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Social Media Comment Policy

Introduction

One of the ways the State of Vermont engages with the public is through social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Vermont’s state-owned social media accounts expand traditional channels for public engagement, allowing the public to engage with state entities. These social media accounts also allow the public to engage with each other as they might in a local Town Meeting or other governmental public meetings.

Content and comments on the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will be moderated as set forth below.

Terms of Service

The State of Vermont welcomes public engagement on social media at any time. However, given the need to manage state resources and content moderation, responses should only be expected during regular State of Vermont business hours.

When engaging with the Vermont DMV on social media, you agree to the terms outlined in this social media policy (Policy). Further, when engaging with Vermont DMV on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter sites, you are subject to the host site’s Terms of Service (TOS). Content (photos, videos, etc.) you share with or post to Vermont DMV Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages are subject to the TOS of the host site. The State of Vermont is not responsible for limits Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter may place on speech due to violations of the TOS. Content shared may be used by the owners of the host site for their purposes according to the site-specific TOS. The State of Vermont encourages the public to review the host site TOS before engaging with the State of Vermont’s social media accounts, so they fully understand their rights.

User Generated Content

The public is encouraged to share comments and content with Vermont DMV. To ensure the social account remains a venue where people feel welcome to express diverse viewpoints and participate in democratic processes, content and comments shared should adhere to the standards outlined in this Policy and host site TOS and should follow all copyright and trademark laws.

The Vermont DMV reserves the right to “hide” or remove content or comments that contain:

  • Profane or obscene language or content
  • Defamatory language
  • Content intended to sexually harass others
  • Threats of violence or to public safety
  • Information that may compromise the safety or security of the public, including public systems, and infrastructure
  • Information that may compromise the safety or security of the State, including State employees
  • Personal attacks on individuals with offensive content or language which targets race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability status
  • Content that includes information which is confidential or personally identifying by law, rule, or regulation
  • Solicitations of commerce or advertisements for products, services, entities, or individuals
  • Spam or links to malicious or harmful software
  • Content intended to impersonate another person or legitimate organization

Customer Use Policy

Comments and content posted to Vermont DMV Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are reviewed by the DMV social media team.

With respect to Facebook and Instagram, the Vermont DMV does not discriminate based on viewpoint. Content and comments will not be edited, but we reserve the right to:

  1. block certain words from appearing on the site through the profanity/hidden words filter, which will “hide” user-generated content or comments
  2. manually “hide” or remove user-generated content or comments if they violate the criteria above.

Hidden content or comments are available to the commenter and friends only. Removal of content and comments will be reserved for the most egregious violations of this Policy. Comments removed from our Facebook and/or Instagram accounts will be documented and saved by the Vermont DMV and will be subject to the State of Vermont’s Public Records Act (PRA). No record is created when content or comments are automatically hidden by Facebook or Instagram’s automated tools (such as the profanity filter); thus, the Vermont DMV cannot provide records responsive to requests for this information. Content and comments on Twitter will not be edited or removed.

The list of words that are blocked from appearing on Facebook and/or Instagram is available upon request made to the Vermont DMV at dmv.vermont.gov/about-vermont-dmv/public-records.

Express or implied threats of violence or to public safety may be referred to the Vermont State Police for investigation.

Individual accounts will not be blocked or banned. Accounts established as “bots” (automated accounts) or fake accounts (not associated with a verifiable specific individual or organization, such as parody accounts) will be blocked or banned.

Disclaimer

  • Liking and following an account, user, or page by a State of Vermont Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter account on third-party sites does not equal an endorsement.
  • Liking, commenting, or sharing specific content by a State of Vermont Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter account does not equal an endorsement of the global third-party content.
  • The State of Vermont is not responsible for, nor can it control, content on third-party sites.
  • The State of Vermont does not control nor guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in external content or hypertext links linking to or from third-party websites.

Third-party content and links are not intended to reflect the opinion of the State of Vermont.

Featured Article

December 18, 2024

Motor Vehicle Crash Involving Occupied School Bus

SUBJECT: Motor Vehicle Crash Involving Occupied School Bus

DATE/TIME OF INCIDENT: December 17, 2024, 7:35 a.m.

INCIDENT NUMBER: 24MV013398

TYPE OF EVENT(S): Motor Vehicle Crash

LOCATION OF EVENT(S): 1524 Vermont Route 112, Whitingham

INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR(S): Inspector V. Cole

SUMMARY:  The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles responded to a two-vehicle crash involving an occupied school bus on VT 112 in Whitingham. VT 112 was closed for a short time for investigators to interview drivers/occupants and photograph the scene. Vehicle #1 was a 2016 Honda Pilot operated by Cota Bonna, 18, of Westbury, NY, and lost control on icy roadways and collided with Vehicle#2, a 2024 International School Bus operated by Cathy Morse, 60, of Whitingham. Thirteen children were on the school bus at the time of the crash, and all of them were picked up by parents/guardians or transported by car to the school in Whitingham. Bonna was air-lifted to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Morse was transported to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center for evaluation. A passenger in the Honda Pilot, Victor Bonomi, 18, was transported to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital with a minor injury. Two students on the bus were treated for a bloody nose and minor cut respectively and released to their parents. The cause of the crash was determined to be icy road conditions. 

The Wilmington Police Department, Vermont State Police, Rescue Inc., Deerfield Vally Rescue, and local fire departments assisted with the crash. A post-crash inspection of the school bus revealed no defects.  Vehicle #1 was removed by Heartwellville Service Center, and Vehicle #2 was removed by A’s Auto & Truck Repair.

This is an informational post made in the interest of transparency and public awareness of the activities of the Department of Motor Vehicles. For more information about a specific incident, please contact DMV HQ at 802-828-2078.

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