09/11/2017 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Agenda Packet

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Town of Mashpee Board of Selectmen, Policy 074 Social Media Policy I, PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of this policy is to provide notice to Town Officials and/or Employees (as hereinafter defined) of the Town of Mashpee (the "Town") that their use of social media must conform to this policy and the law. This policy is designed to promote and govern the professional and personal 'use of social media in a responsible manner and to avoid uses that can: (1) breach confidentiality by revealing protected information about the Town, its citizens, or its Officials and/or Employees; (2)expose the Town to legal liability for Employer or Employee behavior that may be harassing, offensive, or maliciously false; or (3) interfere with prod uctivity'and/or ability to perform the duties and responsibilities as Officials and/or Employees of the Town. This policy further provides guidance and direction to all Town Officials and/or Employees with respect to the use of the Internet, the World Wide Web, and social media as a medium of communication that impacts the morale and operational efficiency of the Town. This guidance is intended to clarify the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate use of social media in a way that helps protect appointed and elected Town Officials and Employees' careers and the Town's reputation. Nothing in this policy is intended to unlawfully restrict an Employee's right to discuss as a private citizen a matter of public concern or engage in concerned activity with co-workers. H. POLICY The proper functioning of any Town and its organizational effectiveness and operational efficiency depends upon the public's confidence and trust in individual Town Officials and/or Employees, as a whole to carry out the Town's mission and to protect its core values.Any matter which brings discredit to Town Officials and/or Employees has the corresponding effect of reducing public confidence and'trust in the Town itself,thus impeding the ability of Town Officials and/or Employees to serve the public. Professionalism is a significant factor in high level performance which in turn builds the public's confidence and trust. Additionally, when citizens call upon the Town for assistance, they should expect that Town Officials and/or Employees will keep certain details of their private lives and affairs confidential, and not release that information except,as may be permitted or required bylaw. It is the policy of the Town to respect the Constitution and statutory rights of all Town Officials and/or Employees. While all Town Officials and/or Employees have the right-to use personal social networking pages or sites, public servants are held to a higher standard than the general public with regard to standards of conduct and ethics.