Social Media Policy

 

Despite the seemingly unregulated nature of social media, the law still applies online. Postings online are subject to the law in areas like defamation, racial discrimination, intimidation, breach of copyright and trademark infringement.

If someone at your club made inflammatory comments over the phone or sent a derogatory email, which came to the club's attention and contravened your code of conduct or behavioural guidelines, you would need to look at it and address it. The same applies tp social media. 

All clubs and associations should have a Social Media Policy that promotes guidelines for responsible social media use and outlines how offensive or discriminatory comments will be dealt with and disciplined if appropriate. The real effect of a social media policy is to let all your members know their rights and responsibilities in any social media forum, including if they make comments or posts that contradict your club or association's code of behaviour or conduct.

Where appropriate, clubs should check with their state/national body first, to see what they have in place.

 

 

 In collaboration with the Tasmanian Government through Communities, Sport and Recreation, Play by the Rules has a Social Media Policy template you can use as a starting point in developing your own Social Media Policy. You can download the Social Media Policy template below:

Download the Social Media Policy template