This free course will be held online via Zoom.

Does your use of social media change once the campaign is over and you begin to govern? The answer to that question can be complex. Adding to the complexity is the ever-present likelihood that some of your "communicators" are bots located anywhere around the globe. What is your responsibility as an elected official? What are the best practices for using social media to communicate with the public without violating the First Amendment?

The rules and practicalities of social media use for local elected officials differ from those for ordinary citizens. In this 75-minute class, you'll learn about some bright lines of good and bad practices and improve your awareness of some murky areas around free speech and the First Amendment.       

Topics include:

1. Is your social media platform public or private?
2. First Amendment issues
3. Blocking users and deleting comments
4. Government transparency
5. Retention requirements
6. Ethics and social media