Changes to the Social Media Policy

1. Policies and training for the Office of Communications Changes to the Social Media Policy

2. Policy Audience Employees, clerics and volunteers, such as: • Communications Directors for parishes • Directors of ministries with an online presence • Webmasters and Social Media content managers • Anyone who volunteers with the parish and has an online social media account identifying themselves as a volunteer or employee of the parish

3. Change #1 Personal Blogs and Personal Social Media Profiles

4. OLD Policy Personal Blogs In the event an employee or cleric identifies himself/herself as, or is manifestly understood to be, an employee or cleric of the Diocese of Dallas or its affiliates on a personal blog (or other website with a similar purpose), to help reduce the potential for confusion, the employee is required to put the following notice in a reasonably prominent place on the website: “The views expressed on this website are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.”

5. Current Policy Personal Blogs and Personal Profiles on Social Media Platforms To help reduce the potential for confusion, when an employee or cleric identifies himself/herself as, or is manifestly understood to be, an employee or cleric of the Diocese of Dallas or its affiliates on a personal blog, a personal profile for a social media platform, or other website with a similar purpose, the employee is required to put the following notice in a reasonably prominent place on the website or profile: “The views expressed on this [website, personal profile, etc.] are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.”

7. Change #2 “Friending” Children on Social Media

8. OLD Policy When Communicating with Children Using Social Media or Other Electronic Communication: • There must be at least two adults with administrative rights for each Social Media account used for ministry communication. Personal Social Media accounts must not be used for ministry communication. • The primary purpose of such communication shall be for providing information related to a ministry or event and not for socialization or other personal interaction. Counseling of children through such communication methods is not permitted. … • When using a ministry Social Media account, adults must not initiate “friend” requests with children, but may accept “friend” requests from children who are involved in the particular ministry.

9. Current Policy When Communicating with Children Using Social Media or Other Electronic Communication: … • Personal Social Media accounts must not be used for ministry communication. Adults must not initiate or accept “friend” requests with children using their personal profiles on Facebook and other social media platforms. • The primary purpose of such communication shall be for providing information related to a ministry or event and not for socialization or other personal interaction. Counseling of children through such communication methods is not permitted. … • Children may “Like” public Facebook pages and other official social media accounts for a ministry where children are involved.

10. Diocesan Policy List Find these and other Diocesan Policies and Procedures at www.cathdal.org Thank you for your ministry in the Diocese of Dallas!