The Minnesota Republican Party has some advice for local groups when it comes to social media:

  • YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE: BPOU Chairs, CD Chairs, Affiliate group leadership and other party leaders are responsible for content published by their unit of the Party. ..
  • PAUSE BEFORE YOU PUBLISH: Always ask yourself whether you'll be comfortable with what you are about to disseminate being on the front page of the newspaper....
  • EVERYONE IS WATCHING: All content you publish online will be viewed and captured by people outside of your intended audience.

Republican Party Chairman Keith Downey was not available for comment about the draft recommendations on Tuesday during the day, his spokeswoman Rebekah Clearman said.

The reminder of best social media practices, slated to be discussed and potentially approved by the party executive committee this month, may come at the right time.

Last month, the Chisago County Republican Party posted an image of a slave auction and the message "Pro Choice; Against Slavery? Don't buy one" on Facebook.

Over the weekend, the Winona County Republican Party posted an image on Facebook of First Lady Michelle Obama with a gold grill, President Obama with no teeth and a image of Obama's campaign logo that looks not unlike a monkey. It also had other noteworthy posts.

Outrage followed. And the posts were taken down after attention was drawn to them.

Posted by a Republican Party unit last month

The DFL Party has closely followed the Republican Party groups' social media postings, with the aid of a tracker.

Ellen Perrault, DFL Party spokeswoman, said since she joined the party staff in February the DFL has not sent out social media guidelines but does have social media coordinators throughout the state. She said the state party has not had to ask any local units to remove social media postings in that time.

Here is the Republican Party's draft on social media best practices:

Social Media Best Practices- DRAFT by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger