Social Media Policy

1. Purpose

1.1 Social media offers the opportunity for people to gather in online communities of shared interest and create, share or consume content. As a member-based organisation, Glenelg Golf Club (GGC) recognises the benefits of social media as an important tool of engagement and enrichment for its members.

1.2 GGC, its member Associations, Districts and Clubs have long histories and are highly respected organisations. It is important that GGC’s reputation is not tarnished by anyone using social media tools inappropriately, particularly in relation to any content that might reference the organisation.

1.3 When someone clearly identifies their association with GGC, and/or discusses their involvement in the organisation in this type of forum, they are expected to behave and express themselves appropriately, and in ways that are consistent with GGC’s stated values and policies.

1.4 This policy aims to provide some guiding principles to follow when using social media.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to GGC Members, staff or any individual representing themselves or passing themselves off as being a Member of GGC. The Policy applies to participation in social media inside or outside of GGC and includes use of a personal device. This policy does not apply to the personal use of social media platforms by GGC Members or staff where the GGC Member or staff makes no reference to GGC or related issues.

2.2 This policy covers all forms of social media. Social media includes, but is not limited to, such activities as:

  • Maintaining a profile page on social or business networking sites;
  • Content sharing including photo sharing and video sharing;
  • Commenting on blogs for personal or business reasons;
  • Leaving product or service reviews on retailer sites, or customer review sites;
  • Taking part in online votes and polls;
  • Taking part in conversations on public and private web forums; or
  • Editing a Wikipedia page.

The intent of this policy is to include anything posted online where information is shared that might affect Members, colleagues, clients, sponsors or GGC as an organisation.

3. Definitions

3.1 In this Policy:

‘Blogging’ means the act of using web log or ‘blog’.  A blog is a frequently updated website featuring diary-style commentary, audio-visual material and links to articles on other websites.

‘Confidential Information’ includes but is not limited to trade secrets of GGC; non-public information about the organisation and affairs of GGC such as: pricing information such as internal cost and pricing rates,  production scheduling software, special supply information; marketing or strategy plans; exclusive supply agreements or arrangements; commercial and business plans; commission structures; contractual arrangements with third parties; tender policies and arrangements; financial information and data; sales and training materials; technical data; schematics; proposals and intentions; designs; policies and procedures documents; concepts not reduced to material form; information which is personal information for the purposes of privacy law; and all other information obtained from GGC or obtained in the course of working or providing services to GGC that is by its nature confidential.

‘Computer’ includes all laptop computers and desk top computers.

‘Hand Held Device’ includes all such devices which are used by GGC Employees and GGC Members , inside and outside working hours, in the workplace of GGC (or a related corporation of GGC) or at any other place. Such devices include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, Blackberrys, Palm Pilots, PDAs, iPhones, tablets, iPads, other handheld electronic devices, smart phones and similar products, and any other device used to access social networking sites or a social media platform.

‘Intellectual Property’ means all forms of intellectual property rights throughout the world including copyright, patent, design, trade mark, trade name, and all Confidential Information and including know-how and trade secrets.

‘Person’ includes any natural person, company, partnership, association, trust, business, or other organisation or entity of any description and a person’s legal personal representative(s), successors, assigns or substitutes.

‘Social or Business Networking Site’, ‘Social Media Platform’ and ‘Online or Web Forum’  includes but is not limited to Facebook, My Space, Bebo, Friendster, Flickr, LinkedIn, Shutterfly, XING, Blogger, WordPress, You Tube, Twitter, Yahoo Groups, Google Groups Whirlpool, Instant Messaging Services, Message Board, Podcasts, ‘Wikis’ (e.g. Wikipedia) and other similar sites.

4. Guiding principles

4.1 The web is not anonymous. GGC Members and staff should assume that everything they write can be traced back to them.

4.2 Due to the unique nature of GGC in Australia, the boundaries between a Member’s profession, volunteer time and social life can often be blurred. It is therefore essential that Members make a clear distinction between what they do in a professional capacity and what they do, think or say in their capacity as a volunteer for GGC. GGC considers all of its Members as its representatives.

4.3 Honesty is always the best policy, especially online. It is important that GGC staff and Members think of the web as a permanent record of online actions and opinions.

4.4 When using the Internet for professional or personal pursuits, all Members must respect the GGC brand and follow the guidelines in place to ensure GGC’s intellectual property or its relationships with sponsors and stakeholders is not compromised (see 5.0 below), or the organisation is brought into disrepute.

5. Usage

5.1 For GGC Members and staff using social media, such use:

  • Must not contain, or link to, libellous, defamatory or harassing content. This also applies to the use of illustrations or nicknames;
  • Must not comment on, or publish, information that is confidential or in any way sensitive to GGC, its affiliates, partners or sponsors; and
  • Must not bring the organisation or golf into disrepute.

5.2 For GGC staff using social media, such use:

5.2.1 Must not interfere with work commitments.

5.3 Furthermore, GGC Members and staff may not use the GGC brand (see 6.0 below) to endorse or promote any product, opinion, cause or political candidate; and it must be abundantly clear to all readers that any and all opinion shared are those of the individual, and do not represent or reflect the views of GGC.

6. Branding and intellectual property (IP)

6.1 It is important that any trademarks belonging to GGC are not used in personal social media applications, except where such use can be considered incidental – where incidental is taken to mean “happening in conjunction with something else.”

6.2 Trademarks include:

  • GGC logos;
  • Images depicting volunteers, staff and/or equipment, except with the permission of those individuals;
  • Other GGC imagery

7. Official Glenelg Golf Club (GGC) blogs, social pages and online forums

7.1 When creating a new website, social networking page or forum for staff/club Member use, care should be taken to ensure the appropriate person has given written consent to create the page or forum.

7.2 Similarly, appropriate permissions must be obtained for the use of logos or images. Images of minor children may not be replicated on any site without the signed permission of the child’s parent and/or guardian.

7.3 For official GGC blogs, social pages and online forums:

  • Posts are only permitted in order to share information and knowledge, obtain constructive feedback, interact directly with Members, collaborate over projects and solve problems, promote GGC and raise GGC’s profile;
  • Posts must not contain, nor link to, pornographic or indecent content;
  • Some hosted sites may sell the right to advertise on their sites through ‘pop up’ content which may be of a questionable nature. This type of hosted site should not be used for online forums or social pages as the nature of the ‘pop up’ content cannot be controlled;
  • GGC employees must not use GGC online pages to promote personal projects; and
  • All materials published or used must respect the copyright of third parties.

8. Consideration towards others when using social networking sites

8.1 Social networking sites allow photographs, videos and comments to be shared with thousands of other users. GGC Members and staff 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 a private GGC event will not appear publicly on the Internet. In certain situations, GGC Members or staff could potentially breach the privacy act or inadvertently make GGC liable for breach of copyright.

8.2 GGC Members or staff should be considerate to others in such circumstance and should not post information when they have been asked not to or consent has not been given. They must also remove information about another person if that person asks them to do so.

8.3 All GGC employees and Members are required to complete a consent form regarding the sharing of their photographs on social networking sites.

8.4 Under no circumstance should offensive comments be made about GGC Members or staff online. When using external Social Media Platforms, including, but not limited to, social networks and Blogging sites, GGC Employees and GGC Members should not disparage or make adverse comments about GGC, any GGC Employee or any GGC Member. This includes where such comments are made whilst using a GGC computer and internet resources and similarly whilst using a non-GGC computer or hand held device.

9. Acknowledgement

All GGC Employees and GGC Members acknowledge that:

9.1 they are not to make comments which might reflect negatively on GGC’s reputation or make deliberately false or misleading claims about GGC, or its products or services. Any recognised inaccurate comments must have all reasonable efforts made by the GGC Employee or GGC Member to correct the statement; 

9.2 they must not disclose confidential or commercially sensitive information about GGC including GGC’s Confidential Information or Intellectual Property. This obligation continues after the employment or engagement ceases;

9.3 they must not endorse or cite any client, partner or supplier of GGC without the explicit prior permission of the General Manager;

9.4 they must observe the relevant privacy, defamation and copyright laws; and

9.5 they must comply with relevant discrimination laws and GGC policies that relate to discrimination and harassment.

10. Warning

10.1 Apart from the potentially adverse effects a blog or social networking entry may have on GGC, inappropriate blogs on internal or external sites can also have adverse consequences for a GGC Employee or GGC Members in terms of future career prospects, as the material remains widely and permanently accessible to other site users.

10.2 GGC may use and disclose an Employee’s or Member’s social media posts where that use or disclosure is:

  • for a purpose related to the employment of any employee or related to GGC’s business activities; or
  • use or disclosure to a law enforcement agency in connection with an offence; or
  • use or disclosure in connection with legal proceedings; or
  • use or disclosure reasonably believed to be necessary to avert an imminent threat of serious violence to any person or substantial damage to property.

10.3 While users are permitted to use GGC’s computer network for limited and reasonable personal use, Employees and Members must be mindful that any information (personal or other) they disclose while using GGC’s computer network may be used and/or disclosed as provided for in clause 10.2 above.  An Employee or Member is taken to have.

10.4 Consented to the use and disclosure of any information (personal or otherwise) that is disclosed during personal use of GGC’s computer network.

11. Glenelg Golf Club Employees’ and Glenelg Golf Club Members’ responsibilities

11.1 Glenelg Golf Club Employees and Glenelg Golf Club Members should report any inaccurate, misleading or deceptive information they encounter about Glenelg Golf Club and its products and services to the General Manager.

12. Breach of policy

12.1 GGC continually monitor online activity in relation to the organisation and its Members. Detected breaches of this policy should be reported to GGC.

12.2 If detected, a breach of this policy may result in disciplinary action from GGC. A breach of this policy may also amount to breaches of other GGC policies. This may involve a verbal or written warning or in serious cases, termination of your employment or engagement with GGC. GGC Members may be disciplined in accordance with the GGC Constitution and Policies.

13. Consultation or advice

This policy has been developed to provide guidance for GGC Members and staff in a new area of social interaction. GGC Members or staff, who are unsure of their rights, liabilities or actions online and seek clarification, should contact the GGC General Manager.

Policy Version and Revision Information:

Policy Authorised by: Committee of Management
Approval Date: 27th August 2024		Original issue: Dec 2023
Policy Maintained by: Glenelg Golf Club Inc
Title: Club Operations & Membership Manager		Current version: 2.0
Review date: August 2025