[Okgrantsmanship] FACEBOOK USE BY STATE AGENCIES

[Mason, Linda]

Facebook agrees to modify terms for state agencies 

By P. Solomon Banda, Tulsa World
1/6/2011 

 

Facebook has agreed to modify its terms and conditions for agencies in
Oklahoma and other states across the country, removing obstacles in
resolving legal issues that arise from using the social networking site.
Changes announced Wednesday by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers
include striking an indemnity clause that requires users to pay legal
fees to Facebook for harm or loss, unless a state's constitution allows
it. Other changes include removing a provision that requires resolving
legal disputes with Facebook in California courts, calling for the
prominent display of a state agency's website on their Facebook page and
encourage amicable resolution to disputes. 

 

"We look forward to continuing to work with Facebook and starting a new
dialogue with the people of Colorado through the company's website,"
Suthers said in a statement. His office led the negotiations on behalf
of several states and two organizations representing attorneys general
and state information officers. Suthers said his agency will establish a
Facebook page after nearly a year studying the issue and negotiating.
The changes are similar to those reached last year with federal agencies
and do not affect individual accounts. 

 

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes said the federal agreement resulted in
50 federal agencies creating hundreds of Facebook pages that now have
millions of fans. Federal agencies with Facebook accounts include the
White House, the U.S. Navy and Federal Emergency Management Agency,
which posted live updates of relief efforts during its response to the
Haiti earthquake last January. Many local agencies already use Facebook
including San Francisco, which has 260,000 fans; the Ohio Secretary of
State; and emergency management agencies in Mississippi and Colorado. 

 

"Facebook is becoming an essential tool for democracy, enabling
interactive discussions between governments and citizens. "We are
pleased to have been able to work with representatives from state and
local governments in the United States to ensure that they can have a
presence on Facebook," Noyes said in a statement. 

 

Suthers spokesman Mike Saccone said he consulted an attorney within the
AG's office after working to establish an account with Facebook and
noticing the terms and conditions, including the indemnity clause that
he says violated Colorado's constitution. Saccone said he discovered
similar concerns when he consulted with his colleagues in other states.
In addition to Oklahoma and Colorado, states participating in
negotiations with the social networking site were Alaska, Arkansas,
Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah and Washington. 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda Mason, Ed.D.

Coordinator for Grant Writing Assistance

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

655 Research Parkway, Suite 200

Oklahoma City OK 73104

405-225-9486 voice

405-225-9230 fax

lmason at osrhe.edu

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/okgrantsmanship/attachments/20110106/a30df1b1/attachment.html