news

Cranbrook, BC (November 25, 2024) -- To reduce disrespectful comments and to help prevent the spread of misinformation, the commenting feature on the City of Cranbrook’s corporate Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) pages will be discontinued, effective immediately.

“The original intent of commenting on social media posts was to share ideas, however, that has changed considerably over the years. We have seen a marked increase in the amount of online harassment, abuse and some instances of hate speech toward members of Council and City staff specifically on our corporate Facebook and X pages over the past year,” says Chris Zettel, Corporate Communications Officer for the City. “The exposure of our followers, of Council and of our staff to this type of online abuse is completely inappropriate and provides zero value to anyone.”

The City is stopping short of pulling the plug on public comments on all its social media pages – at least for now. Comments will continue to be allowed on select social media platforms—such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads—where interactions have been more civil and productive, particularly in departments like Recreation and Culture. 

“Our staff with Recreation and Culture are finding their experiences with the public much more civil and find that their specific Facebook and Instagram pages to be helpful tools to respond to questions around programming and events in a timely way. For these reasons, we will keep these pages operating as usual, at least for now,” Zettel says, adding, “it’s something we will be watching closely.”

Cranbrook is not the first municipality in British Columbia to limit or stop public comments on their social media pages. The City of Fernie, City of Victoria, and the District of Tofino have all turned off public commenting because of similar issues.

“While we have many productive means to hear from residents through our website, email, telephone, in-person, and social media, we have zero tolerance for any threats or abuse of staff and members of Council, verbal or otherwise, either in person or online. We have a duty to protect staff and members of Council to all threats along with ensuring that we protect and support the mental health of our people in this organization,” says Mayor Wayne Price. 

Despite the comment restrictions on these select few social media sites, the City remains open to communication through other channels, such as email and the 311 service, ensuring that residents still have ways to reach out to staff and Council members. The City plans to continue monitoring the situation to ensure that interactions remain respectful and constructive.