Community Guidelines September 2019
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 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, Jenny_BCNA, Carissa_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