Transcript Social Networking and NA

Public Relation

While NAWS has no specific position on
Facebook. NA as a whole has a clearly
defined outline for the use of Internet
technologies in the Public Relations
Handbook.

If a member has used NA’s name on a personal
website, then it is especially important not to
use pictures of any members on that site, just as
an area or region would not post members’
pictures and contact information on its website.
The use of members’ pictures in association with
NA falls outside the principle of anonymity. If
pictures are used on a personal site, the NA
name should not be used, for the reasons
described above.

In an effort to keep private information out of
the public’s view, message boards or chat
rooms used for online meetings or servicerelated discussions should be made as private
as possible. That way, the public cannot view
the history or post to these forums.

Personal websites can further protect
members’ anonymity by using words like
“recovery” instead of specifically stating that
they are members of Narcotics Anonymous.

2.1 – Much reference is made to the ownership of content
and the use of that content once you post it. The licence to
use that content is retracted when you delete the page,
unless the content has been shared with others and they
have not deleted it.

The problem with Section 2 which is titled “Sharing Your
Content and Information” is that the very nature of social
media, especially with Facebook, is viral. With the way
Facebook content is spread, and the fact that it is possible
that some of the content might find its way on to nonFacebook pages, it’s possible that they will have “licence”
to use the content in perpetuity or until the internet is shut
down.

Facebook keeps all of our information
forever. Every single click we make inside
Facebook is recorded and kept.

4.1 –This section speaks to the requirement of providing
“real names and information” and specifically, this line item
states “you will not . . . create an account for anyone else
other than yourself without permission.”

Section 4 which is titled “Registration and Account
Security” clearly limits and controls the type and nature of
registration and who can register. It is clear that one has
either a “personal” page or a “Community or Official”
page. (See 12 – titled “Special Provisions Applicable to
Pages” and Pages Terms item 1 and 3.) It is important to
note that there is only one setting for a Community or
Official page and that is “everyone”. (See comment on
10.1 and 10.3)

You cannot create a “Community or Official”
page without allowing everyone to see it.
That means everyone.

5.7 –This section is about privacy and consent and
states that we will need to get consent for everyone
whose information we collect and also that we will have
to have a stated privacy policy which also needs to be
administered.

Section 5 which is titled “Protecting Other People’s
Rights” brings the responsibility, and liability, for
privacy and dissemination of information to the party
that administers the Page that is created. This could
become an onerous and time consuming task which
would have to be taken on by the administrative body
of the fellowship.

It is the responsibility of the people who
administer Facebook pages to protect the
anonymity of their members. Facebook does
not enable a way for users to remain
anonymous.

“Basically if you don’t want your users
Anonymity to be broken, don’t add them to
your group/event/page etc”

Section 10.1 and 10.3 speaks to advertising and the relationship of
the name/profile/page to commercial, sponsored or related content
and it’s use by Facebook which is subject to the privacy limits set by
the “account holder”.

Section 10 which is titled “Special Provisions Applicable to
Advertisers” gives Facebook the right, “subject to the limits you
place” to associate and use your name and profile in any way they
choose. They also clearly state that “we may not always identify
paid services and communications as such”. When you take this
section into account and read it with section 12 and the Pages
Terms, you understand that we would not have any ability to place
limitations of any sort on our posted content or our name and
profile.

Having a profile/event/group on Facebook
means that there is an affiliation to that, for
advertising uses. These affiliations will be
used for advertising.

Section 12 which is titled “Special Provisions
Applicable to Pages” is the key to providing Facebook
with consent. In effect, when a Page is created or
administered on Facebook, that constitutes
agreement the Pages Terms. The Pages Terms,
specifically item 1 and 3, states; “Pages are special
profiles that may only be used to promote a business
or other commercial, political, or charitable
organization or endeavour (including non-profit
organizations, political campaigns, bands, and
celebrities) and “Pages can only post content and
information under the ‘everyone’ setting.”

Facebook Pages/ Events are a promotional
tool that may be used for free, by users, to
promote.

Tradition Six "An N.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend
the N.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest
problems of money, property or prestige divert us from our
primary purpose" in the Sixth edition of the Basic Text, contains
the following passage “To endorse is to sanction, approve or
recommend. Endorsements can be either direct or implied. We
see direct endorsements everyday in T.V. commercials. An
implied endorsement is one that is not specifically stated. Many
other organizations wish to ride on the N.A. name. To allow
them to do so would be an implied endorsement and a violation
of this Tradition.” For those who state “I am not an NA group”,
well, here is a passage from IP No. 2 “The NA member chosen to
speak at a meeting needs to be someone who is working and
living the NA program of recovery, which is the Twelve Steps
and Twelve Traditions.”

We do NOT associate our pictures and
contact information with the Narcotics
Anonymous name. We do not post them in
the same place.

We protect NA from the Internal and External
forces that seek to destroy us.