Social Media Policy

Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for the establishment and use by the City of Blue Ash of social media sites (including but not limited to Facebook and Twitter) as a means of conveying City of Blue Ash information to its residents, corporate citizens, guests and fans.

The intended purpose behind establishing City of Blue Ash social media sites is to disseminate information about the City’s events, news, information, etc.

The City of Blue Ash has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is “spoken” on behalf of the City on social media sites.

For purposes of this policy, “social media” is understood to be content created by individuals, using accessible, expandable, and upgradable publishing technologies, through and on the Internet. Examples of social media (including but not limited to) are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram. For purposes of this policy, “comments” include information, articles, pictures, videos or any other form of communicative content posted on a City of Blue Ash social media site.

General Policy

1. The establishment and use by the City of social media sites are subject to approval by the City Manager or his/her designees. All City of Blue Ash social media sites shall be administered by City of Blue Ash staff.

2. The social media sites maintained by the City should make clear that they are maintained by the City of Blue Ash and that they follow the Social Media Policy. The City shall not be responsible for personal accounts created by City staff or officials.

3. Wherever possible, social media sites should link back to the official City of Blue Ash website for forms, documents, online services and other information necessary to conduct business with the City of Blue Ash.

4. A staff representative from the City will monitor content on the social media sites to ensure adherence to both the Social Media Policy and the interest and goals of the City of Blue Ash.

5. The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of this Social Media Policy or any applicable law.

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

7. The City will approach the use of social media tools as consistently as possible, enterprise wide.

8. The City of Blue Ash’s website at http://www.blueash.com will remain the City’s primary and predominant internet presence for official information.

9. All social media sites maintained by the City shall adhere to applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies.

10. The City’s social media sites are subject to the Ohio 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.

11. Comments on topics or issues not within the jurisdictional purview of the City of Blue Ash may be removed.

12. Employees representing the City through these social media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies.

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

Comment Policy

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

2. The intended purpose behind establishing City of Blue Ash social media sites is to disseminate information from the City, about the City, to its residents, corporate citizens, guests and fans.

3. Comments containing any of the following inappropriate forms of content shall not be permitted on City of Blue Ash social media sites and are subject to removal and/or restriction:

1. Comments not related to the original topic, including random or unintelligible comments;
2. Profane, obscene, violent, or pornographic content and/or language;
3. Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin;
4. Defamatory or personal attacks;
5. Threats to any person or organization;
6. Comments in support of, or in opposition to, any political campaigns or ballot measures;
7. Solicitation of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale;
8. Conduct in violation of any federal, state or local law;
9. Encouragement of illegal activity;
10. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems; or
11. Content that violates a legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party;
12. Repetitive or duplicative posts by single or multiple users.

4. A comment posted by a member of the public on any City of Blue Ash social media site is the opinion of the commentator or poster only, and publication of a comment does not imply endorsement of, or agreement by, the City of Blue Ash, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the City of Blue Ash.

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

6. The City shall monitor their social media sites for comments requesting responses and for comments in violation of this policy.

7. When a City of Blue Ash employee responds to a comment, in his/her capacity as a City of Blue Ash 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.

8. All comments posted to any City of Blue Ash Facebook sites are bound by Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, located at http://www.facebook.com/terms.php, and the City of Blue Ash reserves the right to report any violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to Facebook with the intent of Facebook taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.