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Committee reviews social media policy draft, favors advisory disclaimers and staff-maintained guidance
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Summary
A Rules Committee discussion centered on a draft social media policy that would keep legal requirements in rules but move best-practice guidance (including a long disclaimer) to a staff-maintained resource; members recommended the disclaimer be advisory and implementable via a short URL redirect.
Presenter introduced a draft social media policy that borrowed from Kirkland’s approach and aimed to keep language light and flexible while noting legal obligations such as open meetings and public records laws. Presenter said, “I took a draft policy, put it together that, included some notes from this committee,” and described sections covering policy purpose, community engagement, disclaimers and staff-provided FAQs.
Committee members pressed on practical implementation of disclaimers for social platforms. One committee member noted many platforms “will not allow a long disclaimer,” calling the full-text approach impractical. Presenter proposed hosting the full disclaimer on a staff-maintained web page and using a short URL in bios or posts to satisfy platform constraints, an idea several members accepted as a practical compromise.
Members debated whether the policy should require disclosures or be advisory. Several speakers said advisory language is preferable to avoid First Amendment concerns and overreach into personal accounts, while keeping statutory obligations (OPMA, Public Records Act and quasi-judicial limits) as mandatory. Presenter reported staff guidance recommended keeping campaign-related content separate and suggested referring campaign questions to state authorities rather than embedding campaign rules into local policy.
The committee coalesced around separating immutable legal requirements from mutable guidance. Multiple members supported a two-part structure: a rules section that lists legal requirements and a separate staff-managed guidance document for FAQs and best practices that can be updated more frequently. Presenter will revise the draft to reflect advisory disclaimer language, the guidance-document approach, and suggested edits for campaign-related guidance, and said staff will follow up on timing for a May 4 report-back.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the policy in the meeting; the next step is a redlined draft from staff to be reviewed at the committee’s next meeting and, if ready, reported to the full council for consideration.
