WBMHA SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
INTRODUCTION
1. This Social Media Policy applies to all public communications made by members of the Wasaga Beach Minor Hockey Association (WBMHA) on any social media platform. This includes directors and staff, teams, on-ice and off-ice officials, players, players’ family members and supporters. The WBMHA recognizes the value of social media and supports the right of its personnel to express their views publicly. The purpose of this policy is to educate WBMHA members on the risks associated with social media and to ensure that inappropriate conduct is subject to disciplinary action.
SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES
2. All participants in social media are held to the same standards as other forms of media, including radio, television, and print. Any comments or remarks that are inappropriate, detrimental to a team or the association, or an individual will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action including removal from the WBMHA social media pages. Social media is on the record and can be instantly published and available to the public and media. Members of the WBMHA should conduct themselves in an appropriate and professional manner at all times. Harassment, abuse, bullying, and disrespectful, offensive, abusive, racist or sexist language or behavior will not be tolerated. Members should be mindful of privacy and confidentiality, and refrain from sharing personal information without caution. Any concerns or disputes involving WBMHA members should not be dealt with online. Negative and derogatory comments involving any team, association, league, staff, volunteers, programs, stakeholders, players, or any WBMHA member are considered violations. When sharing content created by a third party, members should be mindful of the source and the content being shared, as any retweets or shares could be considered endorsements. In the event an WBMHA team creates a social media page on any platform, a request for approval must be made to the WBMHA executive prior to. The social media page must be overseen and moderated by a team official or adult designate.
SOCIAL MEDIA VIOLATIONS
3. The following examples of conduct through social media are considered violations of the WBMHA Social Media Policy and may result in disciplinary action:
- Any statement deemed to be publicly derogatory or abusive toward Association officials or detrimental to the welfare of a member team, the Association, or an individual.
- Divulging confidential information, including negative or derogatory comments about teams, local minor hockey associations, WBMHA programs, stakeholders, players, or any member of another team.
- Any form of bullying, harassment, intimidation, or threats against players or officials.
- Photographs, video, or comments promoting negative influences or criminal behavior, including drug use, alcohol abuse, public intoxication, hazing, sexual exploitation, etc.
- Online activity that contradicts the current policies of the WBMHA or any of its member associations.
- Inappropriate, derogatory, racist, or sexist comments of any kind, in keeping with the WBMHA code of conduct.
- Online activity that is meant to alarm other individuals or to misrepresent fact or truth.
- Creating and using any social media usernames that can be assumed by the public to be a representation of WBMHA or any WBMHA teams and potentially cause the association disrepute is prohibited.
DISCIPLINE
4. All violations of this policy will be addressed through the WBMHA Code of Conduct Policies and Procedures.
5. All violations of this policy may result in instant removal from WBMHA Meta pages.
SUMMARY
6. When using social media, all WBMHA members should assume that they are representing the association and should use the same discretion as they do with other traditional forms of media.