Social
The social media profiles of the Civil Protection Department, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, are essential tools for informing the public and raising awareness about civil protection issues across all phases of activity: forecasting, prevention, risk reduction, emergency management and response. Civil protection information and communication are matters of public interest and are therefore disseminated through multiple channels to ensure they reach the widest possible audience.
For this reason, the Department's institutional website, which remains the primary platform for publishing all official content, is complemented by additional websites dedicated to specific campaigns, projects, and activities, as well as by its presence on the main social media platforms.
The Department is active on Twitter and Facebook as @DPCgov, on Instagram as @dpcgov_official, and on YouTube and Flickr as Dipartimento Protezione Civile.
The social media policy is inspired by the principles and standards developed by the #socialProCiv working group. It is overseen by the Department's Press Office in collaboration with the Communication Unit.
The profiles are actively monitored seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Should an emergency occur, account management will necessarily need to adapt, both in terms of content—with priority given to information related to the specific event rather than routine updates—and in terms of user interaction and moderation, in light of the increased workload of the staff managing the channels.
- Information on the activities of the Department and the National Civil Protection Service
- Content published on the institutional website
- Useful and relevant updates from institutional sources and/or members of the National Civil Protection Service
- Articles and interviews on topics of interest to the Department, as well as speeches and statements by the Head of Department and other institutional representatives
- As part of its content moderation activities, the Department may occasionally intervene to share a link or provide useful information in order to clarify doubts or foster informed discussion.
- In the early stages of a major national emergency, it may not be possible to read comments or moderate content.
- Direct messaging features are not available.
Different social accounts contribute to spreading information about the activities of the Department and the National Civil Protection Service, serving both institutional purposes and the general public interest by informing and raising awareness on civil protection.
Unless otherwise specified, the photos and videos published on social profiles are produced by the Department. The content published by the Department (texts, photographs, videos, etc.) is protected under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0). Under this license, users may use the data and documents published by the Department in compliance with copyright and with proper source attribution, without prejudice to the Department’s right to safeguard its image in cases of improper or harmful use. Images should be credited as follows: Department of Civil Protection – Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
Social content may occasionally be shared on social channels by entities belonging to the National Civil Protection Service, including state administrations, regions and autonomous provinces, prefectures, municipalities, fire departments, armed forces and police, civil protection volunteers, the scientific community, and operators of essential public services.
Any advertising space appearing alongside the social content published by the Department is managed by the respective social media platforms.
Under no circumstances can the Department’s social media pages respond to requests for assistance. Such requests should be directed exclusively to the appropriate emergency number 112, where active, or other dedicated numbers (113, 115, 118, 1515, 1530, etc.).
For general information on civil protection activities, please contact the Department’s Contact Center via toll-free number 800 840 840 (available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday) or through the online contact form. In situations of crisis or emergency, the Contact Center may operate daily, with gradual extensions of service up to 24 hours.
Social networks serve as spaces for participation, and the Department's presence is intended to bring the topics of prevention and risk awareness into daily conversations, rather than discussing them only in the context of emergencies.
People who choose to post are responsible for the content and opinions they share, which do not necessarily reflect the Department’s position. The Department cannot be held accountable for third-party posts. Following a profile or page does not imply endorsement of its content.
Moderation by the Department on its own platforms occurs after content is published and typically during office hours. All users are expected to use language that is respectful toward others. Comments and posts that violate the guidelines outlined in this document or any applicable law will be moderated or removed.
In particular, we do not tolerate insults, profanity, threats, misleading or offensive content, or behaviors that violate the dignity of individuals, the rights of minorities and children, or the principles of freedom and equality, or that fail to respect people's privacy. Comments or posts containing personal data (such as phone numbers, email addresses, or physical addresses) will be removed. Content that violates copyright, infringes on trademarks, includes commercial solicitations, or promotes or encourages illegal activities will also not be allowed. Furthermore, the following types of comments are discouraged and may be subject to moderation:
- Off-topic comments
- Political or propaganda content
- Comments that disrupt discussions or offend those who manage and moderate the social channels
- Spam
In cases of rule violations, the Department reserves the right to impose a ban or block, report the user to the social platform administrators, and, if necessary, involve law enforcement.
Social media platforms are responsible for the level of IT accessibility they provide to their users. However, the technical requirements of individual platforms do not always fully align with the accessibility standards that the Public Administration must comply with. The Department is committed to prioritizing the use of accessible features and content whenever possible, in accordance with the capabilities of each social media platform.
The processing of personal data complies with the policies of the various platforms (Meta, X, YouTube, Flickr), in accordance with the general terms and conditions accepted by users at the time of registration. It should be noted that the law sets the minimum age for providing consent to the processing of personal data at 14 years.
The Civil Protection Department processes personal data shared by users that are relevant to its institutional activities, in accordance with current legislation, including the European GDPR. Data processing is carried out using computerized systems, following the procedures and limits necessary to achieve these purposes. It should be emphasized that social media profiles are not emergency or rescue channels. The data controller is the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Civil Protection Department, with registered office at Via Ulpiano 11, 00193 Rome, email: protezionecivile@pec.governo.it.
The Data Protection Officer appointed by the Data Controller is lawyer Eugenio Cipolla.
Users may exercise their rights regarding access, rectification, deletion (the so-called “right to be forgotten”), restriction, and other rights concerning their personal data, in accordance with current Italian law and the European GDPR (Articles 15, 16, 17, and 18). These rights can be exercised by contacting the Data Controller at the following email address: protezionecivile@pec.governo.it.
Please note that personal and sensitive data posted in public comments or on the Department’s social media channels will be removed (see the “Community guidelines and netiquette” section).
The Internal Social Media Policy sets out the rules of conduct that Department employees are expected to follow when using their personal social media accounts.
Individual profiles of employees, collaborators, and consultants of the Department are managed personally and independently, in compliance with the Code of Conduct for public employees and the guidelines outlined in this document.
In any case, staff members must not disclose any information they have access to by virtue of their office, nor make offensive statements about the administration, colleagues, or collaborators.
If a user’s affiliation with the Department is stated or can be inferred from their profile or the content they post, it is recommended to clarify that the views expressed are personal and to provide a link to the Department’s official profile. This is particularly important for those who own or plan to create a blog or personal website on civil protection topics, which the Department should be made aware of.
Department employees may work in emergency or risk situations that require appropriate sensitivity, which becomes even more important when sharing experiences on social media. For this reason, particularly for staff involved in operational or training activities, special caution must be exercised when publishing content or images, to prevent misunderstandings or misuse.
This policy was last updated in February 2026. The Social Media Policy will be reviewed and updated as needed, at any time, and without prior notice.
Anyone with suggestions or proposed changes to this policy may write to the Department’s Contact Center.