Share Social Media Policy on FacebookShare Social Media Policy on TwitterShare Social Media Policy on LinkedinEmail Social Media Policy link
Consultation has now concluded
The Office of Local Government (OLG) has released its Model Social Media Policy for local Councils in NSW.
This policy is intended to represent best practice on governance in this area, although the adoption by Council is not compulsory. It is designed to be used and adapted by Council as it sees fit and to supplement the Code of Conduct.
Council staff prepared a submission on the Model Policy in July 2021. The finalised version of the Policy includes several notable changes:
A new section in the introduction about the potential for corruption risks to arise when using social media
Clarification that record keeping obligations under a council’s records management policy apply to social media records and must be complied with, and expanded records management requirements, including a prohibition on destroying, altering, or removing social media content and a requirement that councillors have records of their social media content created during their term of office managed or transferred by the council’s records manager and CEO.
The removal of the requirement for the CEO to ensure that councillors’ social media platforms are included on councillor profile page on the council’s website
The removal of the requirement for councillors to consult the CEO prior to uploading publicly available council information onto their social media platforms
A clear note to warn councillors and council officials that they may be considered publishers of material posted to the social media pages that they administer, together with provisions that expressly refer to the ability and the manner of ‘hiding’ content on social media, as opposed to removing it (Part 5).
A new Part 9 ‘Concerns or complaints.
The Social Media Policy no longer requires a Councillor who uses social media for private purposes to maintain a separate social media account for those purposes, nor are they prevented from identifying themselves as Council Officials on their private social media accounts.
Some additional changes have been made to the draft QPRC Social Media Policy which includes:
Noting that Councillors for the purposes of the Policy are Council Officials and
Council Officials must comply with Council’s Code of Conduct when using social media and must not use social media to spread mis-information about Council decisions
Council staff have an existing Social Media Directive which is aimed at account administrators and Social Media Guidelines which are aimed at all staff and their use of social media.
Have your say
By completing the survey below by Thursday 11 August 2022
By email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au referencing "Draft Social Media Policy" in the subject line
By mail to PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620
The Office of Local Government (OLG) has released its Model Social Media Policy for local Councils in NSW.
This policy is intended to represent best practice on governance in this area, although the adoption by Council is not compulsory. It is designed to be used and adapted by Council as it sees fit and to supplement the Code of Conduct.
Council staff prepared a submission on the Model Policy in July 2021. The finalised version of the Policy includes several notable changes:
A new section in the introduction about the potential for corruption risks to arise when using social media
Clarification that record keeping obligations under a council’s records management policy apply to social media records and must be complied with, and expanded records management requirements, including a prohibition on destroying, altering, or removing social media content and a requirement that councillors have records of their social media content created during their term of office managed or transferred by the council’s records manager and CEO.
The removal of the requirement for the CEO to ensure that councillors’ social media platforms are included on councillor profile page on the council’s website
The removal of the requirement for councillors to consult the CEO prior to uploading publicly available council information onto their social media platforms
A clear note to warn councillors and council officials that they may be considered publishers of material posted to the social media pages that they administer, together with provisions that expressly refer to the ability and the manner of ‘hiding’ content on social media, as opposed to removing it (Part 5).
A new Part 9 ‘Concerns or complaints.
The Social Media Policy no longer requires a Councillor who uses social media for private purposes to maintain a separate social media account for those purposes, nor are they prevented from identifying themselves as Council Officials on their private social media accounts.
Some additional changes have been made to the draft QPRC Social Media Policy which includes:
Noting that Councillors for the purposes of the Policy are Council Officials and
Council Officials must comply with Council’s Code of Conduct when using social media and must not use social media to spread mis-information about Council decisions
Council staff have an existing Social Media Directive which is aimed at account administrators and Social Media Guidelines which are aimed at all staff and their use of social media.
Have your say
By completing the survey below by Thursday 11 August 2022
By email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au referencing "Draft Social Media Policy" in the subject line
