The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) has social media accounts/pages on platforms including X, LinkedIn and YouTube.

We use these accounts to share updates and content with our audiences. We also use them to promote our activities, initiatives, products and services, which means some of our posts contain advertising or links to third-party content and commercial partners.

We want all those with an interest in local government to engage with our channels to help us to build a positive online community.

To ensure all channels are inviting and informative – and used effectively and responsibly – we have a Social Media Policy.

We ask…

When posting, commenting, responding and messaging on our social media channels or on your own social media channels with reference to SLCC please:

  • Be nice. Treat others with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times. Keep the content focused on professional issues and refrain from making any comments which could cause personal offence. Please don’t use any social media channel for critical comment of current or former members or volunteers or members of SLCC staff.
  • Think before you post. It’s sometimes tricky to communicate online. Try to be clear about what you are saying and be prepared for people to interpret your contribution differently than you intended. If you are not sure what to say or how to say it, wait and see how the conversation develops.
  • Take responsibility. You remain responsible for the quality of your conversations. Our social media channels are a positive, dynamic and intelligent place for discussion – please focus on that when contributing.
  • Look out for each other. If you are not comfortable with specific posts, for whatever reason, you can report them to be moderated appropriately. Alternatively, please email [email protected] for assistance.
  • Keep things professional. Our social media channels should not be used as a vehicle to raise or pursue personal grievances. If you have a concern, please email [email protected] so that you concern can be directed to the relevant department. SLCC does not respond to comments, compliments, or complaints via social media.
  • Respect privacy. Please do not publish confidential information or post other people’s private information (such as home phone number and address) on social media channels.

Unacceptable behaviour

We will not tolerate unacceptable behaviour which we come across on our own social media channels or which appears on a third party channel and is brought to our attention. We will liaise with social media platform providers to take down content and/or block accounts where necessary. The following are examples of unacceptable behaviour:

  • Making comments or using language that is abusive, offensive, obscene, vulgar or violent or contains swearing;
  • Abusing, threatening, bullying, stalking, harassing, intimidating or in any way attacking other users, or using fear or threat to silence another person’s voice;
  • Being offensive or derogatory toward others on the basis of political beliefs, race, nationality, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity or any other characteristic protected by law;
  • Posting graphic, sensitive or offensive imagery;
  • Trolling: posting insulting messages to annoy someone or persistently sharing negative and/or abusive comments to provoke a response;
  • Spamming: repeatedly sharing content or sending multiple unsolicited messages;
  • Deliberately adding links or images to posts that contain viruses, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation or compromise the security of computers and networks
  • Violations of copyright, trademarks, intellectual property and other third party rights;
  • Posting information or content that is disruptive, defamatory, inflammatory, repetitive, misleading, deceptive, harmful, unlawful, fraudulent or puts others at risk;
  • Breaching any law or regulation.

How will SLCC deal with unacceptable behaviour?

SLCC’s response to any communication received or posted in breach of this policy will be to either ignore, inform the sender of this policy, send a brief response as appropriate and/or to remove the post. This will be at SLCC’s discretion based on the message/post received. SLCC may post a statement that ‘A post breaching SLCC’s Social Media Policy has been removed’. Repeat offenders will be blocked from the social media account/page.

Who does SLCC follow?

Please remember that our decision to follow other users and accounts does not imply endorsement. SLCC does not endorse any services or products. We follow social media accounts that we believe are relevant to our work, the work of our members and the sector. This could include following the accounts of organisations and commercial enterprises (and/or their employees or representatives).

What about SLCC staff or representative accounts?

Some SLCC staff, representatives and stakeholders post under their own names or pseudonyms. Despite their affiliation with SLCC, their posts do not represent the official position of SLCC. They do have a responsibility, however, to ensure that their posts do not contravene any policy or code which applies to their role.

How are SLCC’s social media channels monitored?

Our accounts are monitored from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm GMT. Posts may be published outside these hours if they are prescheduled or respond to breaking news.
If content is posted on social media channels which SLCC deems to be contrary to the spirit of this clause and the nature of the channel, SLCC reserves the right to remove that content from the platform.

How should I raise a complaint under this policy?

If you notice content that doesn’t adhere to this Policy, or that might place either SLCC, the membership, profession or individuals at legal or reputational risk, please contact [email protected]. The team will refer these reports for investigation by the relevant team and, if necessary, start any disciplinary or conduct action.

SLCC reserves the right to modify or change this policy at any time.

Updated February 2024.