Internet & email acceptable use policy
ARMY CADET FORCE INTERNET AND EMAIL ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
Reference:
A: RF-1-4-8-3 dated 15 May 2009
1. There has been a small amendment to the ACF’s Policy on Internet and email use which was previously in 2009.
2. You should note that paragraph 8 has been strengthened. It is still the case that adults should neither send nor accept “friend” invitations to or from cadets nor should Adult Volunteers use private messaging services to interact with cadets for any reason.
3. You are all requested to promulgate this policy as widely as possible. It is in the Adult Volunteers’ own interests to comply with this policy as engaging in private dialogue or including cadets amongst their “friends” online could leave their actions open to misinterpretation or misrepresentation.
INTRODUCTION
1. The internet is part of everyday life and has many benefits. Care must be taken, however, to protect the reputation of the Army Cadet Force online and to ensure ACF adults and cadets do not become associated with web sites or presences of an inappropriate or inaccurate nature.
PERSONAL INFORMATION AND IMAGERY
2. A number of Acts govern the handling of personal information and imagery, including, but not restricted to, the Data Protection Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Protection of Children Act 1978. ACF personnel are reminded to adhere to the following guidelines when publishing information and images, whether on the internet or in a hard copy publication:
a. Full consideration must always be given to an individual’s safety, security and right to privacy. Information must never be published which would enable a reader or website visitor to track down an individual cadet and details such as an adult’s telephone number or email address must only be published with that individual’s express permission.
b. Anyone publishing photographs or video footage featuring a cadet is responsible for checking that the permission of a parent or guardian has been granted to use that cadet’s image in order to promote the ACF. This information is requested on the cadet enrolment form and recorded on Westminster.
SCOPE
3. This document is designed particularly to cover:
a. ACF websites.
b. Posting items elsewhere on the internet as a member of the ACF; and
c. The use of computers on ACF premises or for ACF business.
4. For the purposes of this document the internet is defined as services offered across the worldwide web, including social networking sites, chat rooms, bulletin boards, news groups, file sharing and instant messaging software.
ACF WEBSITES
5. Since 2008 the ACFA has offered corporately-branded websites free of charge to all ACF counties. ACFA covers both the initial setup and the ongoing hosting costs and no specialist software or web development knowledge is required. All counties are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure the ACF has a professional and consistent online presence.
6. Additionally the ACF Brand Manual DVD issued in November 2008 contains html website templates to allow ACF areas or detachments to create their own websites in keeping with the look and feel of the ACF national and county sites. The files are designed to be used by people with experience of html development and were created in Dreamweaver but will work in most website building software. All areas and detachments are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these templates when setting up or developing websites.
7. The Army Cadet Force will benefit at every level if it presents a consistent look and feel wherever it is found online.
POSTING ITEMS ON THE INTERNET AS A MEMBER OF THE ACF
8. The rapid development of user-created content on the internet, including blogs, social networking sites and chat rooms, means that many members of the ACF have initiated ACF-themed web presences on sites such as, but not restricted to, Facebook, Bebo, YouTube and MySpace. Such sites are potentially of great benefit in providing a window into life in the ACF but care must be taken to ensure no content is published likely to bring the ACF or the Army into disrepute or otherwise damage their reputation. Anyone posting items to such sites is advised that the following constitutes unacceptable use or behaviour:
a. Making or posting indecent remarks, proposals or materials on the internet, including racist or sexist jokes or language and defamatory comments.
b. Uploading, downloading or otherwise transmitting commercial software or any copyrighted materials belonging to any other parties, unless such use is covered or permitted under a commercial agreement or other such licence.
c. Accepting invitations on social networking sites to be a “friend” – cadets to adults or adults to cadets.
d. Using private messaging services, cadets to adults or adults to cadets.
e. Airing a local grievance in a social networking site or other open forum.
f. Representing personal opinions as those of the ACF.
g. Posting any comments or imagery likely to bring the Army Cadet Force or the Army into disrepute or otherwise damage their reputation.
THE USE OF COMPUTERS ON ACF PREMISES OR FOR ACF BUSINESS
9. The Army Cadet Force encourages all ACF detachments to have access to the internet. Not only is it necessary to allow access to Westminster, but it can be beneficial to cadets both educationally and recreationally. Access to the internet gives the added benefit of being able to send and receive emails for the speedy conduct of ACF business. The following principles apply when accessing the internet from ACF premises or while on ACF business:
a. Use of the internet by Army Cadet Force adults and cadets is encouraged where such use supports the aims and objectives of the ACF.
b. Parental controls are to be applied to all computers that are used by cadets.
c. All use of detachment computers by cadets will be under the strict supervision of an appropriate and competent member of ACF staff at all times.
10. It is unacceptable to:
a. Visit websites that contain obscene, hateful or other objectionable materials.
b. Make or post indecent remarks, proposals or materials on the internet, including racist or sexist jokes or language and defamatory comments.
c. Send or receive any material that is obscene or defamatory or which is intended to annoy, harass or intimidate another person.
d. Upload, download or otherwise transmit commercial software or any copyrighted materials belonging to any other parties unless such use is covered or permitted under a commercial agreement or other such licence.
e. Connect to the internet without adequate virus protection and firewall measures on the accessing computers.
11. Users should:
a. Record any instances where they have accessed inappropriate sites by accident, for example by mis-typing an address or clicking on a spam email link.
b. Log out of the computer when they have finished their work.