The Ministry of Public Administration has issued instructions to take action against government employees posting on social media without adhering to established guidelines.

A letter was sent to secretaries, senior secretaries, divisional commissioners, and district administrators on Thursday instructing them to take immediate steps against employees violating social media protocols.

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The letter said certain government officials are using social media to post status updates that not only undermine the government’s image but may also jeopardise national security.

In its communication, the Ministry pointed out that a number of employees have been disregarding the “Social Media Usage Guidelines for Government Institutions, 2019.” These employees have been sharing documents and posting content that embarrasses the government or creates unnecessary controversy, which goes against the service rules for government personnel.

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The Ministry’s warning said that such behavior is both a breach of the official code of conduct and, in some cases, could be deemed harmful to national security.

The Ministry’s guidelines clearly state that employees must refrain from engaging in conduct that is detrimental to the government or violates the code of ethics for public servants. Such actions can be categorized as misconduct under the 'Government Employee Discipline and Appeal Rules, 2018.'

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To address these concerns, the Ministry has urged relevant authorities to take necessary actions in line with established regulations. The letter stressed the importance of vigilant monitoring and adherence to the social media usage guidelines, with strict consequences for violations.