Website Content and Social Media Policies

City Website Content and External Links

 Staff is hereby directed to include the following provisions of this policy on the City website. If you have questions about the following policies please email the City’s web team at webmaster@cityofclovis.org.

1. Purpose

It is the purpose of the Clovis City Government website to provide accurate content that will inform Clovis citizens about City of Clovis services, operations, projects, and special events, and provide information pertaining to City officials and personnel. In addition, the website should be used to facilitate the delivery of services provided by the City of Clovis to its citizens and other customers.

2. Website Disclaimer

The City of Clovis website is maintained to provide information to the public. Information found on the City’s website has been compiled from a variety of sources, and is subject to change at any time and without notice from the City of Clovis. While every effort is made to keep such information accurate and up to date, the City of Clovis assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies. The City’s Web Team is responsible for the management and oversight of the City of Clovis website. Questions or comments concerning information contained in the City of Clovis website should be directed to webmaster@cityofclovis.org. Comments about the City’s website are welcome from any source and are always appreciated.

By using the City of Clovis website, the user assumes all risks associated with its use, including but not limited to the risk of damage to computer, software, or data by any virus, program, or file, which might be transmitted through the Internet. Under no circumstances shall the City of Clovis be liable for any damages resulting from the use of the City of Clovis website or any external link. Any potential lawsuit or dispute shall be filed in Curry County, New Mexico.

The opinions expressed in any linked websites are not those of the City of Clovis, and any questions on other websites should be addressed to the entity sponsoring such site.

3. Privacy

A computer communicates with the City of Clovis’ website using a particular Internet Protocol address (IP). Like most sites, the City of Clovis can track the user’s IP address when visiting the site. The IP address allows the City of

Clovis to track for each user, information such as the IP address, the browser type, and the identity of the user’s Internet service provider: however, the IP address does not provide any personally identifiable information and allows the user to remain anonymous. This information helps the City to improve site navigation and to make improvements to the City’s website and content.

To the extent that the City website contains or may in the future contain online registration forms for special activities or other services, an applicant may be asked during the application process for name, address, e-mail address, phone number, birth date, or other general or special purpose information needed to complete registration for the specific activity or service.

To the extent that the City website contains or may in the future contain online volunteer or employment application forms, an applicant may be asked during  the application process to provide name, address, e-mail address, phone number, driver’s license number, occupations, work experiences, employment history, education level, and/or references.

To the extent that the City website contains or may in the future contain online payment services, the City of Clovis will collect personal information, such as name, postal address, e-mail address and credit card number should you decide to use an online payment service.

4. Permitted External Links

The City of Clovis website contains links to other websites as a convenience to the public and does not constitute an endorsement. The City of Clovis is not responsible for information contained on sites linked from any City of Clovis page and has not reviewed such for accuracy or legal sufficiency.

The City of Clovis permits the establishment of links to external websites on the City’s official website solely in conformance with this policy. In the establishment and maintenance of its official website, the City does not intend in any manner to create a forum or other means by which public disclosure, exchange of opinions, or discussion on issues of any nature may occur. Rather, the sole and limited purpose of this City’s website and permitted external links is to provide non-political and/or non-religious information of a factual nature about the City of Clovis including various services and resources available within and around the City, or as may be available from other government agencies.

The Clovis City Government website includes links to other websites, and the City is not responsible for the actions and policies of these third parties and recommends the privacy policies of each website be reviewed before supplying personally identifiable information.

5. External Link Application Process

Organizations and City staff requesting to establish external links to the City’s website must submit an External Link Application Form to the City’s Web Team. This form will contain all information necessary to verify the facts as stated and is necessary to establish that the proposed link is in compliance with this policy.

A.  Consistent with the foregoing policy, it is the City’s policy to limit external links to the following kinds of entities and organizations:

1. 1. 1. Sites that are owned and managed by a state, local or federal governmental agency, local public school, college board, or special district; or
      2. Public Utilities; or
      3. Sites that are maintained by a non-profit organization that supports the mission of the City; or
      4. Sites that have a direct contractual relationship with the City for the provision of goods and/or services

                B.  External links will not be made to sites that fall within any of the following criteria, as determined by the City Manager or their designee:

1. 1. 1. Sites that are owned or managed by a political party, candidate or special interest group or are of a political nature that are associated with, sponsored by or serving a candidate for elected office, any political party or organization supporting or seeking to defeat any candidate for elective office or ballot proposal; or
      2. Sites that are owned, managed or provide content for commercial entities that do not have a direct contractual relationship with the City for the provision of goods and/or services; or
      3. Sites containing any materials that may reasonably be considered scurrilous or offensive. Offensive materials are defined as sexual content or images, slurs against race, religious or political beliefs, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or physical attributes.

The City of Clovis reserves the right to: 1) deny an external link application to any person, business or organization when it is determined, following review of a complete application, that the entity or organization for which application is made does not meet the criteria set forth in this policy; and 2) deny an external link application to any person, business or organization which fails to provide all required information or fails to provide truthful information.

6. Removal of External Link

The City Manager or their designee is authorized to remove any external link at their sole discretion or if the nature of the organization or business to which the link relates no longer complies with the City’s external link policy; and discontinue an external link at any time if an entity’s website provides or promotes false, slanderous, illegal, immoral, offensive, or incorrect information at any time.

To download a PDF version of this policy please visit our Digital Document Library.

City of Clovis Social Media Policy

Purpose

To address the fast-changing landscape of the Internet and the way residents communicate and obtain information online, City of Clovis departments may use social media tools to reach a broader audience. The City encourages the use of social media to further the goals of the City and the missions of its departments, where appropriate.

The City of Clovis has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is “spoken” on behalf of the City on its social media sites. This policy establishes guidelines for the use of City social media channels when communicating with the public.

This policy relates only to the formation and management of the City’s social media accounts. It does not include guidelines for employee use of personal social media accounts during work hours, nor does it include guidelines for employees who wish to make comments about work-related subjects from personal social media accounts. For more information about those issues, please contact the City’s Human Resources Department.

General

1. Creation of any new City of Clovis social media accounts or proposed use of any new social media tools/programs must first be approved by the City Manager.
2. City Communication staff and City IT staff will be given full administrative access to all social media accounts/pages.
3. The City will approach the use of social media tools as consistently as possible, agency-wide. As such, any social media platform offering a verified account or page capability must be verified in accordance with the terms of service set forth by the social media site.
4. The City of Clovis’ websites (cityofclovis.org) will remain the City’s primary and predominant Internet presence.

a.   The best, most appropriate City of Clovis uses of social media tools fall generally into two categories:
i.   As channels for disseminating time-sensitive information as quickly as possible (example: emergency information).
ii.   As marketing/promotional channels which increase the City’s ability to broadcast its messages to the widest possible audience.

b.   Wherever possible, content posted to City of Clovis social media sites will also be available on the City’s website.

c.   Wherever possible, content posted to City of Clovis social media sites should contain links directing users back to the City’s website for in-depth         information, forms, documents or online services necessary to conduct business with the City of Clovis.

5. As is the case for the City of Clovis website, departmental public information staff will be responsible for the content and upkeep of any social media sites their department may create, with support as needed from the City Communications staff.|
6. Wherever possible, all City of Clovis social media sites shall comply with appropriate City policies and standards.
7. City of Clovis social media sites shall also comply with all applicable ethics and elections codes and administrative rules.
8. City of Clovis social media accounts are subject to State of New Mexico public records laws. Any content maintained in a social media format that is related to City business, including a list of subscribers and posted communication, is a public record that will be retained in accordance with the current City of Clovis records retention policy. The City Clerk is responsible for responding to any New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) requests. Content related to City business shall be maintained in an accessible format and so that it can be produced in response to a request (see social media channel standards).
9. The IT Director will be given administrative rights to archive social media records and shall preserve records required to be maintained pursuant to the relevant records retention schedule for the required retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily accessible.
10. Posts and comments made to City social media accounts containing any of the following forms of content shall not be allowed and may be hidden or removed at the sole discretion of the City:

a.  Comments not topically related to the particular social medium article being commented upon or links to any unrelated external website or social media site;

b.   Comments in support of or opposition to political campaigns or ballot measures;

c.   Profane language or content;

d.   Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, physical and mental disability, ancestry, serious medical condition, spousal affiliation, sexual orientation, and gender identity;

e.   Threats to any person, group or organization;

f.   Sexual content or links to sexual content;

g.   Solicitations of commerce;

h.   Multiple copies of the same comment;

i.   Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;

j.   Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems, including content that may pose a security risk to City computer information systems; or

k.   Content that violates or appears to infringe upon a legal ownership interest of any other party.

These guidelines must be displayed to users or made available by hyperlink. Any content removed based on these guidelines must be retained in accordance with the current City of Clovis records retention policy, including the time, date and identity of the poster when available.

11. The City reserves the right to hide or remove any content with or without notice to the author. However, all attempts should be made to leave comments unless they violate the guidelines listed in item #10 above.

To download a PDF version of this policy please visit our Digital Document Library.