Staff Report. Social Media Policy
PREPARED BY: Holly Young
Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager, Town Clerk, and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 10/04/2022 ITEM NO: 10
DATE: September 28, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt the Updated Town Social Media Policy as Recommended by the Policy
Committee
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the updated Town Social Media Policy as recommended by the Policy Committee.
BACKGROUND:
At its January 25, 2022 meeting, the Council Policy Committee added an update to the Town’s
Social Media Policy, including guidelines for Elected/Appointed Officials, to its workplan for
2022.
At its September 27, 2022 meeting, the Council Policy Committee unanimously agreed to
forward a recommendation to the Town Council to approve proposed updates to the Town
Social Media Policy (see Attachment 1).
The Town’s current Social Media Policy went into effect on September 2, 2015 (see Attachment
2). In the past seven years since this Policy went into effect, much has changed regarding Social
Media utilization and peer best practices. The Town’s use of social media has increased
substantially, social media platforms and government best practices have evolved, and
Assembly Bill 992 (AB 992) was passed in 2020 amending the Brown Act to provide social media
guidance for public officials.
The Social Media Policy is a public-facing document that is linked on Town social media
accounts. It works in tandem with Town staff administrative procedures and especially the
Town Communication Plan (Attachment 3).
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Social Media Policy Updates DATE: September 28, 2022
DISCUSSION:
As part of the update process, staff examined the Town’s current social media best practices,
consulted with the Town Attorney and the inter-Departmental Town Communication Team,
examined resources offered by staff membership in the Government Social Media Organization
(a professional association for public sector social media professionals), and reached out to
other communications professionals in municipalities throughout Santa Clara County. Attached
to this report are sample policies from Cupertino (Attachment 4), Los Altos (Attachment 5),
Monte Sereno (Attachment 6), Gilroy (Attachment 7), and Government Social Media
Organization (Attachment 8).
The proposed 2022 Social Media Policy in Attachment 1 provides substantial updates to the
existing policy based on current Town best practices and research into broader public sector
social media best practices.
Some internal guidance in the 2015 Social Media Policy is now captured in the Town
Communication Plan (e.g., staff procedures for opening a new Town social media account) and
has been removed from the proposed 2022 Policy.
An overview of the major proposed additions to the Policy is as follows:
• Adds definitions for the key terms in the Policy.
• Provides clear guidelines for content that is acceptable for posting on Town social media
accounts.
• Provides clear guidelines for content that shall not be permitted in connection with
Town social media accounts and is subject to removal.
• Adds guidance for Elected/Appointed Town officials who choose to use social media.
This includes important information regarding violations of the Brown Act consistent
with the update provided by AB 992 pertaining to public officials’ use of social media.
CONCLUSION:
In order to ensure the Policy remains current and relevant as social media utilization and
practices have changed and evolved, staff recommends that the Town Council adopt the
updated Social Media Policy in Attachment 1 as recommended by the Policy Committee.
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Social Media Policy Updates DATE: September 28, 2022
COORDINATION:
This report was coordinated with the Town Attorney, Town Manager’s Office, and
representatives across Town Departments through the inter-Departmental Communication
Team.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no associated fiscal impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. Proposed 2022 Social Media Policy
2. Current Social Media Policy
3. Town Communication Plan
4. Cupertino Social Media Policy
5. Los Altos Social Media Policy
6. Monte Sereno Social Media Policy
7. Gilroy Social Media Policy
8. Government Social Media Organization Social Media Policy