City of Sandy Springs’ Social Media Policy

Social media platforms are essential tools for the City of Sandy Springs (the City) to engage with the public, share information, and promote transparency. However, managing interactions on these platforms requires a balanced approach to encourage open dialogue while ensuring a respectful and safe environment. This Policy establishes guidelines for members of the public when posting comments, content, or engaging with the City's official social media platforms.

The aim of this policy is to promote respectful, informative, and constructive conversations on the City’s social media channels, while encouraging participation from citizens, businesses, community partners, and visitors. Although the City encourages engagement, all City social media pages are monitored by City Staff and are moderated online discussion forums and not intended as a traditional public or limited-purpose public forums. By participating in these spaces, you agree to adhere to these rules. The goal is to create a community that values transparency, respect, and safety for all participants.

The City has a primary interest in protecting the content it shares on these platforms to ensure it is beneficial and safe for the public. While the public’s submissions will not be edited by City personnel, the City reserves the right to remove from public view at any time, as well as to disallow or revoke posting privileges of commenters/posters who repeatedly post on any City social media platform, those submissions which include the content described as prohibitive according to this policy.

Definitions:  

1. City of Sandy Springs Social Media Site(s)/Platforms means sites established and maintained by the City in which the City has control over the content posed on the site, except for the advertisements, content, or hyperlinks placed by the third-party platforms owners’ vendors or partners, and or their own policies. The City’s official websites are not considered social medial sites.
2. Social media means content created on internet platforms by individuals, business agencies or other entities using accessible, expandable, upgradable technology on the internet. Examples of social media include but are not limited to Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Threads, Blogs, and RSS.

Terms and Conditions: 

1. Members of the public accessing or posting to a City of Sandy Springs social media site are hereby notified that any articles, comments, and any other content posted or submitted for posting may be subject to the Open Records Act. C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq. The City archives content in real time to comply with the act. Comments that are made and deleted by the City or the user will be archived, creating a record of communication.
2. The City reserves the right to change, modify, or amend all or part of this Policy at any time, with or without notice, and to do so in its sole discretion.
3. All postings or content made to the City of Sandy Springs’ social media sites are subject to moderation by the City.
4. The City of Sandy Springs will not delete nor edit comments. However, the City reserves the right to remove by hiding the following prohibited content and any other content deemed by the City of Sandy Springs, in its sole discretion, to be in violation of this Policy or any applicable law:
   • Comments unrelated to the purpose and topical scope of the page. The page is not intended for comments that do not relate to the purpose or topical scope of the page; 
   • contains obscenity or pornography;
   • contains personal identifying information or sensitive personal information;
   • incites or promotes imminent violence or illegal activities;
   • contains information presenting a grave and immediate threat to public safety or property or that may imperil an ongoing criminal investigation;
   • threats against other persons;
   • advertises or promotes a commercial product or service, or any entity or individual
   • promotes or endorses political campaigns or candidates;
   • solicitations to commit, or speech integral to, criminal conduct; or
   • spam or links to other sites
5. The City of Sandy Springs reserves the right to the extent, scope, time, and manner of its moderation Policy and activity. Typically, no City of Sandy Springs social media site will be monitored or moderated on legal holidays or outside the City’s normal hours of business operations.
6. The City of Sandy Springs’ social media sites cannot be used for reporting crime, hazards, or repairs, or to make formal complaints or claims against the City. As noted above, among other reasons, City social media pages are not monitored 24/7. If you have an emergency or need police or fire assistance, please call 911 immediately. Do not use any City of Sandy Springs social media sites or accounts to report a crime, fire, or other emergency.
   • All non-emergency contacts should be directed to the appropriate department by using the City’s 24/7 Call Center at 770-730-5600