In August 2017, the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) released updated social media guidance that warned public servants could face disciplinary action for "liking" posts critical of the government [1].
The specific guidance stated that "liking, reposting and sharing social media content or even selecting Facebook's 'angry face' icon could breach employment conditions" [2].
The APSC guidance made clear that content criticizing the government, ministers, or agencies—whether through direct posting or engagement with others' posts—could breach the Public Service Code of Conduct by undermining the requirement to maintain impartiality [1].
然而 rán ér , , 該 gāi 指引 zhǐ yǐn 明確 míng què 針對 zhēn duì * * * * 已 yǐ 被識別 bèi shí bié 或 huò 可識別 kě shí bié 身份 shēn fèn 的 de 公務員 gōng wù yuán * * * * 。 。
However, the guidance was explicitly addressed to **public servants identified or identifiable** as government employees.
The guidance specifically warned that anonymous posts criticizing the government, including using a pseudonym, could breach the Code because public servants "can be traced through their digital footprint or via a 'dob-in' to their department" [2].
This is a critical distinction from the claim's framing: the policy didn't prohibit liking anonymous posts by *others* (where the liker's identity might remain unconnected).
相反 xiāng fǎn , , 它 tā 禁止 jìn zhǐ 公務員 gōng wù yuán 自己 zì jǐ 發表 fā biǎo 匿名 nì míng 批評 pī píng , , 並認識 bìng rèn shí 到 dào 匿名 nì míng 可能 kě néng 被 bèi 數位 shù wèi 鑑識 jiàn shí 破解 pò jiě 。 。
Rather, it prohibited public servants from making anonymous criticisms themselves, recognizing that anonymity could be pierced through digital forensics.
缺失的脈絡
此聲 cǐ shēng 稱 chēng 遺漏 yí lòu 了 le 幾個 jǐ gè 重要 zhòng yào 的 de 背景 bèi jǐng 因素 yīn sù : :
The claim omits several important contextual factors:
**1.
The Public Service Act 1999 (Section 13) established a Code of Conduct requiring APS employees to "behave at all times in a way that upholds the APS Values" and maintains impartiality [3].
High Court Validation**
In 2019, the High Court of Australia ruled in *Comcare v Banerji* [2019] HCA 23 that the dismissal of an APS employee who ran an anonymous Twitter account criticizing the Department of Immigration and Citizenship was justified [5].
The Court found that the Code of Conduct's requirements for impartiality and apolitical behavior were constitutional and did not infringe the implied freedom of political communication [6].
Sensitivity to Democratic Participation**
The guidance acknowledged the dilemma: "Government acts in every area of life and that's why the situation isn't the same as what it would be for someone working in the private sector" [2].
Implementation Ambiguity**
While the guidance warned of potential breaches, there's limited evidence of widespread enforcement or dismissals based solely on "liking" posts [9].
The article accurately reflects what union leader Nadine Flood said—she called it "overreach" and noted it was "unreasonable" to face disciplinary action over "liking" a post [2].
雪梨 xuě lí 晨鋒報 chén fēng bào 的 de 報導 bào dǎo 是 shì 平衡 píng héng 的 de , , 非黨 fēi dǎng 派 pài , , 儘 jǐn 管 guǎn 標 biāo 題 tí 從 cóng 批 pī 評 píng 的 de 角度 jiǎo dù 框架 kuāng jià 了 le 這個 zhè gè 問題 wèn tí 。 。
The SMH reporting is balanced, not partisan, though the headline frames the issue from the critical perspective.
**Did Labor pursue similar policies?**
The search for direct Labor government equivalents (2007-2013 Rudd/Gillard governments) yielded limited results, which itself is notable.
The Code's requirements for impartiality and apolitical conduct date to the Public Service Act 1999, which pre-dates both Coalition and Labor governments.
The 2017 guidance was not a new prohibition but rather a clarification during a period of heightened political tension (same-sex marriage debate was ongoing) [4].
**Key Finding:** This appears to be a structural feature of the Australian public service applying across governments, not a Coalition innovation.
**The Coalition's Argument:**
The government and APSC argued the guidance was necessary to clarify existing obligations and protect public service impartiality [7].
In an era of social media where comments spread instantly and can be misunderstood, clear guidance helps employees avoid inadvertent breaches while participating in public discussion [2].
Employees retain the right to express themselves, but they must do so in ways that don't undermine public confidence in the impartiality of their agency [8].
This is not unique to Australia—most Westminster democracies have similar expectations [10].
**The Critics' Argument:**
Union leader Nadine Flood and Labor/Greens critics argued the policy was disproportionate [2]. "Liking" a post is a minimal form of engagement that doesn't require the viewer to have written the criticism.
The policy's application to private emails and anonymous speech raised genuine concerns about workplace surveillance and the chilling effect on legitimate democratic participation [2].
If public servants cannot even like anonymous posts critical of government, the policy may discourage them from engaging with political debate outside their workplace.
There was also criticism that APSC Commissioner John Lloyd had been "highly political in his time as APS Commissioner," creating a perception of hypocrisy [2].
**Expert Assessment:**
Legal analysis suggests the policy lies at the "extreme end" of acceptable restrictions, even acknowledging the special obligations of public servants [4].
The High Court's *Banerji* decision validates restrictions on anonymous criticism but focuses on sustained, systematic undermining, not isolated social media engagement [5][6].
The policy appears defensible on legal and institutional grounds but may be unnecessarily broad in its application to passive engagement (liking) and anonymous posts by others.
The guidance did warn that public servants could face disciplinary action for engaging with (including "liking") government criticism on social media [1][2].
然而 rán ér , , 聲稱 shēng chēng 的 de 表述 biǎo shù 在 zài 兩個 liǎng gè 方面 fāng miàn 不夠 bù gòu 精確 jīng què : :
However, the claim's framing is imprecise in two ways:
1. **"Prohibited" is stronger than the guidance states** - The guidance warned of potential breaches and disciplinary consequences but didn't explicitly "prohibit" the action in absolute terms.
The bar for actual enforcement appears higher than the guidance suggests.
2. **"Even if anonymous" is misleading** - The policy focused on public servants' own anonymous posts, not on public servants liking anonymous posts by *others*.
實際 shí jì 執行 zhí xíng 的 de 門檻 mén kǎn 似乎 sì hū 高 gāo 於 yú 指引 zhǐ yǐn 所 suǒ 暗示 àn shì 的 de 。 。
The core claim—that the Coalition's public service social media policy restricted what public servants could do online, including liking criticism—is **TRUE** and accurately represents 2017 APSC guidance [1][2].
這種 zhè zhǒng 區別 qū bié 很 hěn 重要 zhòng yào 。 。
However, the framing suggests stricter enforcement and broader scope than the evidence supports.
The guidance did warn that public servants could face disciplinary action for engaging with (including "liking") government criticism on social media [1][2].
然而 rán ér , , 聲稱 shēng chēng 的 de 表述 biǎo shù 在 zài 兩個 liǎng gè 方面 fāng miàn 不夠 bù gòu 精確 jīng què : :
However, the claim's framing is imprecise in two ways:
1. **"Prohibited" is stronger than the guidance states** - The guidance warned of potential breaches and disciplinary consequences but didn't explicitly "prohibit" the action in absolute terms.
The bar for actual enforcement appears higher than the guidance suggests.
2. **"Even if anonymous" is misleading** - The policy focused on public servants' own anonymous posts, not on public servants liking anonymous posts by *others*.
實際 shí jì 執行 zhí xíng 的 de 門檻 mén kǎn 似乎 sì hū 高 gāo 於 yú 指引 zhǐ yǐn 所 suǒ 暗示 àn shì 的 de 。 。
The core claim—that the Coalition's public service social media policy restricted what public servants could do online, including liking criticism—is **TRUE** and accurately represents 2017 APSC guidance [1][2].
這種 zhè zhǒng 區別 qū bié 很 hěn 重要 zhòng yào 。 。
However, the framing suggests stricter enforcement and broader scope than the evidence supports.