{"id":30534,"date":"2026-05-11T09:43:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T09:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/?p=30534"},"modified":"2026-05-20T18:38:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T18:38:26","slug":"ahpra-social-media-notification-psychologists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-social-media-notification-psychologists\/","title":{"rendered":"AHPRA Social Media Risk for Australian Psychologists: Psychology Board Expectations Online"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAHPRA Social Media Risk for Australian Psychologists: Psychology Board Expectations Online<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"AHPRA social media risk for Australian psychologists, Psychology Board standards, confidentiality, dual relationships online, and practical safeguards.\"\/>\r\n<meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"AHPRA social media notification psychologist, AHPRA social media policy 2026, Psychology Board of Australia social media, s 133 National Law advertising, testimonials prohibition Australia, healthcare ethics courses Australia\"\/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-social-media-notification-psychologists\/\"\/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"\/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AHPRA Social Media Risk for Australian Psychologists: Psychology Board Expectations Online\"\/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"AHPRA social media risk for Australian psychologists, Psychology Board standards, confidentiality, dual relationships online, and practical safeguards.\"\/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-social-media-notification-psychologists\/\"\/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Healthcare Ethics Courses\"\/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow\"\/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Healthcare Ethics Courses\"\/>\r\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\"\/>\r\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Source+Sans+3:wght@400;600;700&family=Source+Serif+4:wght@700&display=swap\"\/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n{\r\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n \"@graph\": [\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\r\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-social-media-notification-psychologists\/#article\",\r\n \"headline\": \"Social Media Notifications to AHPRA: Licence Risks for Australian Psychologists in 2026\",\r\n \"description\": \"Which social media posts can trigger an AHPRA notification for Australian psychologists? This guide covers what the Psychology Board considers a breach, real risk areas, and how to stay compliant.\",\r\n \"publisher\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"Healthcare Ethics Courses\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/\"},\r\n \"datePublished\": \"2026-05-08\",\r\n \"dateModified\": \"2026-05-08\",\r\n \"articleSection\": \"Social Media & Online Conduct\",\r\n \"inLanguage\": \"en-AU\"\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\r\n \"itemListElement\": [\r\n {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 1, \"name\": \"Home\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/\"},\r\n {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 2, \"name\": \"Blog\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/\"},\r\n {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 3, \"name\": \"AHPRA Social Media Notification\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-social-media-notification-psychologists\/\"}\r\n ]\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\r\n \"mainEntity\": [\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"Can a social media post trigger an AHPRA notification against an Australian psychologist?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. AHPRA can receive notifications about social media conduct from patients, colleagues, members of the public, or the media. Posts that breach patient confidentiality, contain prohibited testimonials, make unsubstantiated health claims, spread health misinformation, or constitute unprofessional conduct can all trigger a notification to the Psychology Board of Australia.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"Are testimonials and patient reviews prohibited for Australian psychologists on social media?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. Section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law prohibits the use of testimonials in advertising a regulated health service. This applies to all online platforms including social media, review sites, and practice websites. Psychologists cannot solicit, publish, or share patient testimonials about their services, and are expected to take steps to remove or report testimonials that appear on third-party platforms without their instigation.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"What counts as advertising under the National Law for social media purposes?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"AHPRA takes a broad view of advertising under the National Law. Any content that promotes a regulated health service, including posts about your practice, your clinical approach, your fees, or your availability, is considered advertising subject to the National Law's advertising requirements. This includes content on personal social media accounts if it promotes your health services, even if the account is not formally branded as a practice account.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"Can Australian psychologists post health information or clinical opinions on social media?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes, but with care. Sharing general health information is not prohibited. The issues arise when content makes unsubstantiated claims about treatments or outcomes, promotes a specific health service without meeting advertising standards, contradicts established medical consensus in a way that could cause harm, or breaches patient confidentiality. Clearly distinguishing general education from specific clinical advice, and ensuring all claims are evidence-based, significantly reduces the risk.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"What does AHPRA expect psychologists to do about patient reviews on Google and other platforms?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"AHPRA expects practitioners to take reasonable steps to remove or report testimonials that appear on platforms they control or manage. For third-party platforms such as Google, psychologists cannot remove reviews themselves, but AHPRA's guidance acknowledges this limitation. What matters is that psychologists do not actively solicit, encourage, or share patient reviews, and that they flag testimonials that breach the National Law through the platform's reporting processes where possible.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"What are the most common AHPRA social media notification triggers for Australian psychologists?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The most common triggers in Australia are: patient testimonials or before-and-after photos on practice social media; claims about treatment efficacy that are not evidence-based; posts that disclose identifiable patient information without consent; content about health topics that contradicts established clinical consensus; boundary violations involving patient interactions on social media; and social media advertising that does not comply with the National Law's advertising requirements.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"Can an Australian psychologist be reported to AHPRA for posts made on a personal social media account?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. AHPRA does not limit its jurisdiction to professional or practice accounts. A notification can arise from posts made on a personal account if the content reflects on the practitioner's fitness to practise, breaches patient confidentiality, constitutes advertising of a health service, or amounts to unprofessional conduct. The fact that an account is presented as personal does not insulate the practitioner from professional regulatory consequences.\"}\r\n },\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n \"name\": \"What should I do if I receive an AHPRA notification about social media conduct?\",\r\n \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Contact your indemnity insurer, your professional indemnity insurer, immediately. Do not delete the posts that are the subject of the notification without legal advice, as this may be treated as an attempt to destroy evidence. Preserve screenshots of the content as it appeared at the time. Prepare your written response with your insurer's guidance and within the stated deadline, typically 30 days.\"}\r\n }\r\n ]\r\n }\r\n ]\r\n}\r\n<\/script>\r\n<style>\r\n*,*::before,*::after{margin:0;padding:0;box-sizing:border-box;}\r\n:root{--yellow:#E8A900;--yellow-dark:#B8820A;--yellow-deep:#7A5500;--yellow-light:#F5C835;--yellow-pale:#FFF8E1;--yellow-pale2:#FFF3C4;--primary:#1a3a5c;--primary-dark:#0d2640;--text:#1C1A12;--text-light:#5a5240;--bg:#F9F6EE;--border:#E0D8C0;--white:#ffffff;}\r\nbody{font-family:'Source Sans 3',sans-serif;background:var(--bg);color:var(--text);line-height:1.75;font-size:17px;}\r\n.header{background:linear-gradient(150deg,var(--yellow-deep) 0%,var(--yellow-dark) 45%,var(--yellow) 100%);padding:64px 20px 56px;text-align:center;color:white;}\r\n.header-inner{max-width:840px;margin:0 auto;}\r\n.category-tag{background:rgba(255,255,255,.18);color:white;display:inline-block;padding:4px 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14px;background:white;border:1px solid var(--border);border-left:3px solid var(--yellow);border-radius:4px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--text);font-weight:500;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px;}\r\n.related-link:hover{border-left-color:var(--yellow-dark);color:var(--yellow-dark);}\r\n.related-link:last-child{margin-bottom:0;}\r\n<\/style>\r\n<\/head>\r\n<body>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"header\">\r\n <div class=\"header-inner\">\r\n <div style=\"margin-bottom:14px;\">\r\n <span class=\"category-tag\">Social Media & Online Conduct<\/span>\r\n <span class=\"country-tag\">\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Australia<\/span>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <h1>Social Media Notifications to AHPRA: Licence Risks for Australian Psychologists in 2026<\/h1>\r\n <p class=\"subtitle\">What the Psychology Board of Australia considers a social media breach, the notification risks unique to psychologists, and practical safeguards for compliant online practice<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"top-alert\">\r\n <span class=\"top-alert-text\">Concerned about your online professional conduct? Courses covering social media professionalism for Australian psychologists<\/span>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/product\/any-10-online-courses\/\" class=\"top-alert-btn\">See Bundle Offer →<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"container\">\r\n <div class=\"intro-box\">\r\n <p>Australian psychologists face a social media risk profile that is more complex than most other registered health practitioners. The sensitive nature of mental health information, the strict confidentiality obligations that apply to psychological treatment, and the unique boundary risks created by digital patient interactions all create specific AHPRA notification pathways. The Psychology Board applies its Code of Conduct to online conduct, and the Australian Psychological Society's Code of Ethics sets additional expectations the Board considers relevant. This guide covers the specific risks for psychologists, the most common notification triggers, and practical steps to stay compliant.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <div class=\"article\">\r\n\r\n <h2>What AHPRA and the Psychology Board Consider a Social Media Breach<\/h2>\r\n <p>AHPRA's social media guidance for Australian health practitioners is grounded in two frameworks: the <em>Health Practitioner Regulation National Law<\/em>, specifically section 133, which governs advertising of regulated health services, and the Psychology Board of Australia's <em>Code of Conduct<\/em>, which sets out the professional standards expected of all registered psychologists including in their online conduct.<\/p>\r\n <p>A social media notification to AHPRA can arise from a single post, a pattern of posts over time, or a complaint made by a patient, colleague, employer, or any member of the public, including someone who encounters the content without following the account. The most common categories of social media conduct that trigger AHPRA notifications for Australian psychologists are:<\/p>\r\n <ul>\r\n <li><strong>Patient testimonials and before-and-after photos.<\/strong> Section 133 of the National Law explicitly prohibits the use of testimonials in advertising a regulated health service. This means a psychologist cannot publish, share, or solicit patient reviews or testimonials about their services on any platform, including Google, Facebook, Instagram, or their own website. Before-and-after photographs of patients are also regulated and can be treated as testimonials in certain contexts. This rule is Australia-specific and stricter than the approach in many other jurisdictions.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Unsubstantiated health claims.<\/strong> AHPRA's advertising guidelines require that all claims made in health advertising be accurate, evidence-based, and capable of being substantiated. Posts that make unqualified claims about treatment efficacy, \"this procedure cures back pain,\" \"our patients see results in one session\", breach the advertising guidelines even where the psychologist genuinely believes the claim.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Breaches of patient confidentiality.<\/strong> Sharing images, case details, or any information that could identify a patient without their explicit written consent is a breach of both the National Privacy Principles and the Psychology Board's professional standards. This includes posts that are intended to be anonymised but contain enough detail to identify the patient, clinical photographs without faces, case descriptions with unusual presenting features, or geographical details that narrow identification.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Health misinformation.<\/strong> AHPRA has been increasingly willing to act on notifications about practitioners who spread health misinformation, content that contradicts established clinical consensus on vaccination, infectious disease management, or other public health matters. The Psychology Board has issued specific guidance on this following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risk of notification for misinformation-type content is real and ongoing.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Boundary violations through social media.<\/strong> Engaging with current patients through direct messaging, accepting patient friend or follow requests on personal accounts, or conducting clinical conversations through social media platforms can constitute a professional boundary violation under the Psychology Board's standards. The fact that the interaction is digital does not reduce its regulatory significance.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Unprofessional conduct online.<\/strong> Posts that are abusive, discriminatory, sexually inappropriate, or that otherwise fall below the standard expected of a registered medical practitioner can trigger a notification regardless of whether they involve advertising or patient information. The Psychology Board expects the same professional conduct online as in person.<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n\r\n <!-- COURSE CARD -->\r\n <div class=\"course-card\">\r\n <div class=\"course-card-header\">\r\n <h3>Professional Ethics Courses for Australian Psychologists, Social Media & Online Conduct<\/h3>\r\n <p class=\"card-sub\">Online — Immediate Access — Australian Content<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <div class=\"course-card-body\">\r\n <span class=\"card-section-label\">Most Relevant for This Topic<\/span>\r\n <ul class=\"card-features\">\r\n <li class=\"primary-course\">\r\n <span class=\"card-marker\"><\/span>\r\n <span class=\"course-name\">Social Media Professionalism and Boundaries for Healthcare Professionals<\/span>\r\n <span class=\"primary-badge\">\u2b50 Most Relevant<\/span>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/social-media-professionalism-and-boundaries-for-healthcare-professionals\/\" class=\"enrol-btn primary-btn\">Enrol Now →<\/a>\r\n <\/li>\r\n 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class=\"card-marker\"><\/span> All Ethics Courses for Australian Psychologists <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ethics-professional-development-courses-psychologists\/\" class=\"enrol-btn\">View Page →<\/a><\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/social-media-professionalism-and-boundaries-for-healthcare-professionals\/\" class=\"card-cta\">Enrol in the Social Media Professionalism Course →<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <div class=\"pricing-section\">\r\n <div class=\"pricing-label\">PRICING<\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-title\">Three Ways to Save<\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-title-bar\"><\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-grid\">\r\n <div class=\"pricing-card\">\r\n <div class=\"pricing-icon pricing-icon--muted\">\r\n <svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#B8820A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><rect x=\"3\" y=\"3\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" rx=\"3\"\/><path d=\"M9 9h6M9 12h6M9 15h4\"\/><\/svg>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-tier\">Individual Course<\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-price\">AU$99<\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-sub\">Per course · 2 CPD hours<\/div>\r\n <hr class=\"pricing-divider\"\/>\r\n <ul class=\"pricing-features\">\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check\">✓<\/span> 1 course of your choice<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check\">✓<\/span> 2 CPD hours per course<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check\">✓<\/span> Certificate of completion<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check\">✓<\/span> Unlimited assessment retakes<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check\">✓<\/span> Instant access on purchase<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/\" class=\"pricing-btn pricing-btn--outline\">Browse Courses →<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-card pricing-card--featured\">\r\n <div class=\"pricing-badge\">SAVE 15%<\/div>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-icon pricing-icon--gold\">\r\n <svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 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class=\"pricing-features\">\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check pf-check--gold\">✓<\/span> Any 10 courses of your choice<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check pf-check--gold\">✓<\/span> 20 CPD hours total<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check pf-check--gold\">✓<\/span> 10 certificates of completion<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check pf-check--gold\">✓<\/span> Unlimited assessment retakes<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check pf-check--gold\">✓<\/span> Ideal for investigation \/ remediation<\/li>\r\n <li><span class=\"pf-check pf-check--gold\">✓<\/span> Comprehensive CPD portfolio<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/product\/any-10-online-courses\/\" class=\"pricing-btn pricing-btn--gold\">Book Bundle Now →<\/a>\r\n <div class=\"pricing-saving\">You save AU$297 vs buying individually<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <h2>Recent Disciplinary Trends for Australian Psychologists on Social Media<\/h2>\r\n <p>The volume of AHPRA notifications arising from social media conduct has increased substantially since 2020, driven by three factors: the expansion of practitioners' social media presence during the pandemic, AHPRA's increased monitoring of online health content, and a sharper public awareness that health practitioners are subject to professional standards in their online conduct.<\/p>\r\n <p>The disciplinary trends that Australian psychologists should be aware of as of 2026 include:<\/p>\r\n <ul>\r\n <li><strong>Advertising enforcement has intensified.<\/strong> AHPRA has significantly increased its enforcement activity against advertising that breaches section 133 of the National Law. The focus has been on aesthetic medicine, cosmetic surgery, and other fee-for-service fields where social media marketing is heaviest, but general practitioners and specialists are not exempt. The testimonials prohibition is enforced strictly, and the expectation that practitioners actively manage testimonials on third-party platforms has been reinforced through guidance updates.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Misinformation remains an active priority.<\/strong> Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychology Board issued specific guidance on the obligations of registered practitioners regarding health misinformation. Practitioners who published content contradicting public health guidance on vaccination, treatment protocols, or disease transmission faced notifications and, in serious cases, conditions on registration. AHPRA has indicated this remains an active area of concern in 2026.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>The personal account defence does not work.<\/strong> A recurring pattern in AHPRA notifications involving social media is the practitioner's belief that content posted on a personal account, not a practice account, is beyond AHPRA's jurisdiction. This is incorrect. Multiple tribunal decisions have confirmed that conduct on personal social media accounts can amount to professional misconduct where it reflects on the practitioner's fitness to practise or breaches professional standards.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Screenshots are permanent.<\/strong> Deleting a post after it has been noticed does not prevent a notification. Screenshots circulate rapidly and AHPRA does not require the content to remain online to assess it. Practitioners who delete content after a complaint is made may face additional concerns about honesty and transparency in the regulatory process.<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n\r\n <h2>Patient-Identifying Content and Confidentiality Breaches Online<\/h2>\r\n <p>The obligation of confidentiality extends fully to a psychologist's online conduct. Sharing any information that could be used to identify a patient without their explicit written consent is a breach of both the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), as it applies to health information under the Australian Privacy Principles, and the Psychology Board's professional standards.<\/p>\r\n <p>In practice, the risk of inadvertent identification is higher than many psychologists appreciate. Content that does not appear to identify a patient when considered in isolation may identify that patient to anyone who knows them, family members, friends, colleagues, or the patient themselves. Courts and tribunals have consistently held that the standard for confidentiality is not whether the patient is identifiable to a general audience, but whether they are identifiable to anyone.<\/p>\r\n <p>The categories of online content most likely to breach patient confidentiality include clinical photographs of any kind (even where faces are obscured), case descriptions with unusual or rare presenting features, posts about specific procedures that narrow the identifiable patient cohort, and references to events or locations that could allow identification. Written consent, specific, informed, and documented, is required before any patient-related content is posted, regardless of how well-anonymised it appears.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <h2>Misinformation, Scope of Practice, and Advertising Under Section 133<\/h2>\r\n <p>Section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law is the primary legislative framework governing how Australian psychologists can advertise their services online. Its requirements apply to all advertising of a regulated health service, a term that AHPRA interprets broadly to include any content that promotes a health service, whether or not it is formally labelled as advertising.<\/p>\r\n <p>The advertising rules under section 133 that most commonly give rise to social media notifications for Australian psychologists are:<\/p>\r\n <ul>\r\n <li><strong>The testimonials prohibition.<\/strong> No testimonial about a regulated health service may be used in advertising. This includes published patient reviews, quotes from patients about outcomes, video testimonials, and star ratings or review scores where the context is advertising the service. It is irrelevant whether the testimonial is positive or that the patient consented to its publication, the prohibition is absolute under the National Law.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>The requirement that claims be accurate and capable of substantiation.<\/strong> Any claim about a treatment, its efficacy, its safety profile, or the outcomes associated with it must be accurate and capable of being substantiated by evidence. Claims such as \"guaranteed results,\" \"proven to cure,\" or \"90% of our patients see improvement\" require documentary evidence and, if that evidence does not exist, must not be made.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>The prohibition on comparative advertising that could mislead.<\/strong> Claims that compare one practitioner's services or results favourably with those of other practitioners, or that use comparative language without a proper evidential basis, can breach the advertising guidelines.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Scope of practice claims.<\/strong> Advertising a service that is outside a practitioner's registered scope of practice, or using a protected title or specialty designation to which they are not entitled, breaches both the advertising guidelines and the National Law's registration requirements.<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n\r\n <h2>Boundary Violations on Instagram, TikTok, and X<\/h2>\r\n <p>The platforms where AHPRA notification risk from social media is highest for Australian psychologists in 2026 are Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), in that order. Each platform creates specific risk vectors that practitioners should understand.<\/p>\r\n <p>Instagram's visual format creates the highest risk of patient-identifying content through clinical photographs and before-and-after images, and the platform's commercial incentive structure encourages testimonial-type content that breaches the National Law. The Psychology Board has received notifications arising from Instagram content involving psychologists, with boundary-related content and unsubstantiated mental health claims being the most common triggers specific to the psychology profession.<\/p>\r\n <p>TikTok creates risk primarily through health information content. Short-form video is highly shareable and can spread misinformation rapidly. Practitioners who create medical content for TikTok audiences must ensure every health claim is accurate, evidence-based, and does not contradict established clinical consensus. The platform's algorithm also creates risk by placing a psychologist's content in front of audiences who may take it as clinical advice, a context issue that AHPRA has regard to in assessing whether conduct amounts to unprofessional practice.<\/p>\r\n <p>X (formerly Twitter) creates risk primarily through interpersonal conduct, public disputes, comments about patients or colleagues, and statements about clinical or public health matters that may be read as professional positions even where they are expressed casually. The Psychology Board does not make a distinction between a psychologist's conversational posts and their formal public statements when assessing whether conduct meets the expected professional standard.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <!-- CTA MID -->\r\n <div class=\"cta-box\">\r\n <h3>Protect Your Registration: Understand Your Online Professional Obligations<\/h3>\r\n <p>Our Social Media Professionalism course covers AHPRA's advertising guidelines, the testimonials prohibition, confidentiality online, and practical safeguards, written for Australian health practitioners, available online with immediate access.<\/p>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/social-media-professionalism-and-boundaries-for-healthcare-professionals\/\" class=\"cta-btn\">Enrol in the Social Media Course →<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <h2>Practical Safeguards for Your Professional Online Presence<\/h2>\r\n <p>The most effective approach to social media risk for Australian psychologists is not to avoid social media entirely, it is to use it with a clear understanding of the applicable rules and a set of consistent practices that reduce the likelihood of a breach. The following safeguards directly address the most common sources of AHPRA social media notifications:<\/p>\r\n <ul>\r\n <li><strong>Apply a professional standard review before posting.<\/strong> Before posting any content on any platform, ask: would I be comfortable if this appeared in evidence before the Psychology Board? If not, do not post it. This single discipline eliminates the vast majority of social media notification risk.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Do not publish patient testimonials under any circumstances.<\/strong> Even where a patient has specifically asked you to share their review or testimonial, the National Law prohibits its publication. Explain this to patients who make the request, they will generally understand when the legal position is explained.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Document consent for any patient-related content before posting.<\/strong> If you intend to publish clinical photographs or case information, obtain specific, informed written consent from the patient before the content is prepared, not after. Consent must be specific to the type of content, the platform, and the potential audience.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Regularly audit your profiles for testimonials and compliance.<\/strong> Review all platforms you manage or contribute to at least quarterly. Look for testimonials posted by patients or third parties, claims that may no longer be accurate, and content that could be read as identifying a patient. Flag any testimonials on third-party platforms through the platform's reporting process.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Maintain a clear boundary between personal and patient relationships online.<\/strong> Do not accept follow or friend requests from current patients on personal accounts. Do not respond to clinical questions through direct messages on social media. If a patient contacts you through social media about a clinical matter, direct them to call the practice and do not engage with the clinical question online.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong>Be especially careful with health information content.<\/strong> If you create general health information for social media, ensure every claim is accurate, evidence-based, and consistent with established clinical consensus. Include a clear statement that the content is general health information and not a substitute for professional medical advice for individual circumstances.<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n <h2>Dual Relationships and Digital Boundaries: A Psychologist-Specific Risk<\/h2>\r\n <p>Psychologists face a boundary risk on social media that is more acute than for most other registered health practitioners. The therapeutic relationship in psychology is built on a foundation of trust, professional distance, and clear role boundaries. Digital interactions, even casual ones, can undermine this foundation in ways that are invisible until a notification arrives.<\/p>\r\n <p>The most common boundary-related social media notifications involving psychologists involve accepting current clients as followers or friends, responding to clinical questions through direct messages, and posting content that a current client could reasonably interpret as being directed at them specifically. Each of these crosses the therapeutic boundary in a way the Psychology Board treats as a conduct matter, regardless of the intent behind it.<\/p>\r\n <p>A practical rule: if you would not say it in a clinical session, do not post it publicly. And if a current client contacts you through social media, redirect them to the practice without engaging with any clinical content online.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <h2>Key Regulatory Resources for Australian Psychologists on Social Media<\/h2>\r\n <ul>\r\n <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahpra.gov.au\/Resources\/Advertising-hub.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">AHPRA Advertising Hub<\/a><\/strong>, AHPRA's central resource on advertising guidelines under the National Law, including specific guidance on social media, testimonials, and online content.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologyboard.gov.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Psychology Board of Australia<\/a><\/strong>, The National Board responsible for regulating Australian psychologists. The Psychology Board's Code of Conduct includes specific expectations for professional online behaviour.<\/li>\r\n <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/avant.org.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Avant Mutual<\/a><\/strong>, Australia's leading medical defence organisation. Avant provides medico-legal support for practitioners who receive social media notifications and can advise on the appropriate response.<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n\r\n \r\n <div class=\"related-box\">\r\n <span class=\"related-label\">Related Reading<\/span>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-social-media-policy-2026\/\" class=\"related-link\">AHPRA Social Media Policy 2026 →<\/a>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/can-social-media-posts-lead-to-ahpra-suspension\/\" class=\"related-link\">Can Social Media Posts Lead to AHPRA Suspension? →<\/a>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/how-australian-health-practitioners-can-stay-compliant-on-social-media\/\" class=\"related-link\">How Australian Health Practitioners Can Stay Compliant on Social Media →<\/a>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/how-to-avoid-an-ahpra-notification-for-social-media-misconduct\/\" class=\"related-link\">How to Avoid an AHPRA Notification for Social Media Misconduct →<\/a>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ahpra-notification-response-psychologists\/\" class=\"related-link\">How to Respond to an AHPRA Notification, Psychologists →<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <div class=\"clean-cta\">\r\n <div class=\"clean-cta-inner\">\r\n <div class=\"clean-cta-text\">\r\n <p class=\"clean-cta-heading\">Understand your social media obligations before a notification arises<\/p>\r\n <p class=\"clean-cta-body\">Online with immediate access. Certificate on completion. Written for Australian healthcare professionals under AHPRA standards.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <div class=\"clean-cta-links\">\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/social-media-professionalism-and-boundaries-for-healthcare-professionals\/\" class=\"clean-cta-btn\">Social Media Professionalism Course →<\/a>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/ethics-professional-development-courses-psychologists\/\" class=\"clean-cta-secondary\">All ethics courses for Australian psychologists →<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>Can a social media post trigger an AHPRA notification against an Australian psychologist?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes. AHPRA can receive notifications about social media conduct from patients, colleagues, or any member of the public. Posts that breach patient confidentiality, contain prohibited testimonials, make unsubstantiated health claims, spread health misinformation, or constitute unprofessional conduct can all trigger a notification to the Psychology Board of Australia.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>Are testimonials and patient reviews prohibited for Australian psychologists on social media?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes. Section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law prohibits the use of testimonials in advertising a regulated health service. This applies to all online platforms. Psychologists cannot solicit, publish, or share patient testimonials, and are expected to take reasonable steps to remove testimonials that appear on platforms they manage.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>What counts as advertising under the National Law for social media?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>AHPRA takes a broad view. Any content that promotes a regulated health service, including posts about your practice, approach, fees, or availability, is considered advertising subject to the National Law's advertising requirements. This includes personal accounts if they promote your health services.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>Can Australian psychologists post health information on social media?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes, but all health claims must be accurate, evidence-based, and consistent with established clinical consensus. Clearly distinguish general health information from specific clinical advice, and avoid making claims you cannot substantiate. Content that contradicts established public health guidance, on vaccination, for example, carries real notification risk.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>What does AHPRA expect about patient reviews on Google?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>AHPRA expects practitioners to take reasonable steps to remove or report testimonials on platforms they control. For third-party platforms like Google, psychologists cannot remove reviews themselves, but should not actively solicit or encourage them, and should flag testimonials that breach the National Law through the platform's reporting processes.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>Can I be reported to AHPRA for posts on my personal social media account?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes. AHPRA's jurisdiction is not limited to professional or practice accounts. A notification can arise from posts on a personal account if the content reflects on fitness to practise, breaches patient confidentiality, constitutes advertising of a health service, or amounts to unprofessional conduct. The personal account framing is not a defence.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>What should I do if I receive an AHPRA notification about social media conduct?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Contact your indemnity insurer, your professional indemnity insurer, immediately. Do not delete the posts subject to the notification without legal advice. Preserve screenshots of the content as it appeared at the time. Prepare your written response within the stated deadline, typically 30 days, with your insurer's guidance.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <details class=\"faq-item\">\r\n <summary>What are the most common AHPRA social media notification triggers for Australian psychologists?<\/summary>\r\n <div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>The most common triggers are: patient testimonials or before-and-after photos on practice social media; unsubstantiated claims about treatment efficacy; posts that disclose identifiable patient information without consent; health misinformation; boundary violations involving patient interactions online; and advertising that does not comply with section 133 of the National Law.<\/p><\/div>\r\n <\/details>\r\n\r\n <div class=\"callout-box muted\" style=\"margin-top:36px\">\r\n <span class=\"box-label\">Disclaimer<\/span>\r\n <p>This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have received an AHPRA notification, contact your professional indemnity insurer, or a solicitor experienced in regulatory proceedings before taking any steps. Verify current AHPRA advertising guidelines at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahpra.gov.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">ahpra.gov.au<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/body>\r\n<\/html>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AHPRA Social Media Risk for Australian Psychologists: Psychology Board Expectations Online Social Media & Online Conduct \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Australia Social Media […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"normal-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30534"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31014,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30534\/revisions\/31014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}