Spring Fire Department Social Media Guidelines PDF

# Fire Department / Harris County ESD No. 7 - Standard Operating Line ## SFD.079 - Social Media Management - Revision No.: 0 - Issue Date: 17 July 2024 - Review Date: 1 July 2025 - Effective Date: 17 July 2024 - Approved by: Scott C. Seifert - Reviewed by: Strategic Services ## 1. Executive Summary...

# Fire Department / Harris County ESD No. 7 - Standard Operating Line ## SFD.079 - Social Media Management - Revision No.: 0 - Issue Date: 17 July 2024 - Review Date: 1 July 2025 - Effective Date: 17 July 2024 - Approved by: Scott C. Seifert - Reviewed by: Strategic Services ## 1. Executive Summary - The Spring Fire Department commits to managing its social media platforms responsibly, in alignment with applicable law and guidelines. - **Procedures and Responsibilities:** The document encourages community engagement on social media with comments being relevant, lawful, and respectful. - **Prohibited Content:** Details categories of speech and content that are not protected and can be removed from Spring Fire social media channels. - **Prohibited Social Media:** Some social media services, such as TikTok, are prohibited on department devices by executive order. ## 2. Purpose - Spring Fire's social media channels exist to provide an information and education platform, connecting the community and their fire department. - The purpose of this guideline is to create a safe and effective environment for social media interactions. ## 3. Policy Statement - Spring Fire Department will responsibly manage its social media platforms, in alignment with this guideline and applicable laws. ## 4. Scope - This guideline applies to all members and social media activity at Spring Fire Department. ## 5. Definitions - See Glossary. ## 6. Procedures and Responsibilities - The Spring Fire Department welcomes and encourages community engagement on social media channels. - Comments should be relevant to the specific post and follow applicable state and federal laws as well as be respectful to others. - The document lists the First Amendment protections of the U.S. Constitution which include freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Some categories of speech are not protected, such as child pornography, defamatory speech, false advertising, fighting words, obscenity and true threats. Other federal and state laws protect certain personal information and copyrighted materials from being released by anyone other than the person who owns that information. ## 7. References & Related Policies | Applicable State or Federal Statutes | OSHA | Spring FD | |------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------| | NFPA | | | | TCFP | CPSE PI | | | ISO | | TFCA | | Texas Model Security Plan | | | | Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) | | | | Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 USC §552a | | | | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 42 USC §1320d-6 (HIPAA) | | | | Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule 15 U.S.C. §91 (COPPA) | | | | U.S. Constitution Amendment 1 | | | | Facebook Community Standards | | | | Instagram Community Guidelines | | | | Neighbors By Ring Community Guidelines | | | | Nextdoor Community Guidelines | | | | Pinterest Community Guidelines | | | | X Community Standards | | | | YouTube Community Guidelines | | | | Other: | | | - The social media service TikTok or any successor application or service developed or provided by ByteDance or an entity owned by ByteDance Limited, by executive order of the governor is prohibited on all department devices to include but not limited to: phones, laptops, desktops and iPads. ## 8. Contact Office - The appropriate contact office for questions or comments on this SOG is: *[Contact Office Redacted]* ## 9. List of Changes | Revision No. | Description of Changes | Approved by | Effective Date | |--------------|-----------------------|-------------|----------------| ## 10. Errors - See something wrong? Click here or use this QR code to submit an error or inconsistency: *[QR Code Data Redacted]* This policy is for internal use only and does not enlarge a member's legal duty or civil liability in any way. This policy should not be construed as creating a duty to act or a higher duty of care, with respect to third-party civil claims against members or the department. A violation of this policy, if proven, can only form the basis of a complaint by this department for non-judicial administrative action in accordance with the laws governing member discipline.