A small number of people (such as committee members) are authorised to speak on behalf of Westcombe Park RFC Rugby however most of us will speak not on behalf of; but about WPRFC – using social media. As members, parents and players we are all part of the conversation. Social media is of great benefit to us as individuals and to WPRFC – we’re all using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch and find out what’s going on. There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that we always apply common sense in our use of social media:

Codes of conduct

WPRFC Codes of Conduct require that we all treat each other with respect and not engage in actions which would bring the club into disrepute – this includes how we conduct ourselves on and off the field, including social media and networking. Have fun, share the spirit of Combe but be respectful online just as you would be in person.

Social Media Policy

WPRFC has a published Social Media Policy, which governs our use of social media, identifies who is responsible for maintaining social network sites, sets standards for content and the monitoring and moderating of content, in line with these guidelines. Importantly, WPRFC supports the RFU Core Values and WPRFC Codes of Conduct and will hold members to account for any breaches using social media.

Everything on the internet is public

Always assume that all your social media communication is visible to everyone everywhere – comments and posts are permanent and often public even with privacy settings in place. Think carefully about the content you post online. Be careful not to reveal sensitive or confidential information on WPRFC social media platforms, whether personal or professional or related to WPRFC.

Be responsible

You are responsible for what you add to a WPRFC social platform – make sure your posts are accurate, not misleading or damaging. When in doubt, don’t post!
For the avoidance of doubt, all social media content & communication must not be:
• Unlawful
• Discriminatory – offensive or derogatory remarks relating to gender, sex, race, disability, religion, belief or age
• Offensive – inappropriate or encourages unacceptable behaviour such as violence, dishonesty, drunkenness, drug related activity, of a sexual nature or swearing
• Bullying – harassment of any group or individual
• Defamatory – publicly criticising any team, referee, coach, player, volunteer, parent or member

Respect copyright

Don’t post content created by someone else (videos/ documents/ links) without checking that you have given credit to them – where possible include links to the original source. Be mindful of the copyright and intellectual property rights of WPRFC.

Children online

The RFU safeguarding toolkit states that the RFU “positively encourages parents and spectators to take photographs of participants to celebrate the ethos and spirit of the sport.” At Combe we want to encourage the sharing of photographs; match reports and information using common sense when it comes to our younger players. WPRFC commitment to safeguarding our children includes online safety. Personal information which can lead to a child being identified (schools/ full names/ addresses/ emails) should never be used. WPRFC parents have given their consent for photos to be shared and photographs should always be of the activity and the team; not of one individual. You must be 13 years old to join any WPRFC Facebook or Twitter account.

Please actively read and digest these guidelines.