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1001 Social Media
The purpose of the Social Media policy is to establish guidelines for use of social media and
social networks by City employees. City of Grapevine departments may utilize social
media and social network sites to provide residents, businesses and visitors with
information about City activities, events, and other important information. City officials and
City organizations have the ability to promote the positive aspects of Grapevine to those
in and outside the community.
.01 Definitions
(1) Social Media and Social Networking: Both terms are used to refer to social
internet sites or websites wherein information is created, exchanged, or provided
by/to third parties and individuals. Examples of social media include Facebook,
Instagram, Pinterest, Myspace, RSS, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flicker, Vine,
and all blogs of all types, etc.
(2) City of Grapevine Moderator: An authorized City of Grapevine official who
reviews, authorizes and allows content submitted by City of Grapevine authors
and public commentators to be posted to a City of Grapevine social media site.
(3) Commenter: A City of Grapevine official or member of the public who submits a
comment for posting in response to the content of a particular City of Grapevine
article or social media content.
(4) Comment: A response to a City of Grapevine article or social media content
submitted by a commenter.
.02 General Provisions
All City-related communication through social media outlets should remain professional in
nature and should adhere to applicable state, federal and local laws, regulations and policies
including all Information Technology, Records Management, and other applicable City
policies.
Employees acting on behalf of the City shall follow all copyright laws, public records laws,
retention laws, fair use, financial disclosure laws, and any other laws that might apply to the
City and/or City department.
Texas Public Information Act, e-discovery laws, and policies apply to social media content
and therefore content must be able to be managed, stored and retrieved to comply with
these laws.
All social network sites and entries shall clearly indicate that any articles and any other
content posted or submitted for posting are subject to public disclosure.
The City reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of
this policy or any applicable law, provided the requirements of any applicable time limits or
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retention requirements are met.
Each City of Grapevine social networking site shall include sufficient information that clearly
defines the purpose and topical scope of the site. Where possible, social networking sites
should link back to the official City of Grapevine internet site for forms, documents, and other
information.
City of Grapevine social networking content and comments containing any of the following
forms of content shall not be allowed for posting. These terms should also be posted,
referred to or linked on all City social media outlets when possible:
(1) Comments not typically related to the particular site or blog article being
commented upon;
(2) Profane language or content;
(3) Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race,
creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public
assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.
(4) Sexual content or links to sexual content;
(5) Solicitations of commerce;
(6) Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;
(7) Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or
public systems; and
(8) Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party.
All City social networking moderators shall be trained regarding the terms of this City of
Grapevine policy, including their responsibilities to review content submitted for posting to
ensure compliance with the policy. If content does not adhere to the City’s social media
policy, the violation should be presented to the Assistant City Manager for review and
removal if deemed as a violation. The City Manager’s Office will keep a record of removed
content.
All social networking sites shall clearly indicate they are maintained by the City of Grapevine
and shall have City of Grapevine contact information prominently displayed.
Information Technology (IT) will be made an administrator or otherwise have access to all
social media sites.
Employees representing the City government via social media outlets must conduct
themselves at all times as a representative of the City and in accordance with all City of
Grapevine Human Resource Policies.
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Employees found in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and
including termination of employment.
.03 Employee Guidance for Participation in Social Networking
The City of Grapevine acknowledges employee rights to privacy and free speech that may
protect online activity conducted on personal social networks. However, what is published
on such personal sites should not be attributed to the City and should not appear to be
endorsed by or originated from the City. Employees who choose to list their work affiliation
or reference their employment with the City in any way on a social network should regard all
communication on that network as if it were a professional network. City employees
engaging in social media networks must at all times be conscious and respectful of the fact
that their words and actions are representative of the City, regardless of when, where, and
how the content was posted. Employees who choose to participate in social networks should
adhere to the following guidelines:
City policies, rules, regulations, and standards of conduct apply to employees who engage
in social networking activities while conducting City business. Use of City e-mail address
and communicating in your official capacity will constitute conducting City business.
Although minimal personal computer usage is allowed during the work day, participating in
non-work-related social media outlets while on duty is assumed to impact productivity and
cause performance issues and should be restricted to break periods and lunch time.
Confidential or proprietary information or similar information of third parties who have shared
such information with the City of Grapevine should not be shared on social media outlets.
Employees shall not cite vendors, suppliers, clients, citizens, co-workers, or other
stakeholders without their approval.
When participating in social networking sites not related to City business, an employee shall
make it clear that they are not speaking on behalf of the City of Grapevine but speaking in
their capacity as a private citizen. If an employee publishes content on any website outside
of the City of Grapevine and it has something to do with the employee’s employment at the
City or subjects associated with the City, the employee shall use the disclaimer such as:
“The views expressed on this networking website are mine alone and do not necessarily
represent the views of my employer.”
It should be noted however that a disclaimer will not prevent an employee from being
disciplined if their communication has the effect of violating any City policy.
Employees shall not use ethnic slurs, profanity, personal insults, or engage in any conduct
that would not be acceptable in the City’s workplace. Avoid comments or topics that may be
considered objectionable or inflammatory.
If an employee identifies one’s self as a City employee, the employee must ensure that their
profile and related content is consistent with City of Grapevine performance and conduct
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standards regarding how to present one’s self to colleagues, citizens, and other
stakeholders.
The City may request at any time that an employee cease any communication concerning
the City on Facebook and other social media sites if the City believes that such action is
necessary to ensure compliance with government regulations or other laws.
Do not use the City’s trademarks, logos, etc. on any personal communication or reproduce
any City material. The exception to this policy is sharing direct communication from the City.
While the City of Grapevine encourages its employees to enjoy and make good use of their
off-duty time, City employees may be subject to discipline if their activities on or off-duty
have the effect of disrupting the functioning or efficiency of the workplace. Activities which
are considered disruptive include, but are not limited to, harassing, demeaning, or creating
a hostile working environment for any official or employee; disrupting the smooth and orderly
flow of work within the City; or disrupting working relationships.
In addition, employees are subject to discipline for inappropriate activities, on or off-duty, if
they are acting pursuant to their official duties, or if they engage in inappropriate conduct or
speech on private employment matters.
Administrative Policy Manual Effective 02/01/2014