SCRANTON — A northeastern Pennsylvania congressman has banned the public from recording his town hall meetings.

Members of the media may still record public meetings held by Republican Rep. Lou Barletta, but no one else is permitted to use video or audio recording devices.

Barletta’s spokesman, Shawn Kelly, says the policy was instituted so constituents can speak their minds without fear of seeing their remarks show up on the Internet.

A congressman in a neighboring district, Republican Tom Marino, appears to have the same policy. His spokeswoman prevented a man from taking a video camera into a town hall meeting in Lackawanna County last week. The man was allowed in without the camera.