Global Lyme Alliance Social Media Policy

GLA’s social media accounts allow us to connect and interact with the public

They also provide an opportunity for users to connect and interact with us, as well as with other users. GLA requests that all comments posted on our social media channels be respectful and courteous. This Social Media Comment Policy sets forth an understanding of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable regarding posting of comments on GLA’s social media channels.

GLA maintains an official presence on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest. Each social media platform has its own privacy policy to which you are subject when you use that platform: see Facebook/Instagram; Twitter; LinkedIn; YouTube; Pinterest. 

We encourage all users to engage and participate in discussions on our social media channels. However, this does not imply that GLA agrees with or accepts the content, opinions, or views stated in comments posted by users. Users are fully responsible for the content of their own comments and messages; GLA accepts no responsibility for any content posted by users. Comments made or messages sent to GLA’s social media channels will not, in any way, constitute a legal or official notice to GLA or any of its directors, officers, or employees.  

By posting content to any GLA social media channel, users understand and acknowledge that this information is available to the public, and that others may use posted information without GLA’s knowledge or control. If you do not want your content made public and possibly used, published, copied and/or reprinted, do not post on any GLA social media channel. 

GLA reviews comments posted and messages sent by users to GLA’s social media channels. Although social media is a 24/7 medium, our moderation capabilities are not. Moderating and reviewing comments and messages should only be expected to occur during normal business hours. 

GLA reserves the right, but is not obligated, to remove any comment from GLA social media channels, in its sole discretion, including, without limitation, any comment which: 

• Uses profane, vulgar, obscene, racist, threatening, harassing, bullying, violent, sexually explicit, or abusive language, images, graphics, or video; 

• Incites hatred or violence or uses hate speech; 

• Is inappropriate or offensive; 

• Is suggestive or encouraging of illegal activity; 

• Is libelous or contains personal attacks of any kind, including use of offensive terms that target particular people or groups of people; 

• Includes personally identifiable information, such as an email address or phone number; 

• Is irrelevant or off topic to the original post; 

• Distributes false or misleading information or makes unsupported accusations; 

• Includes privileged, personal, proprietary, or other confidential information; 

• Infringes copyright or trademark laws; 

• Posts spam or advertisements, promotes products or services, or engages in coordinated inauthentic behavior; 

• Engages in political campaigning or lobbying; 

• Duplicates or repeats previous posts; 

GLA will also remove comments that violate the terms, community standards, rules, guidelines, or policies of the following platforms: 

• Facebook Terms of Service and Community Standards 

• Twitter Terms of Service and Rules and Policies 

• Instagram Terms of Use and Community Guidelines 

• LinkedIn User Agreement and Community Policies 

• YouTube Terms of Service and Policies and Safety 

• Pinterest Terms of Service and Community Guidelines 

GLA reserves the right to block any user from all of our social media channels, including, in any instance which a user violates the GLA comment policy in their comments or messages, or engages in other disruptive behavior.  

DISCLAIMERS: 

• GLA makes no warranty that the information posted on its social media platforms is correct and disclaims all liability for any loss or damage that results from users relying on the information on such platforms, whether posted by GLA staff or otherwise. 

• Links from GLA’s social media platforms to third party websites are provided only for convenience of users. GLA is not responsible for the information on or practices of any third-party website. 

• By posting content on any of GLA’s social media platforms, users grant GLA a royalty-free license to use the content in any manner or media throughout the world, without any obligation to you.