L.A. Officials Change Course on Google Chat Messages After Wildfires
Los Angeles city officials have made a significant policy shift regarding the use of Google Chat messages by city employees. For years, city employees were allowed to use Google Chat messages that would automatically disappear after 24 hours. However, after concerns were raised by a community group and good government experts, the city has decided to halt the use of vanishing messages.
City Decides to Save All Google Chat Messages
The decision to save all one-on-one and group Google Chat messages was announced by the city’s Information Technology Agency in response to the recent wildfires that ravaged Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and other communities. According to Ted Ross, general manager of the technology agency, these messages will now be saved indefinitely and will be subject to production in legal proceedings, public records requests, and internal investigations.
Ross emphasized that preserving these messages will allow employees to review past online dialogues, which could be crucial for emergency response activities. The change in policy was welcomed by the community group Crane Boulevard Safety Coalition, which had challenged the city’s use of disappearing messages.
Concerns Over Compliance with Public Records Laws
Critics have raised concerns that the use of automatically disappearing messages allowed city officials to bypass the California Public Records Act and the city’s own document retention policies. The Crane Boulevard Safety Coalition accused city officials of trying to evade liability by linking the policy change to the wildfires rather than the ongoing lawsuit challenging the city’s approval of a single-family home in Mount Washington.
Jamie T. Hall, an attorney representing the coalition, expressed skepticism about the city’s motives, stating that they were being dishonest in attributing the change to the wildfires. Hall emphasized the importance of formalizing the new policy to ensure that Google Chat messages are retained in the future.
Call for Transparency and Accountability
Members of good government groups, such as Unrig L.A., have emphasized the importance of transparency in government operations. Jamie York, a member of Unrig L.A., stated that the city should have never allowed the use of disappearing messages in the first place. York stressed that accountability is crucial for a functioning and responsible government.
As the city grapples with the fallout from the wildfires, the decision to save all Google Chat messages represents a significant step towards greater transparency and compliance with public records laws. The ongoing scrutiny from community groups and legal challenges underscores the importance of upholding accountability in government practices.
In the wake of this policy shift, it remains to be seen how city officials will address the concerns raised by critics and ensure that communication channels are in line with legal and ethical standards. The actions taken by the city in response to this controversy will undoubtedly shape the future of government transparency and accountability in Los Angeles.
