SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Policy overview and purpose

Social media is changing the way we communicate.

This policy has been developed to inform our community about using social media so people feel enabled to participate, while being mindful of their responsibilities and obligations. In particular, this policy provides practical guidance allowing all parties to benefit from the use of social media, while minimising potential risks and protecting those involved.

This policy assists to establish a culture of openness, trust and integrity in all online activities related to Super Performance Centre.

This policy contains Super Performance Centre guidelines for the Super Performance Centre community to engage in social media use. It also includes details of breaches of the policy.

In circumstances where guidance about social media issues has not been given in this policy, we suggest you use common sense or seek out advice from those who have approved this policy.

Underlying principles

This policy complements Super Performance Centre’s core values:

Provide Safe and inclusive environment to all its Members
Centre’s Director is responsible for all matters related to this policy

Coverage

This policy applies to all persons who are involved with the activities of Super Performance Centre whether they are in a paid or unpaid/voluntary capacity and including:

members, including life members of Super Performance Centre
employees of Super Performance Centre
members of the Super Performance Centre
support personnel, including managers, physiotherapists, psychologists, masseurs, sport trainers and others
coaches and assistant coaches
athletes
referees, umpires and other officials
Member of Super Performance Centre and SPECTATORS AND FAMILY OF THE MEMBERS

Scope

Social media refers to any online tools or functions that allow people to communicate and/or share content via the internet.

This social media policy applies to platforms including, but not limited to:

Social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, Yammer, etc)
Video and photo sharing websites or apps (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, Flickr, Vine, etc)
Blogs and micro-blogging platforms (e.g. Tumblr, WordPress, Blogger, etc)
Review sites (e.g. Yelp, Urban Spoon, etc)
Live broadcasting apps (e.g. Periscope, Meerkat, Facebook Mentions, etc)
Podcasting (e.g. iTunes, Stitcher, Sound cloud, etc)
Geo-spatial tagging (e.g. Foursquare, etc)
Online encyclopedias (e.g. Wikipedia, etc)
Instant messaging (e.g. SMS, Skype, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Viber, etc)
Online multiplayer gaming platforms (e.g. World of Warcraft, Second life, Xbox Live, etc)
Online voting or polls
Public and private online forums and discussion boards
Any other online technologies that allow individual users to upload and share content.

This policy is applicable when using social media as:

an officially designated individual representing Super Performance Centre on social media; and

If you are posting content on social media in relation to Super Performance Centre that might affect Super Performance Centre’s business, products, services, events, sponsors, members or reputation.

NOTE: This policy does not apply to the personal use of social media where it is not related to or there is no reference to Super Performance Centre or its business, competitions, teams, participants, products, services, events, sponsors, members or reputation. However, any misuse by you of social media in a manner that does not directly refer to Super Performance Centre may still be regulated by other policies, rules or regulations of Super Performance Centre.

Using social media in an official capacity

You must be authorised by Super Performance Centre Director before engaging in social media as a representative of.

To become authorised to represent Super Performance Centre in an official capacity, you must have written authorisation from Director of Super Performance Centre.

As a part of Super Performance Centre’s community you are an extension of the Super Performance Centre brand.

As such, the boundaries between when you are representing yourself and when you are representing Super Performance Centre can often be blurred. This becomes even more of an issue as you increase your profile or position with Super Performance Centre. Therefore it is important that you represent both yourself and Super Performance Centre appropriately online at all times.

Guidelines

You must adhere to the following guidelines when using social media related to Super Performance Centre or its business, products, competitions, teams, participants, services, events, sponsors, members or reputation.

Use common sense

Whenever you are unsure as to whether or not the content you wish to share is appropriate, seek advice from others before doing so or refrain from sharing the content to be on the safe side.

When using social media, the lines between public and private, personal and professional, may be blurred. Remember, you are an ambassador for Super Performance Centre.

Protecting your privacy

Be smart about protecting yourself and your privacy.

When posting content online there is potential for that content to become publicly available through a variety of means, even if it was intended to be shared privately. Therefore, you should refrain from posting any content online that you would not be happy for anyone to see, even if you feel confident that a particular individual would never see it.

Where possible, privacy settings on social media platforms should be set to limit access. You should also be cautious about disclosing your personal details.

Honesty

Your honesty—or dishonesty—may be quickly noticed in the social media environment. Do not say anything that is dishonest, untrue or misleading. If you are unsure, check the source and the facts before uploading or posting anything. Super Performance Centre recommends erring on the side of caution – if in doubt, do not post or upload.

Do not post anonymously, using pseudonyms or false screen names. Be transparent and honest. Use your real name, be clear about who you are and identify any affiliations you have.

If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, point it out. If you make an endorsement or recommendation about something you are affiliated with, or have a close relationship with, you must disclose that affiliation.

The web is not anonymous. You should assume that all information posted online can be traced back to you. You are accountable for your actions both on and offline, including the information you post via your personal social media accounts.

Use of disclaimers

Wherever practical, include a prominent disclaimer stating who you work for or are affiliated with (e.g. member of Super Performance Centre) and that anything you publish is your personal opinion and that you are not speaking officially. This is good practice and is encouraged, but don’t count on it to avoid trouble -– it may not have legal effect.

Reasonable use

If you are an employee of Super Performance Centre you must ensure that your personal use of social media does not interfere with your work commitments or productivity.

Respect confidentiality and sensitivity

When using social media, you must maintain the privacy of Super Performance Centre’s confidential information. This includes information that is not publically accessible, widely known, or not expected to be shared outside of Super Performance Centre.

Remember, if you are online, you are on the record—much of the content posted online is public and searchable.

Within the scope of your authorisation by Super Performance Centre, it is perfectly acceptable to talk about Super Performance Centre and have a dialogue with the community, but it is not okay to publish confidential information of Super Performance Centre. Confidential information includes things such as details about litigation, unreleased product information and unpublished details about our Members or Centre: e.g. team, coaching practices, financial information and trade secrets.

When using social media you should be considerate to others and should not post information when you have been asked not to, or where consent has not been sought and given. You must also remove information about another person if that person asks you to do so.

Permission should always be sought if the use or publication of information is not incidental, but directly related to an individual. This is particularly relevant to publishing any information regarding minors. In such circumstances, parental or guardian consent is mandatory.

Gaining permission when publishing a person’s identifiable image

You must obtain express permission from an individual to use a direct, clearly identifiable image of that person.

You should also refrain from posting any information or photos of a sensitive nature. This could include accidents, incidents or controversial behaviour.

In every instance, you need to have consent of the owner of copyright in the image.

Complying with applicable laws

Do not post or link to content that contains illegal or indecent content, including defamatory, vilifying or misleading and deceptive content.

Abiding by copyright laws

It is critical that you comply with the laws governing copyright in relation to material owned by others and Super Performance Centre’s own copyrights and brands.

You should never quote or use more than short excerpts of someone else’s work, and you should always attribute such work to the original author/source. It is good practice to link to others’ work rather than reproduce it.

Discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying

The public in general, and Super Performance Centre’s employees and members, reflect a diverse set of customs, values and points of view.

You must not post any material that is offensive, harassing, discriminatory, embarrassing, intimidating, sexually explicit, bullying, hateful, racist, sexist or otherwise inappropriate.

When using social media you may also be bound by Super Performance Centre’s values and Anti-Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying Policy.

Avoiding controversial issues

Within the scope of your authorisation by Super Performance Centre, if you see misrepresentations made about Super Performance Centre in the media, you may point that out to the relevant authority in your Centre. Always do so with respect and with the facts. If you speak about others, make sure what you say is based on fact and does not discredit or belittle that party.

Dealing with mistakes

If Super Performance Centre makes an error while posting on social media, be up front about the mistake and address it quickly. If you choose to modify an earlier post, make it clear that you have done so. If someone accuses Super Performance Centre of posting something improper (such as their copyrighted material or a defamatory comment about them), address it promptly and appropriately and if necessary, seek legal advice.

Conscientious behaviour and awareness of the consequences

Keep in mind that what you write is your responsibility, and failure to abide by these guidelines could put your MEMBERSHIP at risk.

You should always follow the terms and conditions for any third-party sites in which you participate.

Branding and intellectual property of Super Performance Centre

You must not use any of Super Performance Centre’s intellectual property or imagery on your personal social media without prior approval from Super Performance Centre.

Super Performance Centre’s intellectual property includes but is not limited to:

trademarks
logos
slogans
Imagery which has been posted on Super Performance Centre official social media sites or website.

You must not create either an official or unofficial Super Performance Centre presence using the organisation’s trademarks or name without prior approval from Super Performance Centre.

You must not imply that you are authorised to speak on behalf of Super Performance Centre unless you have been given official authorisation to do so by Super Performance Centre

Where permission has been granted to create or administer an official social media presence for Super Performance Centre, you must adhere to the Super Performance Centre Branding Guidelines.

NOTE: Branding Guidelines

All media and branding information must be approved by Super Performance Centre Director ONLY and has his written approval recorded.

Policy breaches

Breaches of this policy include but are not limited to:

Using Super Performance Centre’s name, motto, crest and/or logo in a way that would result in a negative impact for the organisation, clubs and/or its members.
Posting or sharing any content that is abusive, harassing, threatening, demeaning, defamatory or libelous.
Posting or sharing any content that includes insulting, obscene, offensive, provocative or hateful language.
Posting or sharing any content, which if said in person during an event would result in a breach of the rules of the event.
Posting or sharing any content in breach of Super Performance Centre’s anti-discrimination, racial discrimination, sexual harassment or other similar policy.
Posting or sharing any content that is a breach of any state or Commonwealth law.
Posting or sharing any material to our social media channels that infringes the intellectual property rights of others.
Posting or sharing material that brings, or risks bringing Super Performance Centre its affiliates, its sport, its officials, members or sponsors into disrepute. In this context, bringing a person or organisation into disrepute is to lower the reputation of that person or organisation in the eyes of the ordinary members of the public.

Reporting a breach

If you notice inappropriate or unlawful content online relating to Super Performance Centre or any of its members, or content that may otherwise have been published in breach of this policy, you should report the circumstances immediately.

Please report this directly to SPC Centre management by email to: memerships@SuperPerformanceCentre.com.au

Further information about reporting breaches:

For a complaint about the misuse of social media that is general in nature and/or ongoing, please refer to part E. of Member Protection Policy Reporting Requirements and Documents/Forms

Investigation

Alleged breaches of this social media policy may be investigated according to Super Performance Centre’s Members Protection Policy, Attachment D: 3 Investigation Process

Where it is considered necessary, Super Performance Centre may report a breach of this social media policy to the police.

Disciplinary process, consequences and appeals

Depending on the circumstances, breaches of this policy may be dealt with in accordance with the disciplinary procedure contained in the Super Performance Centre’s Members Protection Policy.

Employees of Super Performance Centre who breach this policy may face disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment in accordance with Super Performance Centre Members Protection Policy or any other relevant policy.

Appeals

Any person who is sanctioned under a disciplinary process for breach of this policy may have a right of appeal under Members Protection Policy Attachment D 4: Hearing & Appeals Tribunal Procedure.

Related policies

Other legal considerations that may be applicable include but are not limited to:

Defamation
Intellectual property laws, including copyright and trade mark laws, Privacy, confidentiality and information security laws
Anti-discrimination laws
Employment laws
Advertising standards
Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
Information Privacy Act 2000
Equal opportunity laws
Contempt of Court
Gaming laws
No Social media personal account contact with members under 18yrs.
All Super Performance Centre accounts to have more than 1 administrator and must include Centre Director as administrator
Centre accounts used to communicate to group as whole not individuals e.g. using messenger to contact 1 member. Use posts to the page to send information. Every member should see all communication
No individual athlete contact via other social media or text message / phone call. Any individual member (under 18yrs) contact to be via the parent/guardian
During events mobile phone contact via text is permissible for the purpose of organising logistics / coordinating participants. Texts should be sent as group messages where possible. No individual contact via messages always to the group.
For – members under 18yrs – if you contact an adult member e.g. coach – do not expect a reply only to you. The coach will and must include your parents.