When Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne potential election rival Rylund Johnston on social media, he brushed on some unsettled rules surrounding officialsSA国际影视传媒� social media use.

There are no rules guiding MLAs' personal online conduct SA国际影视传媒� roughly six MLAs donSA国际影视传媒檛 even have publicly accessible Facebook pages. Premier Bob McLeod, meanwhile, makes do with a website and a twitter page, which is six years dormant. And while there are rules around publicly funded websites, personal social media accounts are left to individual officialsSA国际影视传媒� discretion.

Johnston, writing in , said the issue is SA国际影视传媒渁bout whether MLAs can block their constituents from seeing the content on their social media accounts simply because they donSA国际影视传媒檛 agree with them.SA国际影视传媒�

Despite being a minor incident, questions linger over whoSA国际影视传媒檚 entitled to an MLAsSA国际影视传媒� social media accounts as public debate moves increasingly online.

 SA国际影视传媒淢any energetic debatesSA国际影视传媒�

Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart said social media was a valuable tool to connect with constituents and disseminate of information, especially with the high rate of Facebook use among residents.

SA国际影视传媒淧art of using it well is making sure thereSA国际影视传媒檚 clear community standards on how you engage with the public and how the public engages you,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎s long as everyone plays by those rules, I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 a very good tool.SA国际影视传媒�

Testart said heSA国际影视传媒檚 had SA国际影视传媒渕any energetic debatesSA国际影视传媒� online with people who disagree with him. As long as it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 dissolve into disrespect and personal attacks, he said it was important to do so.

SA国际影视传媒淚f you do feel like someoneSA国际影视传媒檚 being a problem, send them a note, give them a note. Say, SA国际影视传媒榶ouSA国际影视传媒檙e violating our guidelines, please stop. This is your warning.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淏ut make sure youSA国际影视传媒檙e explaining it to people because if you just jump straight to banning SA国际影视传媒� the ban hammer, as they say SA国际影视传媒� if you just start hammering people with bans and blocks, it can lead people (asking), SA国际影视传媒榳hy did this happen? Why am I being knocked out of the public discussion?SA国际影视传媒�

Nunakput MLA Herb Nakimayak, meanwhile, simply removes obscene or disrespectful posts. is more of a tool for communication with remote constituents and building trust with regular posts.

SA国际影视传媒淚 am able to listen, see, share and utilize the tools to help problem-solve or support my region much more effectively than jumping on the sled (which could be days away),SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪ome MLA's have to walk 4 blocks and they have done their tours.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭oo much garbage so I just backed offSA国际影视传媒�

Tu Nedhe - Wiilideh MLA , conversely, hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 posted publicly since a constituency meeting event page in June 2018, which was his first post since the year before. Set to retire, he said heSA国际影视传媒檚 tried to back off from the tool SA国际影视传媒� inaccurate information on the platform became too much.

He said social media first had a significant impact during the last territorial election, though he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have Facebook at the time. It came to the forefront when Beaulieu claimed his opponent was spreading misinformation about his time in cabinet, which was SA国际影视传媒渒ind of bullsSA国际影视传媒攖,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Roughly a week left in the campaign, BeaulieuSA国际影视传媒檚 campaign managerSA国际影视传媒檚 daughter urged him to respond online. He gave the go-ahead, and said it went SA国际影视传媒渙kay.SA国际影视传媒� Two years ago, he followed up with a Facebook page.

However, he was again concerned about misinformation online, and users spreading inaccurate information. SA国际影视传媒淚 found there was too much garbage so I just backed off,SA国际影视传媒� he said. Beaulieu prefers email and his advice is to never do constituent business over social media.

Nanendeh has a similar philosophy.

He uses his account to share government and constituent communities updates, but he advises working one on one, over phone or email. SA国际影视传媒淲ild and crazy thing: use the phone,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Overall, he said donSA国际影视传媒檛 engage in negativity, and address concerns one-on-one.

SA国际影视传媒淵ouSA国际影视传媒檙e no different than anyone else," he said. "Being an MLA is just the job of being MLA. YouSA国际影视传媒檙e representing your riding.

SA国际影视传媒淒o I get happy when someone gets mad at me? No. But thatSA国际影视传媒檚 part of the job.SA国际影视传媒�

Social media is a tool, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚f you donSA国际影视传媒檛 use it right, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be repercussions."