New rules may be on the way for city council’s social media activities ahead of the next election.
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, council launched a review of its code of conduct regarding social media use, with specific attention paid to identifying personal accounts and accounts used to conduct city business.
“I think that ethics, integrity and accessibility of communications with residents are always important, whether we’re using personal accounts or corporate accounts,” said Coun. Erin Caton, who brought the idea forward.
“Having standards that include social media use for behaviour and proper training on accessibility ensures that we’re doing the best possible for all residents who rely on us to provide information where they are and how they need it.”
Those policy reviews, along with recommendations, are slated to be presented to council as part of the governance review expected in 2025.
A third clause in Caton’s motion directs the city’s manager of corporate communications to offer social media training for council members, including details about accessibility standards and guidelines.
Though unanimously approved, the motion didn’t escape Tuesday’s meeting unscathed. Coun. Dan Gibson questioned what a corporate social media account is.
“I’m not aware of anybody on council that has a corporate social media account,” he said.
In response, Caton explained all their current accounts are private accounts, as there is no policy in place right now.
“It’s kind of a grey area,” Caton said, noting the definition of a corporate account will be a key aspect of any potential policy changes.
Mayor Cam Guthrie urged staff to consider policies in place in Toronto, where candidates for council are required to identify their accounts when they register and must make it clear to followers those accounts aren’t directly connected to the municipality.
“You can use it for election reasons, but you must identify it as separate,” Guthrie said. “To me, that makes … sense to make sure that everyone is playing by those same rules.”
