GAG 01-07 Social Media Policy.docx

**PURPOSE** To establish a policy on the appropriate use of social media. **SCOPE** This Policy applies to all KCFD personnel. **DEFINITION** The term "Social Media" includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the internet, including to your own or someo...

**PURPOSE** To establish a policy on the appropriate use of social media. **SCOPE** This Policy applies to all KCFD personnel. **DEFINITION** The term "Social Media" includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the internet, including to your own or someone else's web log or blog, journal or diary, personal website, social networking or affinity web site, web bulletin board or chat room, whether or not associated or affiliated with KCFD, as well as any other form of electronic communication. **GUIDELINE** 1\. The same principles and guidelines found in City and KCFD Rules, Regulations, Policies and Guidelines apply to the use of social media by personnel. Personnel are responsible for what they post online. Before creating online content, personnel should consider the risks and rewards that are involved. Conduct by personnel that adversely affects their job performance, the performance of fellow employees or otherwise adversely affects the mission of KCFD is prohibited. 2\. Personnel should consider whether their use of social media is consistent with City and KCFD Rules, Regulations, Policies and Guidelines. Inappropriate postings on social media that include offensive posts meant to intentionally harm someone's reputation, discriminatory remarks, harassment, threats of violence or posts that could contribute to a hostile work environment on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin or ancestry, disability, age or sexual orientation are prohibited. 3\. Personnel are prohibited from using social media to disclose individually identifiable patient information of KCFD patients in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). 4\. Personnel are prohibited from creating a link from their blog, website or other social networking site to a KCFD website without identifying themselves as a KCFD employee. Personnel are prohibited from falsely representing themselves as a spokesperson for KCFD. If personnel publish a blog or post related to the KCFD duties of such personnel, then such personnel must make it clear that they are not speaking on behalf of KCFD with a disclaimer such as "The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of KCFD." 5\. Personnel are allowed to access social media but are prohibited from posting (or commenting) on City Operations from their blog, website, or other social networking site while on duty or on City owned equipment or from using City email addresses to register on social media networks. The fire chief may allow certain social media postings of work-related information while on duty. For example, nothing in this guideline is intended to limit the use of officially identified social media accounts such as \@kcfirefighters etc...