Social Media Policy

Purpose

The City desires to reach and communicate with a broader audience to further the goals of the City and the missions of its departments, where appropriate.

The City has an interest and expectation in deciding what is “spoken” on behalf of the City on social media sites. This Policy establishes guidelines for the use of social media and is intended to apply to social media sites including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and other similar websites, blogs and other internet-based media sites.

i. For the purpose of this policy, “comments” include information, articles, pictures, videos, or any other form of communicative content posted on a social media site.

Use of City Social Media Sites

IMPORTANT NOTICE UNDER FLORIDA’S PUBLIC RECORDS LAW: 

Please be aware that under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, every response and submission to any City social media site is a public record and may be posted for as long as the administrator allows for such item to remain posted.  The city maintains a contract with a third-party vendor for the archiving of all official City social media content; this includes all comments and all comments that may have been hidden or removed by the City. All social media content will be considered a public record available for inspection to the extent allowed by Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

The City may terminate any City social media site at any time. The City reserves the right to edit or hide any inappropriate content posted to the site. The City also reserves the right to turn off the ability of third parties to post or comment, in its discretion. The City does not intend to create a public forum, but to maintain a forum related to topics posted by the City, with language appropriate for its citizens (including minors). Inappropriate content includes:

i. Comments not related to a topic posted by the City;

ii. Profane language or content;

iii. 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;

iv. Sexual content or links to sexual content;

v. Solicitations of commerce;

vi. Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;

vii. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public;

viii. Content that violates a copyright, trademark or other legal ownership interest; goes against City mission and/or values

ix. Accusations of immoral or illegal conduct.

The City disclaims responsibility and liability to the fullest extent allowed by law for any inappropriate content or posting on any City social media network.

The City reserves the right to deny access to City social media sites for any individual who violates the City’s Social Media Policy, at any time and without prior notice.