2011/04/26 City Council Resolution 2011-31RESOLUTION NO. 2011-31
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
ADOPTING A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
WHEREAS, the City of Rohnert Park recognizes the value in using social media
websites to broaden communication regarding government services and facilitate greater citizen
engagement;
WHEREAS, the City encourages the use of social media to further the goals of the City
and its departments, where appropriate, through dissemination of information about the City's
mission, meetings, activities and current issues to members of the public;
WHEREAS, the purpose of the City's Social Media Policy is to set forth the City's,
goals, policies and procedures relating to the City's presence on social media sites and to
regulate employees who are responsible for maintaining the City's presence on social media
websites;
WHEREAS, public input, an important part of transparent and open government, is
encouraged and allowed on the City's social media sites, provided users of the sites adhere to the
"Comment Policy" defined in the Social Media Policy.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Rohnert
Park adopts the City of Rohnert Park Social Media Policy attached hereto as Exhibit "A."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conjunction with the Social Media Policy, the
City Council authorizes and directs the City Manager to adopt Social Media Use Standards and
Procedures regulating employee use of social media sites.
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Rohnert
Park this 26th day of April, 2011
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CITY OF ROHNERT PARK SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
CITY COUNCIL POLICY NO:
Adopted:
This policy is to be read and applied in conjunction with the City of Rohnert Park Social Media
Use Standards and Procedures.
I. Purpose
To address the fast - changing landscape of the Internet and the way residents and
businesses communicate and obtain information about the City of Rohnert Park ( "City ")
online, the City's departments may consider using social media tools to reach a broader
audience and increase citizen engagement. The City encourages the use of social media to
further the goals of the City and its departments, where appropriate, through dissemination
of information about the City's mission, meetings, activities and current issues to members
of the public.
The City has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is "announced" or
"spoken" on behalf of the City on social media sites. The purpose of this policy is to set
forth the City's policies and procedures regulating the City's presence on social media
websites and regulating employees. who are responsible for maintaining the City's presence
on social media websites. This policy does not govern or regulate the use of social media
sites by City employees or the privacy rights associated therewith.
"Social media" and "Web 2.0" are terms used interchangeably to refer to activities that
integrate technology, social interaction and content creation. This media allows people to
generate, organize, share, edit and comment on web content. Examples of social media
include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs, Really Simple Syndication
( "RSS "), Linkedln, and Flickr.
The goals of City of Rohnert Park social media sites are to:
• Increase the public's knowledge, trust, and use of City services
• Promote the value and importance of City services among and between governing
officials, civic leaders, and the general public
• Maintain open, professional and responsive communication with members of the public
and the news media
II. Ownership
All social media communications composed, sent, or received on City equipment are the
property of the City. While the social media sites are administered by the City, the content
on the sites is not entirely controlled by the City. The City does not endorse any links or
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EXHIBIT A
advertisements on its social media sites placed by the site owners or their vendors or
partners.
III. General Policy
A. The City Manager shall develop and implement Social Media Use Standards and
Procedures, which establish guidelines for the administration and use of City social
media sites in conjunction with this Policy.
B. The City authorizes the use of Facebook and Twitter by its departments subject to the
approvals set forth in the Social Media Use Standards and Procedures. The use of any
other social media tools must be approved by the IT Department and the City Manager
or designee.
C. All of the City's social media sites that are created by departments will be subject to
approval by the City Manager or designee.
D. The most appropriate uses of social media tools are as informational channels to
increase the City's ability to broadcast its messages to the widest possible audience.
E. The City's website (http: / /www.rpcity.ora) will remain the City's primary and
predominant internet presence.
F. Wherever possible, content posted to the City's social media sites must first be made
available on the City's website by the department's website content manager.
G. Wherever possible, content posted to the City's social media sites must contain
hyperlinks directing users back to the City's official website for in -depth information,
forms, documents or online services necessary to conduct business with the City of
Rohnert Park.
H. Social media will not be the primary tool used for disseminating emergency information.
The City's. PEG Channel, Comcast Channel 26, will remain the primary source of that
information. Emergency information may be released on social media sites, but not
before release on Channel 26 or other emergency information systems.
I. As is the case for the City's website, the department's director or designee will be
responsible for the content and upkeep (including maintenance and monitoring) of any
social media site that the department may create.
J. Wherever possible, the City's social media sites must comply with all appropriate City of
Rohnert Park policies and procedures, including but not limited to:
1. City of Rohnert Park Social Media Use Standards and Procedures.
2. Internet, E -Mail and Electronic Media Use Policy (Reso. No. 2005 -43).
3. City Information Technology (IT) security policies and guidelines.
4. City of Rohnert Park anti - harassment and anti - discrimination policies.
Any exceptions will be approved by the City Manager or designee dependent on the
policy. Any exceptions must be in writing.
K. The City's social media sites are subject to California's civil discovery statutes and the
California Public Records Act. Any content maintained in a social media format that is
related to City business, including a list of subscribers and posted communication (with
certain exceptions), is a public record. The Department maintaining the site is
responsible for responding to any public records request for public records on social
media; provided, however, such requests must be handled in collaboration with the City
Clerk's Office and the City Attorney's Office. Content related to City business must be
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maintained in an accessible format and so that it can be produced in response to a
request (see the City's Social Media Use Standards and Procedures). Wherever possible,
such sites must clearly indicate that any articles and any other content posted or
submitted for posting may be or are subject to public disclosure upon request.
L. California law and relevant City records retention schedules apply to social media
formats and social media content. Unless otherwise addressed in a specific social media
standards document, the department maintaining a site must preserve records required
to be maintained pursuant to an applicable records retention schedule for the required
retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is
easily accessible. Appropriate retention formats for specific social media tools are
detailed in the City's Twitter, Facebook and Video Posting standards.
M. City social media sites shall be managed consistent with the Brown Act. Members of the
City Council and City advisory bodies should refrain from responding to any published
postings, or from using the site to respond to, blog, engage in serial meetings, or
otherwise discuss, deliberate, or express opinions on any issue within the subject matter
jurisdiction of the body.
IV. Comment Policy
A. Users and visitors to the City's social media sites must be notified that the intended
purpose of the site is to serve as a means of communication between City departments
and members of the public. All comments posted to the City's social media sites will be
monitored. The City's, social media site articles, posts and comments containing any of
the following forms of content will not be allowed and must be removed as soon as
possible:
1. Profane language or content;
2. 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, sexual orientation or any
other basis protected by state or federal law;
3. Sexual content or links to sexual content;
4. Solicitations of commerce and other pure commercial speech
5. Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;
6. Comments in support of or opposition to political campaigns or ballot measures;
7. Information that may compromise the safety or security of the public or public
systems or employees;
8. Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party.
B. Users and visitors to the City's social media sites must also be notified that:
A comment posted by a member of the public on any City of Rohnert Park social
media site is the opinion of the commentator or poster only, and the publication of a
comment does not imply endorsement of, or agreement by, the City of Rohnert
Park, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the City of
Rohnert Park.
2. The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in
violation of this policy or any applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City
of Rohnert Park is not obligated to take such actions, and the City disclaims any and
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all responsibility and liability for any materials that the City deems inappropriate for
posting, which cannot be removed in an expeditious and otherwise timely manner.
3. By posting a comment, users agree to indemnify the City of Rohnert Park, its officers
and employees from and against all liabilities, judgments, damages, and costs
(including attorney's fees) incurred by any of them which arise out of or are related
to content posted by users. If a user does not agree to these terms, the individual
should not use the City of Rohnert Park's social media sites as a violation of these
terms may lead to legal liability.
4. The City neither guarantees the authenticity, accuracy, appropriateness nor security
of external links, websites or content linked thereto.
C. The above comment guidelines and disclaimers ( "Terms of Use ") must be displayed to
users or made available by hyperlink. Any content removed based on these guidelines
must be retained, including the time, date and identity of the poster when available (see
the City's Social Media Use Standards and Procedures), in accordance with the City's
policy on the retention of such information.
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