Social media policy

Purpose

The purpose of the Social Media Policy is to ensure social media users engaging on Australia Red Cross Lifeblood (Lifeblood) social media platforms, act responsibly, and exercise judgement when participating in these communities.

Scope

This policy applies throughout all Lifeblood social media channels and communities.

Policy

The Social Media Policy establishes a course of action aimed at managing the risks to the Lifeblood, our donors and partners, inherent in the use of social media tools. It protects users to the extent allowable within existing legislation.  User interaction and engagement with social media forums must comply with this policy and be conducted within the guidelines described in this document.

Rationale or Purpose

Social media refers to software tools such as blogs, wikis and online photo and video sharing sites, along with networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Reddit and LinkedIn, and any website that allow readers to comment, including news websites.  These sites allow groups to engage in on-line conversations to generate and exchange content.

By using or engaging with the Lifeblood social media channels, or by contributing content to Lifeblood’s social media, you agree to be bound by these terms.

Contributions of Material

a. You are responsible for the content of all material that you contribute to Lifeblood’s social media, including text, images, photos and videos (Material).

b. By posting to social media, you agree that all your Material was created by you and that you own all intellectual property rights in it. You also promise that your Material will not contain anything that is obscene, defamatory, offensive, or otherwise illegal (either in itself or when placed on Lifeblood’s social media).

c. In addition, you must ensure that your Material:

  • Does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any person and does not breach any obligations of confidentiality;
  • Contains no spam or other commercial, advertising, marketing or promotional content or links or information which would facilitate the sale or purchase of products or services;
  • Contains no personal information or passwords, or the personal details of third parties such as phone numbers, mail or email addresses, or medical information;
  • Is not threatening, harassing, spiteful or abusive;
  • Is not indecent or sexual or pornographic in nature, does not include swearing or profanity and does not vilify, insult or humiliate any person or group (including, without limitation, on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation or any physical or mental disability);
  • Contains nothing which is unduly provocative (including, without limitation, flaming, trolling or otherwise hostile content) or which is false, misleading or deceptive; or
  • Contains no computer viruses or other computer files or code which adversely affects the operation of Lifeblood's computer systems or any equipment linked to them.

If your Material contains images (either photographs or videos) you must obtain the consent of any person featured or identifiable in the images before contributing that Material to Lifeblood’s social media.

When contributing to Lifeblood’s social media you must not impersonate any other person. You must not use Lifeblood’s social media in a manner that adversely affects the use of enjoyment by any person of Lifeblood’s social media.

Dealing with your Material

a. You will continue to own the intellectual property rights in your Material. You give Lifeblood irrevocable permission to use your Material in any way (including changing, adapting, reproducing or communicating your Material to the public) without charge and without any right of attribution to you and to allow others to use it in the same way.

b. At any time and in its sole discretion and without notice to you, Lifeblood may refuse to include your Material in Lifeblood’s social media, remove all or part of your Material from Lifeblood’s social media, edit your Material or terminate one or more of Lifeblood’s social media or your access to them.

Liability relating to social media and your Material

a. Inclusion of your Material on Lifeblood’s social media does not indicate any approval of your Material by Lifeblood, its related bodies, suppliers or partners.

b. Lifeblood does not endorse, approve or authorise any third party material (including your Material) on its social media and you acknowledge that the third party material on Lifeblood's social media may not be accurate, complete, up-to-date or useful and that you should not rely upon it.

c. You acknowledge and agree that Lifeblood is not responsible for, and does not check the content or accuracy of, any material (including your Material) on Lifeblood’s social media. You also agree that to the extent permitted by law Lifeblood and its related bodies will have no liability to you of any kind (including, without limitation, direct and consequential losses) under any circumstances (including, without limitation, negligence) in connection with Lifeblood’s social media, your Material or any other material on those social media.

d. If you breach these terms or laws relating to your use of Lifeblood’s social media or your Material, you will indemnify Lifeblood against any third party claims, losses, damages or costs suffered or incurred by Lifeblood in connection with your breaches.

e. Your use of Lifeblood’s social media, and your contribution of Material to them, is at your own risk.

f. Lifeblood does not represent or warrant that its social media or any of the material on its social media will operate for any minimum period of time, will be free of computer viruses, or have any particular audience, availability, service levels or other characteristics.

g. Nothing in these terms limits or excludes any non-excludable rights you may have or non-excludable terms that may be implied under State or Commonwealth laws. These terms will be construed subject to those non-excludable rights and terms.

General

a. Lifeblood may vary these terms from time to time. You should check for variations periodically.

b. These terms govern and apply to Lifeblood’s social media channels and communities. To the maximum extent applicable, Lifeblood Terms, Conditions & Disclaimers of Using the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood’s Website also apply.

c. These terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Victoria, Australia.

Definitions

In these terms: Lifeblood means Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. ABN: 50 169 561 394 and, to the extent applicable, its officers, employees, related bodies corporate and contractors.