They are intended for the City to share information with the public. The City has a no comment policy for all social media accounts with exceptions for the following accounts: The Lerner Theatre, Elkhart Parks and Recreation, the Elkhart Environmental Center, and the National NY Central Railroad Museum. Accounts that allow commenting must follow the City’s Comment Policy. Note: If a page is tagged and comments on a post that comment should be removed. City of Elkhart Social Media Comment Policy
Section 1: Purpose
The City of Elkhart (“City”) uses social media to share timely, accurate information about City programs, services, and events, and to encourage civic engagement. This policy establishes guidelines for public participation on official City of Elkhart social media accounts and outlines the standards for appropriate public interaction. The City recognizes that its social media pages constitute limited public forums. The City therefore seeks to balance open dialogue with the need to maintain a respectful, informative environment consistent with applicable laws, including the First Amendment. Section 2: Applicability
This policy applies to all City departments and authorized representatives maintaining official City of Elkhart social media accounts. Section 3: Definitions
Social Media Platform: Any website or application that allows users to create and share content (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Nextdoor). City Social Media Account: An official account established and maintained by the City of Elkhart or one of its departments. Social Media Content: Any post, image, video, or comment shared or received on a City Social Media Account. Section 4: Comment Guidelines
The City of Elkhart encourages dialogue that is respectful and relevant to the topic being discussed. Comments or posts may be hidden or removed if they include:
1. Comments that are not topically related to the posts
2. Weblinks to any site other than the City of Elkhart managed webpages.
3. Obscene, or sexually explicit content or language.
4. Comments directly advocating violence or illegal activity.
5. Promotion, endorsement, or opposition of political campaigns, candidates, or ballot measures.
6. Solicitation or advertising of commercial products, services, or entities.
7. Spam or repetitive posts/comments
8. Content that incites or promotes violence, illegal activity, or violations of the law.
9. Information that could compromise individual or public safety.
10. Content that violates copyrights, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights.
11. Comments that directly promote or advocate for our organization to illegally discriminate based on race, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected class if such comments violate local, state, or federal law. Comments posted on City of Elkhart social media pages represent the opinions of the users providing them, not the City. The appearance of external links, advertising, or other content does not constitute endorsement by the City of Elkhart. Section 5: Public Records
All comments and messages exchanged on the City of Elkhart’s social media accounts are considered public records under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act and may be archived or disclosed upon request. Enforcement: If a comment violates the policy, the comment will be removed from the post. Section 6: Monitoring and Response
The City of Elkhart’s social media accounts are typically monitored during regular business hours (Monday–Friday, excluding holidays). The preferred method of communication for the City of Elkhart is email, MyElkhart311, or 911 for emergencies. Section 7: Disclaimer
The City of Elkhart reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that violates this policy or applicable law. The City may modify this policy at any time without prior notice. Participation on the City’s social media pages constitutes acceptance of this policy. Section 8: Contact
For questions or concerns about this policy, or to report a comment believed to be removed in error, please contact:
City of Elkhart Communications Team
[email protected]
