Those implementing social media in local government agencies face a different set of challenges than private sector implementers. From agency culture to policy to terms of use agreements, the issues need to be identified and managed for successfully implementing these networks.

1. The Double Edge Sword
of the
Social Network
Carol A Spencer
Digital & Social Media Manager NJ GMIS
County of Morris, NJ April 25, 2012

2. We’re social.
We’re mobile.
We network.

3. The World has Changed

4. Social & Mobile are the Norm
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
Microblog Network Network
Flickr YouTube Pinterest
Still Photos Video Online Pinboard
Google Vimeo Foursquare
Email, Apps Video Location app
Scribd RSS Feed WordPress
Documents Subscription Blog
SlideShare Skype Blogger
Presentations Phone, chat Blog

5. General Challenges
• Going where no man has gone before.
• The speed of government.
• Too much noise. Too many products.
• Bleeding edge: Is anyone using it?
• Legal hurdles
– Terms of Service Agreements
– Credit Cards / Purchasing
– Policies:
• What others can say on your sites
• What you can say and how to say it on your own sites
• What your representatives can / should say on other sites
– Copyright Infringement
• Employees
– Regulating workplace use
– Job descriptions – extra pay?
– Training: tools, terms, tone
– Regulating outside use / first amendment

6. Organization Challenges 1
• Budget Cycle and Lack of Resources
• Changing Organizational Culture
• Ensuring the Quality of Data
• Increasing Public Interest and
Engagement
• Balancing Autonomy and Control
• Accountability and Responsibility
1
An Open Government Implementation Model: Moving to Increased Public Engagement
Gwanhoo Lee, Associate Professor, Kogod School of Business, The American University
Young Hoon Kwak, Associate Professor, School of Business, The George Washington University
IBM Center for The Business of Government (BusinessofGovernment.org); 2011

7. Budget Cycle and Lack of Resources
• Mobile technologies develop very quickly
• Procurement process is too long
– From the time a solution is identified, to budget, to
approval, to implementation: could be 18 months.
• Bid process
• Vendor understanding of government procurement
• Credit card requirement

8. Changing Organizational Culture
• Command and control environment
• Hierarchical, top down, organization
• Decision paths; Decision times
• Information silos
• The sum of the parts
• Management use (or lack thereof)

9. Ensuring the Quality of Data
• Social media is about trust
• Data must be accurate, timely
• Data must add value, be useful
• Data must not be confidential; must be sharable
• Data must be consistent across multiple channels
• Processes must exist to identify sharable data,
collection and publication responsible parties

10. Increasing Public Interest and Engagement
• Social media is about trust
• Data must be accurate, timely
• Data must add value, be useful
• Data must not be confidential; must be sharable
• Data must be consistent across multiple channels
• Processes must exist to identify sharable data,
collection and publication responsible parties

11. Balancing Autonomy and Control
• It doesn’t have to be the wild west
• Play nice in the sandbox
• Enforce your commenting policies, politely
• Monitor, monitor, monitor
• Be human, admit mistakes
• Explain things in plain English, not government
speak

12. Accountability and Responsibility
• With open public comment and multiple employees
speaking on behalf of an agency, guidelines are
important.
– Messaging needs to be consistent
– Tone needs to be consistent
– Coordination of responses is a must
– Consistency in the applicability of policy is a must

13. Technology Challenges 1
• Improving IT Infrastructure
• Enhancing Privacy and Information
Security
• Integrating Tools and Applications
• Updating Policies and Rules
1
An Open Government Implementation Model: Moving to Increased Public Engagement
Gwanhoo Lee, Associate Professor, Kogod School of Business, The American University
Young Hoon Kwak, Associate Professor, School of Business, The George Washington University
IBM Center for The Business of Government (BusinessofGovernment.org); 2011

14. Improving IT Infrastructure
Enhancing Privacy and Information Security
• Social media bandwidth issues: video hosting?
• 24 X 7 expectation
• Emergency preparation: bandwidth, demand
• Security issues with employee access
– Hacking, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, malware, spyware
• Privacy issues
– HIPPA, emails, OPRA, FOIA

15. Integrating Tools and Applications
• Initial cost of training and tool acquisition
• Subsequent tool acquisition
– Does is work with what we already have?
– Will it work with future tools?
– Will the company be in business in 5 years? 2 years?
• Mobile versions
– Can we integrate existing data streams into a mobile
presence?

16. Updating Policies and Rules
• Inconsistency of application Terms of Use with
government requirements
– Liability issues
– Subject to the laws of other states
• Contractual or procurement laws
• Review for consistency and compliance with court
hearings, legislative changes, and Federal
requirements.

17. How do you get started?
Before beginning, plan carefully.
Cicero
C 106-43 BC Great Roman Orator Politician
To be prepared is half the victory.
Miguel De Cervantes
1547-1616 Spanish Novelist Dramatist Poet
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Benjamin Franklin
1706-1790 American Scientist Publisher Diplomat

18. Develop, Draw & Write a Plan
• Discuss & Decide
– Where the information will originate
– Who may speak for your agency
– Which applications you will use
– Who will be responsible for the
applications
– What will be the process, the flow
– What your policies will include
– Employee use; Content; Commenting
– How social media will be marketed
– How you will engage visitors

19. Is it worth the work?

20. Hurricane Irene: 1 week
Websites Irene Typical
•Homepage views 75,155 26,000
Blogger
•OEM & MorrisCountyNJ 36,991 2,400
Facebook post views
•MorrisCountyNJ 49,610 5,500
•MCUrgent 99,005 400
Twitter message views*
•MorrisCountyNJ 169,292 18,000
•MCUrgent 20,448 0
TOTAL VIEWS 450,337 52,300
*Does not include Twitter ‘fast follow’ text messages to cell phones

21. The Public’s Opinion

22. Contact Information
Morris County NJ
Website MorrisCountyNJ.gov
Twitter Twitter.com/MorrisCountyNJ
Facebook Facebook.com/MorrisCountyNJ
YouTube YouTube.com/MorrisCountyNJ
Flickr Flickr.com/MorrisCountyNJ
Email CSpencer@co.Morris.NJ.US
National Association of Government Webmasters
Website NAGW.org
Twitter Twitter.com/NAGW
Facebook Facebook.com/NAGW.org
GovLoop Govloop.com/group/NAGW
Email Treasurer@NAGW.org

23. Employee Use of
Social Networks
Social Media Policy of Victoria, Australia, Department of Justice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws3Bd3QINsk

24. Guidance from NLRB Reports
• National Labor Relations Board report August 18, 2011:
http://mynlrb.nlrb.gov/link/document.aspx/09031d458056e743
• Policies should not be too broad
• Specific examples of prohibited behavior should be included
• Employee rights must be protected
• Terms like “appropriate” and “professional” must be defined
• Mere complaints are not typically protected
• Protected speech includes wages, working conditions
(Section 7 rights)

25. Guidance from NLRB Reports
• NLRB report January 25, 2012 Summarizes 14 cases
http://mynlrb.nlrb.gov/link/document.aspx/09031d45807d6567
http://www.nlrb.gov/news/acting-general-counsel-issues-second-social-media-
• Reiterated 2 main points
– Employer policies should not be so sweeping that they prohibit the
kinds of activity protected by federal labor law, such as the discussion
of wages or working conditions among employees.
– An employee’s comments on social media are generally not protected
if they are mere gripes not made in relation to group activity among
employees.
• No Appeals Court rulings on NLRB decisions

26. Guidance from NLRB Reports
• NLRB reports provide guidance.
• From the NLRB website
http://www.nlrb.gov/faq/nlrb#t1n382
– “The NLRB does not have jurisdiction over federal, state or local
government workers, with the exception of employees of the U.S.
Postal Service. The Federal Labor Relations Authority has jurisdiction
over federal employees. The organizing and collective bargaining
rights of state and local employees are determined by state
laws enforced by individual state agencies.”
• Be very careful when restricting social media use at work

27. Labor Issues
• From the NLRB website
http://www.nlrb.gov/faq/nlrb#t1n382
– “The NLRB does not have jurisdiction over federal, state or local
government workers, with the exception of employees of the U.S.
Postal Service. The Federal Labor Relations Authority has jurisdiction
over federal employees. The organizing and collective bargaining
rights of state and local employees are determined by state
laws enforced by individual state agencies.”
• NJ Employer-Employee Relations Act
http://www.state.nj.us/perc/statute.pdf

28. Government Actions
• Gloucester County Adopts Use Policy
– Controversial: It restricts employees from posting photos of the
“county’s premises, properties [or] activities” on private social sites.
• Bay Head lists their 10 criteria for a policy
– NJSLOM March 2012 Article
http://www.njslom.org/magazine/2012-03/pg-28.html
• NASCIO.org achieves Terms of Use modifications for states
– Facebook (1/5/2011), YouTube (1/17/2012)

29. Government Related Organizations
• NAGW.org: National Assoc of Government Webmasters
– Resource Library; 700 member listserv
• GoWProNJ.net: Government Web Professionals of NJ
– Meets 1st Friday, every other month
• NASCIO.org: National Assoc of State CIOs
• NaCO.org: National Assoc of Counties
• NACIO.org: National Assoc of Cty Information Officers

30. The Double Edge Sword
of the
Social Network
Carol A Spencer
Digital & Social Media Manager NJ GMIS
County of Morris, NJ April 25, 2012