Date: 01/24/11 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Number: GEN 122.

07

Revision: 08/17/17 CHAD CHRONISTER, SHERIFF

Reviewed: 07/13/23 Page: 1 of 3
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

SUBJECT: USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES BY SHERIFF’S OFFICE EMPLOYEES

I. PURPOSE: Social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have quickly
become part of many people’s lives. These sites can provide many benefits for their
users, but the Sheriff’s Office has cause for concern because of the speed at which
sensitive information can be posted online about the Sheriff’s Office and employees, and
then transmitted across the Internet. The Sheriff’s Office understands that many
employees may choose to utilize these sites outside of work and they may identify
themselves as employees of the Sheriff’s Office. That being the case, it is important for
the Sheriff’s Office to ensure that its employees take steps to protect themselves and the
Sheriff’s Office reputation online.

II. SCOPE: This procedure applies to all Sheriff’s Office personnel.

III. DISCUSSION: The guidelines set forth in this procedure are designed to protect
employees from inadvertently violating Sheriff’s Office policy, while protecting the
reputation of the Sheriff’s Office both online and off. Social networking sites such as
blogs, wikis and other online forums (including: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter,
Instagram, Snapchat, MySpace, etc.) have become part of our daily lives. The Sheriff’s
Office understands that many employees who use these sites to communicate with
friends and family outside of work may decide to identify their employer as well as their
position with the Sheriff’s Office.

In order to protect the interests of the Sheriff’s Office, protect employees from
inadvertently disclosing sensitive investigative information or violating office policies, and
ensure employees remain focused on their duties while at work, the Sheriff’s Office has
established rules for employees when using any form of social networking site or
technology. These guidelines were developed to support existing Sheriff’s Office policies
that apply in the context of social networking use and apply to all employees at the
Sheriff’s Office in other circumstances.

IV. DEFINITIONS:

A. Internet - a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the

standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It
is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic,
business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a
broad array of electronic and optical networking technologies.

B. Social Networking Site - A social network service is an online service, platform,

or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social
relations among people, e.g., who share interests and/or activities. A social
network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a
profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social
network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the
internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging.
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C. Blog - is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by

an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other
material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-
chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add
content to a blog.

D. Wikis - is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of
interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a
WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often
used to create collaborative wiki websites, to power community websites, for
personal note taking, in corporate intranets, and in knowledge management
systems.

V. PROCEDURE: Sheriff’s Office employees who utilize the Internet and social networking
sites are prohibited from:

A. Posting any statements or material about the Sheriff’s Office, its operations, and
its current or former employees, that are obscene, defamatory, false, deceptive,
misleading, profane, libelous, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, etc.

B. Disclosing any confidential information related to Sheriff’s Office operations or

investigations; or any information about members of the public obtained as a
result of employment with the Sheriff’s Office, as well as any information
disclosed to the Sheriff’s Office by a third party.

C. Violating any laws, including intellectual property, copyrights, trademarks, state

and/or federal laws.

D. Posting any commentary on a social networking site that pertains to the Sheriff’s
Office, without clear representation that the commentary is a personal opinion in
such a way that no reasonable person would conclude that the commentary is
representative of the Sheriff’s Office views, opinions, or position.

E. Posting commentary on a social networking site that pertains to the Sheriff’s

Office without clearly and conspicuously disclosing the employment relationship
between the employee and the Sheriff’s Office, and clearly indicating that the
employee is not authorized to make statements on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.

F. Employees must also immediately bring to the attention of their supervisor any
news media inquiries regarding the Sheriff’s Office that results from their social
networking activities.

G. Associating themselves with social networking activities that depict violence,

illegal or illicit acts, or other behaviors contrary to the public’s expectations of the
Sheriff’s Office.

H. Posting or electronically transmitting any photograph of themselves which

connects them to their Sheriff’s Office employment, and which depicts real or
fictitious violence, illicit acts, or other behaviors contrary to the public’s
expectations of the Sheriff’s Office.

I. Use of social networking sites during work hours, whether on personal or

Sheriff’s Office owned computers or cellular phones is prohibited unless
authorized as part of the employee’s duties.
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J. Posting official Sheriff’s Office documents or sensitive information to a social

networking site.

K. Information related to the Sheriff’s Office, even when done during an employee’s
own personal time outside of work, may be subject to legal requirements and
thus qualify as a public record under Florida State Statute 119. For example,
information posted about an internal matter, administrative matter, or Sheriff’s
Office related business the poster has direct knowledge of, may be subject to
provisions of the listed statute.

Chad Chronister
Sheriff

Amends or Supersedes: NEW