Social Media Guidelines for the Finnish Defence Forces Personnel

This page contains social media guidelines for the Finnish Defence Forces. The guidelines are intended to assist personnel, conscripts, reservists, and stakeholders in using social media. The goal is to ensure a safe service experience for everyone.

Social media has become an integral part of everyday life. It is an effective tool for gathering information, interacting, and staying in touch despite physical distances. Social media and mobile devices are also utilized in many everyday services. The majority of Finns have at least one social media account, and this also applies to individuals serving in the Finnish Defence Forces.

The guidelines on this page address the conduct of individuals serving in the Defence Forces on their personal social media accounts. The guidelines are based on the Defence Forces' Normative Guidelines HT624.

Personal accounts used on personal devices are considered private matters, and the employer cannot directly intervene in their existence or content. However, the status of a civil servant imposes certain responsibilities, even during off-duty time. Social media is not a separate environment from the rest of the world; actions on these platforms can have real-world consequences.

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide advice and tips to help ensure the safe use of social media and to manage the risks associated with these platforms. Most of the content in the guidelines can also be applied to other forms of online interaction, such as instant messaging services (e.g., WhatsApp), discussion and comment forums, and conversations that occur during online gaming.

The guidelines apply to personnel, conscripts, and reservists currently in service.

Finnish Defence Forces Social Media Guidelines

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