The folks over at OhMyGov have put together a handy infographic for federal employees to share political views on their personal blogs and through social media without violating the 1939 Hatch Act.
The post is based on a 2010 Frequently Asked Questions primer from the Office of Special Counsel.
The bottom line: expressing political views and supporting candidates is fine but don't use social media to pressure subordinates to do the same and never solicit money for a candidate or cause.
The site makes clear, though, just how sticky things have become in the Internet age. Posting a link to a political candidate's website on your Facebook wall is okay, for instance, but if that candidate has a contribution link on her page things get grayer.
If a friend posts a link soliciting money for a political candidate on your Facebook wall, that's okay too. You can't control what other people post on your wall, after all. But is it okay to "like" that post?
Joseph Marks
Joseph Marks covers government technology issues, social media, Gov 2.0 and global Internet freedom for Nextgov. He previously reported on federal litigation and legal policy for Law360 and on local, state and regional issues for two Midwestern newspapers. He also interned for Congressional Quarterly’s Homeland Security section and the Associated Press’s Jerusalem Bureau. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in international affairs from Georgetown.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION