Stefan Bradley
WELLINGTON Shire Council has launched a temporary replacement Facebook page until the old one is restored by the social media platform.
On March 26, the Facebook page, which frequently posted relevant updates for Wellington locals, was unexpectedly unpublished by Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
“This action took us by surprise and highlighted that even as a regional local government council, we are still vulnerable to the unpredictable decisions of global social media giants,” Wellington Shire Council wrote in a media release.
“What’s more, we are not alone in facing such challenges, it’s an issue that many other organisations and businesses face online, daily.
“We want to clarify that our Facebook page was not removed intentionally. It appears to have stemmed from a Facebook update, the specifics of which we are still trying to understand.
“Over the past week, we have been actively engaging with Meta to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, however there has been no outcome to date.”
While council intends to bring back the old page, if for whatever reason it’s not restored by Meta, the temporary page may become permanent.
Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Ian Bye highlighted the value of talking with and hearing from the community.
“Keeping our Facebook pages active and engaging is so important for us to work together effectively,” he said.
“Please follow, share, and engage with our content across all online channels. Your participation makes a big difference in keeping our community connected.”
Social media might seem simple – however despite their user-friendly facade, these platforms are governed by rules and algorithms. This makes certain issues challenging to resolve quickly.
Council said that going forward, they will be focused on the communication channels and databases they directly manage, ensuring that they continue to serve the community effectively and in meaningful ways.
“For more than five years, we have dedicated ourselves to building a transparent and honest online community, attracting a following of over 20,000 across digital channels, who actively engage with our content every day (and night),” council said.
“Understanding the value of this connection, we have prioritised a new Wellington Shire Council Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wellingtonshirevic.”
Council is also encouraging locals to stay connected through as many places and platforms as possible, including the Digital Edit E-newsletter, Instagram (also owned by Meta), and other Facebook pages including Wellington Libraries, Aqua Energy, Gippsland Regional Sports Complex (GRSC), Gippsland Regional Livestock Exchange, The Middle of Everywhere and Gippsland Art Gallery
“We appreciate your understanding and patience through this unexpected hiatus and thank you for your continued support,” council said.
The removal occurred days before Meta shut down its Facebook News Tab feature in Australia, following their decision to stop paying news publishers for news content on the platform.
Meta said they are reducing their news content on Facebook and Instagram.
The Gippsland Times, Latrobe Valley Express, and Gippsland Farmer (all produced and printed in Morwell, and represented by Country Press Australia) will be affected by Meta’s decision to stop paying Australian publishers for news content.
Meta had been providing grants to Country Press Australia publishers which has provided vital sustainability.
