The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) will use this Twitter page for external relations (communications/outreach/public dialogue), to make information and services widely available to the general public, and promote transparency and accountability. DHS Office of Public Affairs (OPA) serves as the executive agent for the DHS Twitter page and controls who at the Department has access to make changes to the page.

Twitter is a third-party social networking tool and its privacy policy can be found at http://twitter.com/privacy. The DHS privacy policy and Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) govern the Department’s use of Twitter from a privacy perspective. The DHS privacy policy can be found at http://www.dhs.gov/xutil/gc_1157139158971.shtm#0. The DHS PIA "Use of Social Networking Interactions and Applications," September 16, 2010, can be found at www.dhs.gov/privacy.

Users engaging the DHS Twitter page expect privacy protections while interacting with the Department. DHS will not use this Twitter page to: 1) actively seek PII ; 2) search Twitter for or by PII; and 3) "follow" public users proactively without a waiver from the DHS Privacy Office (exclusion is made to "following" other U.S. federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies.) To the extent a user posts or sends PII to the Department’s Facebook page, DHS will use the minimum amount necessary to accomplish a purpose authorized by statute, executive order, or regulation.

DHS will use this Twitter page to: 1) establish user names and passwords to form profiles; 2) accept requests from public user accounts to follow DHS; and 3) interact on Twitter on official Department business.

The information posted on the DHS Twitter page is available to the individual posting and to any and all users on the DHS Twitter page who are able to access the public-facing side of the account. To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, do not include your full name, date of birth, social security number, address, phone numbers, email addresses, case numbers or any other sensitive PII in your comments or responses.

DHS may share information posted on the DHS Twitter page if there is a demonstrated need to know, and will only post information after it has been appropriately approved and vetted by DHS OPA.