Society for Science and the Public
Social Media Guidelines for Online Community
Thank you for following the Society for Science and the Public (“SSP”) through our social media platforms. To ensure the best possible experience for all online community members while visiting our LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, [insert applicable social media platforms], and YouTube sites, we have established some basic guidelines for participation.
By participating in SSP’s social media platforms, you agree that you have read and will follow these guidelines. In order to preserve a climate that encourages both civil and fruitful dialogue, SSP reserves the right to delete posts from participants who violate these guidelines and to suspend or terminate the right of any participation for any reason. If you have questions about these guidelines, please contact SSP at privacy@societyforscience.org.
The Guidelines
Participants should not make any postings and comments that contain or link to language, sites, or illustrations that:
- Are libelous, defamatory, obscene, threatening, offensive, demeaning, derogatory, disparaging, abusive, or off-topic
- Contain medical advice or healthcare related advice without proper authority
- Contain content that is confidential or proprietary to SSP, its contributors, or any other person or entity without permission
- Violate the Sherman Act or any other antitrust laws
- Endorse any candidate or office holder or partisan political position
- Include spam or chain letters
- Violate third party’s right to privacy or any other applicable local, state, national, or international law
- Degrade others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual preference, disability, or other classification
In addition, participants should keep the following in mind:
- Don’t attack others. The discussions on the SSP social media platforms are meant to stimulate conversation not to create contention. Let others have their say, just as you may.
- Don’t post commercial messages. Contact people directly with product and service information if you believe it would help them.
- Use caution when discussing products. Information posted on any platform is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws.
- Do not post anything that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you.
- Please note carefully all items listed in the disclaimer and legal rules below, particularly regarding the copyright ownership of information posted to the SSP community.
- Remember that SSP and other participants have the right to reproduce postings.
- Send your message only to the most appropriate platforms. Do not spam several tools with the same message.
Keep in mind that information posted on these social media channels is available for all to see, and comments are subject to defamation, antitrust, medical malpractice, and other laws. In particular, please be aware that posts describing medical matters or healthcare practices can be used by state medial or nursing boards when considering ethics or disciplinary actions. In addition, you agree that SSP and other participants may reproduce your postings
Community Etiquette
- Transparency is very important in gaining trust in online relationships, therefore be clear who you are and who you work for when posting on any platform. This means including your real name on your Facebook and twitter accounts along with disclosing your employer. Anonymous activity is not permitted.
- Decide which platform is best for your message. If you are just sharing a link, Twitter might be best social media platform. If you want to start conversations around a topic involving your profession, LinkedIn or Collaborate might be the appropriate social media platform.
- To learn more about how to use these tools please contact the SSP social media team.
The Legal Stuff
SSP is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on these sites by others. SSP disclaims all warranties with regard to information posted on these sites, whether posted by SSP or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall SSP be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on this site.
Do not post any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials. Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. In addition, by posting material, you grant to SSP and the members of this community the nonexclusive, world-wide, transferable right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material in any way and in any medium, including but not limited to print or electronic form.
SSP does not actively monitor these sites for inappropriate postings and does not on its own undertake editorial control of postings. However, in the event that any inappropriate posting is brought to SSP’s attention, SSP will take all appropriate action.
SSP reserves the right to block any users who do not abide by these guidelines.
