Posting Reels On Duty? Centre Plans 'Social Media Code' For Govt Officers

The Centre is weighing the introduction of a“social media code of conduct” for government officers, marking a first-of-its-kind move as more officials increasingly take to social platforms to share personal reels, videos, stories and opinions - in some cases even while on duty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed top bureaucrats to examine the feasibility of introducing such a code, amid growing concerns over the way serving officials use social media and project their work and official positions online.

During a recent interaction with government secretaries, PM Modi also directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to fast-track the rollout of the“Ek Bharat” portal - a unified platform that would allow citizens to access multiple government services through a single digital gateway.

According to TOI, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan outlined the key action points emerging from the meeting in a communication sent to senior bureaucrats this week.

The proposed social media code assumes significance as several government officials have increasingly used online platforms to highlight and glorify their work, authority and official roles. Senior serving and retired officials believe such conduct can conflict with the standards expected from government employees.

Officials also pointed out a glaring gap in the existing framework. While government employees are governed by conduct rules, these regulations were drafted long before the explosion of social media and therefore contain no specific provisions governing officials' online behaviour.

The proposed“Ek Bharat” portal, meanwhile, seeks to address another major digital hurdle faced by citizens - the need to navigate multiple government websites and remember separate usernames and passwords for different services.

Once operational, the platform is expected to provide users with a single username and password to access services across various government portals. Officials said several rounds of discussions have already taken place between different departments to move the project forward.

Somanathan's communication also highlighted PM Modi's push for a stronger“whole of govt” approach, with secretaries being asked to work towards collective national goals rather than defending narrow departmental interests.

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