"One City Delivering World-Class Service"
This account is not monitored 24/7, so anyone in need of emergency services, please call 9-1-1. City of Farmers Branch
Social Media Terms and Conditions for Users
PURPOSE. Because many of our citizens and other stakeholders utilize social media for news and communications, the City of Farmers Branch has developed its own social media accounts, which help us inform the public about our work and mission. Farmers Branch has an important interest in assuring the accuracy and consistency of information associated with our social media sites. Constitution and the constitutional right to freedom of speech. These terms and conditions establish guidelines for the public’s use of social media that balance these values. DEFINITIONS.
1. “Social media” means digital content created by us and communicated on platforms that allow sharing, commenting, and engagement from the public. Examples of social media accounts we may use are Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Nextdoor, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
2. “Comments” include any digital content, information, links, images, videos, or any other form of communicative content posted in reply or response to a social media account operated by us.
3. “User” means a member of the public who views or interacts with one or more of our social media accounts. GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. These terms and conditions apply to all our social media sites. Where possible, a link to these terms and conditions will be made available as a hyperlink or posted as text somewhere on our social media account(s).
2. Users should know that social media posts we make, comments, and replies to those posts, and any direct or private messages sent to us may be public records subject to applicable public records release.
3. Our social media accounts are not monitored 24/7 and no one should utilize our social media accounts to seek emergency services. Anyone in need of emergency help should call 9-1-1.
4. We do not guarantee we will respond to comments or messages sent on our social media accounts. EXPECTATIONS
1. We believe that honest, civil, and productive discussions provide the best environment for citizens to understand the work of their government and participate in constructive engagement.
2. We ask users to consider that our social media feeds may be viewed by children and other impressionable people. Please avoid profanity, personal attacks, bullying, or use of incorrect information. CONTENT MODERATION
1. Limited Public Forum. Our social media accounts are created and maintained as limited public forums under the caselaw pertaining to the First Amendment to the U.S Constitution. We invite members of the public to view and, where possible, provide comments or other engagement on our social media accounts. However, the law permits us to hide and/or delete comments that are not protected speech under the First Amendment and relevant case law. As a general rule, we will not hide and/or delete comments solely because such comments are critical of Farmers Branch, its officials, or employees.
2. Prohibited Content. Relevant First Amendment caselaw permits us to hide or delete certain comments on our social media accounts. The following will be hidden or deleted per this policy:
a. Comments directly advocating violence or illegal activity;
b. Comments containing obscenity, which is defined as sexually explicit and/or pornographic content that is (1) patently offensive, (2) appeals to prurient interest, and (3) lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value;
c. Comments that directly promote or advocate that we illegally discriminate based on race, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected class;
d. Comments containing links to malware and/or malicious content that affects the normal functioning of a computer system, server, or browser;
e. Duplicate comments to the same post within a short period of time that appear to be autogenerated or generic in nature;
f. Defamatory comments either as determined by a court or comments that are patently defamatory by easily discoverable facts;
g. Use of profanity and/or other terms that tend to incite immediate threats, imminent violence, or illegal conduct;
h. Comments that contain images or other content that violate the intellectual property or copyright rights of someone else;
i. Comments that contain a hyperlink to any website other than those controlled by Farmers Branch. This will be done without regard to the viewpoint of the comment containing such a link or the content of the site to which the link redirects;
j. Personally identifiable information, such as an address, phone number, social security number, or other sensitive information;
k. Non-city related business advertising or promotional announcements; and
l. Solicitations of commerce.
3. Retention. When a comment containing any of the above-prohibited content is posted to our social media account(s) and is removed according to this policy, a copy or electronic record of that content may be retained or archived pursuant to our records retention policy, along with a brief description of the reason the specific content was deleted. Once documented, the content will be removed, where possible, from our social media account(s).
4. Right of Appeal. If our staff hides or deletes a user’s comment pursuant to these terms and conditions, staff will provide the user with the policy violation upon request. The user has the right to appeal that decision by sending an email to [email protected] or a letter to the City of Farmers Branch, 13000 William Dodson Parkway, Farmers Branch, Texas, 75234, within five business days of the removal. Upon receipt of an appeal, our attorney will determine whether the comment at issue contained content protected by the First Amendment. In the event the attorney determines that a violation has not occurred, the comment may (if possible) be restored for public view, or the user may be permitted to repost the comment. Upon a determination that the comment was not protected by the First Amendment, the user will be notified that the removal shall stand.
5. Blocking or Banning a User. When Farmers Branch determines that a user has violated these terms and conditions on three or more occasions within a twelve-month rolling period, we may block or ban the offending user from the social media account where the violations occurred. If we block or ban a user, we will (a) reasonably attempt to notify the user; (b) describe the violation(s); and (c) explain the appeal process. In the event it is determined the user has not violated this policy three times within a rolling 12-month period, we will unblock or unban the user from the social media account. Otherwise, our decision will stand. LINKING
1. Farmers Branch may publish social media content to third-party social media accounts and platforms for informational purposes only (“Linked Content”).
2. Linked Content does not imply the city’s endorsement, agreement, or support of any third-party account’s content or sponsor(s).
3. These third-party social media accounts and platforms are not Farmers Branch accounts and therefore, their respective site policies apply. The views expressed in user-posted comments, replies, likes, followers, favorites and or emojis on third-party social media accounts do not reflect the official views and/or policies of the City of Farmers Branch.
