Social Media Guidelines for CDA Professional Development
(PD)™ and Gold Standard (GS) Specialists™
The Council encourages and supports the proper use of social media as a professional communications tool
for PD Specialists, GS Specialists, CDA candidates and others. Professional Development (PD) and Gold
Standard Specialist (GSS) are required to uphold the integrity of the CDA Credential and Council in all
instances where they represent the Council. The social media guidelines contained in this document are
designed to ensure that the Council for Professional Recognition is professionally and accurately reflected
in all PD and GS Specialists professional communications involving the use of email and social media of any
kind.
For the purposes of these guidelines, social media refers to but is not limited to the following sites or any
online forum where text, videos/audio/digital or other images are used and distributed:
• Popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook
• Photo-sharing websites such as Pinterest and Instagram
• Professional social networks such as LinkedIn
• Discussion forums such as the ones found on 4chan and Reddit
• Question and answer-based networks such as Quora and Yahoo Answers
• Review systems such as Yelp and Google Reviews
• Video based websites such as YouTube
• Blogs, websites, apps, or electronic newsletters.
Additionally, these guidelines assist our external communities with the development and distribution of
positive, accurate, informative and helpful social media posts.
Why This Document Exists
This document provides guidance to the PD and GS Specialist communities on the proper use of social
media as it pertains to the Council for Professional Recognition, its branding, credentialing, employees,
programs, copyrights and trademarked materials; and the Council’s rules managing the PD and GS
Specialist’s social media use and public discussions and engagements.
The Council requires that PD and GS Specialists be responsible for