Social media

• Council denies street lights cause cancer

  Gateshead Council has been forced to hit back at a conspiracy theory which claims it is carrying out secret Government trials using its street lights.

  

• The harassment and intimidation of local councillors

  From death threats to online harassment, just why are councillors subject to increasing levels of abuse? Neil Merrick investigates.

  

• Former council worker fined for snapchatting personal data

  A former apprentice at Southwark Council has been fined after illegally sharing personal information about schoolchildren and their parents via Snapchat.

  

• Local government guide to social media

  Neil Merrick explains how local authorities can get the most from social media and avoid potential pitfalls.

  

• Hackers use mayor's profile to make racist posts

  The mayor of Leeds has been forced to speak out after suffering a barrage of online abuse when hackers posted racist comments in her name.

  

• Brexit vote marked ‘high point’ of online abuse to MPs, research reveals

  An analysis over three months last year revealed 188,000 abusive tweets were sent to MPs, with Brexit marking a high point for online abuse.

  

• Tory councillor suspended after racist Eurovision tweet

  A Conservative councillor has been suspended following a racist tweet he made during the Eurovision song contest.

  

• PODCAST: True colours

  In a new podcast, Lord Porter charts his political journey from bolshie school kid to Conservative peer leading the Local Government Association.

  

• Snapchat recruited to help register young Scottish voters

  The Electoral Commission has partnered with Snapchat as part of a campaign to remind voters in Scotland to register for the council elections.

  

• Council puts crying face emojis on council tax bills

  A London Council has shocked residents after it included crying face emojis on an online council tax bill.