Currituck also wrestling with use of social media

| September 12, 2012

Twitter.com/CurrituckGov

Dare County is not the only local government wrestling with how to use Facebook and avoid unwanted controversy and web management.

Currituck officials have been working several months on a social media policy that allows the use of Facebook but is currently using only Twitter as a means to communicate information to the public through social media.

“We are in the process of developing an External Communications Policy, which will include the use of social media,” said Currituck public information officer Randall Edwards.

Currituck tourism and economic development departments have been for some time using Facebook and other social media for their marketing purposes.

“The staff of each is responsible for monitoring and maintaining these sites,” said Edwards.

But when it comes to social media use by other county government departments, concerns of Currituck leaders mirrors those expressed recently in Dare County, which has created a policy but has put off activating its Facebook page.

“The biggest opposition to social media is the amount of staff time necessary to monitor and maintain social media, as well as respond to comments/questions,” Edwards said.

After Facebook went public on Wall Street earlier this year, it discontinued the option for site administrators to lock out comments.

“This is a primary reason for the county not having a Facebook page at this time, and is something being discussed as we develop our External Communications Policy,” Edwards said.

Instead of Facebook, Twitter has been the primary government communication tool for Currituck.

“There are a few of us who have access to operating that, but all departments can request for information to be tweeted for them,” Edwards said.

Twitter is being used by Currituck as a tool to remind the public about upcoming events and meetings, and posting emergency messages, all with links to the specific item on the county’s website.

“We want to make sure we have protocols in place for county staff, in regards to posting information on social media and in properly responding to comments made by the public,” Edwards said.

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See what people are saying:

  • tb97 says:

    Why would you want to lock out comments unless you want to hide something!!!!

    • on September 13, 2012 @ 5:32 pm

  • fifi says:

    You can “lock out comments.” You can mark them as spam, which hides the comment from the page so that only the person who posted the comment and their friends can see it.

    You can also ban a user from your page.

    I monitor a site with over 8,000 followers and rarely have an issue. There’s the occasional odd ball, but again mark as spam and carry on.

    • on September 15, 2012 @ 10:38 am

  • mary says:

    Quote from article:
    ““The biggest opposition to social media is the amount of staff time necessary to monitor and maintain social media, as well as respond to comments/questions,” Edwards said.”

    As a local taxpayer in CC I have a problem paying for staff to play on the web all day and eventually get a pension for same. This includes the Tourism Dept which seems to have time to be on EVERYTHING which I suspect contributes to the bottom line as a big NOTHING. Perhaps it is a way to spend all those dollars that the tax collections give to them with a purpose and imo seems to get quite stretched in application.
    Twitter as a means of communication for a poor rural county is a real laugh. Twitter, really? I’m embarrassed for us all.

    • on September 16, 2012 @ 6:39 pm

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