1.I AMEND TO CITY COUNCIL POLICY NO. 370 REGARDING THE CITY'S USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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Agenda Item No: 1.i

PLACENTIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: May 19, 2026
Submitted by: Nicolette Drulias
From: City Administrator
Subject:

AMENDMENT TO CITY COUNCIL POLICY NO. 370 REGARDING THE CITY'S USE OF

SOCIAL MEDIA
Financial Impact:

None.

Summary:

The proposed amendment to City Council Policy No. 370 updates the City's Social Media Policy to reflect current social media practices, operational needs, legal considerations, and communications standards. The revised policy clarifies oversight responsibilities, establishes updated expectations for departmental account management, strengthens guidance related to personal and professional use of social media by City employees and public officials, and adds provisions addressing accessibility, cybersecurity, crisis communications, records retention, public records compliance, and the use of City -owned digital assets. Adoption of the amended policy will provide clearer direction for the administration of official City social media accounts and help ensure consistency, transparency, and compliance across all City departments.

Recommended Action:

It is recommended that the City Council:

Adopt the amended City Council Policy No. 370 related to the City's use of social media and amend the City's Policy Manual to include said policy.

Strategic Plan Statement:

This item conforms to Strategic Plan Goal No. 5: Organizational Excellence, to cultivate a high -performing, well-run organization that delivers exceptional service and operates with transparency, accountability, honesty, and integrity. Updating the City's Social Media Policy supports this goal by strengthening internal guidance, improving consistency in public communications, enhancing accountability, and ensuring the City's social media practices remain transparent, professional, and compliant with applicable laws and standards.

Discussion:

The proposed amendments to City Council Policy No. 370 modernize the City's Social Media Policy to reflect current practices, legal considerations, and operational needs. The updated policy retains the overall structure of the existing policy while incorporating the following key 1 changes:
• Modernized Definition of Social Media: Expands the definition to include current and future platforms (e.g., Facebook, X, lnstagram, Linkedln, YouTube, Nextdoor). • Clarified Oversight and Account Management: Confirms centralized oversight by the City Administrator's Office and Communications and Marketing Manager, while allowing departments to manage day-to-day content for operational communication. • Crisis Communications Protocol: Establishes authority to centralize messaging during emergencies through the City Administrator's Office, Communications and Marketing Manager, or designated Public Safety Department Public Information Officers. • Accessibility Standards: Adds guidance for accessible content (e.g., alt text, captions) and references compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and the City's Digital Accessibility Design Guidelines.
• Records Retention Update: Replaces vendor -specific language with a City -approved automated social media archiving system to maintain flexibility and ensure compliance with public records requirements.
• Comment Policy Enhancements: Clarifies limited public forum standards, reinforces viewpoint neutrality, and refines categories for content removal, including disruptive, repetitive, or spam content.
• City Ownership of Accounts: Specifies that all official City social media accounts, usernames, content, and followers are City property.
• Employee Personal Use Guidance: Strengthens expectations regarding personal social media use, including restrictions on sharing non-public information and guidance on reposting City content.
• Media Release and Content Standards: Requires appropriate consent for images and video, particularly for minors, and prohibits misleading or manipulated content. • Cybersecurity and Account Access Controls: Establishes requirements for credential management, multi -factor authentication where available, and timely removal of access when no longer needed.

These updates were prepared in consultation with the City Attorney's Office to improve clarity, strengthen consistency across departments, and reduce legal and operational risk while supporting effective communication with the community.

Financial Summary:

None.

Attachments
Amended Social Media Policy No. 370 - May 2026.pdf
Current Social Media Policy No. 370 - Adopted Feb 1 2022.pdf Social Media Policy 2026 Red Line.pdf
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SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

PURPOSE
This document defines the social networking and social media policy for City of Placentia (the "City" or "Agency"). To address the fast -changing landscape of the internet and the way residents communicate and obtain information online, City departments may consider using social media tools to reach a broader audience.

The City of Placentia encourages the use of social media to further the goals of the City and the missions of its departments, where appropriate. The City has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is "spoken" on its behalf on social media sites.

This policy establishes guidelines for the use of social media by City employees and officials on official City social media accounts.

For purposes of this policy, "social media" refers to internet-based platforms that allow users to create, share, and interact with content and engage in public communication.

Examples include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Linkedln, YouTube, Nextdoor, and other current or future social networking or content -sharing platforms used for public communication. For purposes of this policy, "comments" include information, articles, pictures, videos or any other form of communicative content posted on a City of Placentia social media site.

OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT
Employees representing the Agency through social media outlets or participating in social media features on Agency websites must maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum. Failure to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in Agency social media sites, blogs, or other social media features. Information must be presented following professional standards for good grammar, spelling, brevity, clarity and accuracy, and avoid jargon, obscure terminology, excessive emojis or hashtags, or acronyms. Agency employees recognize that the content and messages they post on social media websites are public and may be cited as official Agency statements. Social media should not be used to circumvent other Agency communication policies, including news media policy requirements. Agency employees may not publish information on Agency social media sites that includes:
• Confidential information
• Copyright violations
• False/Inaccurate information
• Profanity, racist, sexist, or derogatory content or comments • Partisan political views/endorsements
• Personal views or opinions
• Commercial endorsements or SPAM

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GENERAL POLICY
The establishment and use of any City social media site must be approved by the City Administrator or his/her designee. Departments may manage their own official social media accounts for operational communication purposes; however, all City social media sites operate under the oversight of the City Administrator's Office and the Communications and Marketing Manager to ensure consistency in branding, messaging, and compliance with this policy.

1. The Communications and Marketing Manager will monitor content on City social media sites to ensure adherence to both the City's Social Media Policy and the interest and goals of the City of Placentia.

2. Departments that maintain social media accounts are responsible for day-to-day content updates related to their services or programs. The Communications and Marketing Manager or designee shall provide guidance on branding, messaging, accessibility standards, and compliance with the City's Social Media Policy.

3. Crisis Communications: During emergencies, critical incidents, or situations involving public safety, social media communication may be centralized through the City Administrator's Office, the Communications and Marketing Manager, or the appropriate department's designated Public Information Officer (P10), including the Police Department P10, to ensure accurate, timely, and coordinated messaging.

4. City social media sites should make clear that they are maintained by the City of Placentia and that they follow the City's Social Media Policy.

5. Wherever possible, City social media sites should link back to the official City of Placentia website for forms, documents, online services, and other information necessary to conduct business with the City of Placentia.

6. The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of this Social Media Policy or any applicable law. Any content removed based on these guidelines shall be retained by the Communications and Marketing Manager for a reasonable period of time, including the time, date, and identity of the poster, when available.

7. This Policy must be read and signed by all approved users and maintained in their personnel file.

8. The City will approach the use of social media tools as consistently as possible.

9. The City of Placentia's official website will remain the City's primary and predominant internet presence. The City's website is currently located at www.placentia.orq and will transition to a `.gov' or `.ca.gov' domain in compliance

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with California Assembly Bill 1637 by January 1, 2029. Upon transition, the City's official website will be maintained on the new domain, and any prior domains will redirect to the official site.

10.Third-Party Platform Disclaimer: The City's social media sites are hosted on third - party platforms. The City does not control the content, privacy policies, or accessibility of these external platforms. Users are encouraged to review the terms of service and privacy policies of any social media platform they use.

11.AII City social media sites shall adhere to applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies.

12.Accessibility: The City will strive to ensure that content posted on its social media platforms is accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the use of alternative text for images, captions for videos, and accessible formatting where platform functionality allows. The City will make reasonable efforts to comply with applicable accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA where feasible.

13. City social media sites are subject to the California Public Records Act. Any content maintained in a social media format that is related to City business, including a list of subscribers, posted communication, and communication submitted for posting, may be a public record subject to public disclosure.

14. Comments on topics or issues not within the jurisdictional purview of the City of Placentia may be removed.

15. Employees representing the City via City social media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies. Employees should be aware that content posted on City social media platforms is public and is subject to monitoring, disclosure, and archiving.

16. The City may report or request removal of social media accounts that falsely claim to represent the City of Placentia or impersonate City officials or Departments.

17.AII official City social media accounts, usernames, content, and followers are the property of the City of Placentia.

18.This Social Media Policy may be revised at any time.

Records of these social media sites are retained using a City -approved social media archiving system in accordance with applicable public records retention requirements.

COMMENT POLICY
The City of Placentia's social media sites are intended to serve as a limited public forum ATT

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for communication about City programs, services, projects, and events. All content is subject to monitoring.

By posting or commenting on the City's social media sites, users agree to comply with this Comment Policy and participate at their own risk. Users are solely responsible for their comments, usernames, and any information they provide.

1. As a public entity, the City must abide by certain standards to serve all its constituents in a civil and unbiased manner.

2. The intended purpose behind establishing City of Placentia social media sites is to disseminate information from the City, about the City, to its citizens.

3. The City of Placentia social media sites are intended to be "family friendly," and, as such, the City asks that users please keep their comments clean by following the rules set forth in this policy. Please note that the City utilizes the automatic content filtering features available on various social media sites. Such features/settings may automatically hide a comment from view if profanity is used in the post.

4. The City shall not remove comments based solely on disagreements with the viewpoint expressed.

5. Comments containing any of the following inappropriate forms of content shall not be permitted on City of Placentia social media sites and are subject to removal and/or restriction by the Communications and Marketing Manager or his/her designees:
a. Comments that are clearly unrelated to the posted topic and that repeatedly or intentionally disrupt the intended informational purpose of the City's social media page;
b. Profane, obscene, or pornographic content and/or language; c. Content which violates the right to privacy, including but not limited to, content that contains personal identifying information or sensitive personal information;
d. Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, sexual preference, or national origin;
e. Defamatory or personal attacks;
f. Threats to any person or organization;
g. Comments in support of, or in opposition to, any political campaigns or ballot measures;
h. Solicitation of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale;
i. Conduct in violation of any federal, state or local law; j. Encouragement of illegal activity or comments intended to incite violence;

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k. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems;
I. Content that violates a legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party;
m. Harassment or content that constitutes and/or facilitates harassment; n. Repetitive and/or duplicative content;
o. Comments which may reasonably interfere with, inhibit, or compromise law enforcement investigations, police tactics, police responses to incidents and/or the safety of police staff and officers; or
p. Posts containing external links that constitute spam, commercial solicitation, malicious software, or otherwise violate this policy.

6. The City does not allow content intended to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems.

7. A comment posted by a member of the public on any City of Placentia social media site is the opinion of the commentator or poster only, and publication of a comment does not imply endorsement of, or agreement by, the City of Placentia, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the City of Placentia.

8. The City may restrict or block users who repeatedly violate the comment policy after notice.

9. Departments that manage official City social media pages shall monitor their pages for comments requesting responses from the City and for comments that may violate this policy. The Communications and Marketing Manager or designee retains oversight authority for moderation and policy compliance.

10.Only the Communications and Marketing Manager or his/her designees shall respond to comments or messages on official City social media pages. All comments from City social media pages should be posted from the City account, never from a personal account.

11. When a City of Placentia employee responds to a comment, in his/her capacity as a City of Placentia employee, the employee's name and title should be made available, and the employee shall not share personal information about himself or herself, or other City employees. The City employee shall comply with this policy in connection with any response or comment.

12. Comments posted on City of Placentia social media sites are also subject to the terms of service, community standards, and policies of the respective social media platform. The City reserves the right to report violations of a platform's terms of service to the platform operator for review and appropriate action.

13. The City is not responsible for content posted by users on social media platforms.

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14. Comments posted to the City of Placentia social media sites will be monitored and inappropriate content as defined herein above may be removed as soon as practically possible and without prior notice.

15. If users need to contact the Placentia Police Department, please call the Department's front desk at (714) 993-8164, or, if it is an emergency, call 911 and ask for assistance. While comments posted on the City's social media sites are monitored, posting comments is neither recommended nor an acceptable way to contact the Placentia Police Department for assistance or immediate service.

PUBLIC RECORDS LAW
The City of Placentia's social media sites are subject to applicable public records laws.

Any content maintained in a social media format related to agency business, including communication posted by the Agency and communication received from citizens, is a public record. The Communications and Marketing Manager maintaining the site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any public records request for social media content.

The City utilizes a City -approved automated social media archiving system to capture and retain social media content in accordance with the California Public Records Act and the City's records retention policies.

The Communications and Marketing Manager shall maintain a site to preserve records pursuant to the relevant records retention schedule for the required retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily accessible.

Furthermore, retention of social media records shall fulfill the following requirements:
• Social media records are captured in a continuous, automated fashion throughout the day to minimize a potential loss of data due to deletion and/or changes on the social networking site.
• Social media records are maintained in an authentic format (i.e. ideally the native technical format provided by the social network, such as XML or JSON) along with complete metadata.

Social media records are archived in a system that preserves the context of communications, including conversation threads and rich media, to ensure completeness and availability of relevant information when records are accessed.

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Social media records are indexed based on specific criteria such as date, content type, and keywords to ensure that records can be quickly located and produced in an appropriate format for distribution (e.g., PDF).

Each employee who administers one or more social networking sites on behalf of the Agency has self-service, read-only access to search and produce relevant social media records to fulfill public information and legal discovery requests as needed.

Internal Policy

PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS OF CITY EMPLOYEES

1. All City employees may have personal social media accounts.

2. City employees should not share confidential, sensitive, or non-public information related to City business on personal social media accounts.

Employees may reshare City -related photos, videos, or information on personal social media accounts only if the content has already been officially published through City communication channels (such as the City website, press releases, newsletters, or official City social media accounts), unless otherwise authorized. Such posts should not imply endorsement by or official representation of the City. Such posts must not imply that the employee is speaking on behalf of the City. Employees should not independently publish City photographs, videos, or media obtained through internal City systems unless that content has already been published through official City channels or the employee has received authorization to do so. Employees should not post photos or content in which they are wearing City -issued uniforms or apparel, or displaying the City seal or logo, unless said photo has already been published by the City.

3. When sharing or referencing City -related content on personal social media accounts, employees should ensure that the information presented is accurate and consistent with information previously released by the City.

4. City employees shall not use their City email account or password in conjunction with a personal social media site. Nor shall a City employee be compelled, as a condition of employment, to disclose to the City their username or password for personal social media accounts. Nothing in this policy precludes the City, as an employer, from requiring or requesting access credentials necessary to access an employer -issued electronic device or employer -managed social media or email account.

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5. City employees, unless specifically authorized by the City, are not permitted to speak on behalf of the City on personal social media accounts. When discussing City -related matters on personal social media accounts, employees should clearly indicate that the views expressed are their own and do not represent the official position of the City. Employees shall not present themselves in a manner that could reasonably be interpreted as an official representative of the City.

6. Employees who choose to reference City business on personal social media accounts are encouraged to:
• State their name and, if relevant, their role with the City when discussing City -related business;
• Use a disclaimer such as: "The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the City of Placentia." 7 City employees who are authorized to speak on behalf of the City may only comment from City social media accounts, not personal accounts and shall address only issues within the scope of their specific authorization.

8. Employees should exercise discretion when capturing or sharing photographs, videos, or recordings obtained while performing City duties.

Media captured during the course of employment should not be posted to personal social media accounts unless the content has been officially published through City communication channels or the employee has received authorization to share it. Employees should avoid capturing or posting images that include members of the public, sensitive infrastructure, incident scenes, or internal City operations unless such content has been publicly released by the City. Employees should also consider how the presence of City uniforms, equipment, facilities, or branding in such content may affect public perception of the post as an official City communication.

PROFESSIONAL USE BY CITY EMPLOYEES

1. Designated City Employees that comment on the City's Social Media sites in their personal and/or professional capacity are bound by the Comment Policy of the City of Placentia's Social Media Policy, stated herein.

2. All official City -related communication through Social Media outlets shall remain professional in nature and be conducted in accordance with the City's communications policy, practices, and expectations.

3. Employees must not use official City Social Media sites to conduct private commercial transactions or to engage in private business activities.

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4. City employees should be mindful that inappropriate usage of official City Social Media sites can be grounds for disciplinary action. If Social Media sites are used for official City business, the entire City site, regardless of any personal views, is subject to best practices guidelines and standards.

5. Only individuals authorized by the City may publish content to an official City Social Media site. Employees representing the City through social media outlets or participating in social media features on City websites must maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum. Failure to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in City Social Media sites, blogs, or other social media features.

8. City employees recognize that the content and messages they post on social media websites are public and may be cited as official City statements. Social media should not be used to circumvent other City communication policies, including news media policy requirements.

9. Employees representing the City government via City Social Media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies.

10. City employees must ensure that appropriate consent or media release authorization has been obtained prior to publishing images, video, or other content depicting identifiable individuals—especially minors—in accordance with City policies and applicable laws. Departments are responsible for maintaining documentation of such authorization.

11. City social media accounts shall not knowingly publish manipulated or artificially generated media that could mislead the public regarding City operations, events, or communications.

12. Access credentials for official City social media accounts shall be maintained by the Communications and Marketing Manager. Departments administering social media accounts must ensure that passwords and authentication methods follow City cybersecurity standards, including multi -

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factor authentication where available.

13. Access shall be removed promptly when an employee leaves the City or no longer requires account access.

SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY CITY'S PUBLIC OFFICIALS

1. Public officials that comment on the City's social media sites and/or on private non -city social media sites in their personal and/or official capacity are bound by the Comment Policy of the City of Placentia's Social Media Policy and to each and every policy applicable to City employees, stated herein.

2. While elected officials and City Council -appointed board, committee and commission members may maintain and use personal web pages and websites, blogs, and social networking sites, their status as elected/appointed officials requires that the content of any postings on those sites not be in violation of existing City by-laws, policies, directives, rules, or regulations.

3. The City's image as a professional organization is critical to maintaining the respect of its constituents. Although the City recognizes that elected/appointed officials may choose to express themselves by posting personal information upon social media platforms or by making comments on sites hosted by other persons, groups, or organizations, this right of expression should not interfere with the operation of the City. That is, although the City acknowledges its officials have the First Amendment right to free speech, the right is not absolute when involving matters of official City business, issues, or concerns.

4. If a public official conducts any City business or communication as an elected or appointed official from a personal account, or an account created for a City board/committee/commission that is not administered by a City employee, the City -related communications may be considered a public record subject to the California Public Records Act, found at Government Code sections 6250 et seq. When presented with a Public Records Act request, the official must produce responsive public records maintained on the official's personal servers and devices; and/or, after a reasonable search, affirm that the official is not in possession of any such responsive public records on personal devices or personal servers.

5. Officials should exercise caution with respect to comments they post, particularly those concerning the City and the business of the City.

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6. All officials are expected and required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the City's policies and standards of conduct.

7. Officials must not reveal any confidential or privileged information about the City, its constituents, or its contractors. Officials must be particularly careful to protect against the inadvertent disclosure of confidential information.

8. Officials should be honest and accurate when posting information or news, and should quickly correct any mistakes, misstatements and/or factual errors in content upon discovery. Officials should not post or share information known to be false or unconfirmed rumors about the City, its employees, constituents, officials, suppliers, vendors, contractors, or any other entities or individuals.

9. Officials should never represent themselves as a spokesperson for the City Administration, any City department, the City Council, or a City board or committee, unless the official has been designated to serve as a spokesperson.

11. Public officials should avoid engaging in discussions about City business with other members of the same legislative body on social media platforms, including through comments, replies, reactions, or similar interactions, as such participation could result in a quorum communicating outside of a properly noticed public meeting in violation of the Brown Act. Officials should be mindful that even passive interactions, such as "liking" or reacting to another official's comment about City business, may contribute to a serial meeting under certain circumstances.

12.Officials are expressly prohibited from using social media to engage in any activity or conduct that violates federal, state, or local law (e.g., to circumvent election or campaign requirements, software or data piracy, child pornography, etc.)

13. Officials are prohibited from using social media to engage in any activity that constitutes a conflict of interest.

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14. Officials must be mindful that members of the public who may appear before boards, commissions, or committees come from all walks of life. Public comments, in any forum, that contain racial slurs, express bigotry toward a group based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other legally protected classification may be considered conduct unbecoming.

15. Appointed and elected board/committee members are strongly encouraged to consider the potential impact of social media statements prior to posting.

The City strives to be professional in its operations and processes. Posts that express favoritism and/or bias for or against any individual or group of individuals (e.g., based upon race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, political affiliation, etc.) reflect poorly on the public official, as well as the City and its residents. Further, comments suggesting such treatment can expose the City to liability and legal costs.

16. Elected and appointed officials should be cautious in using official City - provided headshot photographs on personal social media sites. Elected and appointed officials choosing to use official City -provided headshots on personal social media sites should tailor communications on those sites accordingly.

17.A public official that violates the City's policies and/or by such conduct invites claims or suits or other liability unto the City may be subject to censure; and the City may pursue all remedies available under the law.

REGISTERING A NEW PAGE
All City social media sites shall be (1) approved by the City Administrator; (2) published using approved social media platform and tools; and (3) administered by the Communications and Marketing Manager or his/her designee.

DEREGISTERING AN EXISTING PAGE
If a social media page/account is no longer of use, (1) notify the Communications and Marketing Manager, (2) ensure records have been archived according to agency guidelines, (3) unpublish and delete page/account.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF POLICY NO. 370
POLICY NO. 370 SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
This statement acknowledges that I have received, read, and understand the Agency's guidelines for using Social Media. I acknowledge and fully understand the terms of this policy and agree to abide by them.

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SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
PURPOSE:

This document defines the social networking and social media policy for City of Placentia (the "City" or "Agency"). To address the fast -changing landscape of the Internet and the way residents communicate and obtain information online, City departments may consider using social media tools to reach a broader audience.

This policy establishes guidelines for the use of social media by City employees and officials on official City social media accounts.

For purposes of this policy, "social media" is understood to be content created by individuals, using accessible, expandable, and upgradable publishing technologies, through and on the Internet. Examples of social media include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. For purposes of this policy, "comments" include information, articles, pictures, videos or any other form of communicative content posted on a City of Placentia social media site.

OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT
Employees representing the Agency through social media outlets or participating in social media features on agency websites must maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum. Failure to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in agency social media sites, blogs, or other social media features. Information must be presented following professional standards for good grammar, spelling, brevity, clarity and accuracy, and avoid jargon, obscure terminology, excessive emojis or hashtags, or acronyms. Agency employees recognize that the content and messages they post on social media websites are public and may be cited as official Agency statements. Social media should not be used to circumvent other agency communication policies, including news media policy requirements. Agency employees may not publish information on Agency social media sites that includes:
• Confidential information
• Copyright violations
• Profanity, racist, sexist, or derogatory content or comments • Partisan political views
• Commercial endorsements or SPAM

GENERAL POLICY

1. The establishment and use by any City department of City social media sites are subject to approval by the City Administrator or his/her designees. All City of

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Placentia social media sites shall be administered by the City Administrator's Office.

2. The Communications and Marketing Analyst will monitor content on City social media sites to ensure adherence to both the City's Social Media Policy and the interest and goals of the City of Placentia.

3. City social media sites should make clear that they are maintained by the City of Placentia and that they follow the City's Social Media Policy.

4. Wherever possible, City social media sites should link back to the official City of Placentia website for forms, documents, online services, and other information necessary to conduct business with the City of Placentia.

5. The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of this Social Media Policy or any applicable law. Any content removed based on these guidelines must be retained by the Communications and Marketing Analyst for a reasonable period of time, including the time, date and identity of the poster, when available.

6. These guidelines must be displayed to users or made available by hyperlink.

7. The City will approach the use of social media tools as consistently as possible, enterprise wide.

8. The City of Placentia's website at www.placentia.org will remain the City's primary and predominant internet presence.

9. All City social media sites shall adhere to applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies.

10. City social media sites are subject to the California Public Records Act. Any content maintained in a social media format that is related to City business, including a list of subscribers, posted communication, and communication submitted for posting, may be a public record subject to public disclosure.

11. Comments on topics or issues not within the jurisdictional purview of the City of Placentia may be removed.

12. Employees representing the City government via City social media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies.

13. This Social Media Policy may be revised at any time.

14. Records of these social media sites are maintained with Archive Social.

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COMMENT POLICY
The City of Placentia's social media sites serve as limited public forum and all content published is subject to monitoring. By posting or commenting on the City of Placentia's social media sites, users agree to the terms of use of the City of Placentia's social media comment policy as provided herein.

1. As a public entity the City must abide by certain standards to serve all its constituents in a civil and unbiased manner.

2. The intended purpose behind establishing City of Placentia social media sites is to disseminate information from the City, about the City, to its citizens.

4. Comments containing any of the following inappropriate forms of content shall not be permitted on City of Placentia social media sites and are subject to removal and/or restriction by the Communications and Marketing Analyst or his/her designees:
a. Comments not related to the original topic, including random or unintelligible comments;
b. Profane, obscene, or pornographic content and/or language; c. Content which violates the right to privacy, including but not limited to, content that contains personal identifying information or sensitive personal information;
d. Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, sexual preference, or national origin;
e. Defamatory or personal attacks;
f. Threats to any person or organization;
g. Comments in support of, or in opposition to, any political campaigns or ballot measures;
h. Solicitation of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale;
i. Conduct in violation of any federal, state or local law; j. Encouragement of illegal activity or comments intended to incite violence; k. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems; or

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I. Content that violates a legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party;
m. Harassment or content which constitutes and/or facilitates; n. Repetitive and/or duplicative content;
o. Comments which may reasonably interfere with, inhibit, or compromise law enforcement investigations, police tactics, police responses to incidents and/or the safety of police staff and officers;
p. Posts or comments that contain external links.

5. The City does not allow information intended to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems. Users may participate at their own risk, taking personal responsibility for their comments, username, and any information provided.

7. The City of Placentia reserves the right to deny access to City of Placentia social media sites for any individual, who violates the City of Placentia's Social Media Policy, at any time and without prior notice.

8. Departments shall monitor their social media sites for comments requesting responses from the City and for comments in violation of this policy.

9. Only the Communications and Marketing Analyst or his/her designees shall respond to comments or messages on official City social media pages. All comments from City social media pages should be posted from the City account, never from a personal account.

10. When a City of Placentia employee responds to a comment, in his/her capacity as a City of Placentia employee, the employee's name and title should be made available, and the employee shall not share personal information about himself or herself, or other City employees.

11.AII comments posted to any City of Placentia Facebook site are bound by Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, located at http://www.facebook.com/terms.php , and the City of Placentia reserves the right to report any violation of Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to Facebook with the intent of Facebook taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.

12. Comments posted to the City of Placentia social media sites will be monitored and inappropriate content as defined herein above may be removed as soon as practically possible and without prior notice.

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13. By posting or commenting on the City of Placentia social media sites, users agree to the City's terms of use. Users participate by their own choice, taking personal responsibility for their comments, username, and any information provided therein.

14. If users need to contact the Placentia Police Department, please call the Department's front desk at (714) 993-8164, or, if it is an emergency, call 911 and ask for assistance. While comments posted on the City's social media sites are monitored, posting comments is neither recommended nor an acceptable way to contact the Placentia Police Department for assistance or immediate service.

PUBLIC RECORDS LAW
The City of Placentia's social media sites are subject to applicable public records laws.

Any content maintained in a social media format related to agency business, including communication posted by the Agency and communication received from citizens, is a public record. The Communications and Marketing Analyst maintaining the site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any public records request for social media content.

RECORDS RETENTION
Social media sites contain communications sent to or received by the Agency and its employees, and such communications are therefore public records. Records retention requirements apply regardless of the form of the record (for example, digital text, photos, audio, and video). The Communications and Marketing Analyst maintaining a site shall preserve records pursuant to the relevant records retention schedule for the required retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily accessible. Furthermore, retention of social media records shall fulfill the following requirements:
• Social media records are captured in a continuous, automated fashion throughout the day to minimize a potential loss of data due to deletion and/or changes on the social networking site.
• Social media records are maintained in an authentic format (i.e. ideally the native technical format provided by the social network, such as XML or JSON) along with complete metadata.
• Social media records are archived in a system that preserves the context of communications, including conversation threads and rich media, to ensure completeness and availability of relevant information when records are accessed. • Social media records are indexed based on specific criteria such as date, content type, and keywords to ensure that records can be quickly located and produced in an appropriate format for distribution (e.g. PDF).

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• Each employee who administers one or more social networking sites on behalf of the Agency has self-service, read-only access to search and produce relevant social media records to fulfill public information and legal discovery requests as needed.

Internal Policy

PERSONAL USE BY CITY EMPLOYEES

1. All City employees may have personal Social Media sites.

2. City employees shall not share work related information and/or information related to City business on personal Social Media sites and shall avoid mixing their professional information with their personal information or opinions.

3. City employees shall not use their City e-mail account or password in conjunction with a personal Social Media site, nor shall a City employee be compelled as a condition of employment to disclose to the City their username and password for personal Social Media sites. Nothing herein precludes the City, as an employer, from requiring or requesting a City employee to disclose a username, password, or other method for the purpose of accessing an employer -issued electronic device and/or any employer -issued Social Media or e-mail account.

4. City employees, unless specifically authorized by the City to do so, are not authorized to speak on behalf of the City and shall not post comments or opinions without also clarifying that the information being presented is on their personal behalf and it does not represent the position of the City.

5. The following guidance is for City employees who decide to have a personal Social Media site or who comment on posts about official City business:
• State your name and, if relevant, role, when discussing City business;
• Use a disclaimer such as: "The postings on this site are my own and don't reflect or represent the opinions of the City for which I work."

6. City employees who are authorized to speak on behalf of the City shall identify themselves by (1) Full Name; (2) Title; (3) Department; and (4) Contact Information, when posting or exchanging information of Social Media forums, and shall address only issues within the scope of their specific authorization.

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PROFESSIONAL USE BY CITY EMPLOYEES

3. Employees must not use official City Social Media sites to conduct private commercial transactions or to engage in private business activities.

4. City employees should be mindful that inappropriate usage of official City Social Media sites, can be grounds for disciplinary action. If Social Media sites are used for official City business, the entire City site, regardless of any personal views, is subject to best practices guidelines, and standards.

5. Only individuals authorized by the City may publish content to an official City Social Media sites. Employees representing the City through social media outlets or participating in social media features on City websites must maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum.

Failure to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in City Social Media sites, blogs, or other social media features.

6. Information must be presented following professional standards for good grammar, spelling, brevity, clarity and accuracy, and avoid jargon, excessive hashtags and emojis, obscure terminology, or acronyms. 7 City employees recognize that the content and messages they post on social media websites are public and may be erroneously cited as official City statements. Social media should not be used to circumvent other City communication policies, including news media policy requirements.

8. Employees representing the City government via City Social Media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies.

SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY CITY'S PUBLIC OFFICIALS

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5. Officials should exercise caution with respect to comments they post, particularly those concerning the City and the business of the City.

6. All officials are expected and required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the City's policies and standards of conduct.

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11. Officials are expressly prohibited from using social media to engage in any activity or conduct that violates federal, state, or local law (e.g., to circumvent election or campaign requirements, software or data piracy, child pornography, etc.)

12. Officials are prohibited from using social media to engage in any activity that constitutes a conflict of interest.

13. Officials must be mindful that members of the public who may appear before boards, commissions, or committees come from all walks of life. Public comments, in any forum, that contain racial slurs, express bigotry toward a group based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other legally protected classification may be considered conduct unbecoming.

14. Appointed and elected board/committee members are strongly encouraged to consider the potential impact of social media statements prior to posting.

The City strives to be professional in its operations and processes. Posts that express favoritism and/or bias for or against any individual or group of individuals (e.g., based upon race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, political affiliation, etc.), reflect poorly on the public official, as well as the City and its residents. Further, comments suggesting such treatment can expose the City to liability and legal costs.

15. Elected and appointed officials should be cautious in using official City - provided head shot photographs on personal social media sites. Elected and appointed officials choosing to use official City -provided head shots on personal social media sites should tailor communications on those sites accordingly.

16.A public official that violates the City's policies and/or by such conduct invites claims or suits or other liability unto the City may be subject to censure; and the City may pursue all remedies available under the law.

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REGISTERING A NEW PAGE
All City social media sites shall be (1) approved by the City Administrator; (2) published using approved Social Media platform and tools; and (3) administered by the Communications and Marketing Analyst or his/her designee.

DEREGISTERING AN EXISTING PAGE
If a social media page is no longer of use, (1) notify the Communications and Marketing Analyst, (2) ensure records have been archived according to agency guidelines, (3) unpublish and delete page.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF POLICY NO. 370
POLICY NO. 370 SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
This statement acknowledges that I have received, read and understand the Agency's guidelines for using Social Media. I acknowledge, and fully understand the terms of this policy and agree to abide by them.

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Signature Date
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SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
PURPOSE:

This document defines the social networking and social media policy for City of Placentia (the "City" or "Agency"). To address the fast -changing landscape of the Tinternet and the way residents communicate and obtain information online, City departments may consider using social media tools to reach a broader audience.

This policy establishes guidelines for the use of social media by City employees and officials on official City social media accounts.

For purposes of this policy, "social media" refers to internet-based platforms that allow users to create, share, and interact with content and engage in public communication.

Examples include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Linkedln, YouTube, Nextdoor, and other current or future social networking or content -sharing platforms used for public communication.' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ . _ . 'dualo, uoing acccssiblc, cxpandablc, and upgradablo publichin
Internot. EHampI.

For purposes of this policy, "comments" include information, articles, pictures, videos or any other form of communicative content posted on a City of Placentia social media site.

OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT
Employees representing the Agency through social media outlets or participating in social media features on agency Agencv websites must maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum. Failure to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in Aagency social media sites, blogs, or other social media features.

Information must be presented following professional standards for good grammar, spelling, brevity, clarity and accuracy, and avoid jargon, obscure terminology, excessive emojis or hashtags, or acronyms. Agency employees recognize that the content and messages they post on social media websites are public and may be cited as official Agency statements. Social media should not be used to circumvent other agency Agency communication policies, including news media policy requirements. Agency employees may not publish information on Agency social media sites that includes:
• Confidential information
• Copyright violations
• False/Inaccurate information
• Profanity, racist, sexist, or derogatory content or comments • Partisan political views/endorsements
• Personal views or opinions
• Commercial endorsements or SPAM

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GENERAL POLICY
The establishment and use of any City social media site must be approved by the City Administrator or his/her designee. Departments mav manage their own official social media accounts for operational communication purposes: however, all City social media sites operate under the oversight of the City Administrator's Office and the Communications and Marketing Manager to ensure consistency in branding, messaaina, and compliance with this policv.The cota"licAimont and uco opsrtm
C Adminio rat
shall be adminictorcd by the City Administrator's Office.

The Communications and Marketing Manager Analyst will monitor content on City social media sites to ensure adherence to both the City's Social Media Policy and the interest and goals of the City of Placentia.

2. Departments that maintain social media accounts are responsible for day-to-day content updates related to their services or programs. The Communications and Marketing Manager or designee shall provides guidance on branding, messaging, accessibility standards, and compliance with the Citv's Social Media Policy.

3. Crisis Communications: During emergencies, critical incidents, or situations involving public safety, social media communication mav be centralized through the City Administrator's Office, the Communications and Marketing Manager, or the appropriate department's designated Public Information Officer (PIO), including the Police Department P10, to ensure accurate, timely, and coordinated messaging.
, n
City social media sites should make clear that they are maintained by the City of Placentia and that they follow the City's Social Media Policy.

Wherever possible, City social media sites should link back to the official City of Placentia website for forms, documents, online services, and other information necessary to conduct business with the City of Placentia.

The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of this Social Media Policy or any applicable law. Any content removed based on these guidelines must shall be retained by the Communications and Marketing Analyst Manaat for a reasonable period of time, including the time, date and identity of the poster, when available.
€ 7. This Policy These guidelines must be read and signed displayed toby all approved users and maintained in their personnel file. or made available by hyperlink.

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8. The City will approach the use of social media tools as consistently as possible, enterprise wide.

9. The City of Placentia's official website will remain the City's primary and predominant internet presence. The City's website is currently located at www.placentia.ora and will transition to a `.qov' or `.ca.aov' domain in compliance with California Assembly Bill 1637 by January 1, 2029. Upon transition, the City's official website will be maintained on the new domain, and any prior domains will redirect to the official site. The City of Placontia'o website at www.placentia.org will comain the-Ci-ty'c primary and predominant intornct presence. 8-10. Third -Party Platform Disclaimer: The City's social media sites are hosted on third -party platforms. The City does not control the content, privacy policies, or accessibility of these external platforms. Users are encouraged to review the terms of service and privacy policies of any social media platform they use.

11. All City social media sites shall adhere to applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies.
9:12. Accessibility: The City will strive to ensure that content posted on its social media platforms is accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the use of alternative text for images, captions for videos, and accessible formatting where platform functionality allows. The City will make reasonable efforts to comply with applicable accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA where feasible.

10.13. City social media sites are subject to the California Public Records Act. Any content maintained in a social media format that is related to City business, including a list of subscribers, posted communication, and communication submitted for posting, may be a public record subject to public disclosure. 414. Comments on topics or issues not within the jurisdictional purview of the City of Placentia may be removed.

15. Employees representing the City government via City social media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies. Employees should be aware that content posted on City social media platforms is public and is subject to monitoring, disclosure, and archiving.

16. The City may report or request removal of social media accounts that falsely claim to represent the City of Placentia or impersonate City officials or Departments.

12.17. All official City social media accounts, usernames, content, and followers are the property of the City of Placentia.

13.18. This Social Media Policy may be revised at any time.

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44 -Records of these social media sites are retained using a City -approved social media archiving system in accordance with applicable public records retention reauiiements.Records of these social media sites aro maintcined with Archive Social.

COMMENT POLICY
The City of Placentia's social media sites are intended to serve as a limited public forum for communication about City programs, services, proiects, and events. All content is subiect to monitoring.

By posting or commenting on the Citv's social media sites, users agree to comply with this Comment Policy and participate at their own risk. Users are solely responsible for their comments, username, and anv information they provide. The City of Placcntia's social media sites servo oc limitcd public forum and' alp � l- „tont publicbed io oubjoct to monitoring. By posting or commenting on the City of Placantio'o cocial media sitoc, publis users agree to the terms of use of the City of Plamntia'o cocial media comment policy as provided herein.

1. As a public entity the City must abide by certain standards to serve all its constituents in a civil and unbiased manner.

2. The intended purpose behind establishing City of Placentia social media sites is to disseminate information from the City, about the City, to its citizens.

4. The City shall not remove comments based solely on disagreements with the viewpoint expressed.
4:5. Comments containing any of the following inappropriate forms of content shall not be permitted on City of Placentia social media sites and are subject to removal and/or restriction by the Communications and Marketing Analyst Manager or his/her designees:
a. Comments not related to the original topic, including random or unintclligible comments;Comments that are clearly unrelated to the posted topic and that repeatedly or intentionally disrupt the intended informational purpose of the Citv's social media page:
b. Profane, obscene, or pornographic content and/or language;

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c. Content which violates the right to privacy, including but not limited to, content that contains personal identifying information or sensitive personal information;
d. Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, sexual preference, or national origin;
e. Defamatory or personal attacks;
f. Threats to any person or organization;
g. Comments in support of, or in opposition to, any political campaigns or ballot measures;
h. Solicitation of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale;
i. Conduct in violation of any federal, state or local law; j. Encouragement of illegal activity or comments intended to incite violence; k. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems; er
I. Content that violates a legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party;
m. Harassment or content which that constitutes and/or facilitates harassment; n. Repetitive and/or duplicative content;
o. Comments which may reasonably interfere with, inhibit, or compromise law enforcement investigations, police tactics, police responses to incidents and/or the safety of police staff and officers; or
p. Posts or commonto that sontain cxtornal linkc. Posts containing external links that constitute spam, commercial solicitation, malicious software, or otherwise violate this policy.

The City does not allow content intended to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems. The City does not allow information intended to compromise the safety or security of tho publis-or public systems.

U-soro may participato at their own ridgy, taking—personal responsibility for their commonto, uc. • -, _ _ _

6. A comment posted by a member of the public on any City of Placentia social media site is the opinion of the commentator or poster only, and publication of a comment does not imply endorsement of, or agreement by, the City of Placentia, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the City of Placentia. media sites for any individual, who violates the City of Placontia'c £ocial Media Poky, at any _ _ • _ _ _ ' -.The City may restrict or block users who repeatedly violate the comment policy after notice.

8. Departments that manage official City social media pages shall monitor their paces for comments requesting responses from the City and for comments that may violate this policy. The Communications and Marketing Manager or designee

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retains oversight authority for moderation and policy compliance.Dopartments chal l m
City and for commonto in violation of this policy.

8. Only the Communications and Marketing Analyst Manage! or his/her designees shall respond to comments or messages on official City social media pages. All comments from City social media pages should be posted from the City account, never from a personal account.

When a City of Placentia employee responds to a comment, in his/her capacity as a City of Placentia employee, the employee's name and title should be made available, and the employee shall not share personal information about himself or herself, or other City employees. The City employee shall comply with this policy in connection with anv response or comment. 44 -Comments posted on City of Placentia social media sites are also subiect to the terms of service, community standards, and policies of the respective social media Platform. The City reserves the right to report violations of a platform's terms of service to the platform operator for review and appropriate action.All comments posted to any City of Placontis Ps -zee - - - sc..: _ . - _ _ _ 'o Elaatcmcnt of Righto and Responoibilitios, located at http://www.facebook.com/tormo.php , and the City of Placentia reserves the right to report any
Statement of Rights and Responcibiliti
taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.

10. The City is not responsible for content posted by users on social media platforms. 4" " " Comments posted to the City of Placentia social media sites will be monitored and inappropriate content as defined herein above may be removed as soon as practically possible and without prior notice.
--
to the City's terms of use. Usoro participate by their own choico, taking personal Fes-poncibility for their commonto, uc- • -, . _ _ - _ _ _ _ .. - - - 412. If users need to contact the Placentia Police Department, please call the Department's front desk at (714) 993-8164, or, if it is an emergency, call 911 and ask for assistance. While comments posted on the City's social media sites are monitored, posting comments is neither recommended nor an acceptable way to contact the Placentia Police Department for assistance or immediate service.

PUBLIC RECORDS LAW
The City of Placentia's social media sites are subject to applicable public records laws.

Any content maintained in a social media format related to agency business, including communication posted by the Agency and communication received from citizens, is a

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public record. The Communications and Marketing Analyst Manager maintaining the site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any public records request for social media content.

The Communications and Marketing Analyst Manager shall maintaining a site shall to preserve records pursuant to the relevant records retention schedule for the required retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily accessible. Furthermore, retention of social media records shall fulfill the following requirements:
• Social media records are captured in a continuous, automated fashion throughout the day to minimize a potential loss of data due to deletion and/or changes on the social networking site.
• Social media records are maintained in an authentic format (i.e. ideally the native technical format provided by the social network, such as XML or JSON) along with complete metadata.
• Social media records are archived in a system that preserves the context of communications, including conversation threads and rich media, to ensure completeness and availability of relevant information when records are accessed. • Social media records are indexed based on specific criteria such as date, content type, and keywords to ensure that records can be quickly located and produced in an appropriate format for distribution (e.g. PDF).
• Each employee who administers one or more social networking sites on behalf of the Agency has self-service, read-only access to search and produce relevant social media records to fulfill public information and legal discovery requests as needed.

Internal Policy

PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS USE QYOF CITY EMPLOYEES

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1. All City employees may have personal Ssocial Mmedia sitesaccounts.

2. City employees should not share confidential, sensitive, or non-public information related to City business on personal social media accounts.

Employees may reshare City -related photos, videos, or information on Personal social media accounts only if the content has already been officially published through City communication channels (such as the City website, press releases, newsletters, or official City social media accounts), unless otherwise authorized. Employees should not independently publish City photographs, videos, or media obtained through internal City systems unless that content has already been published through official City channels or the employee has received authorization to do so. Employees should not post photos or content in which they are wearing City -issued uniforms or apparel, or displaying the City seal or logo, unless said photo has already been published by the City.

2. City cmploym3 chall not share work related information and/or information related to City business on personal Social Media sites and ohall avid milting their professional information with thcir personal information or opinions.

3. 3. When sharing or referencing City -related content on personal social media accounts, employees should ensure that the information presented is accurate and consistent with information previously released by the City.

Employees shall not alter, misrepresent, or present City content in a way that could reasonably imply an official City position or statement. Employees should not provide commentary about City proiects, policies, or operations on personal social media accounts in a manner that could reasonably be interpreted as an official City communication.
�. 4. City employees shall not use their City e-mail account or password in coniunction with a personal social media site. Nor shall a City employee be compelled, as a condition of employment, to disclose to the City their username or password for personal social media accounts. Nothing in this policy precludes the City, as an employer, from requiring or requesting access credentials necessary to access an employer -issued electronic device or employer -managed social media or email account.Gity-ernp-I-eyec\o ohall not their City n mail account or password in conjunction with a personal Eocial Media site, nor shall a City cmploycc be compelled as a condition of employment to disclose to the City their username and password for personal Social Media sitoo. Nothing herein precludes the City, ao an
o mail cccount.

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s, 5. City City employees, unless specifically authorized by the City, are not Permitted to speak on behalf of the City on personal social media accounts. When discussing City -related matters on personal social media accounts, employees should clearly indicate that the views expressed are their own and do not represent the official position of the City. Employees shall not present themselves in a manner that could reasonably be interpreted as an official representative of the City. cmploycoo, unlocs opccifically authorizcd by thc City to do so, are not authorizcd to speak on bchalf of thc City and shall not post commcnts or opinions without aloo clarifying that the information bcing prcscnted is on their personal 6--6. Employees who choose to reference City business on personal social media accounts are encouraged to: _ _ _ _ _ _ . - ' _ _' . - • _ _ . - _ decide to have a personal Social Media site or who comment on posts about official City business:
• State your their name and, if relevant, their role- with the City when discussing City -related business;
• Use a disclaimer such as: "The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the City of Placentia.The opinions of the City for which I work."

7. City employees who are authorized to speak on behalf of the City may only comment from City social media accounts, not personal accounts - shall identify themselves by (1) Full Name; (2) Title; (3) Department; and {1) Contact Information, when posting or exchanging information of Social Media forumo, and shall address only issues within the scope of their specific authorization.

8. Employees should exercise discretion when capturing or sharing photographs, videos, or recordings obtained while performing City duties. Media captured during the course of employment should not be posted to personal social media accounts unless the content has been officially published through City communication channels or the employee has received authorization to share it. Employees should avoid capturing or P osting images that include members of the public, sensitive infrastructure, incident scenes, or internal City operations unless such content has been publicly released by the City. Employees should also consider how the presence of City uniforms, equipment, facilities, or branding in such content may affect public perception of the P ost as an official City communication.

PROFESSIONAL USE BY CITY EMPLOYEES

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3. Employees must not use official City Social Media sites to conduct private commercial transactions or to engage in private business activities.

Failure to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in City Social Media sites, blogs, or other social media features.

6. Information must be presented following professional standards for good grammar, spelling, brevity, clarity and accuracy, and avoid jargon, excessive hashtags and emojis, obscure terminology, or acronyms. 6:7. City employees responsible for posting social media content shall follow the City's Digital Accessibility Design Guidelines when creating content, including the use of alternative text for images, captions for videos, and accessible formatting where platform functionality allows. 7,8. City employees recognize that the content and messages they post on social media websites are public and may be erroneously cited as official City statements. Social media should not be used to circumvent other City communication policies, including news media policy requirements.

9. Employees representing the City government via City Social Media sites must conduct themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City policies.

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11. City social media accounts shall not knowingly publish manipulated or artificially generated media that could mislead the public regarding City operations, events, or communications.

12. Access credentials for official City social media accounts shall be maintained by the Communications and Marketing Manager.

Departments administering social media accounts must ensure that passwords and authentication methods follow City cvbersecuritv standards, including multi -factor authentication where available. 8,13. Access shall be removed promptly when an employee leaves the City or no longer requires account access.

SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY CITY'S PUBLIC OFFICIALS

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the official's personal servers and devices; and/or, after a reasonable search, affirm that the official is not in possession of any such responsive public records on personal devices or personal servers.

5. Officials should exercise caution with respect to comments they post, particularly those concerning the City and the business of the City.

6. All officials are expected and required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the City's policies and standards of conduct.

10. Because the posting of content, including simply "liking" or reacting to a post from another official, regarding City -related matters by a public official could inadvertently result in the violation of the Open Meetings LawBrown Act, officials should consult the Open Meetings Law Guide provided to them by the City Clerk's Office and/or contact the City Attorney's Office for guidance before posting, liking, or commenting on a post whether it be about meetings, conferences, sub -committee meetings, or the work of the public body, or any commission, board, or committee.
1-0:11. Public officials should avoid engaging in discussions about City business with other members of the same legislative body on social media platforms, including through comments, replies, reactions, or similar interactions, +fas such participation could result in a quorum communicating outside of a properly noticed public meeting in violation of the Brown Act.

Officials should be mindful that even passive interactions, such as "liking" or reacting to another official's comment about City business, may contribute to a serial meeting under certain circumstances. 1-1,12. Officials are expressly prohibited from using social media to engage in any activity or conduct that violates federal, state, or local law (e.g., to

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circumvent election or campaign requirements, software or data piracy, child pornography, etc.)

12.13. Officials are prohibited from using social media to engage in any activity that constitutes a conflict of interest.

13.14. Officials must be mindful that members of the public who may appear before boards, commissions, or committees come from all walks of life.

Public comments, in any forum, that contain racial slurs, express bigotry toward a group based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other legally protected classification may be considered conduct unbecoming.
4-415. Appointed and elected board/committee members are strongly encouraged to consider the potential impact of social media statements prior to posting. The City strives to be professional in its operations and processes. Posts that express favoritism and/or bias for or against any individual or group of individuals (e.g., based upon race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, political affiliation, etc.), reflect poorly on the public official, as well as the City and its residents. Further, comments suggesting such treatment can expose the City to liability and legal costs.

15.16. Elected and appointed officials should be cautious in using official City -provided head shot photographs on personal social media sites.

Elected and appointed officials choosing to use official City -provided head shots on personal social media sites should tailor communications on those sites accordingly.

16.17. A public official that violates the City's policies and/or by such conduct invites claims or suits or other liability unto the City may be subject to censure; and the City may pursue all remedies available under the law.

REGISTERING A NEW PAGE
All City social media sites shall be (1) approved by the City Administrator; (2) published using approved Ssocial IsAmedia platform and tools; and (3) administered by the Communications and Marketing Analyst Manager or his/her designee.

DEREGISTERING AN EXISTING PAGE
If a social media page/account is no longer of use, (1) notify the Communications and Marketing AnalystManager, (2) ensure records have been archived according to agency guidelines, (3) unpublish and delete page/account.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF POLICY NO. 370
POLICY NO. 370 SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
This statement acknowledges that I have received, read and understand the Agency's guidelines for using Social Media. I acknowledge, and fully understand the terms of this policy and agree to abide by them.

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Signature Date

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Placentia City CouncilMay 19, 2026

Placentia City Council
May 19, 2026