As our sister organisation the Public Record Office of Victoria states very succinctly, 'the retention period for any record is set by the purpose, content, or result of the communication and not by the format of the record. Therefore, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer with regard to how long social media records should be kept'.

Agencies should refer to relevant general and functional retention and disposal authorities to determine retention and disposal actions for their social media records. Disposal classes do not normally specifically mention social media records as they are just a particular format. Below are some examples of disposal classes in our retention and disposal authorities that provide coverage for records of social media:

• general promotional social media records are usually covered by the General retention and disposal authority: administrative records under COMMUNITY RELATIONS - Marketing - (2.14.2) Records relating to general promotional or explanatory information about the organisation, its services and activities and to the development of promotional objects, e.g. souvenirs. This includes background research, draft and final versions of information published on websites, blogs or via social media and publications designed to promote or publicise aspects of the organisation's activities, e.g. posters, brochures, leaflets and published histories. These types of social media records are only required to be retained until withdrawn, superseded or when reference use ceases.
• official social media accounts of Ministers, the records are covered by the General retention and disposal authority: records of a Minister's Office, and are required as State archives under class 1.14 as they are considered to be media releases or statements issued by the Minister.

When the Rural Fire Service uses Twitter and Facebook to communicate with affected residents during a bushfire, the social media records are covered as part of the records of the management of the incident under FA326, Records relating to the management of fires ...including warnings and declarations etc. These social media records would be required as State archives or for a minimum of 25 years depending on the incident.

If you are in doubt about where your social media records are covered please contact govrec@records.nsw.gov.au for advice.