With the distribution of iPads to National City, California city council members came advice from the city attorney on how use of the social media could violate state open meeting and public record laws. The attorney advised that given there are few judicial decisions on government and social media, officials should be circumspect, avoiding serial communications that could comprise meetings and deny public access to information. (The San Diego Union-Tribune, May 28, 2013, by Allison Sampite-Montecalvo)
The San Jose City Council is currently appealing a March ruling that the personal e-mail and text messages of the entire city workforce are subject to the California Public Records Act. Under current city law, e-mail and text messages of elected officials are public record. (San Jose Mercury News, April 12, 2013, by John Woolfolk) -db