Purpose. The Borough of Dumont ("Borough") has a compelling interest
in monitoring and regulating what is presented/disseminated on its
behalf on social media sites and through its public outreach tools.
This policy sets forth guidelines for the creation and use of all
social media sites by Borough entities, employees and volunteers that
wish to convey or disseminate Borough-related information to its residents,
employees and visitors.
Shall refer to boards, commissions, committees, departments
and any other group organized or created by the Borough or reporting
to it. For purposes of this policy, "Borough entity" shall include
all municipal agencies and departments as well as any affiliated government
or nongovernment agency, commission, council, club, or organization
(including their members and representatives) who are permitted by
the Borough to post on the Borough's social media sites.
Shall refer to comments, information, articles, pictures,
photos and other images. Content on Borough-created social media sites
may only be posted by duly authorized personnel.
Is understood to be content created by individuals using
accessible, expandable, and upgradable publishing technologies, through
and on the internet. Examples of social media sites shall include
but not be limited to Facebook, TikTok, You Tube, Twitter, LinkedIn®, Flickr, Snapchat, Instagram, and discussion
blogs and forums such as Reddit, and shall extend to and include all
future forms of social media.
This policy shall apply to Borough entities (defined above), including
volunteers and employees who are members of those entities acting
in their capacity as members.
This policy does not apply to social media sites unaffiliated with
the Borough, which are created for personal and/or commercial use
by individuals for purposes other than to convey or disseminate Borough-related
information to the Borough's residents, employees and visitors.
General policy. Social media sites may be created and/or used by
Borough entities, employees and volunteers so long as their creation
and/or use conforms to the requirements listed herein:
Any Borough entity, employee or volunteer that receives permission
from the Borough Administrator to create or use social media shall
clearly state that it is authorized to do so by the Borough and that
it follows this Social Media Policy.
Social media shall be used solely to convey information about the
entity posting it. No personal information or personal opinions shall
be posted by the entity, employee or volunteer.
The Borough website at www.DumontNJ.gov will remain the Borough's
primary and predominant internet presence. This Social Media Policy
shall be posted on the Borough website.
All social media sites created or used by Borough entities authorized
to do so shall have a hyperlink to this Social Media Policy on the
Borough website.
Where appropriate, the social media sites created/used by Borough
entities shall link back to the official Borough website for forms,
documents, online services and other information necessary to conduct
business within the Borough.
Borough entities shall not use social media to make any official
Borough communications to the public other than those specifically
referencing the activities of that entity. Accuracy of information
is of vital importance and must be considered a priority when posting.
The Borough's social media sites are not to be used for making
any official communications to the Borough. Examples of official communications
include the reporting of crimes or misconduct, reporting of dangerous
conditions, requests of inspections, and providing notice required
by any statute, ordinance or regulations. Prominent notice of this
section shall be displayed on every Borough social media site, along
with the appropriate contact information for submitting official communications.
The use of social media by Borough entities may be monitored
by the Borough Administrator or other individual so designated by
the Borough Administrator to ensure adherence to both this Social
Media Policy and the interests and goals of the Borough.
The Borough has the right to and will restrict or remove any
content that it deems in violation of this Social Media Policy, any
applicable law or for any other reason it deems appropriate.
All Borough entities, employees and volunteers creating/using
social media sites are subject to all applicable federal and New Jersey
laws and regulations as well as applicable record retention requirements.
All Borough entities and their members as well as elected officials
representing the Borough's government via its/their social media
sites shall conduct themselves at all times as representatives of
the Borough and in accordance with all of its policies.
Borough employees and volunteers representing the Borough via
its social media sites shall conduct themselves at all times as a
representative of the Borough and in accordance with the Personnel
Policies and Procedures Manual.
Any Borough-affiliated social media sites created by a Borough
employee, Borough volunteer, Borough official and/or Borough entity
remains the property of the Borough, including all the followers and
friends generated by the site, and may be deleted by the Borough if
it deems it appropriate to do so.
All site names, passwords and/or access codes or information
or changes to these shall be filed with the Borough Administrator
and updated within two days of any change.
If the person who created the social media site leaves a Borough
entity, the passwords and/or access codes to the site shall be changed
and the new information filed with the Borough Administrator within
two days of the change.
Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination
on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, national
origin, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability
or any other protected characteristic.
Solicitation of commerce, including, but not limited to, advertising
of any business or product for sale with the exception of Borough-sponsored
events and/or items.
A comment posted by a member of the public on any Borough-entity-created
social media site is the opinion of the commenter or poster only,
and publication of a comment does not imply endorsement of or agreement
by the Borough, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions
or policies of the Borough. Such a comment may be removed if the Borough
deems it appropriate to do so.
In the event a Borough employee or volunteer responds to a comment
in his/her capacity as a Borough employee or volunteer, his/her name
and title shall be included in the response.
No Borough employee or volunteer shall share personal information
about himself/herself or other Borough employees or volunteers. No
Borough entity shall share personal information about any member of
the entity.
All content created by Borough on its own Facebook page is bound
by Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. The Borough
reserves the right to report any violation of Facebook's Statement
of Rights and Responsibilities to Facebook with the intent of Facebook
taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.
All Borough policies are applicable to interactions and postings
on social media sites when acting in an official capacity and representing
the Borough.
The Borough reserves the right to deny access to any social media
sites created/used by Borough entities to any individual who violates
the Borough's Social Media Policy at any time and without prior
notice.
Any attempt to hack or otherwise compromise the Borough's internet
or social media sites will be reported to law enforcement, and the
perpetrators will be denied access to the sites.
Internet postings on Borough social media sites that are deemed to
constitute a breach of this policy as determined by the Borough Administrator
shall be removed, subject to applicable archiving and retention requirements.
If a social media site is frequently in violation of this policy,
it shall be permanently deleted.
Any entity found by the Borough Administrator to have violated any
aspect of this policy shall be banned from having a presence on social
media for a period of time deemed appropriate by the Borough. Any
Borough employee or volunteer found by the Borough Administrator to
have violated any aspect of this policy shall be banned from having
a presence on social media for a period of time deemed appropriate
by the Borough. Appropriate discipline may follow.
No Borough entity shall operate a social media page that claims to
be an official page of the Borough without the permission of Borough
Council via an annual resolution. Any Borough entity that operates
a page that claims affiliation with the Borough without the express
permission from the Borough is violating this part and shall be subject
to a fine of $1,000 per day, 30 days following notice of violation
from the Borough.