Social Media Policy

Introduction

Social media can bring enormous benefits and opportunities. However, it also brings with it significant risks. The University of Oxford has developed specific guidance for social media use, which all Reuben College members should familiarise themselves with, in addition to adhering to the college’s policy on social media use outlined below.

University of Oxford social media guidance for students

University of Oxford social media guidance for staff 

Key points

  1. All social media accounts set up by college members which use “Reuben College” in their name, are a facility of the College and will be governed by this policy and other relevant college policies including equality and diversity, privacy and harassment. 
  2. If a Reuben College Facebook page is publicly visible then it must be closed to public posting OR actively moderated to ensure that no material is posted that would bring the College into disrepute.
  3. Only Reuben College Facebook Groups with a membership approved by an administrator may allow posting by all members.
  4. The administrator of a Reuben College Facebook page or group should delete posts or comments which are:
    • Offensive or derogatory relating to sex, gender reassignment, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or age;
    • Intentionally meant to hurt, offend or denigrate an individual; or
    • Illegal under British Law.
  5. Responsibility for monitoring posts on Facebook groups associated with Reuben College clubs, teams or societies falls by default on the president of that organization.
  6. Responsibility for monitoring posts on the Reuben College Graduate Facebook group falls by default on the GSC President.
  7. Before deleting a comment, an administrator must take a screen shot of it and send details of the deletion to the College Dean.
  8. The College Dean will act as an independent arbitrator in case of disputes.
  9. In deciding whether or not to delete posts from Reuben College Facebook groups, the administrators and College Dean must balance the aforementioned conditions with the protection of freedom of expression, as this is a fundamental freedom. Only posts which meet the criteria listed above will be deleted.

 

Approved by Governing Body on 10th February 2021

Download the Social Media Policy (pdf)