Georgia Health Family Alliance Intellectual Property and Social Media Policy
Purpose
The intent of this policy is to preserve the mission, reputation, and property of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA), and, at the same time, promote the organization, interaction among colleagues and their connection to the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance through the prudent use of social media. This policy applies to all types of social media known today or that may be developed in the future. Without intending to limit the scope of this policy and only to provide examples, these social media include platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, blogs, comment sections of new media or other networking sites.

1. The name, marks, and the logos of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance are solely owned by the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance, and all rights are reserved. This includes but is not limited to the following program names: The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance. The marks and logos of GHFA may not be used by any third party without the written consent of the GHFA.

2. All members of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance are encouraged to maintain the highest standards on their own personal social media pages and are expected to do so whenever there is any reference to the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance. Participation as a member in any Georgia Health Family Alliance activity requires that participants consent that the Georgia Health Family Alliance has the right to object to and to prohibit improper uses in social media of the Georgia Health Family Alliance name, trademark, servicemark, logos, or other intellectual property, as well as improper references to all of the foregoing and any Georgia Healthy Family Alliance affiliation.

3. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance is the only entity authorized to create and maintain public social media sites or web pages in the name of the Georgia Health Family Alliance, which right may be delegated. Any GHFA public social media or other web site will be maintained by the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance staff or delegate. All material associated with the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance that is entered onto public sites will maintain the high standards of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance, including and not limited to the following:

a. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance administrator may remove from its social media or other website any inappropriate posts, unauthorized members, copyright, servicemark or trademark material that is not the property of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance or its members, as determined in its sole discretion.

b. All contributors of content will state their affiliation with the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance.

c. All posts will be respectful. No spam, off-topic, derogatory or offensive comments. No personal attacks will be permitted. Posts are not to be commercials by or for members or their associated businesses or affiliated organizations.

d. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance documents, reports, and education programs are for internal use of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance only, and not to be distributed by any means. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance documents, reports and education programs are confidential and proprietary to the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance and represent intellectual property that is protected by copyright, trademark and other laws.

e. All social media communication will be transparent and not in any way a violation of the Georgia Health Family Alliance’s privacy, confidentiality, and legal guidelines for external commercial, personal, or political speech.

f. All news media inquiries must be referred to the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance staff.

g. Due to the permanent nature and accessibility of any person’s internet presence, all content related in any fashion to the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance must be carefully considered prior to publication.

h. Removal of material from a site by a Georgia Healthy Family Alliance staff member or their designee may be appealed to the Board of Directors.

4. The Georgia Health Family Alliance may have private, members-only pages or sites which are created and administered by the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance’s staff or their designee(s). Only members of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance are eligible to be admitted as members. Information and discussions held on these sites will not be open to the public. All material on the sites will maintain the high standards of the Georgia Health Family Alliance and shall comply with all applicable laws including, but not limited to, laws pertaining to patient privacy, defamation, and anti-competitive activity. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance administrator will utilize its best efforts to remove any unauthorized users and/or inappropriate posts but is not responsible for the posts of its members.

5. Participation in any Georgia Healthy Family Alliance member activity will require, as set forth in separate agreement, each participant’s consent to abide by this policy and other policies governing the use of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance intellectual property and reputation.

6. If necessary, the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance will take legal action to preserve its reputation and its intellectual property and any other substantial interest through the enforcement of its policies and contracts.

7. The Georgia Health Family Alliance reserves the right to amend this policy at any time by posting a notice on its website.