HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/15/2010 07 Social Media Policy Proposal • BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL •
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON •
• AGENDA STATEMENT •
Item No.. 7
• For Meeting Of June 15, 2010
ITEM TITLE: Presentation of a proposed City of Yakima Social Media Policy which
provides guidelines for City divisions and departments regarding establishing
social media sites and sets standards for the use of social media sites by City
employees in order to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Community Relations Manager
CONTACT PERSON /TELEPHONE: Randy Beehler, Community Relations Manager — 901 -1142
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
At the direction of the City Council, for the last several months the Community Relations Division
has been conducting research into the use of social media to enhance the communications and
outreach efforts of the City. That research included examining the best practices of other local, state,
• and federal governmental entities which have been utilizing social media for at least 6 months.
Each of the governmental entities that the Community Relations Division conducted research on has
in place a Social Media Policy which provides guidelines and standards for the use of social media
by government employees. Unlike private social media users, government employee users of social
media must comply with public disclosure laws, open meetings laws, and other applicable laws,
rules, and regulations.
Based on that research, a City of Yakima Social Media Policy has been developed which
incorporates the best elements of a dozen or more similar policies from other governmental entities
but is also tailored to meet the specific needs of the City.
It is intended that once a Social Media Policy is implemented by the City Manager as part of the City
Administrative Code, the Community Relations Division will formally launch an official City
Twitter account and an official City Facebook page.
Resolution Ordinance Contract Other (specify) Direct the City Manager to
implement the proposed Social Media Policy as part of the City Administrative Code.
Funding Source
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: —'°
City Manager •
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Direct the City Manager to implement the proposed City of
Yakima Social Media Policy as part of the City Administrative Code.
BOARD /COMMISSION /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: At its June 3, 2010 meeting,
the Council Rules and Procedures Committee unanimously approved a recommendation that the City
Council Direct the City Manager to implement the proposed City of Yakima Social Media Policy as
part of the City Administrative Code.
COUNCIL ACTION:
To: Council
Members
From: Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler
Subject: Proposed Social Media Policy
Date: June 10, 2010
Council Members,
Recently, at the direction of the City Council, the Community Relations Division began to
explore the potential for utilizing emerging social media to enhance the City's
communications efforts. Social media can be broadly defined as internet -based
communications technology that provides immediacy, interactivity, and the sharing of
information across multiple platforms. Some of the more commonly known examples of
social media include Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, and YouTube.
As part of its research, the Community Relations Division examined ways that several other
local, state, and federal governmental entities are making use of social media. By
examining the best practices of those governmental entities, the Community Relations
Division has developed a social media strategy that is cautious, yet allows the City to
benefit from this growing method of information exchange and community building.
A key piece of advice that came from other governmental entities which have been utilizing
• social media for about a year or so was to develop a Social Media Policy. Such a policy
provides basic guidelines for City divisions and departments regarding establishing social
media sites as well as sets standards for the use of social media sites in order to comply
with existing public records retention statutes, privacy laws, and use of publicly -owned
equipment requirements.
The proposed City of Yakima Social Media Policy (see attached) incorporates the best
elements of a dozen or more similar policies from other governmental entities, but is also
tailored to meet the unique needs of the City.
For several months, the Community Relations Division has been informally utilizing a
Twitter account to distribute information to its "followers" and has been developing a
Facebook page. Formal launch of both an official City Twitter account and an official City
Facebook page will only occur once a Social Media Policy has been approved by the City
Council and implemented by the City Manager as part of the City's Administrative Code.
At its June 3 meeting, the Council Rules and Procedures Committee unanimously approved
a recommendation that the City Council direct the City Manager to implement the proposed
City of Yakima Social Media Policy as part of the City's Administrative Code.
Please contact me by phone (901 -1142) or by e -mail (rbeehler(cr�ci.yakima.wa.us) if you
have any questions about this issue prior to the June 15 City Council business meeting.
111 C �Y YO ITYAZr ,O .
City of Yakima
Social Media Policy
Purpose
City of Yakima departments /divisions may utilize existing and emerging social
media tools to provide information to and interact with the public. Social media is
broadly defined as internet -based communications technology that provides
immediacy, interactivity, and the sharing of information across multiple platforms.
The City encourages the use of social media, where appropriate, to further the
goals of the City and the missions of its departments /divisions.
The City of Yakima has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is
"spoken" on behalf of the City through social media. This policy establishes
guidelines for the use of social media by City departments /divisions.
Policy
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1. Use of any and all social media by City p Cit of Yakima departments and /or divisions
must receive prior approval from the City's Community Relations Manager and will
be subject to review by the City Manager.
2. The City of Yakima's website (ci.yakima.wa.us) will remain the City's primary and
predonninant Internet presence.
3. The best, most appropriate City of Yakima uses of social media tools fall
generally into two categories:
A. As channels for disseminating time- sensitive information as quickly as possible
(example: emergency information).
B. As communications /outreach tools which increase the City's ability to
provide messages to the widest possible audience.
4. Unless otherwise approved by the Community Relations Manager, content
posted to official City of Yakima social media sites will first be posted on the City's
official website(s).
5. Whenever possible, content posted to official City of Yakima social media sites
should contain links directing users back to the City's official website(s) for in- depth
information, forms, documents, or online services necessary to conduct business
with the City of Yakima.
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6. Designated department /division staff will be responsible for the content and
upkeep of any official social media sites their department /division may create. All
postings and comments made to official City social media sites will be approved by
• the Community Relations Manager or other assigned managerial staff.
7. Designated City staff will read and understand this policy and have a signed
copy of this policy on file.
8. Social media sites currently approved for use by City departments /divisions
include:
•
. A. Twitter
B. Facebook
•
9. Any additional social media sites proposed for City use must be approved by
the City's Community Relations Manager prior to activation.
10. Use of official City of Yakima social media sites shall comply with the City of
Yakima Charter, the Yakima Municipal Code, and all applicable policies, rules, and
regulations of the City of Yakima.
11. Official City of Yakima social media sites are subject to State of Washington
public records laws. Any content maintained in a social media format that is
related to City business, including a list of subscribers and posted communication, is
a public record. The department /division maintaining the site is responsible for
responding completely and accurately to any public records request related to the
City's use of social media. Content related to City business shall be maintained in
an accessible format so that it can be produced in response to a request.
Whenever possible, such sites shall clearly indicate that any content posted or
submitted for posting is subject to public disclosure. Users shall be notified that
public disclosure requests must be directed to the City's Public Disclosure Officer.
12. Washington State law and relevant City of Yakima records retention schedules
apply to social media formats and social media content. The department /division
maintaining a site shall preserve records required to be maintained pursuant to a
relevant records retention schedule for the required retention period on a City
server in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily
accessible.
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13. Official City of Yakima social media sites shall include notification to site
users /visitors that the following content will not be allowed on the site:
A. Comments not topically related to a particular social media thread
•
B. Comments in support or opposition to political campaigns of any kind
•
C. Profane language or content
D. Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination of any kind
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E. Sexual content or links to sexual content
F. Solicitations of commerce
G. Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity
•
H. Information that may tend to compromise the safety and /or security of
the public and /or public systems
I. Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party
Any content removed based on these restrictions must be retained, including the
time and date of the posting and the identity of the poster (if available).
14. The City of Yakima reserves the right to restrict and /or remove any content
posted to official City of Yakima social media sites that it deems to be in violation of
this Social Media Policy or other applicable law, rule, or regulation.
15. City employees and /or elected officials are prohibited from disclosing any
information via social media posts that may be confidential or may otherwise
compromise the City.
16. Only official City social media sites may be used by City employees and /or
elected officials to conduct official City business.
17. City employees and /or elected officials are discouraged from using personal •
equipment and /or personal accounts to post information to official City social
media sites. City employees and /or elected officials are similarly discouraged from
using personal equipment and /or personal accounts to post information regarding
official City business on other social media sites. All social media site posts by City
employees and /or elected officials regarding official City business are subject to
Washington State public disclosure laws, open meetings laws, and all other
applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
18. Personal and /or private use of City equipment and /or facilities by City
employees, elected officials, or others to access social media sites is prohibited.
19. This policy may be amended as necessary by approval of the City Manager.
20. This policy applies to all City of Yakima departments, divisions, and employees.
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Tips For Using Social Media Sites
0. Be Cautious - if you are about to post information that makes you even the
slightest bit uncomfortable, pause and think about it. Be smart about protecting
sensitive and /or confidential City information, as well as your own privacy.
Remember that what is posted via social media is widely accessible, not easily
retractable, subject to scrutiny, and will be around for a long time.
Post Only What You Know - Make sure that what you post regarding official City
business falls into your specific area of expertise. Don't post about City business
that you are not involved in. There are too many opportunities for misperceptions
to be created if you post on subjects thatryou aren't completely familiar with.
«' Avoid Personal Posts About City Business - In the social media environment, the
lines between public and private, personal and professional are easily blurred. As
referenced in the City of Yakima Social Media Policy, City employees and /or
elected officials are discouraged from using personal equipment and /or personal
accounts to post information about City business on either official City social media
sites or other social media sites. Doing so too easily opens the door to others
perceiving personal posts as representing the official position of the City. Keep in
mind that even if you are posting about City business using personal equipment or
a personal account, what you say is subject to public disclosure laws, open
meetings laws, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
• -,: Be Honest and Straightforward - All posts should be accurate and should avoid
being misleading in any way. Present information in posts as simply as possible.
Posts that are brief and to the point leave less room for misinterpretation. If you
happen to post information that misses the mark, be quick to point it out and
correct it.
Stick To the Facts - Post information that is based on your knowledge, rather
than your opinion. Whenever possible, reference information that is available on
the City's website or is otherwise easily accessib.le. By sticking to the facts, you will
be seen as an unbiased, trusted source of information about City business.
Know the Rules - Make sure that what you post complies with the City of Yakima
Social Media Policy and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations. If you
have questions about using social media, check with the City's Community
Relations office: Remember that whatever you post to social media sites is
ultimately your responsibility.
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