SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY FOR
THE LICKING COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION

Purpose:

The purpose of this social media policy is to establish guidelines for the appropriate use of social media platforms by employees, volunteers, and representatives of The Licking County Art Association. This policy aims to ensure professionalism, protect organizational reputation, and uphold ethical standards in online communications.

Scope:

This policy applies to all individuals associated with The Licking County Art Association, including but not limited to employees, volunteers, board members, and contractors, when representing or mentioning the organization on social media platforms.

Intent:
The Licking County Art Association seeks to promote and support visual arts in Licking County in a manner which is family safe and ideals. (Please wordsmith this paragraph)

Guidelines:

Professional Conduct:

Maintain a professional tone and demeanor in all social media interactions related to The Licking County Art Association. Respect diversity, inclusivity, and cultural sensitivity in your posts and comments.

Confidentiality and Privacy:

Do not disclose confidential or proprietary information about The Licking County Art Association, its employees, volunteers, donors, or beneficiaries on social media.
Respect the privacy rights of individuals and obtain consent before sharing personal information or images.

Accuracy and Transparency:

Ensure that information shared about The Licking County Art Association is accurate and up-to-date.
Clearly identify yourself and your role with the organization when posting or commenting in a professional capacity.

Intellectual Property:

Respect copyright laws and obtain proper permissions before sharing third-party content (such as images, videos, or articles) on social media.
Attribute sources and credit creators appropriately.

Conflict of Interest:

Avoid posting content or engaging in activities on social media that could create a conflict of interest with The Licking County Art Association
Disclose personal relationships or affiliations that could be perceived as influencing your posts.

Personal Use:

Differentiate personal social media accounts from those representing The Licking County Art Association. Clearly state opinions expressed are your own and not necessarily reflective of the organization’s views.

Response to Comments and Messages:

Respond promptly to inquiries and comments related to The Licking County Art Association, directing sensitive or complex issues to appropriate staff members.
Maintain a respectful tone when addressing criticism or negative feedback.

Monitoring and Enforcement:

The organization reserves the right to monitor social media activity related to The Licking County Art Association.
Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or volunteer status.

Specific Guidelines for Social Media Platforms:

Official Platforms:

The Licking County Art Association maintains official accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
These accounts must be managed by designated personnel who are responsible for posting content that aligns with the organization's mission and values.

Content Guidelines:

All content posted on official Licking County Art Association accounts should be respectful, accurate, and relevant to our mission of promoting art and cultural awareness.
Avoid sharing confidential information, internal disputes, or any content that may harm the organization's reputation or legal standing.

Engagement:

Respond promptly and professionally to comments, messages, and mentions directed at official accounts.
Encourage positive dialogue and constructive feedback; do not engage in arguments or offensive language.

Copyright and Crediting:

Respect copyright laws and give proper credit to artists, photographers, and sources of content used in posts.
Obtain permission before sharing content that does not belong to Licking County Art Association

Transparency:

Clearly identify official posts from Licking County Art Association by using appropriate logos or hashtags.
Disclose relationships with sponsors, partners, or affiliates when promoting their products or services.

Monitoring and Moderation:

Regularly monitor official accounts for inappropriate content or unauthorized use of our brand.
Remove or report content that violates these guidelines or legal regulations.

External Users' Posting Guidelines:

User-Generated Content:

Encourage users to share their experiences with Licking County Art Association through photos, videos, and comments.
Monitor and moderate user-generated content to ensure it aligns with our values and guidelines.

Moderation Practices:

Reserve the right to remove or edit user-generated content that is offensive, discriminatory, or irrelevant to our mission.
Inform users of the reasons for removing their content and provide guidelines for acceptable posts.

User Rights and Permissions:

Obtain permission from users before reposting or sharing their content on official Licking County Art Association accounts.
Respect users' privacy and confidentiality; do not share personal information without consent.

Consequences of Policy Violations: Violations of this social media policy may result in disciplinary action, including warnings, suspension of social media privileges, or termination of association with The Licking County Art Association depending on the severity and recurrence of the offense.(This paragraph requires more clarity)

To that end, such action must consist of

First- a warning upon the first violation. The occurrence of a violation is in the opinion of two board members, namely the social media director and the board president together. In the absence of a social media director the violation would be in the opinion of the vice president and the president of the board. The warning shall be written and include the opinion of the board members issuing the warning, as well as this Consequences of Policy Violations entry within the Social Media Policy document which has been adopted by the board.

Second- An offense existence based upon the same opinions, shall consist of social media privileges with the social media director or other board member with administrative privileges will again include a written opinion of the offense by the board members and shall include the escalation of blocking the member from posting to the social media account by using the blocking feature of the social media platform.

Third- Should a member offend LCA and its Social Media Policy by circumventing the blocking feature of the social media platform by using a different account or by hacking the social media account, then the Social Media Director and the President, or vice president and President acting as two witnesses must bring the matter to the board at a regular Board Meeting and request the entire Board act to strip the offending member of Board of Trustee status, if any, or membership of LCA. Again, it must be clear that such action be the act of the entire Board of Trustees.

Policy Acknowledgment: All employees, volunteers, and external users engaging with The Licking County Art Association through social media platforms are required to read and acknowledge this policy. By participating in our online community, individuals agree to adhere to these guidelines and uphold the reputation and values of The Licking County Art Association.

Review and Updates: This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure relevance and effectiveness. Updates may be made as necessary to reflect changes in social media platforms or organizational practices.

Approval: This social media policy has been reviewed and approved by Board of Trustees of The Licking County Art Association