Social Media

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the protection of the health, safety and wellbeing
of all CPSA members and those who participate in the activities of the CPSA. Social media, for
the purpose of this policy, should broadly be understood to include, but not confined to, Facebook,
Twitter, blogs, chat rooms, electronic newsletters, message boards, microblogs, online forums, wikis,
and other social networking sites and services that permit users to share information with others in a
contemporaneous manner.

1. Social media in all its forms is now so easily accessible the opportunity to both post and receive
improper comments and statements has dramatically increased. Bullying and harassment in all
forms is considered by the CPSA to be unacceptable.

2. Messages or statements made using social media are often instantaneous and, whilst a useful
medium to promote our sport, improper use thereof to post inappropriate messages is a form of
bullying. Cyber bullying has the potential to cause great anxiety and distress to the recipient.
There is not a specific law which makes cyberbullying illegal but it can be considered a criminal
offence under several different Acts including Protection from Harassment Act (1997),
Malicious Communications Act (1988), Communications Act (2003) Obscene Publications Act
(1959) and Computer Misuse Act (1990).

3. Frustration at a referee, another competitor, club official, coach, visitor or governing body
should never be communicated via social media, but rather by way of reasoned, logical verbal
and/or written statements through the proper channels.

4. The CPSA acknowledges the emergence of new technologies and constantly evolving
communication mediums and wishes to enable such new media to be used to benefit the sport
and its participants. The benefits can be instantaneous due to the immediate nature of social
media communication to an appropriate audience using all available social media forums.
However, participants within the sport need to be mindful of key points whilst using this
immediate form of communication that could possibly lead to its inappropriate use. Remember
once comments are made and/or published they are, and remain, in the public forum for a long
time and are difficult, or impossible, to retract – once published you lose control of your
comments.

In the light of the above please consider very carefully before you circulate anything which may
contravene the actual, or the spirit, of the CPSA Social Media Policy. Be respectful to others when
making any statement on social media and be aware that you are personally responsible for all
communications which will be published on the internet for anyone to see which may then result in
legal proceedings being initiated against you by an individual. Action may also result under either the
CPSA Complaints Procedure or Disciplinary Code of Conduct.