Item - 2014.CC48.7
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on February 19, 2014 with amendments.
CC48.7 - Social Media Policy during an Election Year
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on February 19 and 20, 2014, adopted the following:
1. City Council adopt a policy on the Use of Social Media during the 2014 Election Campaign:
a. If a Member of City Council uses any social media account for campaign purposes, such account must not be created or supported by City resources, or use the City of Toronto logo.
b. To avoid confusion with any social media accounts used for Council Member work, Council Members who choose to create or use social media accounts for campaign communications include, for the duration of the campaign, a clear statement on each campaign account’s home page indicating that the account is being used for campaign purposes.
c. Social media accounts used for campaign purposes must utilize personal cell phones, tablets and/or computers.
d. For the purpose of the social media policy during an election year "Social Media" refers to freely accessible, third party hosted interactive web technologies used to produce, post and interact through text, images, video, and audio to inform, share, promote, collaborate or network.
2. City Council amend the Constituency Services and Office Budget Policy to remove the bullet under section 4.7 b which reads "Link from the City’s website or the Councillor’s personal website to social media pages where campaign or election-related information is posted".
3. City Council request the Integrity Commissioner to consult with Members of Council and report back to City Council after the election on any recommended amendments to the social media policy for future elections.
4. City Council request the Integrity Commissioner to report back on a general Social Media policy for elected Members of Council, Members of Local Boards (restricted definition) and Members of Adjudicative Boards.
5. City Council amend the Constituency Services and Office Budget Policy to permit print or electronic communications to constituents until the Nomination Day deadline to provide information before the election about urgent matters arising from the August 27 and 28, 2014 meeting of City Council.
City Council Decision Advice and Other Information
The Integrity Commissioner gave a presentation to Council on Social Media Policy during an Election Year.
Background Information (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-66935.pdf
Attachment 1 - City of Toronto Guidelines for Social Media Use by Employees
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-66936.pdf
Attachment 2 - Sample Page from City of Seattle Website: Links to Member Pages and Social Media
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-66937.pdf
Attachment 3 - Description of Social Media Sites used by Members of Toronto City Council
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-66938.pdf
Attachment 4 - Statistics on Social Media Sites used by Members of Toronto City Council
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-66939.pdf
Motions (City Council)
That City Council amend CC48.7 Recommendation 1 by adding the following new sections:
C. Social media accounts used for campaign purposes must utilize personal cell phones, tablets and/or computers.
D. For the purpose of the social media policy during an election year "Social Media" refers to freely accessible, third party hosted interactive web technologies used to produce, post and interact through text, images, video, and audio to inform, share, promote, collaborate or network.
Vote (Amend Item) Feb-20-2014 4:26 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - CC48.7 - Doucette - motion 1a |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 35 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 3 | Members that voted No are Maria Augimeri, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Anthony Perruzza |
| Total members that were Absent: 7 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Rob Ford, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
That:
1. City Council amend CC48.7 Recommendation 1.A. by deleting the word "a" and replacing it with "any" so that Recommendation 1.A.now reads:
1.A. if an elected Member of City Council uses any social media account for campaign purposes, such account may not be used for City purposes, must not be created or supported by City resources, and must not use the elected Member's title, or the City of Toronto logo. Existing accounts used by Council Members for their work as a councillor should not be re-designated as campaign sites or provide a link to a campaign site; and
2. City Council amend CC48.7 Recommendation 1.B. by adding the word "any" so that Recommendation 1.B now reads:
1.B. to avoid confusion with any social media accounts used for Council Member work, it is recommended that Council Members who choose to create or use social media accounts for campaign communications include, for the duration of the campaign, a clear statement on each campaign account’s home page indicating that the account is being used for campaign purposes.
Part 1 of motion 1b lost.
Vote (Amend Item) Feb-20-2014 4:28 PM
| Result: Lost | Majority Required - CC48.7 - Doucette - motion 1b Part 1 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 10 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Shelley Carroll, Janet Davis, Mike Del Grande, Sarah Doucette, Mark Grimes, Chin Lee, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Ron Moeser, Gord Perks |
| Total members that voted No: 29 | Members that voted No are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Frank Di Giorgio, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Peter Leon, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that were Absent: 6 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Rob Ford, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
Vote (Amend Item) Feb-20-2014 4:29 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - CC48.7 - Doucette - motion 1b Part 2 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 29 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Shelley Carroll, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan |
| Total members that voted No: 10 | Members that voted No are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Raymond Cho, Frank Di Giorgio, Doug Ford, Mike Layton, Denzil Minnan-Wong, James Pasternak, Anthony Perruzza, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that were Absent: 6 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Rob Ford, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
That City Council delete CC48.7 Recommendation 1.A.
Recommendation to be deleted
A. If an elected Member of City Council uses a social media account for campaign purposes, such account may not be used for City purposes, must not be created or supported by City resources, and must not use the elected Member's title, or the City of Toronto logo. Existing accounts used by Council Members for their work as a councillor should not be re-designated as campaign sites or provide a link to a campaign site.
and adopt instead new Recommendation 1.A. as follows:
A. If a Member of City Council uses any social media account for campaign purposes, such account must not be created or supported by City resources, or use the City of Toronto logo.
Vote (Amend Item) Feb-20-2014 4:30 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - CC48.7 - Mihevc - motion 2 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 35 | Members that voted Yes are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 4 | Members that voted No are Paul Ainslie, Janet Davis, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Gord Perks |
| Total members that were Absent: 6 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Rob Ford, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Feb-20-2014 4:31 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - CC48.7 - Adopt the item as amended |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 38 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 1 | Members that voted No are Mary-Margaret McMahon |
| Total members that were Absent: 6 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Rob Ford, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |