The Kennesaw City Council is expected to decide whether to adopt a social media policy for Mayor Derek Easterling and Council at a meeting 6:30 p.m. Monday in City Hall Council Chambers, 2529 J.O. Stephenson Ave.
Elected officials would have to keep their private media and official city social media separate, according to the policy.
“While social media, with its use of popular abbreviations and shorthand, does not adhere to standard conventions of correspondence, the content and tenor of online conversations, discussions, and information posts should model the same professional behavior displayed during Council sessions and community meetings,” the proposed policy states.
All comments or other content posted to these sites may be considered public records subject to public disclosure under the Georgia Open Records Act.
Since communication between elected officials via social media, as with telephone and email, may constitute a “meeting” under the Open Public Meetings Act, they would be strongly discouraged from “friending” other elected officials.
They also would be strongly encouraged to maintain social media sites with settings that can restrict users’ ability to comment.
Sites would need to use the most open settings possible to allow the public to view content without requiring membership or login.
An elected official’s personal social media site(s) would need to contain links directing users to the city’s official website for indepth information, forms, documents or online services necessary to conduct official city business.
Violations of this policy, or any online activity that interferes with the ability to conduct the city’s business, may result in the issue being brought before Council.
Also, social media content of elected officials shall be available for review, if requested, by the city manager.
On official city social media pages, if the elected official refuses to remove the post or is unable to be immediately reached, the city manager may remove the post.
More involved are personal social media pages deemed to be in violation.
The city manager will notify the city attorney with the matter potentially winding up in court for determination on removing the post.
Use of cell phones during Council meetings also would be prohibited.
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