1. Introduction

Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) uses social media to communicate with customers, stakeholders and the wider public. Our social media channels provide timely information, promote key messages and help us engage openly with our audiences.

When using or interacting with NI Water’s social media channels, users are expected to follow this policy, the relevant platform terms and any applicable law.

2. Our social media presence

NI Water’s official social media channels are managed by the Communications and Customer Service teams on behalf of the organisation.

We use these platforms to share important updates and information, and to engage with the communities we serve.

 

3. Content we share

Our social media posts may include:

• Service updates and incident information.
• Press releases and corporate announcements.
• Campaigns and public awareness messaging.
• Customer information and website updates.
• Invitations to consultations or engagement exercises.
• Information about NI Water initiatives and services.
• Other relevant information we consider appropriate.

 

4. Engagement and interaction

We welcome feedback, comments and questions via our social media channels and will engage where appropriate.

However:

• We may not be able to respond individually to every message.
• Customer queries may be redirected to appropriate NI Water contact channels.

NI Water may review comments, messages and recurring issues raised through social media to identify service themes, improve communications and support service improvement. Where this involves personal data, NI Water will process only what is necessary and proportionate for a lawful purpose. Wherever possible, themes will be reviewed using anonymised or aggregated information.

5. Following, sharing and endorsements

• NI Water does not automatically follow back accounts.
• We may like, share or repost content where it is relevant and appropriate.
• Following, sharing, liking or referring to an account does not imply endorsement.

 

6. Moderation and acceptable use

We ask all users to engage respectfully and to comply with this policy, the relevant social media platform terms and applicable law. Users are responsible for the content they post, share or send to NI Water through social media. 

Where lawful and proportionate, NI Water may hide, remove, report, retain a record of, block, ban or decline to respond to content or users where the content or behaviour breaches this policy, platform rules or applicable law. This includes content or behaviour that is:

• offensive, abusive, discriminatory, threatening, harassing, bullying or intimidating;
• misleading, false, deceptive, defamatory or libellous;
• unlawful or likely to encourage unlawful activity;
• spam, advertising, repeatedly off-topic, irrelevant, disruptive or repetitive;
• likely to compromise safety, security, operational response, NI Water systems, staff, customers, contractors, assets or reputation;
• likely to infringe intellectual property, data protection or other legal rights;
• related to ongoing legal proceedings where comment would be inappropriate;
• posted by, or supported by, accounts using offensive usernames, profile images or other account details;
• encouraging others to post content of this nature; or
• otherwise in breach of this policy, platform rules or applicable law.

NI Water may report accounts or profiles that impersonate NI Water, misuse NI Water branding, use NI Water imagery without permission, mislead the public, or create safety, security, legal or reputational risk.

7. Availability of service

We aim to monitor our social media channels seven days a week, between 8.00 am and 11.00 pm.  Channels may not be monitored outside these times.

During major incidents, NI Water may increase social media activity as required.

We cannot guarantee uninterrupted availability of social media services or individual replies to all messages.

 

8. Use of information and privacy

Social media is public by nature. Information you post publicly, including comments, usernames, profile details, images, videos, likes, shares or tags, may be visible to others.

NI Water may process personal data from social media where necessary and lawful^[1] to

• manage its social media channels,
• respond to comments or messages,
• moderate content,
• redirect customer queries or complaints,
• identify service themes,
• protect NI Water, its customers, staff, contractors, assets, systems and reputation,
• investigate misuse or security concerns, and
• meet legal, regulatory, audit, records, information rights or disclosure obligations.

The personal data processed may include usernames, profile names, public posts, comments, direct messages, images, videos, account information made visible by the platform, engagement data and any information a user chooses to provide.

NI Water may use platform analytics and engagement information, such as aggregate reach, impressions and interaction data, to understand how communications perform and to improve public information. NI Water will not use social media analytics to make solely automated decisions about individuals.

Where users send direct messages or customer queries through social media, NI Water may redirect them to official contact channels. Users should not post account details, addresses, contact details, health information, payment information or other personal information publicly.

Relevant social media records will be retained only for as long as necessary, in line with NI Water’s retention schedule, legal obligations and records management requirements.

Further details are available in NI Water’s Privacy Notice, including contact details for the Data Protection Officer, lawful bases, retention, sharing, rights and how to complain to the ICO.

9. Public nature of social media

Social media platforms are operated by third parties. Comments, likes, shares and other interactions may be visible publicly depending on your settings and the platform’s rules.

Content may be copied, shared, indexed, cached or retained by others even if it is later deleted. Users should take care before sharing personal, confidential or sensitive information.

 

10. Important note – Customer queries and complaints

Social media is not the safest or preferred way to raise:-

• detailed customer service issues,
• account queries,
• complaints,
• emergencies,
• or matters involving personal or sensitive information.

Customers should use NI Water’s official contact channels wherever possible so their query can be handled securely and efficiently.

However, NI Water recognises that information access requests may be made through official social media channels. This includes requests under FOI, EIR and data protection legislation, including subject access requests. Where a message appears to be such a request, NI Water will take reasonable steps to identify, log and route it under the appropriate legislation.

Customers should not post account details, addresses, contact details, health information, payment information or other personal information publicly. NI Water may ask for clarification, identity confirmation, an address for correspondence, or use of a more secure channel where needed.

• Emergencies should not be reported through social media. Customers should use NI Water’s emergency or customer contact routes for urgent service issues.

Customers should use NI Water’s official contact channels via our website or customer helpline: https://www.niwater.com/contact-us.

11. Changes to this policy

NI Water may review and update this policy periodically to reflect changes in legislation, best practice or organisational requirements.