Australian Capital Territory · Government

Official social media in Australian Capital Territory can be subject to its recordkeeping laws.

The Territory Records Act 2002 (ACT) and the Freedom of Information Act 2016 (ACT) can reach posts, comments and replies made on official accounts. Brolly captures them automatically so councils and agencies can answer a access application without relying on screenshots.

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Know your legislation

Four things shape the record in Australian Capital Territory.

The records Act, the access regime, retention and disposal, and the authority that oversees them — each named from the legislation and linked to its source. Confirm current requirements with your records authority and legal team. Sources last reviewed 21 August 2026.

Records act

Territory Records Act 2002 (ACT)

Territory agencies must make and keep full and accurate records of their activities, have a records management program, and dispose of records only under a records disposal schedule approved by the Director of Territory Records. The Act aims to keep public access to records consistent with the Freedom of Information Act 2016. Territory Records Act 2002 A2002-18

Access to information

FOI Act

An agency or Minister has 20 working days to decide an access application, extendable by 15 working days where another person or agency must be consulted, or by agreement or Ombudsman approval. Request term: access application · Freedom of Information Act 2016 (ACT)

Retention & disposal

Records disposal schedules approved under the Territory Records Act (Territory Records Office)

Retention follows the function the record documents. Social media content is kept under the same disposal schedule as the business activity it evidences. Retention and disposal authorities

Records authority & oversight

Territory Records Office

Territory Records Office · Standards and guidelinesOversight: ACT Ombudsman

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BrollyFree guide · PDF
Territory Records Act 2002 (ACT)
Archiving Social Media: A Guide For ACT Government
ACT lawAustralia-wide lawRecordsChecklist
Captured. Searchable. Defensible.PDF
Free guide

Download the free ACT
Social Media Legislation Guide.

The ACT edition, written for records and communications teams in Australian Capital Territory government.

Australian Capital Territory and Australia-wide legislation, side by side Records obligations explained in plain English Bonus compliance checklist inside
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PDF · free · delivered on the guide page

How Brolly helps

Meeting the obligation in the ACT, without screenshots.

Capture every official channel as it happens

Brolly connects to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok through official APIs and keeps posts, comments, replies, edits and deletions with their metadata and a digital checksum. That helps you meet the recordkeeping expectations set by the Territory Records Office.

  • FOI Act-ready exports in PDF, CSV, HTML or JSON, with chain of custody preserved
  • Search by account, date, keyword or author, then export the set a records officer needs
See the archiveProtect and moderation

Retention aligned to your authority, records in your EDRMS

Set retention to follow your retention and disposal authority, so social media records are kept for as long as the business activity they evidence and disposed of on your terms. The Content Manager integration sends records into your EDRMS alongside the rest of your records.

  • Retention and legal hold you control, applied per account
  • Records stored on AWS cloud servers located in Australia
Content Manager integration
Straight answers

Questions ACT records teams ask

Can ACT Government social media content be a Territory record?
Yes, it can. The Territory Records Act 2002 requires agencies to make and keep full and accurate records of their activities, and the Territory Records Office's standards cover records in all formats. A post, comment or message made in the course of agency business can be a Territory record. Your records management program decides what is kept.

Source: Territory Records Act 2002 (ACT) · Territory Records Office: Standards and guidelines

How long does an ACT agency have to decide an access application?
The Freedom of Information Act 2016 allows 20 working days, extendable by 15 working days where consultation is needed, or by agreement or with the Ombudsman's approval. The Act also favours proactive release, so content you can find quickly is content you can publish quickly.

Source: Freedom of Information Act 2016 (ACT) · ACT Ombudsman

The ACT has no separate councils. Who does this apply to?
The ACT Government delivers both state-level and municipal services, so directorates, statutory office holders and Territory-owned corporations all fall under the Territory Records Act. The same recordkeeping and FOI obligations can reach any official social media account they run.

Source: Territory Records Office

How does Brolly help an ACT agency meet these obligations?
Brolly captures official accounts continuously, keeps posts, comments, edits and deletions searchable with their metadata, and exports them in formats your records team can file or produce for an access application. It helps you meet the Territory Records Act and FOI Act; it does not replace your records management program.

Nothing is lost.

See complete capture on your own ACT channels in a 20-minute walkthrough. Records teams welcome.

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