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Polk considers nixing social media public comment
If you want to sound-off on Polk County's social media pages, you might soon be out of luck. Commissioners are voting on a plan to completely shut down public comment sections across all their official accounts. FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.
LAKELAND, Fla. - The Polk County Commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday morning on a resolution that would completely shut down the public comment sections across all of its official social media platforms to halt the spread of harmful misinformation.
Polk County social media changes
What we know:
Commissioner Bill Braswell initiated the discussion after the county's comment sections became hotbeds for incorrect information, personal attacks, and vulgar comments. The county says this online behavior creates confusion and undermines the main purpose of the pages, which is to provide the public with accurate information regarding emergencies and road closures.
Residents will still be able to participate and share their opinions in person during the public comment periods at official county meetings.
The free speech debate
The other side:
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) weighed in on the county's proposal. Brennan VanderVeen, program counsel for public advocacy at FIRE, explained that while constituents may be unhappy about losing the ability to speak out online, the government is legally permitted to close the platforms.
VanderVeen said the government is not obligated to provide spaces for people to voice their opinions. He added that the county has the right to decide that operating the comment sections is no longer in the community's best interest.
Exemptions to the social media plan
What we don't know:
We do not know exactly how many comments or specific incidents prompted the immediate proposal, but the resolution aims to strictly control the flow of information on county-run pages.
The proposed changes will not apply to the Polk County Sheriff's Office or the county animal control pages. Those specific accounts are not directly controlled by the county government. The commission will hold its meeting to vote on the resolution Tuesday at 9 a.m.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered during interviews with Polk County Commissioner Bill Braswell and Brennan VanderVeen with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).