City officials in South Pittsburg, Tenn., a municipality that sits across the state line from northeastern Alabama, have banned "negative comments" made on social media by city officials or city employees, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
The Times Free Press reports that the city commission voted at its December meeting, by a vote of 4-to-1, to approve the policy, which bans negative comments or videos about the city, its employees or its "associates."
"The first thing everyone wants to say is 'I can't post anything on Facebook,'" City Commissioner Jeff Powers said, according to the Times Free Press. "Well, you can. Just not [anything] that sheds a negative light on any person, entity, board or things of that nature. You can go ahead and post all you want."
Powers said he was tired of addressing rumors at meetings, rumors he said came from Facebook and elsewhere.
"It seems like every few meetings we're having to address something that's been on Facebook and created negative publicity," said Powers.