Social media offers the opportunity for people to gather in online communities of shared interest, and create, share or consume content. As a public‐facing organisation, Conn Rangers FC recognises the benefits of social media as a valuable tool of engagement to communicate with members and supporters. It is important that the reputation of the club, as well as affiliated sponsors and partners, is not tarnished in any way by anyone using social‐media tools inappropriately, particularly in relation to any content that directly references Conn Rangers FC. The purpose of this social‐media policy is to provide club members some guiding principles to follow when using social media.   This policy does not apply to the use of personal accounts on social‐media platforms where no explicit or implied reference is made to Conn Rangers FC or any associated partners, sponsors, or projects.

This policy, which covers all forms of social media, applies to all players, parents/carers, coaches, committee members and volunteers (“club members”) of Conn Rangers FC when they clearly identify their association with the Club or can themselves be easily associated with Conn Rangers FC.

Social media includes, but is not limited to, activities such as:

 

The intent of this policy is to cover any material posted online where information is shared that affects Club members, sponsors, partners, or supporters of Conn Rangers FC as an organisation and the reputation of the club, the leagues in which it plays, and the competitions associated therewith.

The web is not anonymous. Club members should assume that everything they post online, especially in open forums, can be traced back to them. Individuals should be aware that they may be personally liable to prosecution and open to claims for damages if their actions are found to be in breach of the law. In cases of harassment, a claim that you had not intended to harass or cause offence may not constitute an acceptable defence.   

Because of the nature of Conn Rangers FC, the boundaries between personal and professional profiles, along with any associated opinions and comments, can become blurred. As such, it is essential that club members clearly remember this ambiguity when posting anything online and always consider their connection to Conn Rangers FC and, as such, their role as a representative of the club. When using the internet for professional or personal pursuits, all club members must respect the brands of Conn Rangers FC, our partners, sponsors, and the associations to which we are members, including but not limited to the FAI and the Mayo Football Leagues, and follow the guidelines to ensure that the intellectual property of both Conn Rangers FC, and our affiliated associations, is not compromised.

All Conn Rangers FC club members using social media must operate within the Clubs general Code of Conduct and this specific Communications & Social Media Policy, when engaging with electronic communications and social media.  

When creating a new website, social‐networking page or forum that is in any way, or can in any way, be judged to be associated with Conn Rangers FC, this must be firstly approved by a meeting of the clubs committee. Similarly, appropriate permissions must be obtained from the club regarding the use of logos or images. Images of anyone under eighteen must not be replicated on any site without the permission of parents/carers.

Social‐networking sites allow photographs, videos and comments to be shared with thousands of other users. Club members must recognise that it may not be appropriate to share photographs, videos and comments in this way.  For example, there may be an expectation that photographs taken at private Conn Rangers FC functions will not appear publicly or on the internet. In certain situations, club members could potentially breach the Data Protection Act or, inadvertently, make Conn Rangers FC liable for breach of copyright.  Club members should be considerate to others in such circumstances and should not post material when they have been asked not to or consent has not been sought and given. They must also remove content related to another person, if they are asked to do so.  Under no circumstances should offensive comments be made about Conn Rangers FC club members, or any affiliated partners or sponsors, online. Detected breaches of this policy should be reported to one or more of the clubs executive.

If detected, a breach of this policy may, following investigation, result in formal disciplinary action. Disciplinary action may involve a verbal or written warning or, in serious cases, withdrawal of club membership and, potentially, further legal actions.

There are inherent risks in posting personal information about Children or Vulnerable Persons as it can lead to being able to identify them and their location, or it is possible that images may be subject to inappropriate use. The clubs rules concerning the taking and posting of photographs and/or videos, are as follows:

The club will never sanction unsupervised access to children, one to one photo sessions, or photo sessions outside the organised events of the club, or at a child’s home.