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SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS POLICY FOR REP. THIMESCH

Posted 1/11/2023

Updated 2/20/2023

 

As an elected official in the state of Texas, all communications from and with Rep. Kronda Thimesch, as well as from and with Rep. Thimesch's staff should be considered public.

 

  • Some or all could be subject to public information requests or data archiving requirements, in accordance with state and/or federal law. (See Texas Govt Code §§ 441.180(11), 552.002;).

  • Users who communicate with Rep. Thimesch or her staff via official channels should have no expectation of privacy; official business or requests for constituent services should not be conducted via social media.

  • Comments or requests for services posted on a social media platform will not be considered formal communication; the public is urged to use written or email communication for these purposes.

 

By choosing to interact with Rep. Thimesch or her staff/representative, in any channel, you acknowledge and agree to the policies contained herein.

 

Alternatively, if you wish to communicate with Rep. Thimesch's office but do not want to agree to these policies, you may send written communication via US Postal Mail to her Capitol office. [Room E1.216, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768]

1. Official Platforms

Rep. Thimesch may communicate to constituents, supporters, media, elected officials, and others via any number of platforms and channels, and has designated the following official communication channels effective January 10, 2023. Rep. Thimesch's communication channels are moderated by staff in order to ensure prompt response to constituent needs. The specific social media accounts linked below are the Representative's official public channels.

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[Rep. Thimesch will continue to post information at her state rep Twitter and Instagram accounts, but these are not updated or monitored with Texas House resources and should not be considered official communication channels.]

2. No Guarantee of Privacy, Connectivity or Response Time

Rep. Thimesch and her staff all pitch in to respond to public communications, and all are handled in the order of relative urgency and order in which they are received. Emails will be received by HD-65 staff the fastest. Comments on social media posts are not guaranteed to receive particular responses, especially if left on older posts.

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Rep. Thimesch and her staff are not responsible for differences or discrepancies in internet speed, connectivity, access, software or hardware compatibility, operating systems, or other factors outside the control of the HD-65 office.

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Rep. Thimesch and her staff are not responsible for the actions or content of third parties on any communications channel.

3. Abusive, Vulgar, Violent or Hateful Speech Will Not Be Tolerated

Members of the public should not post or share information that is personal, confidential, sensitive, obscene, threatening, harassing, or discriminatory, or would otherwise compromise public safety or incite violence or illegal activities. Comments, phone calls, emails, messages, voicemails, and/or any other medium of communication which appear intended to insult, harass or attack HD-65 staff, or other constituents or members of the public, will not be allowed. The Representative is committed to respecting the American right to free speech and difference of opinions -- while also ensuring that her channels are appropriate for all members of the public, of all ages. HD-65 staff members are public servants, and have the right to be in a workplace free from harassment.

4. Campaign/Political Communications Must be Kept Separate from State/District Business

State law is explicit about the importance of maintaining this boundary, to ensure that state (public) resources such as paid staff time, are not inappropriately used for campaign purposes. In general, the policy of Rep. Thimesch will be that constituent communications should be a politics-free zone, in order to provide service to all HD-65 residents, especially for any platform that is considered an official communication channel.

5. Comments and Discussion are Moderated

All of Rep. Thimesch's communication channels are moderated by staff in order to ensure prompt response to constituent needs. Certain types of comments and activity are prohibited and might be removed:

  • Advertising, spam or promotional/commercial content including links

  • Anything defamatory or fraudulent in nature, threatening violence, or which appears to be "doxxing" (revealing personally identifiable information of private citizens)

  • Other comments or activity that appear to be operating against the safety, security, and communication interests of the people of HD-65, as determined by Rep. Thimesch or staff.

6. Violation of or Disregard for Rep. Thimesch's Communication Policy Might Result in Restricted Access

Removing or restricting an individual's access to HD-65 communication channels would be considered a last resort, but remains an option in the case where someone continues to disregard our office's commitment to a transparent, respectful, informative environment for constituents and staff.

You may direct questions or concerns about this policy to Rep. Kronda Thimesch via email.

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