Social Media & the First Amendment 

Here's a question for government agencies -- when a comment appears on one of your social media feeds that’s contrary to your agency’s values or ignites controversy with the public, can you delete that comment? If you get this question wrong, your agency -- and you personally -- might be sued in federal court for a civil rights violation.

Knowing how the First Amendment applies to your social media feeds can protect you from a lawsuit, legal fees, and damages. Many public agency personnel are confused about legal issues surrounding social media comments, and most government attorneys don’t understand social media or keep up with the latest First Amendment cases in this area. This training provides practical tips from a social media expert who is also an experienced First Amendment attorney.

Will you be ready when so-called First Amendment Auditors turn their cell phone on you? They’re going to try to get you to do something you’ll regret, and too often they succeed. We’ll share with you what you can expect, how to de-escalate, and how to be ready to represent your organization well in the face of aggressive First Amendment Auditors.

Our social media / First Amendment training helps identify potential pitfalls, like deleting comments on social media that might help you avoid getting sued.

Don’t worry — this won’t be dry legal humdrum – expect funny, real-life examples that will make your social media feeds better and smarter.

Learn about:

• Whether your social media feeds are a “public forum” 

• What social media comments are protected as free speech 

• How to write a social media policy that won’t be ruled unconstitutional

• When you can delete or hide comments 

• When you can block users 

• Best practices to avoid successful legal challenges 

• Dealing with First Amendment Auditors