By Kathy Florence.
I am both concerned and angered by the fact that Mayor Friedel now posts his “Friedel Friday” video updates on issues of interest and importance to residents, seemingly only on the pages of private Facebook groups. The administrators of these groups are known to have banned and blocked residents, like me, who have questioned or challenged the mayor’s representations and statements.
Prior to the election the videos were posted on Friedel’s public social media pages and YouTube. Now, they are published on the pages of private groups where the administrators exercise control over the residents who will be allowed to view the content and potentially delete critical commentary.
This shift to posting the Friedel Friday videos on the pages of private groups constitutes another violation of the Mayor’s “full transparency pledge,” but I believe it also constitutes a violation of the First Amendment rights of the residents who have been blocked and banned.
Last year, the Supreme Court held that when public officials use social media to communicate about matters of community concern, they must ensure that all of their constituents have access to and an equal right to comment on those communications. Allowing private surrogates to control the flow of information and suppress dissent is, in my opinion, a violation of the First Amendment Rights of residents who do not have access to these forums.
The First Amendment protects the right of every resident to receive, evaluate and respond to information provided by the mayor. He could not, consistent with his obligation to uphold the Constitution, deliver the State of the Town address in a private meeting to a pre-screened audience. When public officials use digital spaces to communicate on matters of public interest, they must ensure access for all.
