Guidelines for the use of social media

These guidelines aim to provide helpful and practical advice – and also to protect ESGE’s social media users and ESGE. These guidelines apply to ESGE’s networking sites Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and the ESGE community applications on the ESGE website.

If a person chooses to participate in online publishing it is his or her own decision. It is in ESGE’s interest to participate in this sphere of information in order to:

Learn – we believe in the importance of open exchange and learning between ESGE and its members and are aware of the rapidly growing segment of user‐generated web content, social web applications and networking. These are important emerging areas for engagement and learning.

Contribute – ESGE makes important contributions in the field of Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgery and science and to public dialogue. We understand the concept of community, where an environment of transparent sharing, connecting and helping exists.

Add value – ESGE believes in providing worthwhile information and perspective. ESGE is best represented by its members. Everything users publish on ESGE’s media platforms may reflect badly on ESGE and as such it is your responsibility to only publish things that add value to the community, improves knowledge and skills, builds a sense of community and is directly or indirectly in line with ESGE’s mission and objectives.

ESGE embraces networking technologies such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to encourage users to participate in this open dialogue and to inform themselves. ESGE supports the open dialogue and the exchange of ideas. These social networking sites are primarily platforms for communication and relationship development among individuals. ESGE believes that users can benefit from this dialogue and from the exchange of different perspectives. Individuals can share their insights, express their opinions and share their information in the context of a globally distributed conversation.

When ESGE wishes to speak publicly as an organization it has well established means to do so. Only the officially designated people have the authority do speak on behalf of ESGE. Executive and Advisory Board Members of ESGE have a special responsibility when using ESGE’s social network sites. By virtue of their position, they must consider if personal thoughts they publish may be misunderstood as being expressed as ESGE’s position. Social network sites are not the place to communicate ESGE’s internal matters or policies.

ESGE monitors its social media platforms and reserves the right to bar or exclude any user who does not comply with below guidelines.

Guidelines

1. Users are personally responsible for the content they publish on ESGE’s network sites and other form of user‐generated media. Be aware that what you publish will be public for some time – protect your privacy.
2. Identify yourself – name, background and if relevant your role at ESGE, especially when you discuss matters related to ESGE. Write in the first person, it has to be clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of ESGE.
3. If you publish content to any website outside of ESGE and it is related to ESGE, use the disclaimer: “The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect ESGE’s position or opinion. “
4. Respect copyright, fair use and financial disclosure laws.
5. Do not provide ESGE’s or another user’s confidential or proprietary information. Ask permission to publish or report on conversations, that are meant to be private or ESGE internal.
6. Do not cite or reference other authors, partners or users without their approval. Should you make a reference please link to the original source.
7. Respect your audience. Do not use personal insults, rude language, obscenity, or engage in any unacceptable conduct. Show proper consideration for other people’s privacy and consider that some topics may be objectionable, such as religion or politics. Exercise good judgment – refrain from comments that may be misinterpreted as demeaning or inflammatory.
8. Be aware of your association with ESGE ‐ present yourself in a manner you would to colleagues, friends and partners.
9. Be the first to correct your own mistakes. Do not alter posts without indicating you have done so.
   Do not use the media for marketing and public relations activities.
10. Be transparent and honest, but also thoughtful how you present yourself. The lines between public and private, personal and professional information are blurred in social networks.
11. Do not comment or communicate on confidential financial information or future plans of ESGE. This includes statements about future projects and alliances that have not been made public yet by ESGE officials. Do not reply to rumors, merely state “no comment”.
12. Focus on subjects that are related to the field of Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgery and science. ESGE provides these platforms to encourage the open dialogue on research. Do not use the media to engage in private exchange or business matters that are not related to ESGE.