3. Policy Overview

The Cobb County Sheriff's Office supports the use of social media to communicate directly with the public, stakeholders, partners, and the media about matters of public interest.\

3.1 Official Use of Social Media

• 3.1.1 The CCSO’s social media accounts will be used to:
  • 3.1.1.1 Enhance and encourage external communications.
  • 3.1.1.2 Educate the public on CCSO services, programs, and events.
  • 3.1.1.3 Respond to inquiries regarding CCSO operations in a timely manner.
  • 3.1.1.4 Communicate during emergencies, including public safety updates and alerts.
  • 3.1.1.5 Increase transparency and engagement with the public on issues of public concern.

3.2 Public Participation

• 3.2.1 Public Comments: The CCSO encourages members of the public to submit questions, comments, and concerns on CCSO social media sites. These platforms are monitored discussion sites but are not public forums. All comments are moderated and may not be reviewed after business hours (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday).
• 3.2.2 Comment Responsibility: Individuals who post comments on any CCSO social media site do so by personal choice and accept full responsibility for their content. All comments posted are subject to public disclosure as required by law, including the Georgia Open Records Act.

3.3 Community Engagement

The CCSO will utilize social media to foster an environment of active participation and community dialogue, which includes, but is not limited to:

• 3.3.1 Engaging the public during high-profile law enforcement operations.
• 3.3.2 Responding to inquiries from citizens, journalists, and public figures.
• 3.3.3 Promoting events such as community briefings, educational outreach, and public safety initiatives.

3.4 Prohibited Content

The CCSO Reserves the right to remove content that does not adhere to the following guidelines:

• 3.4.1 Personal Attacks: Any form of verbal assault directed toward others.
• 3.4.2 Obscene or Illegal Materials: Any content that is unlawful, offensive, or inappropriate.
• 3.4.3 Discriminatory Content: Any post that promotes or perpetuates discrimination based on race, gender, religion, age, disability, or other protected statuses.
• 3.4.4 Spam or Irrelevant Content: Posts or comments that are unrelated to the CCSO’s mission or objectives.
• 3.4.5 Hate Speech and Violence: Content that promotes hate speech, violence, or illegal activity will be prohibited.
• 3.4.6 Sensitive Information: Any post that discloses personal or confidential information that could compromise an individual’s safety or security.

3.5 Monitoring and Removal of Comments

The CCSO Social Media Administrators will monitor comments on CCSO social media platforms. Comments will be reviewed and may be deleted or hidden in the following circumstances:

• 3.5.1 Vulgar Language: Comments containing profanity or offensive language.
• 3.5.2 Personal Attacks: Comments targeting individuals in a hostile or inappropriate manner.
• 3.5.3 Obscene or Illegal Materials: Posts containing obscene, pornographic, or otherwise unlawful content.
• 3.5.4 Sexual Comments: Comments of a sexual nature about or directed at anyone.
• 3.5.5 Discriminatory Content: Posts that promote, foster, or perpetuate discrimination based on race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, genetics, public assistance status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.
• 3.5.6 Spam or Unrelated Links: Comments containing spam or unrelated content, including links to external sites not relevant to the CCSO’s mission.
• 3.5.7 Irrelevant Comments: Posts unrelated to the CCSO’s topic that is the subject of the post.
• 3.5.8 Illegal Advocacy: Comments advocating illegal activity.
• 3.5.9 Promotion of Non-County Services or Products: Posts promoting third-party businesses or services.
• 3.5.10 Political Promotion: Content supporting political campaigns or organizations.
• 3.5.11 Copyright Infringement: Posts infringing on copyrights or trademarks.
• 3.5.12 Disclosure of Personal Information: Comments that reveal personally identifiable information, such as Social Security numbers, passwords, or financial information.
• 3.5.13 Safety or Security Risks: Content that could compromise public safety, security, or ongoing criminal or civil investigations.

3.6 Blocking Users

The CCSO reserves the right to block users for the following reasons:

• 3.6.1 Profanity and Personal Threats: Users who post profane language or threats of violence or harm may be blocked.
• 3.6.2 Repeated Violation of Terms: Repeated violations of the terms of use or the posting of irrelevant or offensive content may result in a block from the page.
• 3.6.3 Inappropriate Content: If a user repeatedly posts content that does not adhere to the guidelines outlined above, they may be permanently banned.