Social Media ..

Guidelines 

Approved: 4th May 2020 by the PCC   Updated 12th October 2020 by the PCC

Our community guidelines are those adopted by the Church of England to encourage conversations that reflect our values. They apply to all content posted on the social media accounts run by Holy Trinity Church. These guidelines must be used in conjunction with the latest version of the Holy Trinity Social Media Policy.

Social media is a very public way of enabling us as Christians to live out our calling to share the good news of Jesus Christ. One of its many joys is that it is immediate, interactive, conversational and open-ended. This opportunity comes with a number of downsides if users do not apply the same common sense, kindness and sound judgement that we would use in a face-to-face encounter.

By engaging with Holy Trinity’s social media accounts, you agree to:

Be respectful. Do not post or share content that is sexually explicit, inflammatory, hateful, abusive, threatening or otherwise disrespectful. 

• Be safe. The safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults must be maintained. If you have any concerns, ask our Parish Safeguarding Officer.
• Be respectful. Do not post or share content that is sexually explicit, inflammatory, hateful, abusive, threatening or otherwise disrespectful. 
• Be kind. Treat others how you would wish to be treated and assume the best in people. If you have a criticism or critique to make, consider not just whether you would say it in person, but the tone you would use.
• Be considerate. Only post or share during normal sociable hours.  (Our Holy Trinity Social Media Policy defines this as 8:30am to 9pm)
• Be honest. Don’t mislead people about who you are. 
• Take responsibility. You are accountable for the things you do, say and write. Text and images shared can be public and permanent, even with privacy settings in place. If you’re not sure, don’t post it. 
• Be a good ambassador. Personal and professional life can easily become blurred online so think before you post. 
• Disagree well. Some conversations can be places of robust disagreement and it’s important we apply our values in the way we express them.
• Credit others. Acknowledge the work of others. Respect copyright and always credit where it is due. Be careful not to release sensitive or confidential information and always question the source of any content you are considering amplifying. 
• 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.
• No spam, sales posts or commercial promotions. Self-promotion, promotions, spam, selling and irrelevant links are not allowed. Please don’t post circular emails or posts.
• Respect everyone’s privacy. Being on a group requires mutual trust. Personal details and content are provided only as part of the group. Don’t abuse that trust by using details, screen-shots or content for other purposes without the permission of the person who posted or provided the information.

How will we respond to people who breach our social media community guidelines? 

The staff or appointed officers of Holy Trinity will take action if they receive complaints or spot inappropriate, unsuitable or offensive material posted to Holy Trinity social media accounts. This may include deleting comments, blocking users or reporting comments, as we deem appropriate. 

Who do I speak to for further advice? 

If you have a safeguarding concern, please follow the policies and procedures on this page or contact us through this page.