PURPOSE

This City Social Media Policy for Public Use establishes guidelines for anyone who interacts with the City of Lompoc (“City”) through City Social Media sites including, but not limited to, websites, mobile applications, discussion boards, blogs, and news feeds.

The intended purpose behind establishing City Social Media sites is to disseminate information from the City, about the City, to its citizens. The City has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is posted or communicated on behalf of the City on City Social Media sites.

By interaction with the City through any and all City Social Media sites you agree to abide by this policy.

GENERAL POLICY

1. The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of this Policy or any applicable law. Any content removed based on these guidelines must be retained by City for a reasonable period of time, including the time, date and identity of the poster, when available.

2. These guidelines must be displayed to users or made available by hyperlink.

3. The City will approach the use of Social Media tools as consistently as possible, enterprise wide.

4. The City website (http://www.cityoflompoc.com/) will remain the City’s primary and predominant internet presence.

5. All City Social Media sites shall adhere to applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies.

6. City Social Media sites are subject to the California Public Records Act. Any content maintained in a Social Media format that is related to City business, including a list of subscribers, posted communication, and communication submitted for posting, may be a public record subject to public disclosure.

7. This Social Media Policy may be revised at any time.

8. Comments on topics or issues not within the jurisdictional purview of the City, or in violation of this policy, may be removed.

COMMENT POLICY

1. As a public entity the City must abide by certain standards to serve all its constituents in a civil and unbiased manner.

2. The intended purpose behind establishing City Social Media sites is to disseminate information from the City, about the City, to its citizens.

3. For purposes of this policy, “comments” include information, articles, pictures, videos or any other form of communicative content posted on any City Social Media sites.

4. Comments containing any of the following inappropriate forms of content shall not be permitted on City Social Media sites and are subject to removal and/or restriction by the City Manager, or his or her designee, and/or the IT Division:

a. Content not related to the original topic, including random or unintelligible comments;

b. Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, or military and veteran status of any personage;

c. Profane, obscene, violent or pornographic content and/or language.

d. Solicitations of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale;

e. Encouragement or advocacy of illegal activity;

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

g. Content that violates the legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party;

h. Comments in support of, or in opposition to, any political campaigns or ballot measures;

i. Any content that violates any local, county, state or federal law or regulation.

j. Defamatory or personal attacks; or

k. Threats to any person or organization.

5. A comment posted by a member of the public on any City Social Media sites is the opinion of the commentator or poster only, and publication of a comment does not imply endorsement of, or agreement by, the City, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the City.

6. 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.

7. Departments shall monitor their Social Media sites for comments requesting responses from the City and for comments in violation of this policy.

8. When a City employee responds to a comment, in his/her capacity as a City employee, the employee’s name and title should be made available, and the employee shall not share personal information about himself or herself, or other City employees.

9. All comments posted to any City Social Media sites are also bound by [SOCIAL MEDIA PROVIDER]’s use policy and the City reserves the right to report any violation of [SOCIAL MEDIA PROVIDER]’s use policy to with the intent of taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.