RESO 25-044 - Adopting Social Media PolicyRESOLUTION NO. 25-044
RESOLUTION FOR ADOPTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
WHEREAS, the City of Golden Valley is committed to providing accurate, consistent,
and timely information to the public and encouraging public involvement, interaction, and
feedback; and
WHEREAS, the City of Golden Valley recognizes social media as a useful
communication tool to engage with the public, promote transparency, and share timely
information about City services, programs, and initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the use of official City social media accounts must reflect the
City’s values, maintain professionalism, and comply with applicable laws including,
but not limited to, public records laws, First Amendment protections, and rules
governing employee conduct; and
WHEREAS, the City of Golden Valley recognizes the need to establish a uniform
Social Media Policy to govern the use, management, and oversight of official City social
media platforms and accounts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council for the City of Golden
Valley adopts the Social Media Policy attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Adopted by the City Council of Golden Valley, Minnesota this 20th day of May 2025.
Roslyn Harmon, Mayor
ATTEST:
Theresa Schyma, City Clerk
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O FFICIAL C ITY P OLICY
C ITY OF G OLDEN V ALLEY
General Information
Policy Title: Social Media Policy Department: Communications
Policy Owner (job title): Communications Director Policy ID: 25-XXX
Council Approval Date: Resolution Number: 25-XXXX
Effective Date: ☒New ☐ Updated
Policy Overview
Policy Description:
This policy governs the administratfon and use of City-sponsored social media accounts.
Purpose & Scope:
Purpose
The City of Golden Valley (the “City”) wishes to establish a positfve and informatfve social media presence. Social
networking in government serves two primary functfons: to communicate and deliver messages directly to members
of the public and to encourage public involvement, interactfon, and feedback. Informatfon distributed via social
networking must be accurate, consistent, tfmely, and meet the needs of the City’s intended audience. Social media is
used for social networking, and this policy seeks to ensure proper administratfon of the City’s social media sites by its
representatfves.
Scope
This policy applies to any existfng or proposed social media websites sponsored, established, registered, or authorized
by the City and any of its Departments or Divisions. The City’s social media accounts are exclusively those accounts
listed in the official City of Golden Valley Social Media inventory maintained by and on-file with the City’s
Communicatfons Department.
The City does not create, collect, disseminate, or regulate use of any other social media accounts, including the
personal accounts of its elected officials and staff. City staff should consult the Social Media Use Policy in the Employee
Handbook for additfonal informatfon regarding personal communicatfons through social media. This Policy does not
apply to undercover social media accounts established by GVPD to gather intelligence, investfgate crimes, or monitor
online actfvity for authorized and legal public safety purposes. The operatfon of those accounts is governed by state
law and GVPD department policies and procedures.
Questfons regarding the scope of this policy should be directed to the Communicatfons Director.
Definitions:
•Social Media Accounts are internet and mobile-based applicatfons, websites, and functfons, other than email, for
sharing and discussing informatfon, where users can post photos, video, comments, and links to other
informatfon to create content on any imaginable topic. This may be referred to as “user-generated content” or
“consumer-generated media.” Social media includes, but is not limited to:
▪social networking sites and apps such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Nextdoor
▪blogs
▪social news sites such as Reddit and Buzzfeed
▪video and photo sharing sites and apps such as YouTube, Instagram, SnapChat, and Flickr
▪Wikis, or shared encyclopedias, such as Wikipedia
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▪an ever-emerging list of new web-based platiorms generally regarded as social media or having many of
the same functfons as those listed above.
•City Representatives means all City employees and agents, including its employees and other agents of the City,
such as independent contractors or elected officials.
•Social Media Manager means any City employee or agent with administrator access who, when postfng or
responding to a post, appears to be the City social media account owner.
Related Documents, Materials & Resources:
•Golden Valley Employee Handbook
Policy
Overview
City Representatfves have the responsibility to use the City’s Social Media Accounts in an efficient, effectfve, ethical, and
lawful manner pursuant to all existfng City policies, including this policy and the Social Media Use Policy in the Employee
Handbook. The City will determine, at its discretfon, how its Social Media Accounts will be designed, implemented, and
managed as part of its overall communicatfon and informatfon sharing strategy.
The City’s Social Media Accounts are considered a City asset, and administrator access to these accounts will be securely
administered in accordance with the City’s Computer Use Policy. The City reserves the right to shut down any of its Social
Media Accounts for any reason without notfce. The City does not create or maintain Social Media Accounts for its elected
officials.
The City has limited control of Social Media Accounts on third-party platiorms (ie, Facebook, Twitter, etc). At the same
tfme, there is a general expectatfon by the public that the City have a social media presence to share informatfon about
current City projects and City business. The City’s Social Media Accounts will be used for incidental, non-vital
communicatfon and general informatfon only. It is not the purpose of the City’s Social Media Accounts to be a medium
for transactfons of City business. The City Manager may authorize exceptfons to this general rule, for example in the case
of a natural or man-made disaster, if it is determined by the City that the best means of communicatfng with the public is
through the social media account(s).
Rules of Use
1.City Social Media Managers are responsible for managing City Social Media Accounts. No City Representatfves
other than Social Media Managers may post to or manage City Social Media Accounts.
2.All City Social Media Accounts must be approved by the City Manager to ensure Social Media Accounts are kept to
a sustainable number and policies are followed. Facilitfes or departments wishing to establish a new Social Media
Account must submit a request to the Communicatfons Department, which will process the request and make a
recommendatfon to the City Manager. No City Representatfve may establish Social Media Accounts or websites on
behalf of the City unless authorized in accordance with this policy.
3.All approved Social Media Accounts shall be clearly marked as the City of Golden Valley account and will be linked
with the official City website (www.goldenvalleymn.gov).
4.All approved Social Media Accounts must conspicuously display or link to a public notfce that informs the public of
the purpose of the social media presence and the terms one agrees to in accessing, using, or postfng to the City’s
social media page.
5.Administratfon of all City Social Media Accounts shall comply with applicable laws, regulatfons, and policies as well
as proper business etfquette.
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6.Social Media Managers shall not use City Social Media Accounts covered by this policy for private or personal
purposes or for the purpose of expressing private or personal views on personal, politfcal, or policy issues or to
express personal views or concerns pertaining to City employment relatfons matters.
7.No City Social Media Account may be used by the City or any Social Media Manager to disclose private, non-public,
or confidentfal informatfon. No Social Media Account may be used to disclose sensitfve informatfon. If there is any
questfon as to whether informatfon is private, non-public, confidentfal, or sensitfve, contact the Deputy City
Clerk/Data Practfces Compliance Official.
8.No City Social Media Account may use or transmit any documents, images, software, or other informatfon
protected by a copyright owned by an individual or entfty other than the City without proper authorizatfon from
the copyright owner.
9.Outside of emergencies, disasters, or other circumstances authorized by the City Manager, no City Social Media
Account may be used for transactfons of City business. In the event a user initfates a request, applicatfon, or
questfon through social media that affects City business or requires another City policy or process to be followed,
the Social Media Manager may follow up with that user by phone, email, or other channels. If comments are
allowed, in the event of a questfon of general interest, a response may be given in comments, the initfal post may
be edited, or a subsequent post may be created to include the informatfon.
10.Social Media Managers may not edit or delete any posted comments without approval from the Communicatfons
Director or City Manager. Comments posted by members of the public may be removed only if they fall into at
least one of the following categories:
•obscene or pornographic content
•direct threats to persons or property
•material asserted to violate the intellectual property of another person
•private, personal informatfon about a person published without his/her consent
•informatfon that compromises a public safety security system
•statutorily private, confidentfal, or nonpublic data
•commercial promotfons or spam
•hyperlinks to material that fall into one of the foregoing categories
A member of the public whose comment is removed may appeal the removal of the comment and seek
reconsideratfon of its removal by contactfng the City in writfng and explaining how the comment does not fall into
one of the categories for removal. A written response should be provided as soon as reasonably possible.
11.The Communicatfons Department shall provide training, directfon, and support to City Social Media Managers
regarding the management of City Social Media Accounts and interpretatfon of this Policy.
A member of the public who disputes the legality of any portfon of this policy may dispute the partfcular portfon in
writfng. The City will acknowledge the claim promptly and, after consultatfon with the City Attorney, respond to the claim
concerning the legality of the policy portfon as soon as reasonably possible.
Data Ownership and Retentfon
All communicatfons or messages within the City’s Social Media Accounts, whether composed, sent, or received on City or
personal equipment, are the property of the City and subject to the Minnesota Government Data Practfces Act. This law
classifies certain informatfon as available to the public upon request. As no transactfons of City business shall be
conducted through social media accounts, in accordance with the City’s records retentfon schedule, the City shall retain
all social media messages only untfl read.
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