The City's goal in collecting personal information online is to provide you with the most personalized and effective service possible. By understanding your needs and preferences, the City will be in a better position to provide you with improved service. The City will maintain the confidentiality of information it receives online to the same extent it is legally able to do so with respect to information obtained through other means.

Communications made through email and other messaging systems shall in no way be deemed to constitute legal notice to the City or any of its agencies, officers, employees, agents or representatives, with respect to any existing or potential claim or cause of action against the City or any of its agencies, officers, employees, agents, or representatives, where notice to the City is required by any federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations.

The City does not warrant:

• That the functions contained in the materials will be uninterrupted or error-free.
  
  
• That defects will be promptly corrected.
  
  
• That these sites or the servers that make it available are free of viruses or other harmful components.
  
  
• That the City is responsible for the content or the privacy policies of web sites to which it may provide links.

The City's web servers are maintained to provide public access to City information via the Internet. The City's web services and the content of its web servers and databases are updated on a continual basis. While the City attempts to keep its web information accurate and timely, the City neither warrants nor makes representations or endorsements as to the quality, content, accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, hyperlinks, and other items contained on this server or any other server. Web materials have been compiled from a variety of sources, and are subject to change without notice from the City as a result of updates and corrections. Further, some materials on the City's web site and related links may be protected by copyright law; therefore, if you have any questions regarding whether you may: a) modify and/or re-use text, images or other web content from a City server, b) distribute the City's web content, and/or c) "mirror" the City's information on a non-City server, please contact the City's Office of Communication & Public Engagement.

The City uses reasonable precautions to keep the personal information disclosed to the City secure but cannot guarantee the security of any information.

City web sites employ industry-standard methods to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information or otherwise cause damage.

INTRODUCTION          

Use of official City of Gaithersburg social media accounts is intended to broaden the reach of communication and engagement with the community and stakeholders. Information posted on social media sites is intended to duplicate or supplement, not replace, information provided through other official City of Gaithersburg channels, such as www.gaithersburgMD.gov. By engaging with the City of Gaithersburg on social media, you agree to the following:

CONTACTING THE CITY OF GAITHERSBURG

City of Gaithersburg social media accounts are not monitored 24/7 and not all comments may receive a response. Posting comments, posts, chat messages, or otherwise contacting the City through social media websites does not constitute notice, legal or otherwise, to the City. Please visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgMD.gov  for information on how to request specific government services, or email cityhall@gaithersburgmd.gov.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT

Social media sites are third-party sites and have terms of service and policies that are not governed by the City of Gaithersburg. The City is subject to the terms of use for each social media site and is not liable for any damages incurred from the use of the social media site. The terms of services for the social media sites used by the City of Gaithersburg can be found below:

• Facebook – www.facebook.com/legal/terms
• X – x.com/en/tos
• Instagram – www.instagram.com/legal/terms
• Pinterest – www.pinterest.com/_/_/about/terms
• YouTube – www.youtube.com/t/terms

The information contained on each of the City’s social media pages is intended to supplement, but not replace, information provided through official channels. The City aims to provide accurate information through its social media pages, but social media sites may not reflect the most up-to-date information. Users should verify information with official channels, such as www.gaithersburgMD.gov, before relying on any information obtained from the City’s social media posts.

POSTS AND COMMENTS

Public postings and comments are permitted, allowing for a moderated online discussion directly relating to City of Gaithersburg topics, with language that is appropriate for residents, including minors. Third-party content and comments are not endorsed by the City. The City reserves the right to delete any comments at its discretion, including:

• Comments that are not topically related to the particular post being commented on
  
  
• Vulgar or disruptive language or content
  
  
• Personal attacks or threats of any kind
  
  
• Offensive content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation
   
• Sexual content or links to sexual content
  
  
• Spam or irrelevant/inappropriate links to other sites
  
  
• Advocacy of activity that may be illegal
  
  
• Promotion of particular services, products or political candidates or organizations
  
  
• Content that violates a copyright, trademark or other legal ownership interest of any other party
  
  
• Personally identifiable information (PII) about an individual, including but not limited to
  1. Medical information
  2. Contact information, such as emails, addresses or phone numbers
  3. Confidential or private information
  4. Confidential financial information
     
     
• Information that may compromise the safety, security, or proceedings of public systems or any criminal or civil investigations

The City is not responsible for the content, claims, opinion, or statements made by third-party commentators on the City’s social media pages. The City does not endorse, support, sanction, verify or agree with the content of third-party comments. All claims, opinions, or statements made by third-party commentators are the views of those making the comments and do not represent the views of the City.

This page is not the appropriate forum for registering allegations of criminal activity or other accusations against individuals. If a person believes there is legitimate basis for complaints against the City, employees or any third party, then they should use appropriate means of registering the complaint, such filing a complaint, per City Code §17-2.1, through the City’s Whistleblower Program or calling 911.

EXTERNAL LINKS POSTED BY THE CITY OF GAITHERSBURG

The City of Gaithersburg permits the establishment of links to external websites on the City's social media pages. In establishing and maintaining its social media pages, the City may occasionally post links to external, third-party websites and social media profiles, including third-party organizations who have agreed to sponsor City programs or events.

Content on third-party websites and social media profiles are neither reviewed nor endorsed by the City. The City does not endorse, support, sanction, verify or agree with the content statements, commercial products, processes or services posted on any third-party website nor social media profile, unless explicitly stated by the City. The City further does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of information contained on a linked website.

Any information, materials, or advertisements placed online on third-party websites are the views and responsibility of those making the statements and do not represent the views of the City.

PUBLIC INFORMATION

All comments and posts, including those made by the public, are subject to public records and disclosure laws, including Maryland Public Information Act requests, as well as discovery in litigation. This includes, but is not limited to, information made available through a user’s privacy settings on their own social media and other Internet pages. Public Information Act requests, subpoenas, requests for assistance and legal service and/or complaints must be made directly to the City in accordance with law and not via a social media site. More information about the Maryland Public Information Act can be found at here or by email at cityclerk@gaithersburgmd.gov.

The City of Gaithersburg permits the establishment of links to external websites on the City's official website solely in conformance with this policy. In establishing and maintaining its official website, the City does not intend in any manner to create a forum or other means by which public discourse, exchange of opinions, or discussion on issues of any nature may occur. Rather, the sole and limited purpose of the City's website and permitted external links is to provide non-political and non-religious information of a factual nature about the City of Gaithersburg including various services and resources available within and around the City, or as may be available from other governmental agencies. To avoid any perception that the City endorses or provides favorable treatment to any private person or business enterprise, no corporate or commercial logos or direct links to vendor sites are allowed.

When you select a link to another site you are transferred to the selected site and you are no longer on the City's website. Each link is governed by its own operating rules including but not limited to its respective privacy policy, if any. The City's privacy policy and operating rules apply solely to the City's website.

Consistent with the foregoing policy, it is the City's policy to limit external links to the following kinds of entities and organizations:

1. Chamber of commerce and area economic development and tourism agencies.
2. Local utilities.
3. Other governmental agencies.
4. Hospitals and area emergency services.
5. Transportation services.
6. Museums, libraries, historical organizations and similar kinds of established, bona fide organizations that provide cultural resources to residents and visitors of the City.
7. Private foundations and entities that are primarily dedicated to supporting a program or initiative operated by the City.
8. Public and private, bona fide educational institutions.
9. On-line service for payment of City issued parking tickets (External Contractor).

1. Deny an external link to any business or organization when it is determined that the entity or organization does not meet the criteria set forth in this policy.
2. Remove any external link if the nature of the business or organization to which the link relates no longer complies with the City's external link policy.
3. Revise this policy without prior notice when to do so is deemed to be in the best interests of the City.

Any use of the materials stored on City websites are prohibited without the written permission of the City of Gaithersburg. The City of Gaithersburg retains all intellectual property rights including copyrights on all text, graphic images and other content.

This means that the following acts or activities are prohibited without prior, written permission from the City of Gaithersburg:

1. Modifying and/or re-using text, images or other web content from a City server;
2. Distributing the City's web content; or
3. "Mirroring" the City's information on a non-City server.