This policy is intended to help employees and Councillors make appropriate decisions about the use of social media such as emails, blogs, wikis, social networking websites, podcasts, forums, message boards, or comments on web-articles, such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other relevant social media websites. (Council staff have guidelines contained within the Employee Handbook and Officer/Member Protocol).
This policy outlines the standards the Council requires employees and Councillors to observe when using social media, the circumstances in which the Council will monitor the use of social media, and the action to be taken in respect of breaches of this policy.
This policy supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, all other policies and procedures adopted by the Council, such as the Equal Opportunities Policy, Anti-Harassment Policy, Data Protection Policy, Disciplinary Procedure, Members Code of Conduct, and such like.
This policy covers all individuals working at all levels with the Council, including all elected and co-opted Councillors and volunteers (the Clerk to the Council and all other employees must comply with the Employee Handbook and Officer/Member Protocol).
The Council has overall responsibility for the effective operation of this policy. All employees and Members are expected to comply with this policy at all times to protect the reputation, privacy, confidentiality, and interests of the Council, its services, employees, partners, and community.
Behavior required by the Members’ Code of Conduct shall apply to online activity in the same way it does to other written or verbal communication. Members will bear in mind that inappropriate conduct can still attract adverse publicity, even where the Code does not apply. Online content should be objective, balanced, informative, and accurate. Members must be aware that their profile as a Councillor means it is more likely they will be seen as acting in an official capacity when blogging or networking. It must be remembered that communications on the internet are permanent and public. When communicating in a ‘private’ group, it should be ensured that the Council would be content with the statement should it be made public. Be honest and open, but be mindful of the impact your contribution might make on people’s perceptions of the Council.
All employees, volunteers, and members should ensure that they take the time to read and understand this policy. You are personally responsible for content you publish. Any breach should be reported to the Clerk.
Questions regarding the content or application of this policy should be directed to the Clerk.
Employees and Members must not allow their interaction on any websites or blogs to damage their working relationships with others.
Do not make any derogatory, discriminatory, defamatory, abusive, obscene, or offensive comments. Be responsible and respectful; be direct, informative, brief, and transparent. Always disclose their identity and affiliation to the Council. Never make false or misleading statements. Do not present themselves in a way that might cause embarrassment. They must protect the good reputation of the Council. Be mindful of the information posted on sites and make sure personal opinions are not published as being that of the Council. Keep the tone of comments respectful and informative, never condescending or “loud.” Use sentence case format, not capital letters; do not write in red to emphasize points. Refrain from posting controversial or potentially inflammatory remarks. Language that may be deemed as offensive relating in particular to race, sexuality, disability, gender, age, or religion or belief should not be published on any social media site. Avoid personal attacks, online fights, and hostile communications. Do not post comments that you would not be prepared to make in writing or face-to-face. Never name an individual third party unless you have written permission to do so. Seek permission to publish original photographs or videos from the persons or organizations in the video or photograph before they are uploaded. You must check that there is parental permission before photos of children are used. Respect the privacy of other Councillors, staff, and residents. Never post any information or conduct any online activity that may violate laws or regulations, such as libel and copyright. Spell and grammar check everything.
Anyone who feels that they have been harassed or bullied, or are offended by material posted or uploaded by elected and co-opted Councillors, volunteers, or officers should inform the Town Clerk.
Never disclose commercially sensitive, personal private, or confidential information. Never publish anyone else’s contact details. If you are unsure whether the information you wish to share falls within one of these categories, you should discuss this with the Town Clerk.
Do not upload, post, or forward any content belonging to a third party unless you have that third party’s consent.
If Councillors blog or tweet personally, and not in their role as a Councillor, they must not act, claim to act, or give the impression that they are acting as a representative of the Council. They should not include web links to official Council websites as this may give or reinforce the impression that they are representing the Council.
The Clerk will be the nominated person to act as moderator. She/he will be responsible for monitoring the content on Council pages, ensuring it complies with the Social Media Policy. The Clerk will have the authority to instruct officers to immediately, without notice or comment, remove any posts from the Council’s social media pages if they are deemed to be inflammatory or of a defamatory or libelous nature. Such posts may also be reported to the Hosts (i.e., Facebook) and the Council for its records.