Argyll and Bute Council suspend employee over 'spy' accounts

[Kintyre Forum News]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-16991417

A council employee in Argyll and Bute has been suspended while an investigation is under way into so-called "social media spying".

It comes after communications chief Jo Smith told a conference she set up fake social media accounts to monitor what was being said about the council.

One of the local authority's biggest online critics, For Argyll, said it was a "sacking issue".

The council insisted it did not condone the use of covert social media.

In recent months Argyll and Bute Council has been under fire from a number of local critics on the web.

While giving a presentation to public sector colleagues in Glasgow Ms Smith is understood to have said she created "spy accounts" to join groups covertly, to discover what they were saying abut the local authority.
'Sacking imperative'

In a statement on the For Argyll website the group said the communication manager had been left in a position "beyond public trust".

It said: "In her presentation, we understand that Ms Smith not only revealed the council practice of using 'Spy Accounts' but advocated its use by her fellow public service professionals."

The group has challenged the council to say whether these covert accounts were authorised.

It added: "If these activities were not authorised, there is a straightforward sacking imperative since this practice has destroyed the council's reputation for ethical conduct in its communications operation.

"It has left the leader of the council's communications team in a position beyond public trust and therefore leaves all public communications from the council suffering a profound credibility deficit."

A spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute council said: "The council does not, nor ever would, condone the covert use of social media.

"A full investigation is underway and a member of staff has been

[Kintyre Forum News]

More on this at http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home ... 2012021377

Where the original strory broke about "spy" acounts.

Friday 10 February 2012

[b]Council chief goes online to spy on critics

A COUNCIL media chief has admitted setting up "spy" accounts on social media sites such as Facebook to gather information on groups and individuals regarded as critical of the authority.

Jo Smith, communications manager with Argyll and Bute Council, revealed her undercover strategy to public service colleagues during a conference presentation.

The authority has been at loggerheads with residents over a series of issues, including a controversial programme of school closures and problems with local infrastructure.

During the Glasgow event dedicated to social media, Ms Smith said the council had embraced new communication technology, sending live tweets from meetings, carrying out budget consultations online, and securing the Argyll and Bute Council name in case anyone else registered it.

However, she also then spoke of creating "spy accounts", and using them to join groups covertly to establish what critics or opponents of council policy were saying.
One fellow communications professional at the event, who did not wish to be named, said: "Ms Smith gave a powerful presentation about the highs and lows of using social media, but there was a sense of shock in the room when she described how she set up fake accounts on Facebook and Twitter to spy on people and groups who oppose the council.

"From a professional public relations point of view, it is really poor behaviour. You may not like what taxpayers are saying about you online, but you can't pretend to be one of them in order to find out what they are saying.

"Other professional communicators in the room were very uncomfortable about it – not only is it unethical, it was a strange thing to tell other people about."
Lynda Henderson, of the website for argyll.com – which has been a thorn in the flesh of the council over school closures and other issues – described the tactic as "underhand", adding: "That is genuinely horrific. It didn't occur to me they would go that far. That's pretty evil." Another speaker at the event, Gary McGrow, Scottish Health Services Researcher at Scottish Health Council, questioned Ms Smith about the ethics of the practice during a panel session at the time.

He added: "I did ask whether this was ethical, but I don't think it was being used for those purposes. It was being called a spy account, but what it really is is a dummy account.

"A lot of public-sector organisations are struggling with the use of social media. What she was trying to do was find out how other people were using it, as a project, with a name not linked to the council. I don't have any concerns about it now."
Last night the authority said: "Argyll and Bute Council does not use and does not condone the use of covert social media accounts. The council does use social media as a valuable way to engage with communities. "We regularly use social media to provide residents with information about weather, school closures and traffic. Recently we used web chats as part of our budget consultation.

"Social media allows us to engage with residents on a personal level and is invaluable in an area covering such a large geographic spread."

A spokesman for the Scottish council umbrella organisation Colsa said it did not know of any council using spy accounts.[/b]

[D.H]

I really think the whole process of the school closure proposals need to be independently investigated by the Scottish Govt and sackings taking place where deliberate inappropriate tactics have been used. Bizarre and unprofessional behaviour like this seems rife in this area of the Council.

[WC1]

Let's not get carried away here. It's a far cry from one employee acting like a loose canon to "bizarre and unprofessional behaviour like this seems rife in this area of the Council". For it to be "rife" it needs to be widespread, and there's absolutely no evidence for this. The overwhelming majority of ABC staff are completely professional and carry out their duties with integrity.

[D.H]

Have you read the emails eventually released through the Freedom of Information about the role of the independent educational adviser brought in to oversee the process? They are very damning about how the process was deliberately subverted by the Educational Dept, with the collusion of the independent educational adviser.

[WC1]

This thread is about 'spy accounts' not school closures. However, in neither case is there evidence of unprofessional activities being 'rife' in the organisation.

[argylltourist]

I surely can't be the only one to be feeling distinctly uneasy about the latest goings on in our " transparent " council.

Time that this council became more open and accessible to the general public, if the Scottish government can be viewed by the voters: ergo so can Kilmory.

[D.H]

An interesting article from Forargyll about the spying account and the school closure proposals. http://forargyll.com/2012/02/spygate-who-was-john-mckinnon-was-russell-a-victim-of-dirty-tricks-by-a-council-false-persona/

[Kintyre Forum News]

INVESTIGATION INTO THE RECENTLY REPORTED SOCIAL MEDIA ISSUES

Statement by the Chief Executive

You will be well aware of recent national and local press coverage of the allegation of inappropriate covert surveillance of social media by a Council employee and to my stated intention to have an independent investigation carried out into this allegation.

You will also be aware that the employee has been placed on precautionary suspension from work. This is a temporary measure. It is neither a punitive measure, nor does it constitute disciplinary action in any way, shape or form. It is likely to be the case that the officer will be asked to assist the investigation as it is taken forward.

To be clear, the arrangements for the investigation that have been put in place will be undertaken within the terms of the Council’s Code of Disciplinary Procedures, dated September 2009. In terms of both the principles of natural justice therefore and to allow the Council to fulfil its obligations as an employer, the investigation now being conducted will absolutely be undertaken outwith the public gaze and at all times will respect both the privacy and confidentiality of all parties necessarily connected with the investigation.

It is important to point out at this stage that the allegation that has been made centres on a single Council employee and comments allegedly made by that employee. Until these matters are investigated properly everything else which has been said or reported in the media is simply speculation.

As matters stand, I can confirm that as a result of preliminary enquiries, I have established that the Council’s Strategic Management Team, together with our extended chief officer support base, has no knowledge or information of any cultural problem within the Council that has resulted in any form of inappropriate covert surveillance of social media or that any such activity has ever been authorised or conducted. It of course goes without saying that should the investigation highlight any such wider issues of concern then I will expect to receive recommendations for wider investigation. Any such recommendations will be acted upon.

The Council’s Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Services, as Disciplinary Investigation Officer, has, after an assessment process, appointed Mr John Clayton, who will provide the necessary external resource needed to undertake a full and independent investigation. Mr Clayton is a recently retired local authority chief officer who has worked within the corporate development and communications discipline and who as a former Senior Audit Manager with Audit Scotland has a wealth of experience and track record in undertaking independent investigative assignments within the public sector. This, I believe, sets the correct balance of challenge, rigour and independent scrutiny for the investigation, commensurate with the evidence available to the Council at the present time. Again, at the outset, and for the avoidance of any doubt, it is paramount that the work of the investigation remains private, both for the purposes of the Council’s business processes and also in line with the principles of natural justice for those connected with the investigation. The external independent appointment of Mr Clayton will ensure that this is the case. The reasons for this are:-

The investigation’s work and findings may ultimately require to be dealt with as part of the Council’s disciplinary procedures and processes.
The investigation report may include references to employees of the Council, who may or may not be subject to disciplinary action. Following any disciplinary or other action deemed necessary as part of the procedure now in place, then any employee, should they be the subject of any form of disciplinary action, will ultimately have the right of appeal to the Council’s Appeals Panel and so it is vital that we have elected members available to populate such a Panel, who have no prior detailed knowledge of the investigation or who could be said to be influenced by comment from any of their colleagues.
In due course I will produce for Members and the wider public interest, an appropriate executive summary report of the investigation findings which will be presented to the Council’s Executive and Audit Committee. I will do this when, and only when I am in a proper position to do so. As all fair minded people will appreciate I am sure, the timing of the production and issuing to you of such a report is important. It will be necessary to first have the investigation conclude its work. Secondly, and depending on the investigation’s findings, there may or may not require to be disciplinary hearings called to deal with any issues as considered appropriate. Thirdly, there may be the need for the Council’s Appeals Panel to be activated to deal with any matters arising. At all times, I will of course be guided by the advice given for such matters by the appropriate Council officers on how this would be properly done.

The structure of the planned report will provide an insight into the investigation’s terms of reference and scope of work done. It will include:

background information
the nature of allegation(s) received on the matter
the investigation process;
the investigation findings;
action taken;
any remedial improvement actions put in place;
any residual concerns flagged up for further / wider investigation.
Lastly, there will be no further detailed update to elected Members on the investigation process, which now must be given time and space to get on with its work. Equally, there will be no detailed updates to the local or national press.

I trust that the details which I have set out above ensure an understanding of the position and provide to elected Members an appreciation of not only the limitations on the information which I can properly provide at present, but also assure you that immediate and appropriate action has been taken and will continue to be taken in response to this allegation.

I would advise that I will be passing a copy of this statement to local MPs and MSPs and to the press for their information.

Sally Loudon
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
21 February 2012