COM-001 - Social Media Policy_2022
Title: Social Media Policy
Subject: Social Media
Category: Corporate Communications
Policy No.: COM-001
M&C Report No.: 2022 - 192
Effective Date: May 30, 2022 Next Review Date: (2 years)
Area(s) this policy applies to: Employees
Office Responsible for review of this Policy:
Director, External Relations
Related Instruments: Policy Sponsors: Director, External Relations
Document Pages: This document consists of 7 pages.
Revision History:
Common Clerk's Annotation for Official Record
Date of Passage of Current Framework:___May 30, 2022________
I certify that this Policy was adopted by Common Council as indicated
above.
__ _______May 31, 2022____
Common Clerk Date
Common Council Approval Date:
Date Created: Contact:
2022-05-30
Director, External Relations
MM, DD, YYYY
,0.
CONTENTS
POLICY STATEMENT....................................................................................................................... 3
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 3
OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................................................... 4
SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................ 5
LEGISLATION AND STANDARDS ..................................................................................................... 5
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................................................... 5
Human Resources ......................................................................................................................... 6
Corporate Communications .......................................................................................................... 5
Information TechnoloGY ............................................................................................................... 6
Service Areas ................................................................................................................................. 6
Employees ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Use of Official Municipal Social Media Sites ....................................................... 7
Personal Use of Social Media Sites ..................................................................... 7
MONITOR AND REVIEWS............................................................................................................... 8
IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................................................................ 8
AUTHORIZATION ........................................................................................................................... 8
INQUIRIES ...................................................................................................................................... 8
APPENDICIES .................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
POLICY STATEMENT
The City of Saint John encourages clear and effective communication with all residents using a variety
of accepted tools, including social media. The use of digital and social media provides opportunities
to build and maintain public trust, transparency, and accountability. The purpose of this policy is to
govern the appropriate use of social media and establish minimum requirements for the use of social
media by City employees, while recognizing the right to freedom of expression. This policy also
outlines the type of conduct that is a breach of this policy.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply in this Policy:
a) “City” means The City of Saint John.
b) “Content” means information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics,
video, messages, or any other material whatsoever, that is shared on Social Media.
c) “Criminal Content” includes any Content or Posts that could reasonably result in an offence under
the Criminal Code of Canada, RSC 1985 c. C-46, including, but not limited to, engaging in criminal
harassment, uttering threats, intimidation, unauthorized use of a computer, extortion, mischief
in relation to data, sending false, indecent, or harassing communications, using a false name,
public incitement of hatred, counselling suicide, defamatory libel, identity fraud, and distributing
images without consent.
d) “Cyber-bullying” means using Social Media in a manner that could reasonably be expected to
cause fear, intimidation, humiliation, distress or other damage to another person’s physical or
emotional well-being. It can include, but is not limited to:
i. repeatedly making Posts that are very negative toward or threatening to another person;
ii. making Posts to intimidate or pressure another person;
iii. spreading rumours about another person;
iv. altering pictures of a person and posting online; and
v. creating Posts to mock and torment a person, their character, or features.
e) “Elected Official” means the Mayor and Councillors or the Council as a whole, whichever the
context requires.
f) “Employee” means an individual employed by The City of Saint John, including permanent,
casual, and seasonal employees as well as students and those employed on contract.
g) “Hateful Content” includes any Content or Post that is hostile in nature and intends to
degrade an individual based on personal attributes, including age, race, nationality, disability,
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family status, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, social
condition, political belief or activity, and any other prohibited or analogous grounds under
the Human Rights Act, RSNB. 2011, c. 171.
h) “Official Social Media Tool” means a Social Media account used by the City for Official Use as
defined herein.
i) “Official Use” means the use of Social Media to further the objectives of the City through
communication, service delivery, and collaboration by designated employees empowered to
speak on behalf of the City.
j) “Personal Use” means the use of Social Media by an Employee for any use other than Official Use.
k) “Post” or “Posts” means any Content that an Employee posts on any Social Media platform,
whether it is described as a post, comment, tweet, like, story, tag, direct message, blog, review,
video, or similar action that can or could be viewed by a member of the public.
l) “Sexual Harassment” shall have the same definition as provided in the Workplace Conduct Policy,
Policy No. COS-HR-006.
m) “Social Media” means the online technologies and practices that are used to share stories,
information, opinions, host conversations and build relationships. Social media encompasses
a variety of formats, including text, pictures, video, audio and real-time dialogues. Social
media sites include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat,
LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, and any other similar sites.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this Policy are to:
a) encourage the use of Social Media to further the City’s strategic goals and champion the City’s
service to the community;
b) support the appropriate and effective use of Official Social Media Tools;
c) to ensure that the Personal Use of Social Media by an Employee on their personal social media
account(s) does not reflect negatively on the City, its reputation, integrity, or credibility;
d) to set expectations for Employees who engage in Personal Use of Social Media on their personal
social media account(s), while respecting the rights to freedom of expression and refraining from
undue restriction; and
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e) specify unacceptable or prohibited Personal Use of Social Media for all Employees, including
conduct detrimental to the City’s image and the health, safety, and wellbeing of Employees,
Elected Officials, and members of the public.
SCOPE
This Policy applies to two types of Social Media activity:
a) Official Use of Social Media by authorized Employees on behalf of the City; and
b) Personal Use of Social Media by Employees on their personal social media accounts(s) regarding
comments related to City business.
Note: Policies of the City apply to the off-duty activities of Employees to the extent that those
activities affect the City's image, delivery of its services, or the health, safety and well-being of its
Employees, Elected Officials, and members of the public. Further, Employees are subject to City
policies, procedures, and related legislation when using Social Media just as they are in other work
situations.
LEGISLATION AND STANDARDS
This Policy is in conformity with the following legislation as they exist at the time of the approval of
this Policy:
a) Human Rights Act, R.S.N.B. 2011, c. 171;
b) Local Governance Act, S.N.B. 2017, c. 18;
c) Official Languages Act, S.N.B. 2002, c. O-0.5; and
d) Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, S.N.B. 2009, c. R-10.6.
The following policies, or any policy that is an amendment or replacement thereof, support and are
supported by this Policy:
a) POL 2008-007: Internet, Asset, and Electronic Mail Acceptable Use Policy
b) POL 2012: Information Management Access Policy
c) POL 2012 Privacy Policy
d) POL HR-2018 Workplace Conduct
e) POL ITS -004 Mobile Device Governance Policy
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
The Corporate Communications Division of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Chief
Information Officer (CIO) to ensure the safeguarding of the City’s information systems and data, shall:
a) develop procedures for the administration and use of Official Social Media Tools;
b) authorize employees to use Official Social Media Tools;
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c) establish and support a corporate Social Media team;
d) establish and deliver training to employees as administrators, contributors, and authors of
Content or Posts in the use of Official Social Media Tools;
e) monitor the use of Official Social Media Tools;
f) establish the criteria for creating or modifying Official Social Media Tools including technical and
monitoring measures;
g) maintain a list of all the City’s Official Social Media Tools, including login and password
information;
h) consult with the CIO and Information Technology to complete security assessment required to
approve the use of new Official Social Media Tools, on the request of a service area; and
i) edit or remove Content or Posts that do not meet the requirements of this Policy for Official Use
of Social Media.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The Information Technology Division of Strategic Services, on the direction of the Chief Information
Officer, shall:
a) maintain the technology that enables access to the City's information repositories;
b) protect the integrity and authenticity of the City's technology infrastructure;
c) enable monitoring and removal of Content or Posts on Official Social Media Tools; and
d) assess security requirements to approve the use of new Official Social Media Tools, in consultation
with Corporate Communications.
SERVICE AREAS
Service Areas shall:
a) assign employees as administrators to create and maintain information on Official Social Media
Tools;
b) obtain authorization from Corporate Communications for any employees assigned to use Official
Social Media Tools;
c) ensure that Employees assigned to use the City's Official Social Media Tools are trained by
Corporate Communications;
d) apply the City's Information Management Access Policy to the records of Official Social Media
Tools and ensure that content is administered as records of the City;
e) ensure that employees understand and adhere to established criteria for the use of Official Social
Media Tools;
f) inform Corporate Communications of any new Official Social Media Tools or administrative
changes to existing sites and;
g) educate employees on this policy.
HUMAN RESOURCES
The Human Resources Department shall be responsible for investigating any breaches of this Policy and
implementing any disciplinary action stemming from such breaches. Any Employee who experiences or
observes any behaviour on Social Media that is contrary to this policy is encouraged to report the activity
to their manager or to a representative of the City’s Human Resources Department. All complaints will be
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investigated appropriately. Any Employee who is found to have violated this policy will be subject to
corrective or disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Corrective actions shall be proportional to
the seriousness or repetitiveness of the offence. For example, an oral or written warning, training or
counselling, monitoring the Employee’s Personal Use of Social Media, suspension, or dismissal may all be
appropriate.
EMPLOYEES
U SE OF O FFICIAL M UNICIPAL S OCIAL M EDIA S ITES B Y A UTHORIZED E MPLOYEES
The City encourages the use of Social Media by Employees on Official Social Media Tools to further the
goals and mission of the City. The guidance applies to any authorized Employee using Official Social Media
Tools:
a) all use of Official Social Media Tools shall be consistent with the Corporate Mission, Councils
Priorities, and Service Principles of the City;
b) Ensure express authority for City-related interactions with the Public by the Director of External
Relations;
c) Use only those Official Social Media Tools pre-approved by the Director of External Affairs and
only after having received training from Corporate Communications;
d) Ensure that Posts are clear, focused and use consistent message content and branding;
e) Keep log-in credentials and passwords secure and report changes to Corporate Communications;
and
f) Avoid creating actual or perceived bias by Posts on any account that would give rise to a conflict
of interest or risk to the City.
P ERSONAL U SE OF S OCIAL M EDIA S ITES B Y AN E MPLOYEE ON THEIR PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA
ACCOUNT(S)
Employees shall:
a) No Employee shall engage in Posts or Content on Social Media that could reasonably be
interpreted as Criminal Content, Sexual Harassment, Cyber-bullying, and Hateful Content.
b) Every Employee shall ensure that any Posts or Content on Social Media pertaining to commenting
on any City business comply with the following:
i. Fact-check Posts to ensure the material is accurate, truthful, and without factual
error. In the event of an error, correct it promptly;
ii. Do not Post disrespectful or critical comments about the City, its Employees, the
City’s Elected Officials, or any other person;
iii. Do not Post in response to others making negative, critical, or disrespectful remarks
about the City, its Employees, or the City’s Elected Officials;
iv. Do not use the City’s logos or trademarks on Personal Use Social Media sites;
v. Do not Post, intimate, or state that a Personal Use Social Media site is speaking on
behalf of the City;
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vi. Do not use Personal Use Social Media sites to conduct City business;
vii. Do not use City assets, email addresses, or passwords on Personal Use Social Media
sites; and
viii. Use a disclaimer, where appropriate, to make clear that the Social Media site is for
Personal Use and is not intended to represent the City’s official positions on any given
matter.
MONITOR AND REVIEW
This Policy Document shall be reviewed and updated by the Director, External Relations, in consultation
with Human Resources and Information Technology Divisions of Strategic Services and all Service Areas
of the City, as required, and not less than every two years.
IMPLEMENTATION
This Policy Document will be implemented by the Director, External Relations, in collaboration with
the City of Saint John's Human Resources Department, the City's Chief Information Officer (CIO) and
Information Technology team.
AUTHORIZATION
This Policy Document is authorized by City Manager pursuant to a resolution of Common Council
approving the associated Policy Statement.
INQUIRIES
Inquiries regarding this Policy Document can be addressed to the City of Saint John's Human Resources
Department.
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