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Consideration and adoption of Personnel Policy GEN-9-1 Social Media and authorize Mayor to execute related documents.
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ISSUE: This policy provides precautionary information to City employees and outlines prohibitions on the use and content of social media and networking sites. This policy also provides rules and protocol direction for established and future social media uses for the City of Smyrna. All City employees are subject to this policy and all social media sites are subject to this policy, including: social networking sites, microblogging sites, photo and video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, forums, and news sites.
The guidelines and policies herein are administered by the Community Relations Director and the Human Resources Director. As is the case for the City of Smyrna’s website, the Community Relations Director (and/or approved administrators/users/contributors) will maintain official oversight of social media. Access to the sites (channels etc.) shall be granted to approved, decision-level approvers/administrators only. All channels (sites, etc.) must be monitored. Assignment of responsibility for monitoring may not be transferred without approval and documentation/tracking through Community Relations, the IT Department and the City Administrator.
BACKGROUND: In order to address the fast-changing world of communication, the Internet, device capabilities, digital action options, as well as the way residents communicate and obtain information, the City of Smyrna uses social media and new media tools in order to reach and interact with citizens as well as a broader audience. The purpose of the policy and the following documentation is twofold:
• To address the way that City of Smyrna employees use social media, and social media networks (which include products and platforms for closed group communication such as neighborhood groups) to communicate with residents and distribute information about the City and/or activities or citizen and City concerns.
• To address the way that employees use social media in a personal capacity and to ensure that this use is in compliance with City policies (including governing laws to include those specific to or related to governing bodies), and appropriately represents and guides employees of the City of Smyrna.
RECOMMENDATION/REQUESTED ACTION: The City of Smyrna's Community Relations, Information Technology and Human Resource Department Directors recommend the adoption of Personnel Policy GEN-9-1 Social Media.