POLICY & PROCEDURE
Category
Governance
Frequency of Review
Annual
SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY & PROCEDURE
Related Documents
Media Policy and Procedure
HISTORY
Original Date of Adoption
13.09.16
Previous Council Review Dates
NA
Previous Audit Committee Review Dates
NA
Previous Policy
NA
DATE OF ADOPTION
13.09.16
roxbycouncil
Social Media Policy & Procedure
POLICY
1.
PURPOSE
Social media allows online communities with common interests to connect, share and consume
information, thoughts and ideas.
Roxby Council recognises the opportunities that social media provides to engage in meaningful, twoway communication with the broader community. This can complement and enhance existing
communication, customer service and consultation methods, and further improve access to, and
delivery of, key services.
Council also recognises the value of social media to the organisation provided through networking,
recruitment, professional development, employee engagement, collaboration and innovation.
The intent of this policy is to provide clear guidance on the appropriate use of social media platforms
and tools in order to enable and encourage its use by Council staff for the purpose of conducting Council
business. For the purpose of this policy, the use of ‘Council’ includes all business units operating under
the Council banner including Roxby Power, Roxby Water, and Roxbylink.
The policy aims to:
2.
•
Promote effective and productive community engagement through social media
•
Provide guidance about the appropriate use of social media tools
•
Reduce the likelihood of miscommunication or inappropriate communications
•
Help Council manage new challenges associated with social media such as speed and
immediacy, record keeping, privacy and security
•
Provide clarity about roles and responsibilities in relation to use, approval and monitoring
SCOPE
This policy applies to all employees, contractors, agents and volunteers of Roxby Council who purport
to use social media on behalf of Roxby Council. This policy will also apply to agencies and individuals
who provide services to Roxby Council and will be included in all relevant external supplier contracts.
The policy applies to all current and future social media tools and channels. That is, digital spaces
where people comment, view, contribute, create, forward, post, upload and share content, such as:
•
Blogs, forums, discussion and bulletin boards, instant messaging facilities and citizen
journalism and news sites which facilitate public comment
•
Microblogging sites (e.g. Twitter)
•
Social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, MySpace, Google+, LinkedIn)
•
Podcasts, video podcasts, video and photo sharing sites (e.g. Flickr, YouTube, Pinterest,
Instagram)
•
Online encyclopaedias (e.g. Wikipedia)
•
Online collaboration platforms (e.g. Yammer, Wiki)
•
Any other websites that allow individuals to use simple publishing tools or new technologies
emerging from the digital environment.
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
As it is not possible to expressly refer to or list the all specific sites or kinds of social media activity, the
absence of a reference does not limit the application of this policy.
This policy applies only to the use of social media for:
•
the purpose of conducting Council business and where representing Council; and
•
personal use where reference is made to Council staff, policies and services, suppliers or other
stakeholders or Council related issues.
Personal use of social media during work hours is prohibited.
3.
LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
Staff of Roxby Council are expected to demonstrate standards of conduct and behaviour that are
consistent with relevant legislation, regulations and policies. A list of relevant legislation which may be
used as a guide is included in Appendix A.
This policy should be read in conjunction with other relevant Council policies and procedures. Policies
and guideline provisions which must be adhered to in relation to the use of social media include the
following:
•
IT – Electronic Communication Tools Policy
•
Code of Conduct for Local Government Employees
•
Employment contracts (Letters of Offer)
•
Media Policy and Procedure
•
Roxby Council Privacy Policy and Procedure
•
Roxby Council Public Consultation Policy and Procedure
•
Records Management Policy
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4.
Social Media Policy & Procedure
POLICY STATEMENT
Roxby Council encourages the appropriate and professional use of social media to aid the efficient and
effective conduct of Council business.
Social media is recognised as an important channel, used in conjunction with traditional methods, to
communicate, listen to, engage and collaborate with the community and enhance the delivery of
services.
At all times, use of social media by Council staff should be done in a professional manner, in accordance
with relevant policies and legislation, and consistent with Council’s values.
5
MANAGEMENT
5.1 Approval
The establishment of new social media sites must be endorsed by the Communication Community
Engagement Officer and approved by Roxby Council’s Administrator.
Approval of new social
media sites should consider the identified business objective, audience, proposed use in line with
this policy, resourcing requirements and ensure alignment with Council’s branding and style
guidelines.
5.2 Security
To protect from unauthorised use of Council’s social media channels, login information should
be kept secure and changed at regular intervals:
• Choose passwords that combine upper and lower case letters and numbers
• Store login information in a secure location
• Change passwords every six months and when an employee with access to a Council social
media channel leaves the organisation
5.3 Monitoring
Council’s social media channels should be regularly monitored and maintained to ensure
appropriate use. Where necessary keep formal records of social media activity in line with
Council’s Records Management Policy.
Council and non-Council social media channels should be monitored for information, research
and insight into issues circulating in the community and/or matters that impact on the
municipality, its operations or reputation.
5.4 Evaluation and continuous improvement
Use of Council’s social media channels should be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure they
are achieving business objectives and to seek opportunities for further improvement. This
includes review of qualitative (feedback, comments) and quantitative data (likes, reach,
audience make-up, number of comments, click throughs to Council websites etc).
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
6. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Role
Responsibilities
Staff
•
Seek approval from your Manager for the business strategy incorporating social
media
•
Seek authorisation from the Communications and Community Engagement Officer
on using social media and developing a communications plan to support business
strategy
•
Seek approval for Council branding of social media
•
Seek training and development for using social media
Senior
Management
Team (SMT)
IT Department
Communications
& Community
Engagement
Officer
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•
Understand and comply with the provisions in this policy
•
Maintain records of email addresses, comments, ‘friends’, followers and printed
copies or electronic ‘screen grabs’ when using externally hosted sites to the extent
practicable
•
Seek advice from the Communications and Community Engagement Officer if
unsure about applying the provisions of this policy
•
Ensure contractors are provided with a copy of this policy
•
Familiarise yourself with the End User Licence Agreements of any external social
media tools being used
•
Approve business strategy incorporating use of social media
•
Ensure staff consult and obtain authorisation from the Communications and
Community Engagement Officer on their planned use of social media
•
Ensure contractors are provided with a copy of the social media policy
•
Ensure the demands of moderating and responding to user comments can be
adequately resourced
•
Offer training for staff using social media
•
Facilitate secure access to support delivery of Council business via social media
•
Regularly back up and archive internally hosted social media sites
•
Endorse use of social media tools for conducting Council business to the Senior
Management Team
•
Provide advice and assist with the development of communication plans using
social media
•
Approve the design and branding of social media
•
Educate staff and contractors about this policy and their responsibilities when
using social media
•
Advise appropriate precautions (e.g. disclaimers)
•
Maintain a register of social media being used for conducting Council business
including records of the business case for using social media, its strategic
imperative, the intended administrator, URL, login, password and audience
•
Assist staff to retain some record explaining the context or purpose of social
media, and a sample of posts where it is impractical to retain large volumes of
screen grabs
•
Monitor social media accounts/tools/sites registered for conducting Council
business
•
Monitor social media for references to Roxby Council
•
Regularly conduct qualitative and quantitative review and evaluation of social
media channels and advise on best practice
•
Seek legal advice as appropriate where an issue is likely to be contentious or may
create legal risk for Council
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7.
Social Media Policy & Procedure
ADHERENCE TO POLICY
Council reserves the right, for legal compliance purposes, to monitor social media usage on its systems
without advance notice and consistent with any applicable state, federal or international laws.
Roxby Council will actively monitor social media for relevant contributions that impact on the Council,
its operations and reputation, and remove, where possible, content that violates this policy or any
associated policies.
This policy will be published and promoted to Council staff.
Any staff found breaching this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, performance management
and/or review. Serious breaches may result in suspension or termination of employment or association
in accordance with Council policies. Any content that breaches the policy guidelines will be recorded
and kept on personnel records.
If Council staff become aware of any comments that breach these guidelines they should report them
to the Communications and Community Engagement Officer and include a link or reference to the
offending material.
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
APPENDIX A – RELEVANT LEGISLATION
Roxby Council staff are expected to demonstrate standards of conduct and behaviour that are
consistent with relevant legislation, regulations and policies.
Relevant legislation includes but is not limited to, the following:
•
Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
•
Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA)
•
Defamation Act 2005 (SA)
•
Fair Trading Act 1997 (SA)
•
Fair Work Act 1994 (SA)
•
Freedom of Information Act 1991 (SA)
•
Local Government Act 1999 (SA)
•
Local Government (Elections) Act 1999 (SA)
•
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA)
•
Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
•
Spam Act 2003 (Cth)
•
Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
•
State Records Act 1997 (SA)
•
Civil Liability Act 1936 (SA)
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
GUIDELINES & PROCEDURE
1. PURPOSE
This document should be read in conjunction with Roxby Council’s Social Media Policy and aims to
provide further guidelines and procedure for both posting and responding to social media feedback.
2. AUTHORISED SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Roxby Council currently utilises the following social media sites as authorised by the Senior
Management Team:
•
Roxby Council
•
roxbylink
The Roxby Council Facebook page is to be used as the overarching method of social media
communication for all Council business (including Roxby Power, Roxby Water), with other pages
permissible for key business units such as roxbylink. Where appropriate all Council pages should ‘like’
each other and posts be shared and re-posted across the group so as to maximise exposure.
To ensure Council information is always publicly available, and to ensure that Council pages are seen
as the ‘one key source’ of Council information, posts should always originate on a Council Facebook
page and not on a secondary community page such as Idle Chit Chat or Roxby Rave and Rant.
Council Facebook pages are all to be established as public pages and membership is not to be
restricted.
Creation of new social media sites should be kept to a minimum, and must be endorsed by the
Communications & Community Engagement Officer, and approved by the Senior Management Team.
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
3. AUTHORISED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTERS AND RESPONDERS
A limited group of Roxby Council staff from each business area are authorised to post and respond on
Council’s social media channels for the purpose of conducting Council business.
Business Area
Role Title
Authorisation Level
Senior Management Team
All members
-
Approve creation of any new social media
sites, with endorsement of Communication &
Community Engagement Officer
Senior Management Team
Manager Corporate
Strategy &
Governance
-
Must hold access to all Council social media
sites
-
May post/comment on all Council social media
sites
Communications &
Community
Engagement Officer
-
Must hold access to all Council social media
sites
-
May post/comment on all Council social media
sites
-
Must monitor all Council social media sites
-
Acts as ‘first port of call’ for authorised Council
and roxbylink social media responders’
queries
Community Engagement &
Communications
Governance
Corporate Support
Officer
-
Designated poster/responder to Roxby Council
Facebook site
roxbylink
Visitor Information
Officer
-
Designated poster/responder to roxbylink
Facebook site
roxbylink
AV Technician
-
Designated poster/responder to roxbylink
Facebook site
roxbylink
Admin Officer / PA to
Operations Manager
-
Designated poster/responder to roxbylink
Facebook site
Designated operational staff will form Council’s ‘social media committee’ and should meet regularly (at
least monthly) to plan ahead and update the content calendar at least three months in advance, review
management of current social media site/s, discuss any issues with the page/s and identify
opportunities for future improvement.
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
4. CONTENT GUIDE
Council’s social media sites should be used to engage in meaningful, two-way conversations with the
broader community. Keeping content topical, frequent and relevant to the local community is important
to ensure they continue to be used as credible, well-frequented sources of Council information.
Before posting, be clear about what you want to achieve – if you need a response, consider beginning
the post with a call to action such as ‘have your say’ or ‘what do you think?’ and include a timeframe
that you require a response by.
Types of content
Posted content should be kept as succinct as possible – lengthy posts can be difficult to read on mobile
devices and may disengage the reader.
To keep Council social media pages interesting and vibrant, a variety of content should be utilised such
as text information, images, videos, audio and links to other relevant sites.
Frequency and Timing
It’s important to consider both how often content is published on Council social media platforms
(frequency), as well as what time and what day it is published (timing) as both can have a big impact.
Acceptable posting frequency varies on each platform:
- On Facebook, the optimal frequency for posting is about three to four times per week.
Posting too frequently may result in users feeling their news feed is being ‘spammed’ and your
page may be hidden, meaning no future updates will appear to that user.
- On Twitter, it is acceptable to tweet multiple times daily. Tweets appear by the newest first
and will quickly become buried by newer ones, so it will not clog up users’ feeds.
Content pipeline
So that Council’s social media presence is used wisely and in a considered, strategic manner, a content
pipeline/calendar will be coordinated by the Communications & Community Engagement Officer.
Much of the content on social media sites can be pre-planned and scheduled well in advance, such as:
- Seasonal (eg. summer pool safety reminders, winter home heating education)
- Cyclical (eg. rates/power/water notice reminders and updates; dog & cat registration
timeframes)
- Reoccurring events/initiatives (eg. Youth Week, Harmony Day)
- Service provision (eg. Service SA services, Planning & Development information
Tips for great content
Keep it short and simple Regardless of which channel you are using, succinct posts always get more
interaction. Longer posts tend to perform poorly. The ideal number of characters in a post is between
100-199 characters, which is about two sentences. If you have more to say, it is best to include a link
back to your website for further information, or include a video or infographic.
Stay on topic Do not post about things that are irrelevant to your audience or your page/channel. For
example, posting about an upcoming council meeting on a lost pets Facebook page is likely to receive
negative feedback. People don’t want to feel like they are getting spammed.
Use images/infographics Visual posts get more engagement than text-only posts. Social media is
increasingly moving towards visual engagement as a primary source of online interaction. Photos and
infographics allow users to comprehend your message at a glance, even if they are quickly scrolling
through their news feed they can still get the gist of your message from an image with a few words
placed on it. Be mindful of ideal dimensions for images. Some social media platforms may scale your
images or cut them in half if they are not the correct size, which could reduce the effectiveness of your
message.
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
Encourage engagement Question posts get almost double the comments and replies than standard
text-based posts. However, it is important to note that questions tend to get fewer likes and shares (on
platforms that allow those functions). Certain types of questions will attract more comments. Posts that
include should, would, which and why get more responses than those that include why and how
questions. This is because the former can be more easily answered.
Share You do not always need to say something original. When you see something interesting posted
by another person or organisation, you can show this to your followers by using the ‘share’ function (if
available). This is an easy way to ensure you maintain a regular presence on social media without
needing to develop your own posts. Be mindful of whose posts your share and whether your
organisation has guidelines on sharing the posts of politicians or special interest groups.
Tone and language Social media is social. Language should not be overly formal. It can be fun and
interesting, similar to how you would speak to someone in person. Try to use strong, vivid language
and active verbs to encourage more engagement.
Give your followers something of value To be successful in social media you cannot always post
what you want to say, you also need to think of what your followers want to hear, know or learn. They
may not want to hear about every corporate achievement or updates that only promote your services
and programs. Tell your followers something they can use or something interesting, such as fun facts
and information on current events and topics.
Only speak of what you know Be sure to stick to your area of expertise and only post content that
you know is accurate. It’s ok to say that you don’t have the answer and find the relevant expert to get
that information. Commenting on matters that you are not fully across, or guessing at answers to
questions will attract criticism and mistrust from your audience.
Have fun By its very definition, social media is social. So where appropriate have fun and be
entertaining.
5. GENERAL PAGE GUIDELINES
The following guidelines should be pinned to the top of Council’s social media pages and referred to
when necessary:
Roxby Council guidelines for externally contributed web content
We encourage you to share your thoughts as they relate to the topic/s being discussed. Any content
shared on any Roxby Council online presence, reflects the views of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the official views of the Roxby Council.
Where we choose to respond, we do so according to the guidelines found below.
We welcome your posts, whether in the form of a comment, question, photo, link or a share, but we
expect all posts to be courteous in nature. To that end, the Roxby Council has established the following
guidelines in regard to the posting of content to any of our sites, and we reserve the discretion to remove
any content that is inconsistent with these guidelines.
Therefore, it is our prerogative to remove content that:
•
•
•
•
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contain obscene, indecent, or profane language;
contain threats or defamatory statements;
contain hate speech directed at race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity,
age, religion, or disability
links to, or displays images depicting anything that would be considered a breach of any of
the above
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
Copyrighted and other proprietary material should not be posted or submitted in any form unless
permission to do so is clearly indicated. In posting his or her own comments or other work, the poster
grants Roxby Council and anyone viewing the Roxby Council Web site/s or social media sites,
irrevocable permission to copy, distribute, make derivatives, display or perform the poster's work
publicly and free-of-charge.
Journalists are asked to send questions to the Roxby Council through normal channels rather than by
submitting questions here as comments. It is our policy not to post journalist’s questions.
We recognise that the internet is a medium unbound by regular business hours and your posts are
welcome at any time. However, given the need to manage Roxby Council resources, reviewing,
moderating and replying to posts will generally occur during regular business hours Monday through
Friday. Posts submitted at other times will be responded to, or removed if in breach, as soon as
possible the next business day.
To protect your privacy, please do not include information (e.g. an e-mail address or phone number) in
the text of your comment that identifies you.
We encourage your participation in our discussions and look forward to an active exchange of ideas.
6. POSTING AND RESPONDING TO POSTS
When making a post these general rules must be followed:
General guidelines
Speak how you would like to be spoken to
•
Be courteous, patient and respectful of others’ opinions, including detractors
•
Use your own voice, but be mindful of language and expression
•
Do not make statements or forward, share or upload content that is malicious, defamatory
or may negatively impact the reputation of another
•
Be mindful of anti-discrimination laws and do not publish statements or information which
may be discriminatory
Stick to the facts
•
Only comment about matters within your area of expertise
•
Be accurate, constructive, helpful and informative, and correct any errors as soon as
practicable
•
Only publish content and statements that you know are true, clear and not likely to mislead
or deceive
•
If you make an error, be up front and correct it quickly
Keep your opinion, beliefs and political views separate from Council business
•
Only publish content on Council’s social media channels that is apolitical, in line with official
Council positions and values, and free from personal opinions, beliefs and political views
•
Council staff are prohibited from using personal social media channels to comment on
Council-related matters. They should also carefully consider commenting on other
community matters – even if apparently not Council-related – in a small township where
their employment as Council staff is widely known.
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Stay within your level of authorisation
•
Only use social media channels in the manner for which you have been authorised and
do not commit Council to actions or undertakings
•
Leave formal statements and announcements to the official spokespeople and if you are
unsure, check with your Manager
•
Refer any media enquiries via social media or posts about potentially sensitive/political
issues to communications staff for a response in line with Council’s Media Policy
Be fair and transparent
•
Be clear about your professional identity and any vested interests and refrain from covert,
anonymous or deceitful representation including via a third party
•
Encourage open, honest and transparent engagement and feedback by the online
community
•
Refrain from any behaviour which could be seen as biased, showing undue favour or in
response to real or perceived compensation or reward
Maintain confidentiality and respect the privacy and property of others
•
Only discuss publicly available information and maintain the confidentiality of internal
discussions, confidential decisions of Council, and employees or third parties
•
Seek permission from anyone (including Council staff, contractors or general public) who
appears in any photographs, video or other footage before sharing via any form of social
media and if asked to remove materials do so as soon as practicable
•
Only use or reproduce copyright material, or the intellectual property of others, including
applications, sound recordings (speeches, songs), footage (video), graphics (graphs,
charts and logos), images, artwork, photographs, publications or music if you have
permission from the creator or owner
Be responsible, accessible and responsive
•
Appropriately monitor any social media sites created and ensure they can be easily edited,
improved or removed
•
Specify the type of comments and feedback that will receive a response and clearly
communicate a target response time. Refer to Attachment B for guidance on how to
respond to social media comments
•
Make it easy for audiences to reach Council via other methods by publishing Council’s
phone number, generic email, Facebook, Skype and Twitter accounts
•
Ensure information on social media meets government web standards for accessibility
and/or is available in another form where practical
•
Do not use social media when inebriated, irritated, upset or tired
•
Protect your personal privacy and guard against identity theft
Uphold acceptable content standards
Under no circumstances is the following content permitted on Council social media channels, and
if found, formally report, record and then delete it immediately:
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Abusive, profane or sexual language
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
•
Discriminatory material in relation to a person or group based on age, colour, creed,
disability, family status, gender identity, nationality, marital status, parental status, political
opinion/affiliation, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, race or social origin, religious
beliefs/activity, responsibilities, sex or sexual orientation
•
Illegal material or materials designed to encourage law breaking
•
Materials that could compromise Council, employee or system safety
•
Materials which would breach applicable laws (defamation, privacy, trade practices,
copyright, financial rules and regulations, fair use, trademarks)
•
Confidential information about Council or third parties
•
Material that would offend contemporary standards of taste and decency
•
Material which would bring the Council into disrepute
•
Personal details or references to Council staff or third parties, which may be inconsistent
with Council’s Privacy Policy
•
Spam, meaning the distribution of unsolicited bulk electronic messages
•
Statements which may be considered to be bullying or harassment
If you have any doubt about applying the provisions of this policy, check with the Communications
& Community Engagement Officer before using social media to communicate. Depending upon
the nature of the issue and potential risk, it may also be appropriate to consider seeking legal
advice.
‘How to’ - posting
•
•
•
Posts generated by Council staff are to be made under the page name (ie Roxby Council)
and do not need to include the name of the poster
Replies to comments or posts made by the public need to be signed off to include the name
of the staff member that has replied, i.e. Thanks, Ann-Marie – Roxby Council. This provides
customers with a sense that an individual is taking responsibility for the information being
supplied to them. Providing a name also allows staff to be able to quickly follow up on any
phone or written enquiry that may follow.
Any linked information must be directed to a specific page and not to our website home page,
i.e.http://www.roxbycouncil.com.au/Council/online-services as opposed to just
www.roxby.com.au.
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•
Social Media Policy & Procedure
When responding to a post or comment, in the first instance refer to the Response Matrix
below:
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Social Media Policy & Procedure
Specific responses – guidance
The following examples and information have been taken from local Roxby Downs, City of Unley and
Salisbury Facebook sites and are intended to provide guidance in how to respond to posts from users.
Promotional post – Council specific
A post promoting a Council (or its associated
business units) decision, program or service.
The post must comply with the social media policy in regards
for the process of releasing information.
Example
City of Unley > Get involved in Active Unley!
During February, try one (or all!) of these great
free activities – swimming, water polo, yoga,
pilates, fitness and lawn bowls.
Visit www.unley.sa.gov.au/activeunley for
activity details and find out how you can go into
the draw to win a ‘FitBit’ Flex Wireless
Wristband #activeunley
Where possible a post should always contain an image. If the
image is not owned by Council or Council does not have a
licence to use the image, then appropriate attribution (image
credit) must be added to the bottom of the post, or overlayed
across the image itself.
The post should also direct the reader back to Council’s
website www.roxbydowns.com for futher information.
Responding to posts from users
Request for general information
Comments that request information about a
council service or program or request general
information about the area.
Example
Bronwin Mummytokobiandhailee Karalus
Can you tell me if there is a Kindergym in the
Salisbury area please i wanna take my almost
14mo to 1 an have no idea where to start
looking for 1.
Respond to in a general nature and suggest avenues for
further information.
Where the enquiry is asking for general information and can
be handled via a reply then a reply should be given in a timely
fashion.
If more information is required, i.e. the request comes in after
hours or over the weekend, then a reply should be given
stating that the answer will be sourced and supplied to the
customer ASAP. Where a customer has been advised that
they will receive an answer, it must be followed up. If there is
a delay is getting the information, a reply stating that you are
still chasing up the correct answer should be supplied, so the
customer can feel confident that you are following through with
their enquiry.
Example
City of Salisbury, SA, Australia Hi Bronwin, please see latest
post about Kindigym. It is run from the Gardens, St Jays and
Ingle Farm Recreation Centres. You can find more information
on our website – www.salisbury.sa.gov.au/recreationcentres Thanks^Amanda@Salisbury
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Requests for individual service
Posts that request service or information
about an individual situation.
Post the request action to be taken by Council should be
responded to with advice on how to request service through
traditional channels.
Example
Paul Brown - There is a dangerous tree on
Winzor St, Salisbury. Can you please send
someone out to remove it before someone
gets hurt?
Example
Hi Paul, thanks for letting us know about the tree.
We will need a little more information about the situation and
which may involve your or someone else’s personal
information.
As we do not want to disclose your details in a public forum,
we have to ask if you can please call our customer centre on
8406 8222 or filling out our online request for service form,
(http://www.salisbury.sa.gov.au/Services/Lodge_a_request),
to lodge an official request for service, our friendly support staff
will be able to get this resolved as quickly as possible for you.
Thanks^Amanda@Salisbury
Request for assistance outside of Council responsibility
Posts that request service or information about
an issue outside of Council’s control
Example
Bev Hollinshead Lawton – I’m a cyclist who
regularly travels along Unley Road. The cycle
lane from Target to Greenhills Road is an in
appalling state. Are there any plans for
improvement/repairs?
Post should respond with the contact details of the relevant
authority.
Example
City of Unley – Hi Bev, Unley Road is maintained by the
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. They
can
be
contacted
online
at
http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/cont.../compliments_and_complain
ts
Obscene comments
Obscene comments should be immediately removed. This may include bad language, racist, sexist or
defamatory. A short message should be sent to the poster pointing them to the site guidelines and explaining
why their comment was removed.
Comments naming individuals
Comments that name individuals in a positive light should be allowed if the person has given permission for
the post or the information is already in the public domain, for example a news story.
Example
City of Salisbury, SA, Australia
Congratulations to Salisbury's Omomo Omo-Irefo on her graduation! We wish you every success in your new
role.
Omomo brings a fresh new face to SA policing | Adelaide Now www.adelaidenow.com.au
Comments directly naming a person, or where the person can be easily identified, in a negative manner should
be removed immediately.
Critical comments of a reasonable nature
Comments criticising Council in a reasonable
manner.
14/03/2016
These comments should be investigated and where possible
responded to. If it is not possible or appropriate to respond
directly on the site it should be suggested how the user can
lodge a complaint officially.
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roxbycouncil
Social Media Policy & Procedure
Unreasonable comments or merely intended as an insult
Example
Joe Archa city of salisbury are greedy ,,,,fix up
your roads ,,make new ones,,your greedy
house building is bringing in more cars etc,, get
it right,,,stop pocketing, i hate the
place...mawson lakes specially
If the comment is personal to the commenter, i.e. relates to
an issue that would only affect them; the comment should not
be responded to. The comment should either be left on the
site (if relatively benign in nature, and can be responded to
with a generic response about appropriate ways for residents
to have their say in the Council process) or removed at the
discretion of the appropriate Council staff (if seen to breach
site guidelines).
If the comment is in regards to an issue that affects the wider
community and/or has gained the attention of other members
of the public and the Council could be seen to be at fault; a
one off statement should be issued as soon as it is practical
to do so. No further debate should be entered into after the
statement has been made.
If the comment(s) contain statements that could be
considered defamatory, then removal of the comment/s must
be considered to avoid possible legal action against Roxby
Council.
Promotional post – not for profit events (local)
Example
Anthea Murr
We are organising a movie night for Trees For
Life at the Capri Theatre, Goodwood on 23rd
March.
Posts from local people organising not-for-profit events, either
for local organisations or those based outside of Roxby but to
be held in our local community should be referred to the
Community Board Community Facebook page.
We would love to see you there and would
appreciate any help you can provide by
sending the link below on to friends, family &
colleagues.
http://capri.org.au/FUNDRAISERS/TreesforLif
e.aspx#ad-image-0
Promotional post – commercial
example
Jessica Hayhurst
Hi from Jesses PHOTOGRAPHY a Local
Photographer based around the Salisbury
Area... I love working with ppl especially
children so if i can help in anyway pls don't
hesitate to ask.
14/03/2016
There are numerous other ways in Roxby Downs that
businesses can use to promote their services (including
Facebook sites and websites). As such, promotion of any
commercial activities (aside from those relating specifically to,
or run by Roxby Council or its associated business units) will
not be allowed on Roxby Council Facebook sites.
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