2.04.140 Social media policy.
(1) Purpose. This policy outlines the roles, responsibilities, and best practice recommendations for use of social media by council members when they may be using personal or professional social media outside of the city’s website or other official social media platforms to communicate in their official capacity, including as a means to disseminate information or provide for engagement with citizens. It is primarily each council member’s responsibility to ensure compliance with this policy.
(2) Public Records Act Compliance. Any content maintained in social media format that is related to city business, including communication between an individual council member and citizens or the general public, or a site’s listing of “friends” or “followers,” may be considered a public record subject to disclosure under the Oregon Public Records Act. Each council member is responsible for maintaining records for any required retention periods.
(3) Public Meetings Act Compliance. Communication between council members via social media, as with email, may constitute a “meeting” under the Oregon Public Meetings Act if involving the discussion of public business subject to open meetings laws. For this reason, council members are strongly discouraged from commenting or posting on each other’s social media pages. In addition, receiving or making comment regarding quasi-judicial matters may create problems for the hearing, and as such, council members are encouraged to exercise extreme caution in inviting any comments related to land use proceedings, and to refrain from making comments on any pending application.
(4) Link to City Website. A social media site used by a council member to communicate with a citizen on city business should include a link back to the city’s official website for detailed information.
(5) Blocking. If a council member uses social media in their official capacity for communication with citizens, they may be creating a limited public forum subject to First Amendment speech protections. Therefore, council members will not deny access to social media to any individual based, in whole or in part, on content or viewpoint, which includes disagreement with or opposition to the council member or their personal viewpoint.
(6) Notice. Any council member who uses social media for city business should include a notice on their platform stating the following:
(a)
This page expresses the personal opinions of the council member. It is not the official page for the city of North Bend and does not represent the position of the city of North Bend.
(b)
All content submitted by members of the public may be subject to public disclosure to third parties under Oregon public records law.
(c)
For detailed information on city business please refer to the city’s official website: www.northbendoregon.us.
(d)
Comments should relate to the post and issue being discussed. Once comments are posted, the council member reserves the right to determine which submissions are unacceptable for their page and delete them, including those that contain profane or obscene language, personal attacks of any kind, or language or content that targets, disparages, or discriminates against individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, gender identity, national origin, veterans’ status, or other protected status under the law. Further, the council member reserves the right to delete comments, when possible, that: (i) are spam or include links to other sites; (ii) are clearly off topic; (iii) advocate illegal activity; (iv) promote particular services, products or political organizations; (v) infringe on copyrights or trademarks; (vi) are comments in support or opposition to current political campaigns, candidates or ballot measures; or (vii) contain solicitations of commerce or charitable or other contributions, except for official city-sponsored activities.
(Ord. 2052 § 1, 2021)