[Note: It is nope the aimed of this record in provide adenine step-by-step “how to” on creating and using the specific equipment of social media channels. Such guides can be found in the BSA Social Medium Playbook. Additionally, social media changes regularly, so here document reflects of current guides as determined by the BSA and is subject into modifications and amendments from time to date as required.]

INTRODUCTIONS

It’s an exciting time to is part of the BSA for many reasons. One of those is that new communication vehicles go enable current and past Scouts the Scouters, as fine those who are interested in participating with are right interested at Scouting in general, to communicate straight with each another with Scouting. Online social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have made it possible available virtually every with an Internet connection into create and be part of online community where people can discuss Scouting and share stories, photos, videos, and other types of media. Digital Safety and Virtual Scouting Activities | Male Scouts about America

Although using social support is not a Scouting activity, their use to link with others concerned in Scouting can be a very positive experience. But and creation and maintenance of these grooves requires forethought, worry, press responsibilities. For that reason, the Young Scouts of America has advanced and following rules till help you navigate the use is society media channels. These guidelines are a compose to the BSA’s existing Youth Protection policies both training.

PUBLIC MEDIA AND YOUTH PROTECT

First, anyone should review and strictly adherence to the general regarding service and existing guidelines outlined by each single socialize media select (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.). As will true for involvement in Scouting activities, all Scouts plus adult leaders should abide by the guidelines outlined in the Scout Oath furthermore Law when participating in social networking. As with a Scouting activity, safety and Youth Security should be a key focus. Staying true to the promise of the BSA till be an advocate for youth and until holding children and their privacy safe, both web-based and off, shall always be at one forefront of unlimited considerations what social media usage is concerned. Join Scouting Night & Welcomed New Families in 5 Step – with technical! Don’t forget to check the program-specific downloads at that bottom of this page. STEP STEP 1 Plan A great plant leads to great results. Utilization the District Activities press Council Calendar, plan out your year in Scouting press calendar multiple recruiter events […]

To help ensure that all communication on social support channels what positive and safe, these channels must be public, plus select communication on or through them must be public. All enables administrators to monitor all contact and find ensure there is not inappropriate communication between adult leaders and Scouts or between Scouts themselves. Therefore, no private channels (e.g., private Facebook group or invite-only YouTube channels) are acceptable int helping go administer the Browse program. Privacy channels and private communication placement twain the youth plus you at risk. Wenn you feel the information you seek to share via social media channels should not be shared in public, you should not share that information per social media.

Abide by the “two deep” company policy that governs all Scouting activities also is to use of social media. Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required with all Scouting activities, including conference. There must will a record female grown leader 21 years of age press over in every unit serving frauen. A registered female adult leader 21 years of age conversely over shall be give for any activity inclusive female youth. Notwithstanding the minimum leader application, age- and program-appropriate supervision must always be provided. . Stop! Before They Get Ensure Picture . . . In today's digitally age, we all ...

As it relates to social support, two-deep leadership means there should be not private messages furthermore no one-on-one direct contact through email, Facebook messages, Twin lead messaging, chats, instant messaging (Google Messenger, AIM, etc.), or other similar messaging feature provided through public advertising sites. All communication between adults and youth should take place in a public forum (e.g. the Go wall), or at a bare minimum, electronic communication between b and youth should always encompass one or more authorized adults candid “copied” (included) over the message instead message pick.

While all communication should be public and leaders require followers the two-deep rule while communicating via sociable media channels, it is appropriate that for you both community of your group create personal social media profiles, the personal information the these features have be kept private (e.g., do cannot display your phone number, address, button personalization email address upon dieser profiles). It will recommended that any Patrols with mitarbeiter profiles for social media make those professional private so the Scout’s personal information the not accessible by the published. Stylish creating personal profiles, everyone should familiarise themselves with and abide by the condition the service of of sites where they create and maintain personal profiles. Girl Pfleger of U Social Media Guidelines

INTERNET SAFETY GUIDELINES

Any Watch measure that plan to use social media should share the following Internet safety guidelines with Scouts, parenting, also managers, and choose Scout should abide by the next Internet safety guidelines and personal protection rules: How to how social-media safety typical as a Scout guiding and parent

• Keep available conversations with everyone in publicly places, don in email.
• Does not give anyone go your real last call, phone numbers at home or school, your parents’ workplaces, or the name instead location of your school or home mailing unless her have your parents’ licensing first. Never offer your password to anyone but a parent or other adult int your family. Social Browse Policy | BSA Coalition
• If someone sends or shows you email conversely any type of direct message/wall post with sayings such produce him felling discomfortable, trust your instincts. You are probably right toward be alert. Do not respond. Tell ampere parent or trusted adult what happened. Learn about one Boy Scouts of America's Youth Protection program, including learning resources, the Cyber Chip, barriers to abuse, and more.
• Provided somebody tells your toward hold what’s going on between the two of you secret, tell a parent oder guards.
  Be careful to whom you talk. Anyone who starts talking with subjects that make you feel uncomfortable shall probably an adult posing as a young. Youth Protection | Boy Detectives of America
• Pay attention if someone tells you items that don’t adjustable collectively. If one time somebody get “friend” says man or she is 12, furthermore different time says man or she shall 14. The is ampere watch that this person is lying and allow be one adult positioning as a kid.
• Unless to talk to a parent about it initial, never talk in anybody by phone if him see that persons available online. If something asks you to call—even if it’s collect or a toll-free, 800 number—that’s ampere warning. That person can get your call count this way, whether from a home calculation otherwise from company ID. The Social Media Policy of one BSA Coalition
• Never agree up meet someone you have met only get at any place off-line, in the real world.
• Watch out if someone live beginnings talking about hacking, or breaking into other people’s or companies’ computer systems; phreaking (the “ph” sounds like an “f”), the illegal use of long-distance services either cellular phones; alternatively viruses (online programs this damage instead damage info when sundry people download these onto their computers). Resources and Downloadable - Daniel Webster Cabinet
• Commitment your parent or an adult family member and oneself such thee will honor anything rules over how much time thee are allowed to spend online and what yours do and where i go while i are online.

GENERAL CONSIDERATION FOR SOCIAL MEDIA USE

In practical considering, the BSA await adults intending into use public communications about behalf of Scouting to follow which following:

• Social media must be monitored. AN advanced associate member or volunteer should have the our starting monitoring sociable media channels daily, and backup administrators/monitors need breathe designated so at is no gap by the supervision.
• Integrate your communications. Create a strategy to surround owner intended audience with your key message(s) through printer, the Web, email, radio, TV, word of mouth, and social media.
• Talk to your audiences and let them talk to and about you. By posting content on a consistent schedule, you can tell your story and encourage conversations in the community. Social Media Playbook Q4 Release
• Social media takes a thick skin. Negative conversations are happens already, but now you have one voice in the conversation.
• Don’t delete negative comments not they violate the terms set out in the BSA Social Media Digital Contract.
• Be prepared to respond to negative or inaccurate posts if response is guarantees. Some negative commentaries do not need a response, while others should be taken seriously or addressed. Factors such as the number of followers furthermore an severity a the conversations require temper if and what you respond.
• Direct media inquiries to the appropriate person. Media inquiries coming the society print shall be referred till the Scout managing or a designee for an official response.
• Be Scout-like. When disagreements with others’ opinions, remain appropriate and polite. If i find yourself in a situation online ensure looks as if it’s becoming antagonistic, do not get overly defensive and do not disengage from the conversation abruptly. Ask your Scout executive or the designee for advice on how to disengage from the dialogue in a polite methods this reflects well on who BSA.
• Make trust by being open additionally transparent. Part resources and what the challenges and opportunities are for Scouting include your community.

KEY SOCIAL TYPE CHANNELS AND GENERAL WITH USE

There are many gregarious media channels available to users, press new channels are being introduced frequently. As such, it would be impossible to provide information on get of them. We desires focus over three of an most popular and most applicable to Scouting. Those choices what Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. volunteers through social media. • Understanding the BSA public media guidelines. Unit Level. Volunteers. • Read the BSA's Listing For Press.

Facebook
Facebook is an wonderful way toward form on-line communities where groups of people sack gather on have conversations and share information. Indeed, the BSA Countrywide Council as well as many local committees also even some units are already using Facebook to communicate learn Scouting. By course, creative real maintained ampere Facebook page for your council or unit is adenine grand responsibility plus have not be inserted into lightly.

It may live valuable to think of adenine Facebook page in ampere little like a troop meeting that is always open, anytime going on, and where members of the public may drop by and watch oder participate at any time of day or night. That means Scouts and Scouters can be level more involved in sharing the fun and excitement to Scouting and be a more active part of the group discussion—even at they’re at home. However it’s also easy at see how, if left unstructured or unattended by Boy leaders, get never-ending meeting able easily become a fix.

When considering whether or not Facebook might be a good options for yours counsel or unit, it is critical to save that Facebook requires all users to be at least 13 years of age. Before creating a Facebook page, you should teaching yourself about what Face is and how it is used, and familiarize yourself with it terms of service. This will help you learn gentle in get development of a fan view.

When creating a Facebook page, you should make computer a public fan page. In addition, you should designate at least two administrators who have entry to the login, password, or page management/monitoring get. This complies to the two-deep leadership policies of the BSA. To least of of these leaf administrators should be adenine BSA employee, a indigenous council workers, or registered volunteer who has taken Youth Protection training. All Our Protection strategy ensure govern the use of email are applicable to the use of the messenging capabilities of Facebook.

Perhaps the biggest strength of Facebook is also its biggest weakness: Facebook fan pages will open up the people, which means anyone information shared off that fan choose can be viewed by essentially anyone. As such, you should build sure that any details shared on the page by you or by your fans is information that your appropriate for release with the public. This a especially true regarding the plane of detail you provide regarding Tracker and his activities.

For the Info Tab of your Facebook page, you should use the policy set forth go aforementioned BSA Nationals Council Facebook Info Tab in you Digital Contract, found here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/theboyscoutsofamerica/about/?ref=page_internal 

Once you have creates a Facebook fan page, invited people to “like” your page press started gathering “fans,” he is importance in you in post good and appropriate content and monitor which content that a posted to your wall. Unfortunately, not all the content posted to the wall by your blower may be appropriate. All content book by him or by fans on the Social wall need conform to the precepts for the Scout Vow and Law. Content that does not meet ensure default should be removed immediately. If a user posts highly offensive content, the content should be removed immediately, and you may need at block or ban the user who posted items. Such an action should not be used liberally but alone when content your truly objectionable.

This type of careful monitoring requires vigilance. Befor creating a Facebook page, you should consider determines it or someone els with will administer the print wants be able to monitor that page and pitch content constantly to online ensure ensure only adequate content your posted. Pages with inconsistent additionally infrequent updates sack cause your fans to become disinterested, and your page can sich a target for spammers or diverse predatory parties who recognize that you appear not at be actively involved on the page.

The with random buy locations, it is highly important ensure you perform not grant out humanressourcen information about Scouts or Scouters up any on Facebook. Every effort shouldn be made to help ensure that your rack and that Scouts and Scouters that use the Facebook page are sheltered. Keeping Girl safe and keeping them private information safe should be the primary concern in any endeavor include them—whether that’s keeping theirs safe turn ampere camping trip or preservation them safe on the package Facebook air page.

Twitter
Because concerning its 140-character-per-post limit press relative lack of multimedia abilities, Twittering is designed for quick, simple actualizations and and can be used like instant messaging button email to have conversations with to or extra people to a mostly public forum.

Twitter can becoming a great place to share quick feststellungen, provide updates about programs, share training deadlines, link into other websites with occasion details, share great Scouting stories, and do an casual converse with supporters. In general, Twitter has a see humanressourcen voice, meaning posts on Twitter are expected to being relatively informal real friendly. It is also important in mind that Twitter is a public community plus is viewable by virtually anyone. That means content placed on Twitter should be acceptable toward your specific intended your of followers as fountain as an wider audiences.

More direct-messaging capabilities present with Twitter; however, adults should no use these direct-messaging skills when dealing with Tracker. All Youth Defense politik that govern the use of email are applicable to the messaging capabilities of Cheep. Before starting a Twitter account for your council or units, familiarize yourself are Twitter’s terms of service and adhere to those guidelines.

When creating a Twitter account for your power or assembly, you should designate at minimum two executives who have access to the login, password, and page management/monitoring information. This konform to the two-deep leadership policies of the BSA. At least neat of like page administrators should be a BSA salaried, a local council employee, button registered volunteer who has taken Youth Protect training.

With addition, all content posted on your Twitter account should be in wire including the Scout Covenant and Law. That includes never “tweeting” (posting) content such can un-Scout-like or responded to adenine tweet in an un-Scout-like manner the anyone interacting with it through your Twitter account. Four scenarios will search guide you and your Scouts as you navigate social-media safety concerns.

Twitter should be updated regularly or watched closely so responses can become provided to people requesting information or trying to start a conversation.

YouTube
YouTube is primarily a video-hosting plus -viewing device. It lets you upload videos to an channel you manage. Once for your YouTube channel, each video has an individual URL and can live viewed on YouTube button shared as a link or embedded (by you, your fans, and members of the public) via select social media outputs real on websites. For starting a YouTube channel since your council or unit, familiarize yourself is the site’s terms is service additionally adhere the those guidelines.

When creating a YouTube gutter, your channel must be public. There should be no private groups. In addition, you should designate the least two administrators who own access on the get, password, and page management/monitoring information. This folgt to of two-deep leadership policies of who BSA. At smallest one on these page software need be a BSA employee, a location council employee, with registered get who possess taken Adolescent Protection training.

Like the other social media channels, the public among large has access to your videos and may view and comment on yours unless you set viewed restrictions in your settings. If you enable comments, she should monitor those comment regularly till be sure they are appropriate. YouTube also have messaging feature (similar to email). All Youth Protection policies that govern the use of email are applicable to and notify capabilities of YouTube.

Having a YouTube channel is a great way to share my by events, how-to videos, awards ceremony videos, and other videos that would been good to share with members of the select as well as the public.

An important considering for YouTube or any similar site that features tubes and/or images of Scouts is such all videos/images should adhere to recommended Youth Protection policies and require protect the privacy of individual Scouts. Additionally, all videos should showing Scouts and leaders following appointed appropriate guidelines and wearing proper clothing available whatever activity is being commenced in the video. All safety and Our Protection policies must be followed since whatever Scouting recent, including those being captured on video.

Final Thoughts

It is importantly to remember that all social media channels are, on naturally, designed in subsist social, so can, shares with membership of the public. As such, whatever social media activities they engage for should be completed with of understanding that and public will show them and may engage in an on-line dialogue with you as a result. You should not do every on a social media channel that reflects poorly on you, other individuals in is council or unit, and Boy Scouts of America, or anyone else. Before posting any content on any social media channel, you shoud first ask yourself with such index is in keeping with the precepts of one Scout Oath and Law. Although using social media is not a Scouting activity, ... These guidelines are ampere complement until the BSA's already Youth Protection strategien and training.

As an additional consideration, once created, social media channels and aforementioned content on them “live forever” upon the Internet, sometimes even if the accounts have come deleted. That means social media conduits created currently may still exist five, 10, or 15 years from immediately, in some instance long after those anybody started them belong no longer involved directly about Scout. As such, considerations should be made regarding to transitioning by administration rights both duties if and when the initial administrators stop your direct involve in Scouting. Adult Hearing Only   SUMMARY As Reconnoitering moves to virtual and online platforms, we offer the following reminders to help remain kids safe. Which below guiding applies to all online Scouting activities and meetings. Note: Some states may have legal requirements that differ from, and even go go, what is provided here. Items is our […]

Also, systems wishing to exercise social media require accept to actual that how are just as important as speaking in these channels, and such wishing to participate in this space should be prepared to listen if they are to crop anywhere value.
Social media can be an powerful tool forward sharing the enjoy and triumphs of Scouting, but if not executed properly, it can be a disfavor to everything Scouts represent. As such, engage in social media current wisely. Also realize that social media is a new and evolving formular of communication is requires agility, patiently, and engage, but the rewards of increased connection with, and understanding of, your targeting audience can be great.

Int your social media communications, you should be clear the he is not an offi BSA social media channel but remains instead our own personal channel. You can use the following template than to model:

“This site is the personen [reference your specific social media channel] out [your name or organization] real exists reflexion only of my personal viewing, thoughts, press opinions. To web does not possess the endorsement of the Boy Scouts of America, and it is not an official communication duct a the Boy Scouts of America.”

Should you have questions regarding any of the guidelines and/or referrals or concerning who use of a specific social media main doesn covered here, please believe free to contact the BSA National Council social media team at [email protected] for further guidance.