Running a website

The following guidance is provided not as an obstacle but to support clubs and leagues to manage their safeguarding responsibilities effectively. It aims to ensure children, young people, coaches, referees and adults in a position of trust are not subjected to improper online behaviour or improper allegations.

Clubs and leagues should appoint appropriate adults to monitor the content of their websites. They should have an understanding of both the technology used and of safeguarding. This individual may be the YLWO/CWO although this is not essential. However, it would be expected that the named individual(s) will have attended The FAs Safeguarding Children Workshop. You are advised to moderate your web pages on a daily basis where possible.

Clubs and leagues are responsible for ensuring all content hosted on their websites, social network areas and any associated message boards or blogs abide by the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association. It is against FA rules to post comments that are or maybe conceived as;

• Offensive
• Insulting
• Abusive
• Threatening
• Racist
• Discriminatory
• Any other reference that may cause offensive or harm to others

Any such comment made on club or league websites and/or social networking sites regarding officials may result in disciplinary action being taken in line with The FA’s Disciplinary policies and procedures.

Comments made on websites that are threatening abusive or racist could lead to legal action being taken against those responsible for posting or hosting them. Comments made may attract libel claims and legal action through the civil courts if they are untrue or defamatory.

Children and young people should be advised by their coaches, parents/carers and CWO to always tell an adult they trust about communications that make them feel uncomfortable or where they’ve been asked not to tell their parent/carer about the communication.

Clubs and leagues are strongly advised to adhere to the following Do’s and Don’ts.

Do:

• appoint an appropriate adult(s)to monitor the content of the website
• make sure everyone within your club knows who is responsible for monitoring the content of the club website and social networking areas and how to contact them
• apply the principles given within The FA’s photography guidelines, Celebrating Football Thorough Photographs and Video
• place the CEOP, ‘Report Abuse’ app on your web site and the link to the www.ThinkUKnow.co.uk internet safety site provided by CEOP which gives highly effective and age-appropriate advice to children, young people, parents and carers
• provide links to www.TheFA.com ‘Staying Safe Online’ pages
• consider what benefits you feel hosting message boards, forums or blogs will bring to the running and organisation of your club/ league against the potential risks. If you decide to use these methods of communication ensure that they are password protected and only allow comments to be posted by individuals known and permitted access by the club/league
• remember that the club/league is responsible for all content contained within websites, forums blogs, tweets or social networking areas maintained by the league/club/team • regularly monitor the content of the above and use The FA’s Respect Codes of Conduct as a guide to acceptable behaviours both on and off field including behaviour online.

Don’t:

• host children’s or young people’s details where they can be seen or used by others to contact them. Any details hosted should only be done with written parental/carer consent
• place pictures of individuals on Webpages without the express permission of parents/carers
• post irrelevant detail of individuals which may lead them to TheFA.com/Football safe Let’s make football safe - not sorry Guidance for Clubs and Leagues 2. Running a Website - Do’s and Don’ts be identified e.g. school class/year, player profiles detailing personal information e.g. favourite foods, movies, teams etc.
• post or host items which may be considered to be hurtful, insulting, offensive, abusive, threatening, racist or discriminatory or otherwise may cause offence or harm to another or might incite such behaviour in others.