❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding DFES's Facebook page management, including administrator details, content moderation policies, and the status of Public Information Unit positions. The response provides details on these areas.
AnsweredQoN 1209Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) I refer to the official Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Facebook page, and I ask: (a) how many people are authorised as administrators to the page; (b) please identify the position name and salary level of each person identified in (a); (c) noting your answer to Legislative Council question on notice 924 that 'Responsibility for social media content rests with the Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Commissioner or their approved delegate', how many delegates have been approved by the FES Commissioner; (d) please identify the position name and salary level of each person identified in (c); (e) how many Facebook users have been 'blocked' from accessing or interacting with the official DFES Facebook page; (f) please detail the decision-making process and any relevant departmental policy relating to blocking a Facebook user from access; (g) for the month of January 2023, how many comments on DFES Facebook posts are hidden; and (h) please detail the decision-making process and any relevant departmental policy relating to hiding comments from Facebook users? (2) I refer to the five staff positions in the Public Information Unit and I ask why are these positions classified as a 'temporary funded position' as identified in your answer to Legislative Council question on notice 924? (3) I refer to a post on the official DFES Facebook page on 2 February 2023 in relation to a Total Fire Ban declaration the following day on 3 February 2023, and I ask: (a) how many comments on the post were 'hidden' by page administrators; (b) was any direction given to any relevant page administrator and if so by whom was direction given; (c) what was the reason which substantiated a decision to hide comments on this post; and (d) who made the decision to hide comments on this post?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 March 2023
Responded by
Minister for Emergency Services
Response time
6 days
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) advises:
(1)(a) Three people are authorised as administrators of the DFES Facebook page
(1)(b)
Position
Salary Level
Access
Manager Digital and Campaigns
7
Full control – Digital and Campaigns Branch
Coordinator Digital Communications
6
Full control – Digital and Campaigns Branch
Digital Communications Officer
4
Full control – Digital and Campaigns Branch
(1) (c) one
(1) (d) Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Level 8
(1) (e) 76
(1) (f) Facebook users are blocked if they appear to be bots or spamming (such as selling cryptocurrency or investments or linking to inappropriate content) or if they have breached Facebook or DFES Terms of Use.
(1) (g) In January 2023, DFES received 28,626 Facebook comments across 772 posts. Facebook does not have a tool to accurately report the number of comments hidden.
(1) (h) Comments are hidden on the DFES Facebook page if:
· The comment contains incorrect or misleading information, particularly in relation to incidents and emergencies.
· The comment is offensive or could be easily misinterpreted.
· It contains personal information about an individual.
· Additional information needs to be sought for a response.
· An ongoing or escalating comment thread needs to be moderated.
(2) The five Public Information positions were initially employed on contracts, with a view to making them permanent once funding was confirmed for the Next Gen Emergency WA project. As funding has now been secured, the five Public Information positions are now permanent.
(3) (a) Two
(3) (b) No
(3)(c) Friday, 2 February 2023, DFES received an overwhelming 16,664 comments on Facebook, which necessitated significant resources for moderation. Accurate public information is always the first priority for DFES. The hidden comments were potentially confusing to the community. DFES had the choice to either moderate (correct the misinformation) or hide it. On the day in question, DFES was required to moderate and respond to comments on multiple incidents, including a bushfire Emergency Warning and Watch and Act, Severe Weather Warnings, and the ongoing Kimberley Floods. This workload prompted the decision to hide the comment.
(3) (d) DFES Coordinator Digital Communications.
(1)(a) Three people are authorised as administrators of the DFES Facebook page
(1)(b)
Position
Salary Level
Access
Manager Digital and Campaigns
7
Full control – Digital and Campaigns Branch
Coordinator Digital Communications
6
Full control – Digital and Campaigns Branch
Digital Communications Officer
4
Full control – Digital and Campaigns Branch
(1) (c) one
(1) (d) Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Level 8
(1) (e) 76
(1) (f) Facebook users are blocked if they appear to be bots or spamming (such as selling cryptocurrency or investments or linking to inappropriate content) or if they have breached Facebook or DFES Terms of Use.
(1) (g) In January 2023, DFES received 28,626 Facebook comments across 772 posts. Facebook does not have a tool to accurately report the number of comments hidden.
(1) (h) Comments are hidden on the DFES Facebook page if:
· The comment contains incorrect or misleading information, particularly in relation to incidents and emergencies.
· The comment is offensive or could be easily misinterpreted.
· It contains personal information about an individual.
· Additional information needs to be sought for a response.
· An ongoing or escalating comment thread needs to be moderated.
(2) The five Public Information positions were initially employed on contracts, with a view to making them permanent once funding was confirmed for the Next Gen Emergency WA project. As funding has now been secured, the five Public Information positions are now permanent.
(3) (a) Two
(3) (b) No
(3)(c) Friday, 2 February 2023, DFES received an overwhelming 16,664 comments on Facebook, which necessitated significant resources for moderation. Accurate public information is always the first priority for DFES. The hidden comments were potentially confusing to the community. DFES had the choice to either moderate (correct the misinformation) or hide it. On the day in question, DFES was required to moderate and respond to comments on multiple incidents, including a bushfire Emergency Warning and Watch and Act, Severe Weather Warnings, and the ongoing Kimberley Floods. This workload prompted the decision to hide the comment.
(3) (d) DFES Coordinator Digital Communications.
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