Community guidelines
Welcome to Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) online community. This is a safe and inclusive space for all Australians affected by breast cancer to find information and support. The online community offers peer support where members share their experiences with others.
We hope you enjoy participating and interacting with other community members. In order to make this a safe and welcoming space for everyone, we have a few basic guidelines.
General guidelines
Always
- Be pleasant and treat others with respect, as you would like to be treated yourself.
- Search before posting. It's likely that there is already an answer or active discussion about what you're seeking.
- Stay on topic and advance the conversation.
- Respect people's privacy.
- Respect copyright and the law.
- Check that any factual information you provide is correct and from a reputable source.
Never
- Post anything that is harmful, threatening, abusive, hateful, offensive, discriminatory, defamatory, or obscene.
- Attack other members of the community or the BCNA team.
- Disparage or slander the reputations of health professionals or anyone else.
- TYPE IN ALL CAPS. IT IS HARD TO READ AND OFTEN PERCEIVED AS YELLING.
- Post the same message repeatedly or across multiple categories or groups.
- Create more than one user account to hide or harass others.
- Post spam or use the online community to advertise your services (including blogs and Facebook profiles, pages and groups).
- Use the online community for third-party research or fundraising purposes.
- Breach the Website Terms of Use.
A few more things
Enjoy the online community. There's a lot to see and read, our members love to talk! Don’t be afraid to jump in and participate, but do remember that everyone's personal circumstances are different.
Own your own words. Take responsibility for the quality of the conversations in which you’re participating. Respect other people’s views and consider your impact on others when making a contribution. Be aware of the tone of your written contributions and be mindful of others when posting. We encourage members to self-moderate and to review your content prior to posting.
Some profanity is allowed. Some profanity is allowed as long as it’s not directed at others in an abusive manner and it is not gratuitously offensive.
It's a public space. Remember that the online community is a public space. Do not reveal personal and/or private information about others, and only reveal as much about yourself as you feel comfortable sharing. Be mindful when posting photos, as the main discussion forum is not private and conversation threads can come up in general ‘google’ searches. There are private groups that you can join.
Flag inappropriate content. You can help us keep the online community safe and pleasant for everyone. Every post and comment has a 'Flag' button. If you see spam or inappropriate content, please check the community guidelines first. If you think it breaches the community guidelines click on the ‘flag’ button to report it to BCNA. . We will then review the post/discussion and delete any content that is in breach of the guidelines.
You may not like everything you see or read. Everyone participates differently and you may sometimes see things you don’t like. You are welcome to disagree with others provided your tone is respectful. Whilst we will manage any posts that breach community guidelines, you may still find posts that you are uncomfortable with. Choose not to view these posts.Safe and supportive environment. If you ever feel unsafe or threatened in any way, contact one of the online moderators by calling the BCNA Helpline Services Team on 1800 500 258 or via direct message to seek support and guidance. We would prefer that you call and speak with one of the online moderators so the matter can be attended to immediately.
No commercial or promotional activity. While members may share information about resources they have found helpful, the BCNA online community should not be used for the promotion of goods and services. This includes commercial entities passing themselves off as individuals and people who frequently post external links to blogs, other forums, and Facebook.
Please use the services and support directory instead.
This is not a medical or counselling service. What is right for one person may not be right for someone else. If you see any medical suggestions on the site use caution and remember BCNA can’t endorse or support any health or medical advice that is posted here. Always seek the advice of your medical team.
Surveys are not allowed. If you are a health professional or student interested in conducting a survey, please call the Helpline Services Team 1800 500 258.
Leaving the online community. Members are welcome to come and go as you please. You do not need to notify the moderators or post online that you are leaving the community. Your account will remain open and you can return at any time.
Online community role. If you are interested in taking on a role within the online community please contact one of the community moderators.
Health professionals are welcome. Health professionals are welcome to join the online community and to read posted content. We ask that you do not use this forum for professional purposes such as asking questions or promoting services.
Groups
Whilst most conversations happen in the discussion areas of the online community, groups are a great resource for members seeking greater peer-to-peer support. Groups are not intended to be a substitute for discussion topics. Majority of the groups are private while some aren’t. Please check prior to joining the group.
All Groups are created by BCNA and are led by online community members. Group Leaders and members must continue to abide by the Community Guidelines.
If you’re interested in starting a Group, please call the Helpline Services Team 1800 500 258.
Moderation in the online network
The aim of moderation is not censorship, but to ensure that the online community meets its legal responsibilities and remains a safe, friendly and supportive space for all Australians affected by breast cancer.
All community interaction is subject to some level of moderation to ensure the community guidelines are upheld. Posts and comments appear on the online network immediately. They are not held for review. The online community is post-moderated by the online network team, which consists of the BCNA Helpline team and a small pool of volunteer group leaders. We rely on members to report inappropriate or concerning posts and comments.
Moderators reserve the right to edit, move, close, and delete discussions. Members who seriously, persistently, or wilfully ignore the community guidelines may be placed on pre-moderation, temporarily suspended, or banned from the online community. Decisions taken by our moderators are final and will not be discussed within the online community with anyone other than the member affected.
Additionally, moderators will check all information and links posted in the online community to ensure information is factually correct. Moderators reserve the right to edit or remove any incorrect or misleading information.
If you have posted something and have missed the 24hr window allowed for editing a post, please contact one of the moderators who will edit or delete the comment that you are concerned about.
Deleting content from the discussion threads is a decision that is not taken lightly by the moderation team. It is disruptive to the flow of conversation and moderators will only remove content if it is in breach of our community guidelines. Sometimes you may not like or agree with a discussion or post. This does not mean it should be removed. If you decide to leave the online community, your posted content will remain.
If you are concerned about the well being of a member of the online community, you can contact one of the online moderators Mez_BCNA, Kate_BCNA, Daina-BCNA, Pat_BCNA, who will then make contact with the group member.
Please note: The online network is not moderated by staff/volunteers on weekends, however if you need something actioned the quickest way to resolve your query is to contact the Helpline Services Team via email contact@bcna.org.au or phone 1800 500 258 Monday to Friday 9 am - 5 pm AEST.
About the community guidelines
These guidelines are a collaborative document created by BCNA’s Helpline Services Team and incorporating feedback from our online community members. It has evolved over the years and aims to reflect best practice in community management as well as BCNA’s values. It is regularly reviewed and refreshed, so please bookmark this page and check back frequently.
Further information
If you have suggestions or questions about the community guidelines or any aspect of moderation, please call us on 1800 500 258.
Updated: August 2022
