HOW ELECTED OFFICIALS USE FACEBOOK IN A WORD DOMINATED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

HOW ELECTED OFFICIALS USE FACEBOOK IN A WORD DOMINATED BY SOCIAL MEDIA THE USE OF FACEBOOK by elected officials, including mayors and councillors throughout Durham Region, varies significantly. The complexity of navigating the responsibilities of public office in the face of growing online engagement has resulted in a range of approaches - and even consequences for some. The more engaged members of Oshawa Council use their Facebook accounts to actively post updates, respond to questions, and communicate daily with their residents. Probably the best example of this is Ward 5 Regional councillor Brian Nicholson. One need only take a quick glance at his multiple Facebook groups to see how quickly information is shared – in real time - on matters concerning Council decisions that affect what he has long-since referred to as ‘Southern Oshawa’. However, communicating on a daily basis with constituents in this way must undoubtedly blur the line between a councillor’s public duties and their private life, with the increasing expectation that they make themselves available at all hours of the day and night. I had occasion some time ago during a casual conversation to raise that very subject with the councillor from Ward 5, and when I asked him as to the effect social media had on his time off, he immediately responded by reminding me that, once elected, a member of Council “really doesn’t have time off.” As it stands, councillor Nicholson administers a number of Facebook groups. I can recall him telling me not long ago that his individual posts were on average read by well over 20,000 people, and that actual constituent inquiries numbered in the range of 100 per day. He also used to constantly credit municipal staff for making him “look good” by the speed with which they were taking care of issues passed on from social media. Other councillors appear more inclined to use their Facebook presence to simply share specific announcements and various press releases issued by the municipality – on routine matters such as snow removal, garbage collection, and the introduction of new policies and programs that residents may find of interest. One such councillor is Rosemary McConkey from Ward 1. She once told me quite unequivocally that she “doesn’t do photo-ops” therefore what you won’t see by way of self-promotion on her Facebook page will undoubtedly be made up for by endless Excel spreadsheets and other routine documents. The councillor from Columbus appears more inclined to act as an information resource, and you won’t find a whole lot of real-time interaction on what many see as a somewhat tinder dry social media presence. On the other hand, some councillors seem to want very little to do with Facebook and all that it represents, and a good example of that is Ward 5 City councillor and ex-Mayor John Gray. A glance at his political page shows it to have been dormant since the last election, with the latest post dating back to October 2022. He does make use of his personal page to some extent, however you will see only seven posts since November 2024, all of which were added by others onto his timeline. He has repeatedly told me his preference will always be actual personal contact, either face-to-face or by telephone, and he has no willingness to change that. Another interesting example of the use of Facebook comes from the Man-Who-Would-Be-Mayor himself, Ward 2 Regional councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri. A glance at his political page shows no activity for the last four months, however if you swing over to his so-called personal page, you will see a veritable onslaught of selfie-videos the good councillor is using to share his views on everything from homebuilding to homicides. It seems he can’t make a move without finding one reason or other to offer his loyal viewers a bit of commentary. The abandonment of his Ward 2 councillor page is undoubtedly strategic, as he prepares to campaign for the Mayor’s job in the next election. As one might expect, there is more than a handful of fans ready and willing to press the “like” button on most of his Facebook posts, including Ward 4 Regional councillor Rick Kerr, a man who lives in hope of becoming Tito’s Deputy Mayor. Meanwhile, it’s important to remember a councillor's social media conduct can be reviewed by an Integrity Commissioner if it violates the Code of Conduct adopted by Council. Oshawa's own policy sets clear guidelines for online conduct. The expected standards dictate that members must not use their social media presence to bully, shame, or engage in disrespectful behavior toward the public, other council members, or staff. Of course, the most recent offender in this regard was Ward 4 City councillor Derek Giberson who decided it was somehow appropriate to make comments on social media regarding an identifiable individual within the community who was engaged in a matter that was before the courts. The Ward 4 councillor was ultimately found to be in contravention of the obligation of elected officials to refrain from commenting on such matters. No sitting Oshawa councillor has since been seen to bring about such public humiliation and shame. Of course, other rules exist to ensure that the proper use of social media is maintained. Blocking users on a Facebook account used for official business can be legally and ethically complex. In the city of Toronto, their social media guidebook advises councillors to be careful that blocking does not unfairly affect users, particularly if the account is intended for political debate. The consequences for violating a social media policy or Code of Conduct can be significant. The recent case in Cambridge, where a councillor faced a potential pay suspension, illustrates that misconduct on Facebook can lead to official punishment. On a final note, it must be remembered that, contrary to popular fiction, an elected official cannot separate their political Facebook account from any other they see as being personal. Statements and posts added or even shared to any social media account created in the name of a person holding elected office are equal in stature when held to the standards set by a municipal Code of Conduct. They are equally subject to potential review by an integrity commissioner or any other judicial body that may be called upon to examine a councillor’s conduct. Social media, and especially Facebook, are questionable means of communication and very much worthwhile in the practice of censorphip, but they can also be self-destructive when in the wrong hands.