The NCAA has developed rules regarding social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, while fully recognizing the social media world is constantly changing and developing.

Divisions I and II look at social networking less in terms of the technology being used and more in terms of its recruiting impact.  NCAA rules do not allow comments about possible recruits on an institution’s social media page or a page belonging to someone affiliated with the institution. In addition, these pages cannot feature photos of prospects and messages cannot be sent to recruits using these social media technologies other than through their e-mail function. 

Since texting is impermissible, if a coach becomes aware that a recruit has elected to receive direct messages as text messages on a mobile device, the coach must cease communicating with the recruit through the social networking site. All other electronically transmitted correspondence including, but not limited to, text messaging, Instant Messenger, chat rooms or message boards [e.g., a user’s wall] within a social networking Web site or through other services or applications remain impermissible.

Twitter

Twitter has also become a popular recruiting tool in college athletics. Tweeting is permissible as long as coaches are not using it to contact individual prospective student-athletes and are abiding by the standard recruiting rules such as not discussing specific recruits or contacting them when it is not permissible. 

Division III

Division III has different guidelines in place in regard to electronic communication. In July 2009, the division modified social media legislation to allow coaches and schools to utilize social networking sites to advertise their programs, but prohibit them from using the site for direct person-to-person contact with an individual potential student-athlete. This was adopted with the criteria that any member of the general public must be able to access the site and become a member of the group to which the electronic transmission is sent and electronic transmissions must be the same for each group. A clarification states that being a “follower” or “friend” does not count as direct contact.