SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAFER COMMUNICATIONS POLICY
Social media and online platforms are constantly evolving tools providing opportunities for communication as well as challenges for maintaining safety. Due to this fast-paced evolution of technology, the following best practices shall be applied to current and future UUErie platforms.
Consider Safety and Confidentiality
All text, audio, and video content shall reflect the values of our congregation. This policy is meant to establish clear expectations for behavior by both content creators, (i.e., the people writing blog posts, posts, etc.) and commenters, (i.e., the people who are commenting on a blog, responding to posts, etc.)
UUErie’s social media policy for public pages:
UUErie has the right to delete any inappropriate content from our social media pages, including but not limited to: irrelevant content, hateful content, attacks against an individual, financial solicitations, endorsements of a political candidate or party, obscene, embarrassing, or abusive material; as well as advertising; and spam.
UUErie’s private social media follows the above policy but allows more personal communication like offering something for sale.
Responsibilities
The UUErie social media manager is responsible for moderating and upholding this policy. The manager will inform the minister or board president about a serious immediate crisis (such as posts or comments expressing thoughts of self-harm or threatening harm to others or the congregation’s property).
Publishing/Posting Content Online
Activities and events that reflect the life of the congregation are often photographed or videoed and used for online communication
- Participants will be informed when they are being recorded on video because church buildings are not considered public space.
- Adults wishing to be excluded from online media shall make their wishes known in writing to UUErie Admin or Board of Trustees
- No videos will be posted of a public performance of music, (e.g., worship or intro songs) unless copyright and other permissions have been obtained.
- A signed Media Release form will be obtained from parents/guardians of minor children who will, or may, participate in activities that may be photographed or videoed for distribution or archival purposes.
- Facebook pages associated with UUErie may not be created without board approval.
- Photos that are published on congregation-sponsored sites should not include names or contact information for persons without permission.
Adopted June 2024
