Baltimore Fire Dept.: new social media policy bans firefighters from using cameras on the job

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Baltimore Fire Department has instituted a new social media policy that says “firefighters cannot use personal mobile devices at fire scenes unless they have permission, and bans them from using cameras any time on the job,” reports the Baltimore Sun.

From the Sun article:

Under the policy, department personnel can be reprimanded for anything they write online about their jobs that doesn’t adhere to conduct rules, which require “good judgment” and “courtesy and respect to the public and to fellow employees.” The policy also restricts them from sharing information about fire scenes. [more]

However, union leaders claim the policy is “too broad” and worry that the new social media policy circumscribes firefighters’ online posting activities too narrowly.