Many councils are looking at adopting social media as part of their operations, and a number of councils, state associations and professional organisations have or are in the process of developing guide documents on the issue. The intent of this ACELG project is to assist the sector in strategising how social media might be effectively applied in local government, particularly in view of finite resources to manage and maintain such initiatives or platforms. What are the benefits, where are the risks?  The report aims to guide practitioners requiring more detail about social media policy and decision-making within local government.