Agencies lag on social media security, privacy concerns, GAO says

Federal agencies that use Facebook, Twitter and other social media to push their messages to the public and gather citizen input haven't adequately investigated privacy and security concerns with the new online tools, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

About half the 23 agencies GAO surveyed also have been lax in developing guidance on when and whether text, pictures and video posted to social media sites need to be maintained in accordance with the 1950 Federal Records Act, which requires the conservation of important government information, the report found, and the National Archives hasn't given agencies sufficient guidance on that point either.

"Without clear policies and procedures for properly identifying and managing social media records, potentially important records of government activity may not be appropriately preserved," GAO said.

Of the 23 agencies surveyed, only 12 have developed guidance on social media records management, and 12 have updated their privacy policies to address social media use and only seven have identified and documented security risks related to social media use, according to the report.