A full 23 out of 24 major federal agencies use social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, to interact with the public. However, these agencies have made “mixed progress in developing and implementing policies and procedures” to address challenges posed by social media use, the GAO said in a recent report. The challenges include records management, protecting personal information, and ensuring the security of federal information and systems.

Only seven out of the 23 agencies examined in the report have identified and documented security risks, such as hackers using social media to launch cyberattacks against federal information systems, and put in place controls to mitigate these risks.

Only 12 agencies have put in place privacy policies governing the use of personal information made available through social media, and only eight have conducted assessments to identify potential privacy risks from using social media.

Also, 12 out of the 23 agencies have issued guidance that outlines processes and policies for identifying and managing records generated by social media use.

“Social media technologies present unique challenges and risks, and without establishing guidance and assessing risks specific to social media, agencies cannot be assured that they are adequately meeting their responsibilities to manage and preserve federal records, protect the privacy of personal information, and secure federal systems and information against threats”, GAO warned.

The government watchdog recommended that agencies ensure that appropriate records management, privacy, and security measures are in place.