Public Social Media Comments Policy
The following comment policy shall be in place for all City of Kinston social media profiles:
The purpose of this page is to present matters of public interest in the City of Kinston. We encourage you to submit your questions, comments and concerns but please note this is a moderated page and not intended to be a public forum. The City of Kinston social media accounts are not continuously monitored; therefore, any immediate questions or concerns should be submitted to the appropriate City department or representative. Furthermore, the ability to publicly comment will be disabled at the time of posting on certain posts or categories of posts that are intended to be informational only or under other appropriate circumstances. Once posted, the City of Kinston reserves the right to remove submissions that contain vulgar, profane, or obscene language or material, or comments that targets, disparages, or otherwise promotes, fosters, or perpetrates discrimination against any individual based on their race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age, gender identity, political affiliation, military and veterans status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. Further, the City of Kinston reserves the right to remove comments that:
• Advocate illegal activity; or those that compromise safety or security of the public;
• Promote particular services, products, or political organizations;
• Infringe on copyrights or trademarks;
• Use personally identifiable information of others;
• Contain confidential information
• Duplicate posts by the same author (the original post will be left intact assuming it follows the guidelines of acceptable comments or content). Opinions and comments expressed on social media sites do not reflect the opinions and position of the City of Kinston government, its officers, and employees. If you have any questions concerning the operation of this page, contact the City Manager’s Office at 252-939-3111. Public Record & Disclosure for Town Social Media Sites
Employees of the City of Kinston communicate via these social media websites. Consequently, any communication via these sites (whether by City employee or the general public) may be subject to monitoring and disclosure to third parties. Relevant City of Kinston and NC Public Records retention schedules apply to social networking content. Records required to be maintained pursuant to a relevant records retention schedule shall be maintained for the required retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily accessible using the approved City platforms and tools. The City reserves the right to delete unacceptable submissions. The following are examples of unacceptable social networking content and comments. The list is not intended to be all-inclusive. Examples are:
• Profane or obscene language or content;
• Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation;
• Solicitations of commerce;
• Infringement on copyrights or trademarks; and
• Confidential or non-public information. If you have any questions concerning the operation of moderated discussion sites, please contact the City Manager’s Office at 252-939-3111.
