Free download · Alabama local government

Alabama Social Media Recordkeeping Guide.

Understanding what the Alabama Public Records Law requires of your social media activity, and what "compliant" actually looks like in practice, isn't always straightforward. This plain-language guide gives counties, cities & municipalities and public agencies a clear path.

Code of Ala. § 36-12-44 — A public officer must acknowledge a proper standard request within 10 business days and provide a substantive response within 15 business days of acknowledging receipt: fulfilling or denying the request, arranging access, or setting fees. The period is extendable in 15-business-day increments on written notice, and no substantive response within the earlier of 30 business or 60 calendar days after acknowledgment is presumed a denial. A standard request is one the officer determines would take less than eight hours of staff time to process; the right belongs to Alabama residents, and different, longer periods apply to time-intensive requests.
Free download Alabama — Archiving Social Media: A Guide For Government
What's Inside

Everything your agency needs, in plain English.

01 · Federal law

The federal layer

The Federal Records Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act of 1974 — and how they reach social media.

02 · Alabama law

Alabama Public Records Law

Code of Ala. § 36-12-40 et seq.; § 41-13-1 and the Alabama Open Meetings Act — including the acknowledgment-and-response procedure.

03 · Enforcement & risk

When disputes go to court

Alabama records disputes are decided by courts — what that means for how defensible your archive needs to be.

04 · Bonus checklist

The compliance checklist

The go-to checklist for standing up a compliant social media archive — what to capture, retain and be ready to produce.

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General guidance only, not legal advice. We'll never share your details.

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