(A) Discussion, debate and sharing one's opinion occur in many forms and forums including online conversations. Social media is defined as media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Examples include, but are not limited to, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and MySpace.
(B) Given the growing popularity of online media, Lake County Government has developed a series of guidelines to assist its employees when engaging in such forums and discussions. The guidelines are intended to assist employees both when participating personally, as well as when acting on behalf of the County.
(1) Protect Confidential and Proprietary Information: Do not post confidential or proprietary information about the organization, clients or vendors. Never violate federal law such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Employees who share confidential information do so at the risk of disciplinary action or termination.
(2) Respect Copyright and Fair Use: When posting, be mindful of the copyright and intellectual property rights of others.
(3) Don't Use Organization Logos: Do not use Lake County logos or any other images or iconography on personal social media sites. Do not use the County's name to promote a product, cause, or political candidate.
(4) Respect Time and Property: The County's computers and time on the job are reserved for work-related business.
(5) Think Twice Before Posting: Privacy does not exist in the world of social media. Consider what could happen if a post becomes widely known. Search engines can turn up posts years after they are created, and comments can be forwarded or copied. Exercise sound judgment and common sense, and if there is any doubt, DO NOT POST IT.
(6) Strive for Accuracy: Get the facts straight before posting them on social media. Review content for grammatical and spelling errors.
(7) Be Respectful: Understand that content contributed to a social media site could encourage comments or discussion of opposing ideas. Responses should be considered carefully in light of how they would reflect on the poster and/or the organization.
(8) Personal Sites: Identify views as personal and employees should refrain from identifying themselves as an employee of Lake County.
(9) Photography: Photographs posted on social media sites easily can be appropriated by others.
(10) Know that the Internet is Permanent: Once information is published online, it is essentially part of a permanent record, even if that information is “removed/deleted” later or an attempt is made to make it anonymous. If a complete thought, along with its context, cannot be squeezed into a character restricted space (such as Twitter), provide a link to an online space where the message can be expressed completely and accurately.