A neighborhood Facebook group or social media page is an easy way to share news, announce events, and answer residents’ questions. But online conversations can turn personal quickly, and when they do, a condominium association can find itself in the middle of a dispute it never saw coming.
The risk is greatest when Board members or volunteers participate in a group described as “private” or “unofficial” but is used for association business. Residents may reasonably see that group as the association’s own. Knowing who controls the group and having clear rules for its use can prevent a small disagreement from becoming a legal problem.
A Real-Life Example: When a Facebook Group Leads to a Lawsuit
A recent federal case shows how this can happen. In Khan v. Island Lake of Novi Community Association, No. 25-cv-12675 (E.D. Mich. June 25, 2026), a Muslim couple sued a community association and others after buying a home and being removed from a private neighborhood Facebook group. They alleged that the listing agent made discriminatory comments based on their religion and interfered with their purchase. According to the homeowners, after they posted an online review of the agent’s conduct, the agent removed them from the association’s neighborhood Facebook group. The agent also ran the group and led the association’s social committee.
The homeowners further alleged that the association pointed residents to the group for community information and that Board members posted association announcements there. The association declined to restore the homeowners’ access to the Facebook group, stating that it did not control the group. It later created an official communications channel that reportedly repeated about 90 percent of the group’s content. The homeowners still claimed they had unequal access to association communications and services.
The claims against the association included alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1982, and Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, as well as a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Although the association ultimately succeeded in having these claims dismissed, largely because the Court found it did not control the Facebook group, the homeowners’ allegations serve as an important reminder of how quickly a social media disagreement can become a legal one.
When Does a “Private” Group Become Your Association’s Responsibility?
It is easy to assume that a group started by a resident is not the Board’s concern. In practice, the line blurs when the Board regularly uses the group to communicate with owners. If the Board tells residents to check the group for announcements, updates, or amenity information, owners may reasonably view it as part of the association’s communications.
That is why a removal from the group, like in the Khan case, can become more than a disagreement with an administrator. The removed resident may feel the association has cut off access to information that other owners receive. The association may respond that it has no authority over the group, which can make a tense situation worse.
Two steps help:
- Be clear about what is official. Identify which accounts and groups belong to the association, and describe accurately how the association relates to any independent resident forum.
- Make sure practice matches the description. Calling a group “private” does not settle whether the Board relies on it to conduct association business or disseminate association-related communications.
What Should a Social Media Policy Cover?
Every association that uses social media should adopt a written policy. A clear policy sets guidelines, expectations, and rules for how any association-run social media may be used, and it helps protect the association by demonstrating a consistent, documented approach. A good policy should:
- Name the official channels. Tell owners where to find association information and where to send requests. Essential information should be available through a reliable official channel, such as a website, email, or portal, rather than requiring anyone to join a social media group. Legally required notices must still follow the law and your governing documents.
- Say who is in charge. Identify who controls association accounts, who can approve or restrict access, and who may speak for the association. Keep account access current when directors, committee members, or managers change.
- Set clear moderation standards. Spell out the kind of conduct that can lead to action, such as threats, discriminatory harassment, sharing private information, spam, or repeated disruption. Explain the possible responses and provide owners with a way to request a review.
- Apply the rules consistently. Base decisions on the conduct and the rule, not on who is involved. Disagreeing with the Board or criticizing an association decision should not, by itself, be treated as misconduct.
- Provide a way to raise concerns. Direct complaints to the management company, a designated Board member, or association counsel. Remind residents that a post in a neighborhood group may never reach the person who can act on it.
Tailor the policy to your governing documents and to what the association actually controls. A policy for an association-run account should not assume that the Board can direct who is allowed into or removed from an independent resident group.
What Posts and Conduct Should Your Policy Prohibit?
Your policy should clearly state which posts and online conduct are not allowed on the association’s social media page. Spelling this out lets owners know what to expect and helps the Board respond consistently. Prohibited content should include:
- Vulgar or offensive language. Profanity, obscene comments, and other language that is not appropriate for a community page.
- Inappropriate images. Photos, memes, or videos that are sexually explicit, graphic, offensive, or otherwise unsuitable for the page.
- Personal and derogatory attacks. Insults, name-calling, harassment, or targeting of owners, residents, Board members, managers, or vendors.
- Discrimination. Posts that discriminate against, harass, or demean anyone based on a protected characteristic, such as race, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status.
- Confidential information. Private information about owners or residents, such as account balances, delinquencies, violation notices, personal contact details, or other nonpublic association matters.
- Information that may compromise safety or security. Details such as access codes, camera locations, security weaknesses, or when units or the community will be unoccupied.
- Information that may affect legal matters. Posts discussing pending, threatened, or potential legal action involving the association, or sharing advice from the association’s counsel.
- Other disruptive content. Spam, unauthorized advertising or solicitation, and anything unlawful.
The policy should also explain what happens when a post breaks the rules, such as removing the post, issuing a warning, or temporarily restricting posting, and how an owner can ask for review.
How Should Board Members Behave Online?
Directors often join neighborhood groups as residents and end up answering questions about association business. That overlap can leave readers unsure whether a director is sharing a personal view or announcing a Board decision. Committee members and volunteers who run a group can face the same confusion.
Board members should:
- Keep posts professional, factual, and focused on legitimate association business.
- Avoid presenting personal opinions as Board decisions.
- Avoid promising enforcement action in comment threads.
- Never discuss confidential owner information or privileged legal advice online.
If a Board member or volunteer is personally involved in a disagreement, someone else should handle related moderation or complaint decisions. In Khan, the alleged removal followed criticism of the administrator’s conduct as a listing agent. Handing those decisions to an uninvolved person helps avoid the appearance that association authority was used to settle a personal score.
What Should the Board Do When a Dispute Comes Up?
If an owner complains about being removed from a group, being treated unfairly online, or about the content of something posted on an association’s social media account, take these steps:
- Find out the facts. Determine who controls the group, what happened, and whether the person involved was acting for the association.
- Preserve the evidence. Save relevant posts, complaints, and moderation records.
- Protect access to essential information. Confirm the owner can still get association information through an official channel.
- Take discrimination or retaliation complaints seriously. Federal fair housing regulations address responsibility for discriminatory conduct by an association’s agents or employees. How these rules apply depends on the facts and on what authority the association actually has, so involve counsel early rather than assuming that calling something a “personal dispute” ends the matter.
- Stay out of public arguments. Do not debate a complaint in a comment thread. Depending on the situation, it may be better to route the issue through management or counsel, review the moderation decision, clarify the group’s relationship to the association, or update your communications practices. An association’s social media presence should be focused on providing access to official association communications. Board members should avoid engaging in privately run groups and direct all communication to the association’s official channels.
The Bottom Line
A social media disagreement can become an association dispute when personal conflicts overlap with community communications. Khan shows why it matters to understand how a group or administrator is connected to the association. It also shows that associations should not assume they are protected from claims arising from their social media practices.
You can lower the risk by:
- Identifying your official communications channels
- Defining who has authority over association accounts
- Applying moderation standards consistently
- Documenting decisions
- Keeping Board members out of personal disputes online with owners
Clear policies and consistent practices help your association continue sharing community news while avoiding confusion about who speaks and acts for the Board.
Need Help With Your Association’s Social Media Policy?
Experienced legal counsel can help condominium and homeowners associations draft social media policies, clarify the roles of Board members, and respond to complaints involving exclusion, discrimination, or retaliation, all while continuing to meet the association’s obligations to owners.
