San Jose Mayor's Social Media Use Criticized

The controversy centers on Mayor Matt Mahan's long-standing practice of using his personal social media accounts for both city business and self-promotion. These personal accounts on X and Instagram have amassed around 20,000 followers each and feature a mix of policy updates, responses to crime, and videos of the mayor at city events. Criticism intensified after Mahan announced his campaign for California governor. Following the announcement, his personal channels increasingly focused on promoting his gubernatorial run, leading to accusations of a blurred line between official duties and campaign activities. In response to the growing complaints, Mahan launched new, officially designated city social media accounts in February. However, critics argue that years of mixed messaging have already undermined the separation between government business and campaigning. Two unnamed City Hall staffers have alleged that Mahan assigned employees in his office to work on his private social media accounts over the years. They argue that using public resources to build a private communication channel that is now being used for campaign purposes is inappropriate. The mayor's office maintains that his social media practices are legal. A spokesperson stated that state law and guidance from the City Attorney's Office permit elected officials to share both personal and official updates on their personal accounts. This is not the first time Mahan's social media habits have been scrutinized. During his 2021 mayoral campaign, reports surfaced about his use of his Facebook account to promote both city-related and campaign content. Ironically, upon entering the governor's race, Mahan criticized Governor Gavin Newsom for his "attention-hogging Twitter antics" and stated his own focus would not be on "internet trolling."