Examples of Appropriate and Inappropriate Web Content

The following types of information should not appear on publicly accessible web pages and web pages with access restricted only by domain or IP address:

Information on People

    • Personal data on staff members including Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, and places of residence.
    • Information on the family members of staff, including such information contained in biographic summaries.
    • Detailed itineraries, work schedules, or the exact location of employees, including building and room number information in online directories.  Post only general information.
    • Specific locations of people (room number) should not be posted.  Use mail stop or routing code instead.

Information on Infrastructure

    • Detailed building, structural, or architectural plans for Department of Commerce facilities.
    • Interior maps or diagrams of federal buildings.  Provide interior information after entrance.  Exception: Interior maps may be provided for meeting, conference, or convention centers that are normally open to the public.
    • Listings of, or documents that mention, specific physical or logical vulnerabilities.
    • Information technology architecture plans, diagrams, or network maps describing  telecommunication networks (e.g., IP addresses, server names, access numbers).
    • Information on the location of hazardous materials or sensitive facilities.

Information on Plans, Procedures, and Programs

    • Information on emergency response or preparedness procedures.
    • Lists of emergency response officials.
    • Information on the location of emergency stockpiles of material.
    • Disaster recovery plans.
    • Incident reports or lessons learned from past disaster recovery exercises, drills, or events.   

Examples of information that may be provided on publicly available Web pages based on the mission-related purpose

    • Directions to a building, where members of the public may be invited.  Where practical, limit directions for visitors to the minimum needed, and consider providing such information by FAX or other means directly to individual visitors.
    • General itinerary for official who interacts with the public, without details like flight information or precise arrival times.
    • Pictures of officials participating at public events.
    • Pictures of top officials who have testified before Congressional hearings or been confirmed by the Senate.
    • Locations of local offices which interact directly with members of the public.
    • Plans which are intended to give the public instructions on what to do in an emergency.

Department of Commerce Web Advisory Council (WAC)
U.S. Department of Commerce

Send questions and comments about this page to WAC@doc.gov
Page last updated October 12, 2010