BB&K In The News

BB&K Partner John Brown explores how social media provides both beneficial opportunities and increased challenges for government agencies who use them.

By: John Brown

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the invention of the World Wide Web, and local governments are looking to leverage widespread use of social media to better reach constituents, promote civic engagement, increase safety, and solicit citizen feedback. Social media methods that increase opportunities for online interaction among users provide greater potential for improving government. However, they also pose greater risks and challenges to regulate.

Browsing the Internet has become a daily activity for most of the world, and using social media is the most popular online activity with an estimated 22 percent of all Internet activity being attributed to sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest.

The Pew Research Center’s Internet Project found that 73 percent of online adults were using at least one social networking site in 2013. This number has been on the rise since social media became a dominant force when Facebook launched in 2004. While Facebook is still the leading platform, the social media presence of the average user is diversifying. Forty-two percent of online adults are now on multiple networking sites, and the majority check their profiles at least once a day.

A 2013 study by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) estimates that 84 percent of local governments have a social media presence. The specific uses of social media by local governments are widespread, but generally fall into three categories: information, consultation or deliberation. The information approach allows governments to provide one-way communication from the agency to the public. Consultation-based social media solicits feedback from the public and gives the entity an opportunity to respond. Finally, the deliberation approach allows the public to interact online and share views, ideas and recommendations for the public agency.

The beneficial uses of social media for government entities are vast. The use of this technology in recent years has led to increased transparency from the online posting of meeting agendas and minutes, improved citizen safety from natural disaster notification systems and police department crime feeds, heightened civic engagement from new forms of publicizing events and soliciting feedback, increased government efficiency and decreased public agency costs.

In January 2014, Congressman Paul Cook of Apple Valley hosted a Twitter Town Hall to engage and connect with constituents in California’s 8th congressional district. Citizens were encouraged to ask questions and share opinions using the hashtag “#AskCook.” Uses of social media like this allow public officials to engage with new constituencies and provide an instant channel between local residents and the government.

The City of Oakland recently found another use for Twitter in government. Oakland has taken to blasting its thousands of Twitter followers with real-time crime updates. Twitter posts advise citizens of areas with active criminal activity and solicit citizen assistance to apprehend suspects. Citizens enjoy the opportunity to write back with questions or concerns and have even helped dispense justice by reporting suspects who matched descriptions tweeted by the Oakland Police Department.

Boston has launched one of the most proactive uses of social media to date with its mobile app, Citizens Connect. The app is a web-based companion to the city’s existing 311 reporting hotline. Citizens Connect allows users to upload photographs of problems, such as potholes or downed power lines, so the city can act promptly to correct the issues. The app was also designed to increase civic engagement and transparency by providing online forums and easily accessible city reports. Boston is currently developing another app called “Where’s My School Bus,” which aims to connect parents with public schools to foster trust between them.

Special districts have also taken to social media to inform customers and stakeholders about news, events and conservation initiatives. Hi-Desert Water District uses Facebook and Twitter to publicize meetings, answer questions about the pending sewer project in the area, notify citizens about interruptions in water service and share tips for conservation.

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) has used “Elsinore Eddie,” the mascot for the district’s water conservation campaign, to connect with citizens. Eddie is on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posting regularly about water system repairs, tips for cutting water costs and conservation ideas. Residents in EVMWD’s 96-square mile service area were enticed to “friend” or “follow” Eddie with the promise of a new low-flow showerhead in return. These social media efforts have helped EVMWD achieve a 15 percent reduction in water consumption by customers.

While the advantages of social media use are numerous, use is not without downsides and legal risks. The posting of meeting information and hosting of online citizen forums with elected officials can increase transparency, but it can also put governments at risk for violation of open meeting laws. Providing an avenue for citizens to share concerns online can pave the way for increased activism, but can also open a public entity to First Amendment concerns in deciding how to regulate and police its forums. The mass creation of digital archives through social media platforms can create a helpful paper trail, but also raises complicated issues related to privacy and public records disclosure.

If public entities wish to use social media to interface with citizens, they should exercise care to ensure that a proper social media policy is in place. The Center for Technology in Government recently reviewed government social media policies and identified eight essential elements that every government entity should address in its policy. According to the center, each policy should include specifics regarding:

1. Employee access to social media sites
2. Management and maintenance of content
3. Acceptable use
4. Employee conduct on social media
5. Content  
6. Security
7. Legal issues related to social media, including freedom of speech, freedom of information, public disclosure, equal accessibility, copyright protection and privacy
8. Citizen conduct permitted on the sites

The creation and continued attention to a policy that includes these elements will help mitigate risks and reduce liability for government entities embracing social media.

While the use of social media by governments is on the rise, the specific ramifications of its use are still being weighed. Entities looking to expand their use of social media should not only have a policy in place but should also carefully monitor the feedback and interaction with constituents to ensure that the intended result is, in fact, being met.