If you are unsure whether a social media post from a city government is a public record under Sunshine Laws, what should you do?

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Open government rules vary by jurisdiction, so whether a social media post from a city government is a public record isn’t determined by a single universal rule. When you’re unsure, the best move is to consult state and local regulations and guidance to see how a given post is defined and whether it must be retained as a record. This means checking the public records act, municipal codes, retention schedules, and any agency policies or attorney general opinions that interpret those rules, along with how the post was used in official government business. If the post relates to official activities and is kept as part of official records, it may be a public record; if it’s purely informal or not part of the agency’s official duties, it may not. The other options assume universal applicability or exclude relevant considerations, which doesn’t align with how open records laws are applied across jurisdictions.