Digital Content & Brand Management

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JCSTS SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDLINES

These guidelines govern the publication of and commentary on social media by employees of Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary ("JCSTS"). For the purposes of this policy, social media means any facility for online publication and commentary, including without
limitation: blogs; wiki pages; social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr and Pinterest. This policy is in addition to and complements any existing or future policies regarding the use of technology, computers, e-mail and the Internet.

JCSTS employees are free to publish or comment via social media in accordance with this policy. JCSTS employees are subject to this policy to the extent they identify themselves as a JCSTS employee.

Publication and commentary on social media carries similar obligations to any other kind of publication or commentary.

Don't Tell Secrets
It's perfectly acceptable to talk about your work and have a dialog with the community, but it's not okay to publish confidential information. Confidential information includes things such as unpublished details about our IT security software, details of current projects, fundraising initiatives, new employee hires, research, etc. We must also respect the wishes of our corporate and community partners regarding the confidentiality of current projects.

Protect Your Own Privacy
Privacy settings on social media platforms that might allow others to post information or see information that is personal should be set to limited access. Be mindful of posting information that you would not want the public to see.

Be Honest
Do not blog anonymously, use pseudonyms or false screen names. We believe in transparency and honesty. Use your real name, be clear who you are and identify that you work for JCSTS. Nothing gains you notice in social media more than honesty - or dishonesty. Do not say anything that is dishonest, untrue or misleading. If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, point it out. But also be smart about protecting yourself and your privacy. What you publish will be around for a long time, so consider the content carefully and be cautious about disclosing personal details.

When to Delete
The following are examples of posts that should be removed from any page representing a JCSTS department, organization, etc.

• Obscene or offensive language or posts where offensive language is implied. (Ex. sh*t) JCSTS Social Media Guidelines
• Obscene imagery
• Advertisements or promotions not associated with JCSTS, JCSTS Programs and/or JCSTS Development.
• Personal attacks on other users.
• Irrelevant posts to users. (Ex. The sky is falling, and the world will end in 2020)
• False accusations about the Seminary, seminary learners, seminary learning partners or seminary staff members.

Respect Copyright Laws
It is critical that you show proper respect for the laws governing copyright and fair use or fair dealing of copyrighted material owned by others, including JCSTS owned copyrights and brands. You should never quote more than short excerpts of someone else's work, and always attribute such work to the original author/source. It is good general practice to link to others' work rather than reproduce it. Additionally, the JCSTS seal, trademarked logos may not be modified or changed in any way.

Respect Your Audience, JCSTS and Your Coworkers
The public in general, as well as JCSTS's employees and learners, reflect a diverse set of customs, values and viewpoints. Don't say anything contradictory or in conflict with the JCSTS website. Don't be afraid to be yourself, but do so respectfully. This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, offensive comments, defamatory comments, personal insults, obscenity, etc.), but also proper consideration of privacy and topics that may be considered objectionable, inflammatory or that might alienate members of your audience - such as politics and religion. On personal social media sites, make it clear that the views and opinions expressed are yours alone and do not represent the views of JCSTS.

Protect JCSTS Learners, Learning Partners and Staff
Do not post confidential information regarding JCSTS learners, learning partners and staff members. All JCSTS employees must abide by federal acts, including FERPA, HIPA and NCAA regulations when appropriate.

For additional information regarding federal or state laws concerning privacy, contact JCSTS’s Administrative Officer – 404-998-8373.

Controversial Issues and Negative Posts
If you see misrepresentations made about JCSTS on social media sites, you may point that out. Always do so with respect and with all the facts. If you speak about others, make sure what you say is factual and that it does not disparage that party. Avoid arguments, especially on sites related to JCSTS. Brawls may earn traffic, but nobody wins in the end. Don't try to settle scores or goad competitors or others into inflammatory debates. Make sure what you are saying is factually correct. Do not delete the negative post unless the language is offensive or obscene. You want users to see that your page is open to two-sided dialogue, even if it attracts criticism at times.

Best practices for dealing with a complaint or angry post:

1. Acknowledge user’s complaint.
2. Move the conversation offline by providing your direct email address and request the user to do the same.
3. If appropriate, apologize to the user and explain the circumstances of the situation.
4. Forward the complaint to the appropriate party. See Appendix A for names and email addresses.
5. Post enough content on your Facebook page to move the complaint/angry post closer to the bottom.

Be the first to respond to your own mistakes
If you make an error, be up front about your mistake and correct it quickly. If you choose to modify an earlier post, make it clear that you have done so. If someone accuses you of posting something improper (such as their copyrighted material or a defamatory comment about them), deal with it quickly - better to remove it immediately to lessen the possibility of a legal action. Think About Consequences

Think before you post. What you put online can be found, even if you decide to delete the post. If what you plan to write is not something you would tape to your office door for all to see, it should not be posted to social media sites. For example, consider what might happen if a prospective student or potential corporate partner were to see on your page or blog, “This place sucks.” Saying “It’s been a frustrating day at work” is fine; saying “This place sucks” is risky, unsubtle and amateurish. Once again, it's all about judgment: using your blog to trash or embarrass JCSTS, our learners or your coworkers is dangerous and ill-advised.

Disclaimers
Many social media users include a prominent disclaimer saying who they work for, but that they're not speaking officially. This is good practice and is encouraged, but don't count on it to avoid trouble - it may not have much legal effect. Wherever practical, you must use a disclaimer saying that while you work for JCSTS, anything you publish is your personal opinion, and not necessarily the opinions of JCSTS. Do not use the official JCSTS seal or other recognizable logo on social media sites to endorse a product, cause, religion, political party, etc.

Don't forget your day job.
Make sure that these social media sites do not interfere with your job responsibilities.

Social Media Tips
The following tips are not mandatory, but will contribute to your successful use of social media:

• The best way to be interesting, stay out of trouble and have fun is to write about what you know. There is a good chance of being embarrassed by a real expert, or of being boring if you write about topics you are not knowledgeable about.
• Quality matters. Check your spelling, punctuation and grammar. If you're not design oriented, ask someone who is whether your blog looks decent, and take their advice on how to improve it.
• The speed of being able to publish your thoughts is both a great feature and a great downfall of social media. The time to edit or reflect must be self-imposed. If in doubt over a post, or if something does not feel right, either let it sit and look at it again before publishing it, or ask someone else to look at it first.

Monitoring
The Digital Content team is not responsible for monitoring posts to social media accounts other than the official Seminary accounts. All accounts related to Seminary departments/units/organizations must have a JCSTS employee who is identified as being responsible for content. Ideally, this should be the unit head.

When you are ready to create your social media account, have the employee responsible for its content complete and sign the JCSTS Social Media Agreement and return it to the JCSTS Administrative Officer, gro.y1498653910ranim1498653910eShti1498653910mS@no1498653910snhoJ1498653910notlr1498653910aC1498653910.

Resources
The following links will help you get started in the creation of your social media account(s):

How to Set Up a Facebook Page
How to Sign Up on Twitter
How to Create Your Own YouTube Channel

THE JOHNSON C. SMITH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY SOCIAL MEDIA AGREEMENT

JCSTS employee(s) identified as administrators of accounts are responsible for managing and monitoring content of their social media accounts. Administrators are responsible for removing content that may violate the Seminary Conduct Policies or the JCSTS Social Media Policy.

Guidelines for Content

JCSTS employees are expected to adhere to same standards of conduct online as they would in the workplace. Laws and policies respecting contracting and conflict of interest, as well as applicable policies and guidelines for interacting with learners,, alumni, donors, media and all other Seminary constituents apply online and in the social media context just as they do in personal interactions. Employees are fully responsible for what they post to social media sites.

1. Use good judgment about content and respect privacy laws. Do not include confidential information about the Seminary, its staff, or its learners.
2. Post only content that is not threatening, obscene, a violation of intellectual property rights or privacy laws, or otherwise injurious or illegal.
3. Representation of your personal opinions as being endorsed by the Seminary or any of its organizations is strictly prohibited. JCSTS’s name or marks may not be used to endorse any opinion, product, private business, cause, or political candidate.
4. By posting content to any social media site, the poster represents that the poster owns or otherwise has all of the rights necessary to lawfully use that content or that the use of the content is permitted by fair use. Posters also agree that they will not knowingly provide misleading or false information, and that they will indemnify and hold the Seminary harmless for any claims resulting from the content.
5. While JCSTS is committed to the protection of academic freedom, it does not regularly review content posted to social media sites, it shall have the Social Media Policy right to do so, and, with respect to any site maintained in the name of the Seminary, may remove or cause the removal of any content for any lawful reason, including but not limited to, content that it deems threatening, obscene, a violation of intellectual property rights or privacy laws, or otherwise injurious or illegal.
6. When using or posting online material that includes direct or paraphrased quotes, thoughts, ideas, photos, or videos, always include citations. Provide a link to the original material if applicable.
7. Refrain from using information and conducting activities that may violate local, state, or federal laws and regulations. If you are unsure whether privacy or intellectual property laws protect certain content, contact the JCSTS Administrative Officer.
8. If you also maintain your own personal social media accounts, you should avoid creating confusion over whether or not the account is associated with JCSTS. If you identify yourself as a Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary learning partner or staff member online, it should be clear that the views expressed on your site are not those of the Seminary and you are not acting in your capacity as a JCSTS employee. While not a requirement, JCSTS employees may consider adding the following disclaimer to personal social media accounts. “While I am an employee at Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, comments made on this account are my own and not that of the Seminary.”
9. Learning Partners are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the proposed guidelines suggested by the Facebook group, Learning Partner Ethics on Facebook, and to engage in discussions concerning the ethical use of social media sites in an academic setting.

Replacing a JCSTS Social Media Administrator

Should a JCSTS employee administrator of an account leave the Seminary for any reason or no longer wishes to be an account administrator, it is the Administrative Officer’s responsibility to designate another JCSTS employee to be an account administrator and remove the former employee’s administrative permissions to the site. Whenever possible, a department should appoint two individuals to act concurrently as account administrators for a social media site representing JCSTS.

Click here to access the 'Social Media Agreement' form.