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Social Media

Media and Communications — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

This section of the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) guide focuses on the roles, responsibilities, and strategies regarding the use of social media within UK policing. It outlines the various aspects, including the necessity for a coordinated social media strategy, responsibilities of corporate communications, information management, and security measures. Police forces are encouraged to engage with their communities through social media while maintaining legal compliance and effective risk management. The policy includes guidelines for managing information, interacting with community users, and ensuring security and integrity of social media accounts. Police forces should operate transparently, with defined roles for managing the public's interaction and ensuring ongoing engagement with relevant stakeholders.

Key principles

  • 1Utilise social media for effective community engagement.
  • 2Develop a dedicated social media strategy with clear guidelines.
  • 3Implement robust information management and security measures.
  • 4Maintain transparency in communication and interactions.
  • 5Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

This is a brief, factual summary. The full APP guidance — including operational detail, statutory references and case studies — lives on the College of Policing website. APP is the authoritative source for UK policing practice.

Read the full APP guidance

Source: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.