Social Media Policy

Rolls-Royce Employees Motor Club is committed to using social media in a positive and safe way that allows it to promote its events and strategies to the membership and the wider population whilst recognising the risks that uncontrolled use can create. Club officials, members and competitors on club events are obliged to follow this policy, which is based on Motorsport UK’s own social media policy.

1. Participants should be aware that comments which bring motor sport into disrepute, or are threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting, may lead to disciplinary action before the Motorsport UK National Court and which may result in substantial fines or international bans from participation in the sport.

2. Comments that include a reference to a person’s ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, faith, gender, sexual orientation or disability may attract a severe disciplinary sanction. Comments can also attract civil and criminal action.

3. General guidance

• The club’s social media sites are public forums, so treat them as such

• Participants and organisations are strictly responsible for any posting on his/their account/s

• Re-posting or re-tweeting inappropriate content represents an endorsement of that content and can be actionable and punishable under the General Regulations of Motorsport UK

• Do not use abusive, derogatory, vulgar or sexual language and do not post anything that you would not say face to face

• Do not criticise or imply bias in Motorsport UK Officials on social media platforms

• Deleting or apologising publicly for an improper posting does not prevent disciplinary action being taken

• Consider “protecting” Tweets and changing security/visibility of Facebook accounts

4. The Club’s Responsibility .

The club has a social media officer – Emily Matthews – who is responsible for posting and maintaining the club’s social networking and internet sites. She or her delegates will:

• Set standards for content generated in line with the guidelines above

• Establish protocols for monitoring output, moderating content in online forums and removing offensive postings

• Report any breaches of these guidelines to Motorsport UK and the relevant statutory organisations if appropriate

Child Safeguarding can be aligned to social media use – see the club’s Safeguarding Policy https://rremc.co.uk/policies/safeguarding-policy

5. The Club Will Not

• Host any participant’s profiles or personal details of young drivers/anyone under 18 years of age on club sites without the written consent of their parent/carer

• Place pictures of individuals under 18 years of age on club websites or social media pages without the express permission of parents/carers

• Post or host items which may be considered hurtful, offensive, threatening, racist or discriminatory or which may otherwise cause offence or harm to another or might incite such behaviour in others

6. General Guidance

The club, its officials and members should be aware that they can be vicariously liable for material published by employees whether paid or unpaid in the course of their employment and duties for example on an official website, Facebook site or Twitter feed, or published by employees outside motor sport via a work email address or a work Twitter handle. The club can also be liable for third party comments and postings made in its website forums or on their Facebook pages

Most importantly…

A common-sense approach needs to be used by everyone involved in motorsport. What you regard as ‘banter’ may be seen as hurtful or embarrassing by a wider audience and bring motor sport into disrepute in which case Motorsport UK may place you before the National Court. In short, follow the general guidelines above and:

• Don’t comment on social media if you have any concerns about the consequences

• Don’t link to unsuitable content that breaches this policy

• Don’t get into disputes with audience

• Don’t share or elicit personal detail

• If your son or daughter receives images or messages which are offensive, threatening, or unsuitable please copy and save them elsewhere or print them off before removing or destroying them. They may be needed as evidence by Motorsport UK Safeguarding Team or other agencies involved in the protection of children online

• If the above image is an indecent image of a child (anyone under 18), please DO NOT COPY the image. You will be committing a criminal offence if you do so But