Social media has been defined in many ways. It includes electronic communications and online activities, such as text messages; email; wikis; and social networking like Facebook, SnapChat, Twitter, and the like; and posting comments, such as on blogs. Because of the blur between personal and professional communications, this Code of Conduct helps explain what is recommended and expected.
1. Remember all internet postings are permanent — able to be duplicated and may go viral.
2. Use your common sense. If you wonder whether or not to communicate or post, don’t do it until you consult with Deaf Youth Camp leadership.
3. For your protection and the protection of Deaf Youth Camp, you are prohibited from using internal or external social media channels to discuss confidential items, legal matters, litigation, or the organization’s financial performance. Confidential information includes anything labeled as such or information not available to the public. When asked by others to discuss any of these matters, you should relay that “Our social media policy only allows authorized individuals to discuss these types of matters. I can refer you to an authorized individual if you’d like to ask them,” and then refer the question to the APPROPRIATE TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL.
4. Be open and honest about who you are when you communicate. Deaf Youth Camp trusts and expects you to exercise personal responsibility whenever you use social media, which includes respecting the trust of those with whom you are engaging. However, these policies are not meant to interfere with your legal rights to bargain collectively or engage in concerted or protected activities.
5. Respect your privacy, your coworkers’ privacy, and the organization’s privacy by not providing personal or confidential information without permission. Also, staff volunteers are prohibited from sharing anything via social media channels that could violate another staff volunteer’s right to personal privacy.
6. Only those officially designated may use social media to speak on behalf of the organization in an official capacity, though staff volunteers may use social media to speak for themselves individually. If and when designated persons use social
media to communicate on behalf of the organization, they should clearly identify
themselves as a staff volunteer.
7. If you are communicating with youth through any digital or social media, act as
you would if you were communicating in person. Specifically, communicate with
minors using transparency and, in a group, or do not communicate at all. If it is
necessary to send an individual message outside of a public area to a minor,
copy another adult or a parent. Do not initiate a one-on-one relationship (such as
friending from a personal profile) with a minor.
8. Do not use Deaf Youth Camp’s email address or social media channels for personal use.
9. Harassment, threats, intimidation, ethnic slurs, personal insults, pornography,
obscenity, racial or religious intolerance, abuse, and any other form of behavior
prohibited by law is also prohibited via social media channels. Do not engage in any
such behavior and do not make or comment on any such behavior, comments, or
remarks.
10. If you are not officially authorized to speak on behalf of Deaf Youth Camp, use a
disclaimer saying that what you communicate is your personal opinion and not that
of the organization when you are engaging in conversation on Deaf Youth Camp’s
social media channels. A example of a social media disclaimers include: “I am not
an official spokesperson, but my personal opinion is . . . .” This requirement is not
meant to interfere with your rights to bargain collectively or engage in concerted or
protected activities but rather to ensure that others can easily distinguish the official position of the organization or the organization’s leadership from those of our volunteers.
11. Users should use their best judgment when engaging in social media activities and should be on guard against actions and discussions that could harm the interests of our community, faith, or other people.
12. Before posting photographs of any person, obtain permission from the admin team.
13. If you see a violation of this Code of Conduct, report it to the DIRECTOR at Deaf
Youth Camp. If you have questions about the Code of Conduct, please contact the
Admin Team.
14. All the Deaf Youth Camp’s other policies apply to the use of digital and social
media. All communication by volunteers should consider the organization’s values,
reputation, and policies.
15. Any violations of Deaf Youth Camp’s Code of Conduct may result in discipline
and/or termination of volunteer opportunities.
I have received a copy of Deaf Youth Camp’s Social and Digital Media Code of Conduct. I understand it is my responsibility to become familiar with and adhere to the information contained herein. I understand that these policies are the property of Deaf Youth Camp.