Social Media Community Guidelines

Council is committed to upholding and promoting the following principles of social media engagement: 

Openness: Our social media platforms are places where anyone can share and discuss issues that are relevant to our Council and the community we represent and serve. 

Relevance: We will ensure our social media platforms are kept up to date with informative content about our Council and community. 

Accuracy: The content we upload onto our social media platforms and any other social media platform will be a source of truth for our Council and community and we will prioritise the need to correct inaccuracies when they occur. 

Respect: Our social media platforms are safe spaces. We will uphold and promote the behavioural standards contained in this policy and our Council’s code of conduct when using our social media platforms and any other social media platform. 

Council aims to facilitate open discussion on its social media platforms, encompassing a vibrant, respectful and engaged community. 

Council reserves the right to remove posts or comments from any of its social media presences that are deemed to be unfit or inappropriate. This includes any posts or comments that: 

  • Are defamatory, offensive, humiliating, threatening or intimidating to council officials or members of the public. 

  • Contains profanities or offensive language; or inappropriate content including content that is sexual in nature. 

  • Constitute harassment and/or bullying. 

  • Contain content about the Council, Council officials, or members of the public that is misleading or deceptive. 

  • Contain discriminatory content on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexuality or disability. 

  • Contain information that infringes on another individual’s privacy including posts that make specific mention of personal information or details of Council officials. 

  • Contain private information or personal details of individuals, such as email addresses, phone numbers, place of residence or employment. 

  • Contain confidential material about Council or an individual. 

  • Violate an order made by a court. 

  • Breach copyright. 

  • Advertise, endorse, or solicit commercial products or business. 

  • Constitute spam. 

  • Would be in breach of the rules of the social media platform. 

Any posts or comments in breach of these guidelines, or those of the platform, may be referred to relevant agencies, as appropriate. 

REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF A DECISION TO HIDE CONTENT 

A person may request a review of a decision by a moderator to remove or ‘hide’ comments. 

The request must be emailed to communications@cessnock.nsw.gov.au and state the grounds on which the request is being made. 

The review is to be undertaken by a moderator of the Council Social Media platform who was not involved in the decision and is to be completed within 5 business days. The person who requested the review is to be advised of the outcome by return email. 

BLOCKING USERS AND REQUEST FOR REVIEW 

Council's Social Media Policy sets out the policy framework for banning or blocking users, where appropriate. A person may request a review of a decision to block or ban them from a Council Social Media platform. The request must be made in writing to the General Manager (council@cessnock.nsw.gov.au) and state the grounds on which the request is being made. 

A review will then be undertaken by the General Manager or a member of staff nominated by the General Manager who is suitably qualified and who was not involved in the decision to block or ban the person.

RESPONDING TO COMMENTS AND MESSAGES  

Not all communication to Council on social media will be responded to by Council. Where it is deemed a response is required, posts will be responded to as soon as practicable, typically within 24 hours. 

Council’s Social Media platforms are primarily monitored Monday to Friday during business hours, however Council reserves its right to moderate, hide content or block users outside of business hours if required. 

Social media will not be used for logging and responding to complaints and service requests. Comments, and direct messages through social media are not considered formal correspondence. A community member or any person communicating on a Council Social Media platform may be directed to a formal communication channel. These channels include Council’s Customer Relations team, emailing Council or lodging an online customer service request via Council’s website. 

Council’s Complaints Handling Policy outlines Council’s complaints handling process. 

DISCLAIMER

Any links to external websites, applications and/or information provided on Council’s online platforms, including social media accounts, are provided as courtesy. They should not be construed as an endorsement by Council of the content or condition or views of the linked materials. 

Any advertisement that may appear when viewing our accounts is not endorsed by Council, nor are we directly affiliated with the advertisement unless stated otherwise. 

The act of Council "liking" or "following" or "sharing information" from an organisation, business, group, individual person, location, app or event through social media does not indicate that Council endorses the products, views, activities or services relating to the "liked" or "followed" or "shared" entity, individual, business or group.

Social Media

You can follow us on Facebook & Instagram. Read our Social Media Policy.

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