Social media terms of use

In addition to abiding by the terms of use stipulated by individual social media networks (including but not limited to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn), we ask our followers or anyone who engages with official Tower Hamlets Council online accounts and mobile apps to adhere to the following terms.

This is so that we maintain a safe and respectful online environment for our community, where all social media users feel welcome.

Our terms of use

We encourage the sharing of personal experiences and opinions and welcome robust, two-way discussion. However, we may ignore, delete posts or block users in breach of these terms where possible and at our own discretion. We also reserve the right to address factual errors.

We will not tolerate:

Abusive or inappropriate behaviour or language
Obscene, profane, divisive, discriminatory, hateful, or racist content, links or images
Indecent, explicit or blasphemous material
Bullying, spam, trolling or deliberate disruptions to conversations
Repeated off-topic posts and comments by a single user
Posts that are false, misleading, threatening or defamatory to a person or organisation
Solicitations or advertisements for commercial gain
Infringements on an individual's privacy rights

We may also report posts or accounts to social media networks for official review. We encourage social media users who see a post that seems inappropriate to use the report feature to flag it for moderation. We take no responsibility for the content or opinions posted by others.

Our pages are monitored by council officers on business days Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm only, and are used for sharing news, events, competitions, ideas and campaigns. We cannot guarantee real-time assistance with council enquiries, applications, reports or requests. Our accounts should not be used for reporting emergencies.

Your safety and expected behaviour:

You will help us maintain a respectful environment and will take responsibility for all posts from your account
Any information you provide is at your own risk
For your safety and privacy, please do not post personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, last names or any other sensitive or confidential information
You will not post anyone else’s details or identifying information without their explicit permission
You will not post any identifying information or images relating to looked after children

We encourage children and young people to stay safe online. Social media sites should only be used by those who meet the minimum age requirements for each site. The UK Government has published a guide for parents and carers to help keep children safe online.