Fredonia Village Board is attempting to tackle a complicated issue. During a recent workshop, Mayor Michael Ferguson discussed a potential social media policy for those who work in the village.

“I reached out to the Board (of Trustees) and asked for feedback on a social media policy for all village employees and officials,” Ferguson said at the trustees’ most recent workshop. “This does not have to be part of a contractual obligation. It becomes policy once a person becomes either an employee of the community or an elected official of the community.”

Let’s face it. Social media, which offers rewards of connecting, has become more toxic than positive.

People who would have never been allowed to speak on TV or radio decades ago before the Internet tidal wave, now are free to state opinions and mistruths on a regular basis that are not policed.

How do you manage to set a policy for public employees? That is a boondoggle since generous contracts often make it impossible to terminate or penalize staff.

Consider the recent Frewsburg superintendent case, which we reported on Wednesday. Something went very wrong, but the supervisor in the wrongdoing has been rewarded with a $153,000 buyout.

“Personally, I think the social media has gotten out of control,” Ferguson said. “It has become slanderous, not just here. It’s a critical part of our current life — and it’s unfortunate that it goes the way it does.”

Staff members in all municipalities and school districts — even when they are not doing their jobs — are highly protected in union positions. No policy whatsoever can fix the broken and often noxious remarks that come with today’s new media connections.