Social Media Policy
Social Media Policy
1. Introduction
The objective of this policy is to provide Councillors and the clerk an overview of Social Media and outline the Council’s position on various aspects of their use. In addition, it includes guidelines on Officer and Councillor responsibilities when using such channels of communication.
2. Definition of Social Media
Social media is a term for websites based on user participation and user generated content. They include social networking sites and other sites that are centred on user interaction. Social media has the following characteristics:
• Covers a wide variety of formats, including text, video, photographs, audio
• Allows messages to flow between many different types of device; PCs, phones and tablets (e.g. IPad)
• Involves different levels of engagement by participants who can create, comment or just view information
• Speeds and broadens the flow of information Provides one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many communications
• Allows communication take place in real me or intermittently
Examples of popular social media tools include: Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, You Tube, Pinterest, Snap Chat, Linked-In and Google Plus. Such platforms are used by people with similar interests being attracted to share information.
3. Hazards
Whilst these tools are very useful to share information quickly with other people, there are some hazards to be aware of:
• The information in most cases is shared in the public domain and can be viewed by anyone in the world. You do not even need to register in many cases to view the content. Registering is only required should you wish to participate and post to the site.
• Groups on specific themes can set up easily and posts then edited by the owners of that group to reflect their single interest, ensuring theirs is the only voice heard. There is no guarantee of truth and ill-informed comment and is as likely to be found there as useful information.
• The nature of these tools is that information is shared immediately, and it is very easy to respond instantaneously resoling in unintentionally inflaming a situation. Information can then be shared with other sites and be spread far beyond the intended audience. Friends of Friends may not be our Friends.
It is also very easy to spend excess time viewing and responding to messages that outweigh any value in the first place.
4. Purpose of the Policy
Social media provides the Parish Council with the opportunity to communicate to a wide audience instantaneously on a range of subjects relating to its activities, providing updates, news, information and re-tweeting relevant information from other sources. It also provides an opportunity to communicate with younger age groups, the business community and hopefully the harder to reach groups.
The Parish Council will make use of approved social media tools to quickly disseminate information but carefully control its use in order to minimise the risks as stated above. In the first instance this will include Facebook.
5. Aims and Objectives
Social media can be used by the Parish Council as an effective and measurable way to achieve resident engagement and attract publicity.
The aim of this Policy is to ensure:
• Engagement with individuals and communities and successful promotion of Parish Council-based services using social media
• A consistent approach is adopted and maintained in the use of social media
• That all Parish Council information remains secure and is not compromised through the use of social media
• That users operate within existing policies, guidelines and relevant legislation
• That the Parish Council’s reputation is upheld and improved rather than adversely affected
• That communication by use of social media is effective, timely, appropriate and useful ensuring the Parish council engages with a wider audience and utilises cross-promotion of other Council communication tools (e.g. Website and linking Facebook etc.)
Social media activity isn’t something that stands alone, to be effective it needs to integrate as part of the general communications mix. Any planned campaigns, promotions and activities can be plugged in to social media platforms to increase reach and exposure. Please refer to the Parish Council’s Communications Policy for further information.
6. Policy Statement
It is acknowledged that there is considerable potential for using social media which can provide significant advantages. The responsible, corporate use of social media is actively encouraged. The following applies equally to the Parish Clerk and Members.
This policy provides a structured approach to using social media and will ensure that it is effective, lawful and does not compromise Parish Council information or computer systems / networks.
All users must ensure that they use social media sensibly and responsibly, and ensure that its use will not adversely affect the council or its business, nor be damaging to the Parish Council's reputation and credibility or otherwise violate any Parish Council policies.
The following guidelines will apply to online participation and set out the standards of behaviour expected as a representative of Anwick Parish Council:
• Be aware of and recognise your responsibilities identified in the Social Media Policy.
• Remember that you are personally responsible for the content you publish on any form of social media.
• Never give out personal details of others such as home address and telephone numbers.
• Ensure that you handle any personal or sensitive information in line with the Data Protection Act
• Use a disclaimer. When using social media for personal purposes, you must not imply you are speaking for or on behalf of the Parish Council.
• Do not use the Parish Council e-mail address, logos or any other Parish Council identification
• Make it clear that what you say is representative of your personal views only.
• Where possible, you should include the Parish Council’s adopted disclaimer: "Statements and opinions here are my own and don't necessarily represent Anwick Parish Council's policies or opinions".
• Know your obligations; You must comply with other Parish Council policies when using social media (e.g. do not breach Parish Council confidentiality).
• Show respect to all.
• Derogatory comments are always wrong.
• Use of the Parish Council’s Facebook accounts must always accurately reflect the Council’s position / decisions on any matter and in no circumstances must it be used to convey personal opinion.
• If unsure, say nothing and seek clarification from the Parish Clerk.
Elected Members (Councillors) are at liberty to set up accounts using any of the tools available but should ensure they are clearly identified as personal and do not in any way imply that they reflect the Parish Council’s view. Councillors should always present a professional image and not disclose anything of a confidential nature. Comments of a derogatory, proprietary or libellous nature should not be made and care should be taken to avoid guesswork, exaggeration and colourful language.
7. Responsibilities
The Parish Clerk is the designated ‘Council’ owner of the Council Facebook page and any other Social Media channels agreed by the Council.
Councillors may be officially appointed from time to time by the Council to assist the Parish Clerk to disseminate information on the Parish Council’s Facebook feed during busy times or when the Clerk is absent. However, all must ensure they follow this policy. No account details may be changed without the permission of the Parish Clerk.
The Parish Clerk is permitted to operate a Facebook page but must adhere to this policy and ensure the ‘personal view’ disclaimer is used.
Individual Councillors are at liberty to set up their own accounts, but they should ensure they comply with this policy and ensure the ‘personal view’ disclaimer is used.
8. Guidance for Councillors - social media and meetings
The Parish Council encourages Councillors to keep residents informed of issues within the parish covered by Anwick Parish Council and the use of social media can help with this, especially during official Council meetings.
Below are some extra guidelines for Councillors to consider for the use of social media during meetings:
• Handheld devices and laptops are permitted for use during meetings to allow environmentally friendly and effective communication. The use of such devices is intended to improve communication during meetings and must not interrupt or distract anyone taking part. Please ensure the volume on all electronic devices is turned to 'mute'.
• Councillor’s tweets / blogs during Council meetings should refer to the discussions which are taking place at the meeting; Tweeting / blogging about other subjects will show the public and other attendees at the meeting that you are not engaging properly in the meeting.
• Councillors have a responsibility to take council business seriously and it is not appropriate for members to use social media to tease or insult other members. Parish residents expect debate and to be informed about council business, not witness petty arguments.
• Remember that if you break the law using social media (for example by posing something defamatory), you will be personally responsible.
9. Facebook Strategy
Social networks are rapidly growing in popularity and are used by all ages in society. The most popular social networks are web-based, include sites like Facebook / Twitter.
For individuals, social networking sites provide tremendous opportunities for staying in touch with friends and family. Such web sites provide a modern alternative means to communicate with residents of the Parish for the Parish Council.
Facebook offers a rich platform allowing you to share unlimited content, including images and videos.
• Create surveys to encourage participation from visitors
• Upload images and videos
• Generic news – what’s happening in the area
One of the hallmarks of online networks is the ability to “friend” others – creating a group of others that share interests and personal news. Care should be exercised when accepting invitations to friend others within personal social networking sites.
Good practice guidelines for the use of Facebook by the Parish Council as a body or Councillors as individuals are:
• As a Parish Council, elected Members and the clerk have a corporate professional image to uphold and how we individually conduct ourselves online impacts this image.
• Remember that people classified as “friends” have the ability to download and share your information with others.
• Post only what you want the world to see.
• Do not disclose confidential matters or criticise Parish Council policies or personnel.
• Select and establish your profile’s security and privacy settings carefully. At a minimum, all privacy settings should be set to “only friends”. “Friends of friends” and “Networks and Friends” open the content to a large group of unknown people.
• All activity on the Parish Council Facebook page must follow the Parish Council’s agreed statement of purpose and outcomes for the use of the networking tool.
• Do not post images that include young people without parental permission.
• Pay close attention to the site's security settings and allow only approved personnel full access to the site.
• Only add statements approved by either Full Council, the Chairman or the Parish Clerk.
• Do not use commentary deemed to be defamatory, obscene, proprietary, or libellous at any me (even in a humorous or anecdotal manner).
• Exercise caution with regards to exaggeration, colourful language, guesswork, obscenity, copyrighted materials, legal conclusions, and derogatory remarks or characterisations.
• Keep the content valuable!
11. Other Social Media
At this stage it is not intended to use any other forms of social media for official use by Anwick Parish Council.
Councillors are entitled to use any form of social media they wish to but must abide by this policy when so doing.
Signed Dated
Version 2 September 2026