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Guiding Principles of Social Media Accounts <br />The following guidance is provided to reflect the best management practices of social media <br />engagement for elected officials based on the type of social media account or page. <br />Personal (Non -government) Social Media Accounts and Pages <br />A. As citizens, elected officials have the right to personal social media accounts. However, <br />elected officials should avoid publishing content on personal pages that pertain to official <br />city business, or any posts that otherwise could be reasonably interpreted as using their <br />official office or authority. The use of personal accounts in any official capacity will <br />subject the account to Public Records and Sunshine laws and prevent elected officials <br />from keeping their personal accounts private. <br />B. Use of City logos, seals, or other official insignia when posting on personal pages is not <br />permitted and may be found as representation of official city business. However, second- <br />hand content that is sourced or shared from official City (government) accounts and <br />includes the City logo, seal, or other official insignia is generally acceptable. <br />C. When using personal social media accounts to comment or message other people, <br />regardless of what page or profile this activity occurs, elected officials should clearly <br />distinguish between official City business and those of their own private interest. <br />D. Comments originating from a personal account on any public or personal page about city <br />business will subject the comment to public records requirements. Such activity may <br />also subject the entire personal account and profile to Public Records and Sunshine <br />Laws if the use of the account or profile for public business is regular or frequent. <br />Elected Official (Public Figure) Social Media Accounts and Pages <br />As an elected official, it is a common and best practice to develop and manage separate social <br />media accounts and pages from those intended for personal or private use. This practice helps <br />establish a clear line of separation between the public records requirements of an elected <br />official and the rights of that official as a private citizen with the following considerations: <br />A. Any account representing official city business through an elected office should not be <br />combined with any political campaign or private interest. <br />B. All content including comments, messages, posts, shares, and "privacy settings" of <br />public accounts are subject to open records rules and requirements. <br />C. An account representing an elected official in their official capacity must not delete or <br />block comments pursuant to Public Records and Sunshine Laws. <br />3 <br />951 <br />