FACEBOOK FACE FF

Councillors stunned over City’s social media takeover plan

GOLD Coast council is set to take control of Facebook accounts for councillors, keeping records of responses from residents in a move causing privacy fears and dividing council. The measure is part of a new information management policy which requires councillors, after the Belcarra reforms, to use official council electronic communication accounts. Deputy Mayor Donna Gates was among those stunned by the changes.

THE Gold Coast City Council is to take control of Facebook accounts for councillors, keeping records of responses from residents in a move causing privacy fears and dividing council.

Councillors were in a huddle after discussing the changes at an events tourism and governance committee meeting, unable to agree other than refer it to full council.

Committee chair Bob La Castra told colleagues: “I’m sure Tuesday’s meeting will go for six hours on this matter alone.”

The debate erupted after council officers briefed councillors on a new information management policy which requires councillors, after the Belcarra reforms, to use official council electronic communication accounts.

They were stunned after being told council was developing “a tool to manage records” generated by Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Key changes which will impact on both councillors and residents include:

Councillors to get new official Facebook accounts despite many shocked to learn their existing page does not represent the City.

All the information from their current accounts will be migrated to the new Facebook page.

If residents contact councillors on their personal page, that information must be moved to the new “official” account within 20 days.

Councillors can only use their personal page to “friend” community organisations or “closed groups” but they must move official business back to their council page.

Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones, who has built up a contact base of 4500 followers, voiced his concerns to officers that the changes would reduce the opportunity to promote divisions.

“I’d be interested to know how the other 76 councils in Queensland have also dealt with this,” he told the meeting. “I think we are the forerunner in this field.”

Coolangatta-based councillor Gail O’Neill told officers: “Will we lose all our followers.”

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates was stunned by the changes. “So the ones we’ve got now are not our official page,” she said.

Council director of organisational services Glen Potter suggested that councillors at full council should consider discussing the reforms in closed session.

The reforms will most impact on Cr Owen-Jones, Mudgeeraba Glenn Tozer, who has almost 3000 followers on Facebook, and Robina’s Hermann Vorster, who has 2443 “likes” on his page.