I. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for staff, consultants, volunteers, members, stakeholders and affiliated groups.
II. Definitions
Social Media: Social media or social networking includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the Internet, including but not limited to: blogs, wikis, file‐sharing, user‐generated video and audio, social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and other social networking applications.
III. Social Media Policy
Content Guidelines
The goal of World Veterans is to foster a safe environment of respect and learning. Content must be accurate, relevant, meet specified goals or purposes and add value to World Veterans. Any confidential or copyrighted information requires verbal or written authorization of head of World Veterans before it can be published. Content must be polite and respectful. Social media comments from public users that require response will be addressed in a timely but thoughtful, and respectful manner.
Permission to Share
World Veterans assumes that any public user sharing user generated content such as photos and stories of their experiences has the right to do so and has permission of the photographed individuals. Photos, including photos of children, should not be posted without the permission of the photographed individuals or their parents or guardians.
Offensive Comments
World Veterans expects all public users (non-employees, non-members, non-stakeholders) to abide by all guidelines mentioned herein. World Veterans is authorized to remove any content that does not meet the rules and guidelines of the aforementioned policy or may be illegal or offensive toward a single person or group, unsupported accusations, or spam that explicitly promotes a product or service. Removal of such information will be done without permission of the author or advance warning. World Veterans reserves the right to ban repeat offenders.
Posting on Behalf of the Organization
Communications made via social media are not exempt from the expectations and obligations set forth in World Veterans policies or from the laws and regulations that govern personal liability across general and traditional forms of communication. World Veterans staff, members, volunteers or stakeholders are not authorized to use their identity as World Veterans staff, members, volunteers, or stakeholder in association with personal sites that are outside the scope of World Veterans’ mission and they should only post on behalf of World Veterans in an official capacity where they have been explicitly authorized to do so.
IV. Social Media Guidelines
Check your sources. World Veterans strives to share, post, and re-post accurate information.
Cite your sources. World Veterans discourages plagiarism. Sharing or re-posting someone else’s content requires permission of that person and citing the sources.
Consider your audience. World Veterans encourages being mindful of all audiences when posting. World Veterans’ members and followers represent diverse experiences, values, and beliefs. The content should be inclusive, appropriate, and respectful to all the community members.
Listen. Listen to what the members and followers say, thank them for their input, and respond in a timely and courteous manner. If content is any way offensive, follow guidelines for “Offensive Comments.”
Spellcheck. Correct spelling and grammar is essential. Check your work prior to publishing.
Be SMART. When engaging on social media, or other forms of communication on behalf of World Veterans, we will be:
Smart
Mindful
Authentic
Respectful and Responsible
Thoughtful