2020 Archdiocese of Atlanta Employee Policy Manual/September 2020 - Manual / Resource - Page 57
Pope Francis, Communication at the Service of an Authentic Culture of Encounter, Message for World
Communications Day, 2014
Church leaders, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have articulated the clear
need to use new technologies to express the Word of God to all people in all generations. The
Archdiocese of Atlanta recognizes the powerful tool electronic media can be to evangelize and
educate all people. In order to ensure electronic communication on the internet is appropriate,
effective and reflective of our Catholic values, and consistent with the rules and values of our
workplace, the Archdiocese of Atlanta has established the following policies. These policies are in
addition to and complement existing policies regarding the use of electronic communications
which collectively serve to share the Good News in a way that creates a safe environment for all
vulnerable populations.
Definition of Social Media
Any web-based and mobile technologies, including apps, which are designed to turn
communication into interactive dialogue. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of
blogs/wikis, mobile phone, computer and tablet “apps,” message boards/forums, Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumbler, Snapchat, GroupMe, etc.
Establishing a Social Media Presence
It is important to remember online content is visible to anyone in the world, so one must always be
aware of the nature of the information posted. Content should consistently represent the views and
teachings of the Catholic Church.
•
Approval from the department head/pastor/principal is needed before seeking permission
to establish a new site, page, group or account.
•
Once permission is granted, the new social media platform (e.g. Facebook page, Twitter
account, etc.) should contain the official Archdiocese of Atlanta logo or standard approved
images used for the Archdiocese of Atlanta and/or its entities (parishes, schools and
agencies).
•
A minimum of two adult employees (parish, school, and mission staff) should have full
administrative access to every social media account. These individuals should receive alerts
of any page activity sent to their assigned email account (this allows for a quicker response
time to urgent requests and helps to ensure that all postings are appropriate). At no time
should minors be granted administrative privileges.
•
Official sites should contain no personal views, photos or personal information of the
administrator and/or staff. Administrators should establish separate accounts and pages for
personal and professional use. (Please review section on personal use of social networking
sites below for more information).
