Overview
Government must take every action it can to present itself as official on the internet, whether it’s websites, email, or social media. This lessens public confusion about what digital properties and sources are legitimate. It also builds trust in government institutions.
Problem
Misinformation continues to spread on the internet. Bad actors spoof official government websites, email, or social media accounts to spread falsities or steal personal information and money. There are also private entities selling government-related services that can be confused as official. Many government websites still use non-.gov domains or don’t follow verification protocol for online accounts. The lack of uniform commitment causes public confusion about what can be trusted as official.
Solution
U.S. government websites should adopt the .gov domain extension. When available, government social media accounts should follow formal verification protocol and link to .gov websites. Doing this communicates to the public that .gov websites and verified accounts are the sole, trusted online sources of official government services and information.
Context
Getting digital official gives the public a sense of trust and security needed for a healthy democracy.
Go .gov
“It should be easy to identify governments on the internet, and using a .gov domain shows you’re official,” the .gov registry website says. “The public shouldn’t have to guess whether the site they’re on or the email that hits their inbox is genuine.”
Every website on the internet has a top-level domain, such as .com (commercial), .org (organization), or .gov (government). While most can be easily acquired by anyone through a number of commercial domain registries, the .gov extension is only one available to official U.S. government organizations.
These include:
- Federal, state, local, or territorial government entities
- Tribal governments recognized by the federal or a state government
- Other publicly controlled entities
Registration for a .gov is free. The .gov domain registry is operated by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Government non-.gov domains can potentially confuse users and create opportunities for non-government entities to spoof official government services. Adopting a government-sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) — like .gov, .edu, .mil — ensures users are visiting an official government website or receiving email from a legitimate source.
To emphasize the official, government sites should add a “this is an official government website” with a “here’s how you know” link that takes users to an explanation so they better understand.
Get social official
Social media is a communications medium used by millions of people globally. With this instant, continuous connection comes the potential for misinformation and disinformation. Bad actors use social media to spoof official government accounts.
Some social media platforms have processes for government verification so that the account is designated as official. Follow this protocol to give a higher level of trust and confidence when the public engages with these accounts.
Get digital official
Take the steps to be government official online. Addressing this important detail brings more trust to government and the internet as a whole.
Mantras
- Go gov official
- Get digital official
Checklist
- Inventory all of your digital assets (websites, social media, etc.).
- Register and configure your website with a .gov domain.
- Review social platforms and follow any formal verification processes.
- Add a social media page to your website with links to official accounts.
Questions to ask
- Who is responsible for our organization being digital official?
- Do we have an inventory of our digital assets?
- Are all of our websites .gov?
- Have we reviewed the verification process for social platforms we use?
- Do we have a social page on our website?
