Information on the organisation’s website must be updated at least every 3 months
The organisation’s website is one of the most important official sources of information for residents, partners and supervisory authorities. That is why it must publish only current, legally valid and practically useful information. For public-sector organisations – municipalities, schools, museums, libraries, arts centres or other public bodies – this is not just a recommendation. Regular content updates help ensure transparency, trust in the organisation and proper implementation of legal requirements.
Information on the website must be reviewed and updated according to how often it changes, but at least every 3 months. This means that even when certain content, for example general descriptions or contact details, appears unchanged, it must still be reviewed regularly. Such a review makes it possible to spot changed responsible persons, outdated links, no-longer-valid documents or inaccurate information about services in good time.
Why is the 3-month review deadline important?
Over three months, many important things can change in a public body: opening hours, responsible staff, the procedure for providing services, admission conditions, the events calendar, document forms or legal provisions. If such information remains out of date on the website, residents may be misled, and the organisation itself may face reputational and administrative problems. This is especially relevant for local authority administrations, education organisations and cultural organisations, whose websites are often used by visitors looking for specific, time-sensitive information.
Regular updates also help maintain a tidy website structure. Reviewing content makes it possible not only to replace outdated information, but also to remove duplicate pages, organise the document archive and update links to electronic services or internal rules. This improves the user experience and helps visitors find what they need more quickly.
What is worth reviewing at each update?
- Contact information. Check whether the listed phone numbers, email addresses, department names and responsible staff members are still correct. This is especially important for municipal departments, school administrations or library branches that residents often contact about specific services.
- Legal acts and documents. Rules, procedures, forms, application forms or public procurement documents published on the website must match the current version. If a document is no longer valid, it should be clearly marked as archived or removed from the active section.
- Service descriptions. Residents need accurate information about service delivery times, methods, required documents and payment arrangements, where applicable. Even minor inaccuracies can lead to extra calls, errors when submitting applications or dissatisfaction with service.
- News and notices. Outdated notices should not create the impression that the organisation is no longer active or does not care about communication. Current news shows that the website is maintained and that the organisation communicates actively with the community.
- Language versions. If the website is published not only in Lithuanian but also in a foreign language, all language versions must be updated at the same time. Otherwise, information in different languages may differ, which creates confusion and reduces trust in the organisation.
Consistent information updates in all languages
If an organisation’s website has foreign-language versions, the information on them must not only be translated, but also kept current at all times. In practice, it often happens that the Lithuanian version is updated, while the English or other language version remains outdated. Such a mismatch can mislead foreign citizens, partners or investors, especially when it concerns contact details, service delivery procedures or official documents.
To avoid this, it is worth establishing a clear internal procedure: who is responsible for reviewing content, who initiates translation updates, and how it is checked whether all language versions match. This is especially relevant for municipalities, tourism information centres, museums and other organisations that communicate with an international audience.
Relationship with accessibility and GDPR
When updating website content, it is important to assess not only the accuracy of the information, but also the quality of its presentation. Content should be clear, easy to find and accessible to users with different needs. This means that documents should be orderly, clearly titled, and important information should not be hidden only in scanned PDF files or images that are harder to access for visitors using assistive technologies.
It is also necessary to ensure that excessive personal data, or data without a legal basis, is not published on the website. From a GDPR perspective, outdated information can mean not only a communication problem, but also a data protection risk. For example, if outdated staff contact details, names or other personal data remain on the website for a long time, the organisation should assess whether such publication is still necessary and lawful.
How can regular updates be ensured in practice?
The most effective approach is for the organisation to have a clear website maintenance process. A content review calendar can be drawn up, responsible persons can be assigned to separate sections, and a periodic check can be scheduled at least once a quarter. Such a procedure helps not only to meet requirements, but also to reduce the risk that important information will be overlooked.
Public-sector organisations should view the website as a continuously maintained service channel, not a one-off project. Regular updates ensure that the website remains reliable, complies with legal, accessibility and data protection requirements, and that residents find what they expect there – accurate, clear and timely information.