To address the way residents and businesses communicate and obtain information about the City of Columbus, Indiana online, the City of Columbus’ (the “City”) departments may consider using social media tools to reach a broader audience. The City encourages the use of social media to further the goals of the City and the missions of its departments, where appropriate.

The City has an overriding interest and expectation in deciding what is “announced” or “spoken” on behalf of the City on social media sites. This policy establishes internal procedures for the use of social media. This policy covers all departments within the City of Columbus.

Social media refers to activities that integrate technology, social interaction and content creation. This media allows people to generate, organize, share, edit and comment on web content by means of RSS and other web feeds, blogs, mashups, widgets, wikis, podcasts and photo- and video-sharing, to name a few.

All posts are monitored by City personnel and are subject to public information laws for municipal governments as outlined by the State of Indiana and will be archived for such purpose. 

Users and visitors to the City’s social media sites are hereby notified that the intended purpose of City of Columbus social media sites is to serve as a means of communication between City departments and members of the public. The City’s social media site articles, posts and comments containing any of the following forms of content shall not be allowed and shall be removed and archived as soon as possible:

  • Profane 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, veteran status or sexual orientation;
  • Sexual content or links to sexual content;
  • Solicitations of commerce;
  • Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;
  • Information that may compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems;
  • Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party
  • Content that defames or slanders another person

City of Columbus Social Media Policy (PDF)