Social media guidelines

The social media guidelines is reviewed and updated periodically – last updated on 6 August 2021.

The Quartet of Nations Region 31 of Sweet Adelines International covers countries where citizens enjoy freedom of speech. However, despite having this civil liberty, we still have a duty to be mindful of what we say or type in order not to cause offence to another which could then bring ourselves, our chapters, the region and indeed Sweet Adelines International as a whole into disrepute.

Social media is a type of interactive online media that allows parties to communicate instantly with each other or to share data in a public forum. This includes email, online social forums, blogs, video and image-sharing websites and similar facilities.

Principles

These principles apply to your online participation in the context of being a member or an accredited chapter of Quartet of Nations Region 31 of Sweet Adelines International and set out the standard of behaviour expected in representing our organisation. You should participate in the use of social media the same way as you would with other media or public forums such as giving public presentations or speaking at public events.

We recognise that social media is an important tool for our organisational engagement. We encourage positive representation and promotion of the organisation and therefore welcome members in building upon this through the use of social networking websites. You are representing our organisation and we trust you, so act accordingly.

Be professional; remember that you are an ambassador for our organisation. Wherever possible, disclose your position as a representative of the organisation, especially when you are speaking on behalf of the organisation.

Be honest and open; but be mindful of the impact your contribution might make to people’s perceptions of you personally, your chapter, the region and Sweet Adelines International in general.

Be credible, accurate, fair, and thorough; make sure you are doing the right thing.

Be responsive; in a similar way to how you would respond to a letter or email. Visit and check frequently the online spaces and feeds where we have a presence or could be mentioned and respond positively and promptly to the conversations.

Social media encourages conversations and collaborations as its core, however, never give out personal details like home address and phone numbers unless totally satisfied who the recipient is even in private/direct messages. Also be aware that you may attract media interest in you as an individual, so proceed with care whether you are participating in an organisational or a personal capacity.

Scope

All members and chapters of Quartet of Nations Region 31 are advised to comply with these principles and guidelines at all times as Quartet of Nations Region 31 nor Sweet Adelines International will not get involved with any legal or civil issues that arise from not doing so, nor will we accept vicarious liability for the same.

And should any member or chapter who feels that they have been harassed or bullied or are offended by material posted or uploaded by another member or chapter onto a social media website should inform the Region 31 Management Team (RMT).

Failure to comply, which results in complaints being lodged directly to the RMT may result in a warning in the first instance and then possible recommendation of the removal of membership or accreditation to the Sweet Adelines International Board of Directors thereafter.

Guidelines for use

Whether or not a member or chapter chooses to create or participate in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is her or their own decision. However, emerging online collaboration platforms are fundamentally changing the way we work and engage with each other. Be aware that any information published online can be accessed around the world within seconds and will be publicly available for all to see and potentially to re-quote and repost on other social networking websites.

As a member or an accredited chapter, you must consider the following when using social media:

  • You are personally responsible for the content you post onto social media pages – be aware that what you post may be public for many years be that on your chapter page, your own personal one or another person/groups.
  • Do not post anything that could be considered abusive, obscene, discriminatory, harassing, derogatory or defamatory content.
  • Do not be confrontational and be the first to correct your own mistakes, but do not alter previous posts without indicating that you have done so.
  • Do not escalate heated discussions, try to be conciliatory, respectful and quote facts to lower the temperature and correct misrepresentations.
  • Do not contribute to or start a discussion if you are angry or upset, return to it later when you can contribute in a calm and rational manner.
  • Do not publish anyone else’s contact details.
  • Show proper consideration for other members’ opinions, privacy and sensitivity around topics that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory, for example relating to politics, gender, race or religion.
  • Stay within legal frameworks and be aware that libel, defamation, copyright and data protection laws may apply.
  • If you feel slightly uneasy about something you are about to post, then you should not do it.
  • If you notice that any content posted on social media contains foul/abusive language or contains comments that could be taken as derogatory (as stated above) you should either delete the thread if on your own media account or cease involvement if on someone else’s.
  • If you publish content or leave a comment on a social media website that is about the work or policy of the organisation or is related to the services we provide, ensure it is factually correct and use a disclaimer such as “These views are my own and don’t necessarily represent the views of the organisation.”

 

Note: Within the terms of Creative Commons licence (by-nc-sa), please feel free to either use all sections and adapt points for your own chapter or organisation on how you communicate using social media.