Idaho State Police Social Media Guidelines
The Idaho State Police (ISP) uses its official social media accounts to share public safety information, agency news, traffic and emergency updates, community outreach, and other information related to the agency's mission. We value public engagement and encourage discussion about the information we share. Comments made by members of the public are the o
pinions of the individuals posting them and do not reflect the views, positions, or policies of ISP. The appearance of a comment or other user-generated content on an ISP social media account does not constitute an endorsement by ISP. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
Do not use ISP social media accounts to report crimes, emergencies, or to request immediate law enforcement assistance. If you are experiencing an emergency or need immediate police assistance, call 911. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
ISP does not actively monitor public comments and generally does not edit, hide, remove, or respond to comments. We encourage users to participate responsibly and understand that information posted by members of the public has not been verified by ISP. Nothing in this policy limits an individual's right to express opinions or criticism regarding ISP or matters of public concern. ISP reserves the authority to take reasonable action, when necessary, to protect public safety or agency operations. This may include temporarily limiting or disabling public comments during significant emergencies or rapidly evolving public safety incidents to communicate official information quickly and effectively. Certain platform features and restrictions, including limitations on user-posted photos, videos, links, or other content, are controlled by the social media platform and not by ISP. OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS
ISP social media accounts are not monitored as official reporting or notification systems. Communications submitted through ISP social media accounts do not create a legal obligation for ISP to respond or act. Comments, direct messages, and other communications submitted through ISP social media accounts do not constitute official notice to ISP and are not accepted methods for:
• Reporting crimes or emergencies.
• Filing complaints against ISP employees.
• Submitting Public Records Requests.
• Serving legal process, notices of claim, subpoenas, or other legal documents.
• Conducting official agency business. PUBLIC RECORDS
Content published on ISP social media accounts, including comments submitted by members of the public, may constitute public records under Idaho law. Because publicly available comments and other user-generated content remain on the hosting platform, ISP generally does not separately archive or maintain duplicate copies. Individuals seeking publicly available posts or comments should access them through the hosting platform. Content available through the hosting platform may be modified or removed by the platform or by the user who created it. ISP is not responsible for preserving or providing content that is not maintained by the agency. THIRD-PARTY PLATFORM
ISP social media accounts are hosted on third-party platforms that maintain their own Terms of Service, Community Standards, privacy practices, and content moderation policies. Those policies are established and enforced by the platform, not by the ISP, and may affect the availability, visibility, or accessibility of content independently of any action taken by the ISP. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about ISP, visit isp.idaho.gov.
