New Charity Commission Social Media Guidance

The RSPB has recently been in the news following their post on X (formerly Twitter) calling government ministers ‘liars’.

The Charity Commission has since shared new social media guidance for charities. In addition to the new guidance, here are some questions you might like to discuss with your board.

• Is your board familiar with the Charity Commission’s campaigning guidance? Are they clear on what you can and can’t do to influence the wider policy landscape?
• How clear are your guidelines on who signs off social media content that might be considered controversial?
• Do you have a shared view on when you speak out and when you don’t? Does your board understand the risks?
• Do you have a trustee code of conduct that makes it clear how and when trustees comment directly to the media? Should you offer media training for your trustees?