Facebook clampdown for OIC staff?

Senior management at Orkney Islands Council look to be clamping down on employees who criticise the authority on the internet.

It is understood that recent postings made by council employees on the social networking site Facebook, or even the “liking” of comments made by others, could lead to disciplinary action taken against them by the authority.

The clampdown appears to follow a spate of comments on Facebook pages following publicity surrounding high-profile council issues.

While the OIC did not comment specifically on the claims, a statement said that the council has policies in place, including the code of conduct for Employers, which set out the requirements of staff when engaging with the media.

“The council is currently reviewing these policies to see if they need to be updated to reflect the growing popularity of social media,” the statement added.