intent—requires a heightened level of professional judgment. 

Professional Conduct and Personal Identity: Library workers are often recognized as community leaders and information fiduciaries. Because personal social media activity can be indexed, screenshotted, or associated with a professional role, workers should be mindful of how their public digital footprint reflects upon their institution. 

  • Whenever possible, library workers should maintain clear boundaries between personal profiles and official library channels. This may include using "disclaimers" (e.g., "Views are my own") in bios, though workers should be aware that such disclaimers do not provide absolute legal or professional immunity. 
  • Professional ethics suggest that library workers should exercise judgment in public forums, including social media, where a loss of public trust or a perceived conflict of interest could impact the library’s standing as a neutral provider of information. 

Interaction with Library Platforms Library workers who choose to engage with their library’s official social media accounts using personal profiles should be aware of two critical factors: 

  1. Speech in the Workplace: Personal speech that intersects with workplace issues may be subject to different legal standards depending on whether it is deemed "protected concerted activity" or private grievance. Workers should consult ALA’s Questions & Answers on Speech in the Workplace for guidance. 
  2. Copyright and Intellectual Property: In nearly all cases, the employing library owns the copyright to content created by employees within the scope of their official duties. Reposting or "remixing" library content on a personal account should be done in accordance with the institution’s specific social media and intellectual property policies. 

6) What is the best way to be inclusive when creating social media content for the library, and how should we handle complaints? 

The library strives to reflect the diverse communities it serves through intentional representation and universal accessibility. Inclusivity is achieved through a two-pronged approach: 

  • Universal Design and Accessibility: To ensure the library’s social media environment is inclusive of all patrons, content must meet current ADA Title II standards. This includes the consistent use of descriptive Alt-text for images, high-quality captions for video content, and CamelCase hashtags (e.g., #LibraryServices) to ensure compatibility with screen readers. For comprehensive guidance and technical "how-to" steps, please consult the ALA Accessibility Toolkits. 
  • Proactive Content Balance: Library workers are encouraged to highlight a wide range of lived experiences, cultures, and viewpoints. Rather than merely reacting to the "perception of bias," staff should utilize a strategy of Content Rotation—ensuring that over the course of a monthly calendar, the feed reflects the full breadth of the community’s diversity and the library’s collections. 

Handling Complaints and Challenges: Social media content created or published by a library is a protected library resource. It falls within the ethical responsibility of library workers to “uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources,” as stated in the ALA Code of Ethics. When complaints arise, the following standards apply: 

  • Policy-Based Resolution: Responses to public concerns should be grounded in the library’s formal Social Media Policy. Staff should direct complainants to these official guidelines to ensure that the conversation remains centered on established institutional standards and constitutional principles rather than personal viewpoints. 

  • Formal Communication Channels: To maintain professional decorum, staff should avoid protracted debates within public comment sections. If a complaint requires a detailed response, the matter should be moved to an official channel, such as a formal Request for Reconsideration form or direct correspondence with library administration. 
  • Institutional Support and Reporting: In cases of coordinated challenges or targeted harassment, the library should follow its internal escalation protocol. All significant challenges to social media content should be reported to the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) to ensure the incident is documented and the library receives appropriate advocacy support. 

7) How do we protect patron privacy on third-party social media? 

Libraries must balance community engagement with the ethical duty to protect patron confidentiality. Because social media platforms utilize aggressive data harvesting and behavioral algorithms, we should follow these modern privacy standards: 

  • Post a clear disclaimer informing patrons that interacting with the library on third-party apps subjects their data to those platforms' privacy policies and surveillance. 
  • Never request or exchange sensitive information (like library card numbers or addresses) via social media messaging. Move these conversations to secure, library-owned channels. 
  • Act as a digital literacy resource by showing patrons how to audit their own privacy settings and understand the data risks inherent in short-form video and "anonymous" apps. 
  • Ensure the library’s formal privacy policy explicitly acknowledges the risks of third-party platforms to ensure the institution is protected and the public is informed. 

8 ) Where can I find more information? 

Questions about social media can be directed to the Committee on Professional Ethics c/o the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom by phone at 312-280-4226 or by email at oif@ala.org. 

Adopted July 2013, by the Committee on Professional Ethics; amended January 28, 2019; amended April 16, 2026.