HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 12-011 -Social media Policy RESOLUTION 12 -011
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
ADOPTING A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
WHEREAS, the term "social media" refers to the web -based and mobile technologies that allow for
interactive dialogue, collaboration, and sharing; and
WHEREAS, examples of social media sites include Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube; and
WHEREAS, in recent years, an increasing number of Americans have started to use social media sites
and in December 2011, it was reported that Facebook alone had more than 800 million active users worldwide;
and
WHEREAS, an increasing number of Americans use social media sites as their primary method for
obtaining information and communicating with others; and
WHEREAS, a number of cities throughout the United States have started to use social media sites to
increase communications with members of their communities and have effectively used social media sites for a
variety of purposes, including civic engagement, economic development, and emergency notifications;
WHEREAS, the attached Social Media Policy serves as a tool to regulate use of City of Saratoga social
media sites and ensure that the City's sites are maintained properly; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby adopts the
attached City of Saratoga Social Media Policy.
Attachments:
1. City of Saratoga Social Media Policy
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga City Council
held on the 15 day of February 2012 by the following vote:
AYES: Council Member Manny Cappello, Emily Lo, Howard Miller, Vice Mayor Jill
Hunter, Mayor Chuck Page
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
_If 0
Chuck Page, Mayor
ATTEST: IP
C 64vvf JM wilA) DATE: 1 1 1 /Dr_
al Morrow, City Clerk
SUBJECT: Social Media Policy
I. Introduction
Many residents obtain information and communicate with one another through social
media. Consequently, government organizations are finding that social media has
become a useful tool for relaying information and communicating with the public.
II. Purpose
This policy has been established to provide internal and external standards of use for
social media sites that are created for City purposes. Social media includes, but is not
limited to, internet -based websites that allow two -way communication between the
City and the public, such as social networking websites (e.g. Facebook or Twitter),
media sharing websites (e.g. YouTube or Flickr), blogs (e.g. WordPress), and wikis
(i.e. Wikipedia). A social media site is created for City purposes when an account is
established on a social media website in accordance with this policy. The City has an
overriding interest and expectation in protecting the information posted on its social
media sites and the content that is attributed to the City and its officials.
III. Policy
A. Creating and Maintaining City of Saratoga Social Media Sites
1. City of Saratoga social media sites may be used as a supplement to the
City of Saratoga website for:
a. Marketing/promotional purposes
b. Community engagement purposes
c. Communicating important City information quickly to a broad
audience
2. The City of Saratoga website will remain the City government's primary
and predominant internet presence.
3. Each City of Saratoga account established on a social media website must
be approved by the City Manager or his/her designee.
a. For each City of Saratoga social media account, the following
information will provided to the City Clerk within one business
day of opening the account and shall be updated within one day of
making any changes to the account or account management
responsibilities:
i. Account name and login information;
ii. Date established;
iii. Purpose of account;
iv. Employee primarily responsible for site management and
maintenance; and
1
v. Date account closed.
b. Department directors shall provide direction to department
employees regarding the amount of time spent reviewing and/or
participating in the City's social media sites.
c. Any use of social media sites not related to an employee's job
duties is subject to the City of Saratoga Electronic
Communications Resources Policy.
4. Each City of Saratoga social media site shall be regularly monitored by the
employee designated as the site manager for site management and
maintenance to ensure comments and postings on the City's social media
sites are in compliance with this policy.
5. The City shall respond to all requests for City documents in accordance
with the California Public Records Act.
6. In the event that a site receives a posting or other information of relevance
to another City department, the employee primarily responsible for the site
will promptly notify the other department of the fact.
7. City of Saratoga social media sites shall be periodically reviewed by the
City Manager or his/her designee for compliance with this policy.
8. City of Saratoga social media posts shall be topic specific. Whenever
possible, features on social media sites that allow for discussion on
unrestricted topics shall be disabled. For example, the ability to post on the
"Wall" of a City of Saratoga Facebook site will be disabled. Only
designated department employee(s) shall make posts.
9. Whenever possible, information posted on City of Saratoga social media
sites shall also be available on the City's website.
10. Whenever possible, postings on City of Saratoga social media sites shall
contain links to the City website to provide the public with access to more
in -depth information, forms, documents, or online services.
11. All City of Saratoga social media sites shall have City of Saratoga contact
information and a link to site use policies prominently displayed.
12. The City may cancel or otherwise terminate any City of Saratoga social
media site at any time, provided, however, that records of the site shall be
maintained in accordance with the records retention program following
cancellation or termination.
B. Policies and Laws Applicable to City of Saratoga Social Media Sites
1. All content posted to City of Saratoga social media sites shall comply with
the City's Website Policy.
2. All content on City of Saratoga social media sites is subject to the
California Public Records Act and subject to public disclosure.
2
3. All content on City of Saratoga social media sites is subject to the City's
Records Retention Policy. Records must be maintained for at least two
years or a longer retention period, as indicated in the City's Records
Retention Policy, in a format that preserves the integrity of the record and
is readily accessible.
4. Use of City of Saratoga social media sites by members of the City
Council, City Commission, and other committees is subject to the Ralph
M. Brown Act (California's open meeting law) shall comply with the City
Council Electronic Communications Policy.
5. All content on City of Saratoga social media sites should comply with the
City of Saratoga Code of Ethics and Values. City employees and officials
who are using City social media sites are expected to represent themselves
and the City in a way that is consistent with this policy.
6. City of Saratoga social media sites shall not be used to directly further any
political campaign or ballot measure.
C. Acceptable Use of City of Saratoga Social Media Sites
1. Users of City of Saratoga social media sites should be aware that the
purpose of these sites is to communicate with the public and promote
services offered by the City.
2. The following forms of content shall not be allowed on City of Saratoga
social media sites:
a. Comments not topically related to the particular site;
b. Comments not topically related to the content being commented
upon;
c. Profane language or content;
d. Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the
basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status,
status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or
mental disability, or sexual orientation;
e. Sexual content or links to sexual content;
f. Solicitations of commerce;
g. Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;
h. Personal information provided to the City by a private individual,
with the reasonable expectation that the information will remain
confidential;
i. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of
the public or public systems;
3
j. Content that violates intellectual property rights or other legal
ownership interest of any other party, including but not limited to
copyright, trade secrets, trademarks, and publicity rights; and
k. Content directly in support of, or in opposition to, any political
campaigns or ballot measures.
3. The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that the City
reasonably determined is or may be in violation of this policy or any
applicable laws. Moreover, the City reserves the right to ban users who
consistently violate this policy.
4. If a City of Saratoga social media site allows public comments, it will only
allow comments that are topically related to the particular social media
site and thus within the purpose of the limited public forum established by
that site, with the exception of the prohibited content listed above.
5. All City of Saratoga social media sites that allow public comment shall
contain the following notice: "All postings are subject to disclosure in
accordance with the California Public Records Act. The views of the
individuals posting comments on this site do not necessarily represent the
views of the City."
4