Social Media

Introduction

• For the purposes of this policy, Social Media means any web-based tool or application which enables users to create and share content (words, images and video content), and network with each other through the sharing of information, opinions, knowledge and common interests.

• Social Media provides a useful tool in the advacement of the mission of Grace Church Beckenham (GCB) and in engaging with existing church members, but there are potential dangers to be avoided in order to protect both individuals and the reputation of the Church, and to prevent any legal issues.  

• This policy sets out the guidelines for Employees and Volunteers to follow in order to ensure the acceptable use of Social Media to promote the work of GCB and in a personal capacity.  It should be read in conjunction with GCB's Safeguarding and Data Protection policies.

Responsibilities

• Responsibility for monitoring and reviewing the operation of this policy, making recommendations for change to minimise risks and ensuring that the policy meets legal requirements and reflects best practice lies with the Trustees of Grace Church Beckenham. 

• GCB Employees and Volunteers who post on Social Media are responsible for the success of this policy and should ensure that they take the time to read and understand it - the policy applies to the use of Social Media for both Church business and personal purposes, whether during working hours or otherwise, and regardless of whether the Social Media is accessed using Church equipment, public equipment or personal equipment.

• Any misuse of Social Media or breach of this policy should be reported to the Trustees or Lead Elders at Church.

• Anyone suspected of committing a breach of this policy will be required to co-operate with the Church Trustees investigation, which may involve handing over relevant passwords and login details.

•  Employees of the Church will be required to remove internet and/or social media postings which are deemed to constitute a breach of this policy. Failure to comply with such a request may result in disciplinary action.

General Principles

• Publication and commentary on Social Media carries similar obligations to any other kind of publication or commentary in the public domain.

• Although it may appear that the internet has little or no regulation, all content is subject to the same laws that apply in the ‘real’ world. You are completely responsible for the things you post and so could fall foul of the laws relating to libel and defamation. 

• There is an internet code of conduct. Although not an exclusive list, some specific examples of legally prohibited Social Media conduct include: Posting commentary, content or images that are defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libellous, or any material that could be seen to create a hostile environment.  

• The lines between public and private can become blurred so assume that everything you write is permanent and can be viewed by anyone at any time. Also, assume that everything can be traced back to you personally as well as to your colleagues or the church.

• Be mindful that what you publish will be public for an indefinite period of time. Even if a post or tweet is taken down, there may still be records of it online (people are now very quick to screenshot posts, particularly if they disagree with the content).

• Follow the rules. Abide by the terms and conditions of the various social media platforms themselves. If you see a comment that you believe breaks their policies, then please report it to the respective company.

When interacting with others via Social Media be:

• Respectful - Do treat others with respect, even in the face of abuse.  Don’t attack individuals, even when you disagree with their views.  Never break a confidence. Do not cite or reference individuals without their approval. If you are telling a story about a third party, ask yourself, ‘is this my story to tell?’

• Truthful - Say what you know to be true or have a good source for.  Always check facts. Don't link to anything you haven't read.  Don't automatically assume that material is accurate, and take reasonable steps where necessary to seek verification, for example, by checking data/statistics and being wary of photo manipulation.

• Honest - If you've made a mistake, don't be afraid to admit it; correct it quickly and openly, generally by linking or referring to the original post rather than deleting it.

• Accurate - Take care with the presentation of content. Make sure that there are no typos, misspellings or grammatical errors. Also check the quality of images.

• Careful - Confidential information (including unpublished details about members, regular attendees, internal discussions and finances) must never be published online.  Always pause and think before posting. That said, reply to comments in a timely manner, when a response is appropriate.  If in doubt about posting something, don’t post it.

Using GCB Social Media Accounts

GCB Social Media accounts, as with anything else using the GCB identity, are controlled and managed centrally and require approval from the Leadership before they are created.  Access permissions to manage and/or use an account will be granted to agreed named individuals.  Account leads should regularly monitor GCB Social Media spaces for which they have responsibility - especially any which permit external posts - to insure appropriate maintenance and to catch any issues or problems early.

Currently there are GCB accounts with:

• Facebook

• X (formerly) Twitter

• Instagram

• YouTube

• MailChimp

• Whatsapp (limited to internally controlled groups)

Appropriate Conduct

When posting to GCB's Social Media Accounts - in addition to following the General Principles outlined above - users should be:

• Representative: As ambassadors of the Gospel, and representatives of GCB, the content and tone of our posts should reflect and be consistent with the church's values.

• Necessary: Ensure that all Social Media content has a purpose and a benefit for GCB and reflects accurately GCB's agreed position.

• Relevant: Refrain from offering personal opinions, either directly by commenting or indirectly by 'liking', 'sharing' or 'retweeting'. Where in doubt about GCB's position on a particular issue, please check with the Leadership.

Confidentiality 

• Respect the confidentiality of internal meetings and discussions.

• Don’t criticise your colleagues in public. Respect the privacy of the workplace and the confidentiality of internal announcements.

• If using interviews, videos or photos that clearly identify a child or young person, you must ensure you have the consent of a parent or guardian before using them on social media.

• All information shared on Social Media falls under the scope of GCB's Data Protection policy.

Using personal Social Media accounts

GCB does not seek to hinder personal freedom and GCB Employees, Elders and Trustees are free to publish or comment via Social Media and are subject to this policy only to the extent they identify themselves with GCB.  

However, you must be mindful that, even if you do not name the Church, your position with GCB could be well known within the community in general, or have followers who are members of GCB, or external relationships with it.  You should take care, therefore, not to publish anything that could lead directly or indirectly to someone making an unwelcome association with the Church to the detriment of its interests or reputatuion.  Be aware that there is no difference between how a personal and an ‘official’ account is perceived on Social Media: disclaimers do not offer protection.

Appropriate Conduct

When using personal accounts - in addition to following the General Principles outlined above - you:

• Must use a personal email address and not your Church email address. 

• Should set personal settings on Social Media sites to ensure inappropriate information is not put into the public domain by mistake. 

• Must not use your site to attack or abuse colleagues, church members, young people/children or 3rd party organisations with whom Church is actively engaged. 

• Must inform the Trustees ff you think something on your site gives rise to concerns about a conflict of interest and, in particular, concerns about impartiality or confidentiality.

• Must inform the Trustees if you are contacted by the press about any Social Media posts that relate to GCB and, under no circumstances, respond directly.

• Should not post images of Church activities involving children and young people, unless the children or young people are a part of your family.