Oklahoma state and local governments get green light on Facebook
This slipped by me earlier this week, but the Attorney General’s Office and Office of State Finance have given the green light for state and local governments to use Facebook.
At issue was the relatively restrictive terms of service for Facebook users, which could have put government entities at risk for lawsuits. I wrote about the issue back in March 2010.
On Tuesday, new Attorney General Scott Pruitt and state Chief Information Officer Alex Pettit announced they had reached an agreement to modify Facebook’s terms of service in Oklahoma for state and local governments.
“Social computing technologies, like Facebook, are increasingly important to the way government interacts and conducts business with the public.” Pettit said in a news release. “The state needs to continue to break down the barriers to public sector implementation, but in a way that meets the laws of Oklahoma and does not jeopardize the state’s IT resources.”
Pruitt and Pettit said the new Facebook terms of service are similar to ones negotiated by the federal government. Oklahoma was part of a working group on social media issues convened by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers and the National Association of Attorneys General.
“Facebook provides a tremendous venue for state agencies and their local counterparts to keep their constituents apprised of the great work they do,” Pruitt said. “We, and our partner agencies, look forward to using the site to stay in contact with the public.”
The agreement will apply immediately to government agencies and departments that already had a Facebook page.
Here’s the specifics of the agreement:
* Strike the indemnity clause except to the extent indemnity is allowed by a state’s constitution or law;
* Strike language requiring that legal disputes be venued in California courts and adjudicated under California law;
* Require that a public agency include language directing consumers to its official Web site prominently on any Facebook page; and,
* Encourage amicable resolution between public entities and Facebook over any disputes.
–Paul
Written by Paul Monies
Follow @pmonies
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Comments
I am the Wife of a Law Enforcement officer In central Oklahoma.
I am proud of my husband and the work that he does to keep Oklahomans safe . I am proud that he has ethics that he lives and works by and I am proud that he has never let that be corrupted.
It is with a heavy heart that I can not say the same for the department that he is employed at.Politics as we all know work there way into Law Enforcement Departments but it should never play a role in everything that happens.It should not play a role in promotions and transfers but at this department it does.
When a fellow officer that happens to be of race comes to you and says I know I was given a certain position because of my race over other officers that were more qualified then we have a problem. And look I know this happens at all Departments but not at the level it does at my husband’s departments most every single promotion or transfer has some political reason behind it.
It is not right for a employee to have loyalty and faith in a department but the department not show the same loyalty and faith in the employee.
Seems to me it does not matter how hard my husband works or how dedicated and loyal he is to the department that he will never be more then just another number. It is not just my husband that is treated this way but other Officers as well.
It is a sad day when the boss knows very little about the employees that have worked years for him. How many children they have or even if they do have children if they married or if they single. I’m not talking about having tea with your employee’s but it would be nice if he put a little effort to get to know the very men and women that he hires . If he put just 20% of the effort that he puts into Politics into getting to know his Officers then maybe the morale at the Department would not be as low as it is now.
Money should never be a reason for a promotion. It is funny how a reserve Officer is given more training . More opportunity and more respect then a full time Officer just because they have the money and the means to donate to the department.
Why is there reserve officers with take home cars when not all your full time officers have take home vehicles? I can tell you why it is all about money and Politics and power, It is all about who can scratch who’s back.
All I do know is there should be a fair way to work your way up in the Department instead of being scared of being fired for questing how to further your career.
Nobody will go in and talk to the head of this agency regarding these issues for fear that they will be fired. People have been told that if they complain or ask questions that they will no longer have a job and that they are replaceable. In my opinion this makes for a hostile work place where employee’s know where there place is and that is to never question anything. You can’t question safety issues within the department that would make the public safer nor can you fully do you job with out stepping on a political toes.
You may wonder why I am writing this to the public instead of the head of the department where my husband works. The fact is my husband would be with out a job if I wrote this to the Department head and I believe I am saying what the public deserves to know.
What I would like to see happen is everyone is given a fair shot at the Department no matter the race, gender , who you know, or what you can donate. I would love to see the morale at the department to be where it should be and that where Officers know they are respected for the work they do to keep our city safe. No human no matter how powerful they are have a right to make another human feel worthless and just like another number .
signed a proud wife of an amazing man that gives his all to the department he works at. A man that comes to work and does his job and has no disciplinary actions against him but yet is given no chance to further his career for reasons unknown to us.
Yes I understand my husband could leave this department and go else where but ,the problems will still stay the same at the current department he is at for other officers until someone takes notice that there is a real issue and takes steps to correct them. I don’t even think his boss is a bad person persay I just believe he needs to listen to his employees and give them the respect they deserve and have earned.
Whoah! ThXs for the warning of who to avoid!