Social media has been central to all things Donald Trump for the last year or so, during the presidential campaign and after. Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook were used both by Trump to attack his opponents, and by his opponents to bash him. It seems now, though, that the British government wants to rein in the attacks its staffers might make.
In an email, the UK's Home Office - the government department that focuses on domestic affairs, including security and immigration - told its staff to “avoid commenting on politically controversial issues” and “giving personal opinions about the organisation.” The Home Office told the Telegraph that there was a need for its employees to have “political impartiality” and that it has “recently updated [its] guidance on the use of social media by staff to make it clearer and easier to understand.”
More of the email read:
“A quick look through just a couple of known personal Twitter accounts of staff members shows that some are not compliant, stating that they work for the Home Office, posting [Home Office] work, whilst tweeting or retweeting negative posts about, for example, Donald Trump.”
With the UK leaving the European Union in the coming years, the government is keen to set up as many trade relationships with as many countries as it can, including America, so keeping on good terms with President Trump is key in the eyes of the UK government. The move by the Home Office is also likely to have also been spurred on by Trump’s visit to the UK which is due to take place later this year.
Source: Mashable
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