About X (previously Twitter)

X – found at X.com – is a “micro-blogging” tool that lets users send out short (280 characters) posts.

X can be used in many ways. It can be a monitoring tool used for gathering information or tracking trends, as a messaging system or as a PR vehicle – to reach new audiences, build relationships or conduct viral marketing campaigns.

FAO’s presence on X

FAO’s primary language accounts on X are @FAO, @FAOArabic, @FAOenEspanol, @FAOenFrancais and @FAORussian. Additional X accounts focused on specific themes, areas of work, or regions are maintained by various programme entities and units, including decentralized offices, a practice that is encouraged by this policy provided the guidelines it contains are adhered to. The complete list of official FAO accounts is available from: https://x.com/i/lists/1756971/members.

Event-specific X accounts are not allowed, while event specific hashtags are recommended. They enable those at the event (and sometimes those who couldn’t make it in person) to connect to one another, share information and experiences, and continue to network after the event. Event hashtags should be agreed in advance with the Digital Team in OCC.

FAO’s policy on X

For the Organization

In general, there are two main types of accounts that can be formally affiliated with a business or an organization such as FAO:

• Company-sponsored “logo” accounts such as @FAO that represent an entire organization or a specific part of its work, related to a theme or region/country, such as @FAOClimate and @FAOAfrica.
• Individual personal accounts that belong to employees who specify in their bio that they work for that specific organization.

X, like most social networks, often blurs the line between employees’ personal and professional lives. The purpose of this policy is also to lay out some basic “rules of the road” that address the “blur issue” and help employees feel comfortable in their use of X.

For FAO-affiliated account, please send a clearance request by email to OCC. You should be prepared to articulate:

Your targeted audience

• Specific objectives for the account
• How the account will add value and complement existing FAO X accounts
• Detailed description of content plan – how often will you post, what will be posted, etc.
• What time and resources you will be able to allocate to account management
• How you plan to respond if online criticisms or attacks escalate into a crisis
• Once your request is cleared, OCC will set-up the account on behalf of the Organization.
• Please note that at this time we are not accepting requests for thematic accounts. 

Authorized FAO-affiliated accounts must use the current version of the FAO corporate emblem, in compliance with emblem usage guidelines.

A X account needs to be actively maintained - tweeting at least 2-3 times a day. Followers will expect an FAO account to be active and useful. If it isn’t, it can transmit a sense of neglect and even undermine trust in the Organization. Understand and plan for the time commitment involved before starting.

Thus, FAO accounts may be permanently removed due to inactivity over 2 months. Inactivity will be based on the date of the last tweet. The Digital Team will contact the account managers before closing it.

Each FAO X account should strive to occupy a unique niche, complementing but not repeating other FAO accounts. For this reason, it is important for account holders to monitor existing FAO X accounts. Opportunities do exist for cross-posting, retweeting and sharing content, but retweets and similar tweets should add something new or valuable to the conversation.

The correct channel for “breaking” news or announcements, which have significant mass appeal or major political consequences, is via official FAO news releases. In cases where a press release is scheduled and staff are aware of it, tweets should not anticipate the release. In case of doubt, contact the FAO Media Office (OCCM).

FAO "logo-accounts" should aim to be authentic, human and personable but should not include irrelevant personal details.

Please ensure that the Digital Team always has the latest information about the account manager, password, contact telephone number and linked email address. This is to avoid losing access to the account when a X account manager leaves the Organization. The Digital Team regularly works with X to delete fake and/or unauthorized accounts. 

For employees

Employees with personal X accounts are asked to abide by the following guidelines:

• If available, choose a username that reflects your full name, in order to be easily found and remembered. Do not use FAO job titles (for example @ADGTomJones) for the X handle. If you wish to differentiate your existing handle from your FAO handle, you may append ‘FAO’ to the end of the name (for example @TinaAdamsFAO). Consider using an instantly recognizable photo of your face. Don’t use FAO logo – it is reserved for FAO accounts. Please add a suitable cover image.
• Employees are free to share with their personal X followers anything they find interesting or topical from the FAO web site or social media accounts.
• X bios can mention that an individual works for FAO but should also indicate that the account holder is not an official FAO spokesperson. One recommended way to do this is to add something like the following to your X bio: "Views are my own."
• Staff using their personal accounts on X to coordinate FAO work should exercise discretion when discussing an internal topic or sensitive issues. Confidential information should be respected, as should embargoes on unreleased publications or other work in progress.

Please read the ground rules for use of social media at FAO.