Rochester Shuts Down Comments on City Social Media Pages

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The City of Rochester has taken a step towards attempting to end online behavior that leaders say contradicts the city’s values.

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City leaders announced the change on Wednesday. The new policy took immediate effect and was shared across all city-run social media accounts.

From now on, comments on official City of Rochester social media pages are discontinued. That includes the city’s main social media pages, city department pages and Mayor Kim Norton’s pages.

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City of Rochester Administrator Alison Zelms said in a statement:

The City of Rochester believes it is important to help support and foster a safe and inclusive community. Unfortunately, like other communities across the state of Minnesota and the nation, we have seen comments and activity via our social media channels that is counterproductive to those efforts. Discontinuing the use of comments effectively reduces the potential for harmful content and negative interactions because it removes an unmoderated and monitored forum for those activities.

Mayor Norton, who frequently uses her page to promote city events and share official city communications, wrote:

With a focus on ensuring that Rochester is a place where all of our residents and visitors feel welcome and safe, I join the City in discontinuing the use of comments. Individuals and organizations will continue to have multiple ways to communicate with me including private messaging, email, phone calls and in-person meetings. Residents can continue to react to posts and reshare to their own pages with their thoughts. I believe this change will support our efforts to provide information, and also to create a better, safer digital environment for all.

City officials emphasize the discontinuing of comments will not shut off communications between residents and city leaders.

The news release encourages residents to provide concerns and feedback through phone calls, emails and in person visits. The City of Rochester’s Directory is available by clicking here.

The city is also preparing to launch a 311 service that has the stated goal to streamline residents' connection and engagement with city services.