SUMMARY This regulation provides policy, implementation and interaction framework for Library staff and patrons as they use and interact with Johnson County Library social media on any social media platforms. The regulation is based on social media guidelines from Johnson County Government and the American Library Association and reflects the rules contained in the Library’s Patron Code of Behavior (ARM 20-10-50).    The Library supports intellectual freedom and the right of all users to share their opinions on various topics. It also reserves the right to exercise discretion to reasonably regulate interactions on Library social media to the extent that the conduct in question violates this regulation or the Library’s Patron Code of Behavior.    This document describes situations under which a user’s comment or other content may be removed from Library social media or a user may be blocked from any Library social media. Comments expressed on any social media platform do not reflect the views or positions of the Library, the Library Board or Library employees. Social media users should exercise their own judgment about the quality and accuracy of any information presented through social media.    Effective Date: Affirmed March 14 , 2024 DEFINITIONS a: Social media.  The U.S. Government defines social media as the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction and content creation. These sites and applications may take on different forms, such as social networking, forums, micro-blogging, blogs and video/photo posting sites.     b: Limited public forum. Library social media is a limited public forum in that the Library maintains discretion to reasonably regulate speech in a viewpoint neutral manner in a designated space. See Good News Club v. Milford Cent. Sch., 533 U.S. 98 (2001).   c: User. For the purposes of this document, a user is a person who engages with the Library via social media by posting a comment on a post made by the Library, tagging the Library in a post the user makes or using a platform to message the Library. Users who submit posts or comments on Library social media sites agree that they have read, understand and agree to this policy/the Social Media Commenting Terms of Use policy.      d: Content. For the purposes of this document, content is any and all written or visual interaction with the Library on its social media platforms. Content may include but is not limited to comments, messages, text, images, photographs, alt tags, GIFS, memes or other visual or written forms of interaction.  POLICY Threatening or Abusive Behavior Images Discrimination Commercial Messages Political Endorsements Illegal Activity Defamatory Comments Intellectual Property Violence Confidential Information Repetitive Content Relevance and Decorum Adjacent Content Thread Size Notice a. In accordance with this regulation, the Patron Code of Behavior (ARM 20-10-50) applies to all interactions, posts and comments by any and all individuals on all Library social media. The same is true for private messages, regardless of social media platform.    b. Failing to comply with Library regulations and with instructions or requests made by Library staff with respect to Library regulations is strictly prohibited on Library social media.  Language, behavior, graphics, videos or any other media that is threatening or dangerous is prohibited on Library social media. Behavior in the form of comments, posts or private messages that is abusive to Library patrons or staff is prohibited. This may include posts, comments, private messages or any behavior that is violent toward patrons or staff or contains information that may compromise the safety or security of patrons, the public, public systems, the Library, the county, its employees, or public officials.   Images, GIFs and/or video content or language that is considered profane, posts that contain sexually explicit images, cartoons, jokes or links to sexual content; or content that contains obscene, profane, threatening, or harassing language is strictly prohibited.   Content that advocates unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military service, or other circumstance prohibited by federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation is strictly prohibited.     Content that contains commercial messages, including advertisements, endorsements, solicitations and spam is strictly prohibited.  Content that promotes or endorses political campaigns, candidates for election to a political office, or ballot measures is strictly prohibited. This includes posts made from accounts named for the campaign of an office or elected position.     Content that contains suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity is strictly prohibited.    Content that contains defamatory (i.e. slanderous, libelous) remarks, personal attacks or threats against any individual person or group of people is strictly prohibited as is content that makes or publishes false, vicious or malicious statements concerning any county employee.   Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party, such as trademark or copyright infringement is strictly prohibited.     Content that promotes violence or the threat of violence to themselves or others is strictly prohibited and such content may be reported to the appropriate authorities.     Content that discloses confidential or proprietary information or personally identifiable information, such as an address, phone number, social security number or other sensitive information of any person is strictly prohibited.     Content that contains three or more successive or repetitive posts by a single user or repetitive posts copied and pasted by one or more users, or spam is strictly prohibited.     Content that is significantly off-topic or explicitly unrelated to the specific post is strictly prohibited. To best facilitate online conversation, users should please keep comments to the topic at hand. The Library may act to maintain order and decorum in Library social media channels.   Profile pictures and account names that accompany posts or comments are also subject to moderation based on the terms of this regulation.      Commenting on individual posts may be turned off when commenting exceeds 200 comments and/or when there are excessive comments in violation of our terms of use. Alternate methods of engaging with the Library will be offered, such as email or mail.     Commenting on social media is not an official notice or comment to Johnson County Library, its Board of Directors, administration or employees.    PRIVACY RETENTION Social media posts and comments are separate from patron records. Social media platforms will not be used to collect information about the Library’s users. Information shared by users on the Library’s social media will not be retained by the Library or used for other purposes. The Library may occasionally refer to public comments made on social media and members of the public may capture, screenshot or otherwise save and/or share content. However, the Library will not collect, sell or knowingly transfer to any third party and/or personally identifiable information related to social media engagement with the library. Messages to the Library through social media platforms are not private and may be subject to disclosure. Please be aware that every social media platform has its own privacy policies and they should be carefully reviewed before posting, commenting or otherwise engaging.    Records of hidden/deleted social media posts and blocked users will be retained by the Library for a period of one year.       AUTHORIZATION The County Librarian authorizes designated Library staff to hide or delete posts and block users if posts or users violate this regulation. March 14, 2024 ARM 20-10-40 End ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS TAB: Patron/Other Services DOCUMENT NUMBER: 20-10-40 SECTION: General Patron Services SUBJECT: Social Media Commenting Terms of Use Policy