Answers to Questions

Police, Social Media

In reply to the Hon. T.A. FRANKS (8 September 2020).

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing): The Minister for Police has been advised:

1. Making a statement of clarification depends on the post and the comments made.

SAPOL's Media Unit staff address comments directly by providing information when a statement is not factual.

Posts and comments may also be left for community interaction, providing it does not breach SAPOLs standards.

This allows for community correction of facts and ongoing community discussion. SAPOL's Media Unit may choose not to make a comment to ensure a current investigation is not impeded.

2. Correcting posts may be undertaken as required.

Upon request from within or outside of SAPOL, the Media Unit is able to post a retraction or correction of fact.

3. SAPOL does not accept threatening, disrespectful, insulting, obscene, racist or defamatory comments.

Efforts are constantly made to ensure that comments of this nature are not visible on the page. SAPOL utilise a profanity and banned word list. Facebook does not allow the adjudication of comments prior to being uploaded to their posts.