British Alpaca Society  – Acceptable Conduct Policy

(including use of social media)

Additional codes of conduct apply to sale of alpacas and trekking

This code of conduct has been developed to set out the British Alpaca Society’s expectations for all members taking part in or attending organised events and shows, contact between members and with other people, along with general guidelines on the use of social media.

Why do we need this code?

We are all under scrutiny relating to alpaca ownership, care and breeding. The advice and guidance offered in this code are not meant to penalise or cause difficulty but are there for the protection of all of us and to promote harmony and positive interactions.

• Conduct – members have a duty to make events friendly and welcoming and are expected to be co-operative thus creating a safe environment, so all can enjoy their time at these events
• Sportsmanship – participants should conduct themselves at all times in an appropriate fashion and should display good manners and respect towards event visitors, participants, organisers, officials and judges.
• Any verbal communication with a judge, organiser or event official must be conducted in a polite and professional manner
• Abusive or aggressive behaviour towards anyone at the event – including other participants, visitors, event organisers, officials or judges – will not be tolerated under any circumstances
• Children should be supervised at all times

A zero tolerance approach

No-one should be subject to intimidation or made to feel alarmed or distressed or put in fear of reprisal. Harassment is a criminal offence. To that end, the British Alpaca Society adopts a zero- tolerance approach towards all type of harassment activity.

Harassment may be defined as causing alarm, distress and anxiety and fear of physical violence or other threat, offensive statements, verbal abuse and threats. Conduct may include speech, obstruction and so on.

The British Alpaca Society expects courtesy and co-operation to be shown towards all staff, Board members and event organisers/officials at all times including at events. Whilst the pressures and tensions which arise at competitive level are understood, any aggression or abuse towards those who are simply undertaking their roles for the benefit and interest of the participants and  attendees will not be tolerated.

Use of social media

The rapid growth of social media technologies, combined with their ease of use and pervasiveness, make them attractive channels of communication. However, these tools also hold the possibility of a host of unintended consequences. To help you identify and avoid potential issues we have provided some examples of best practices which are intended to help you understand, from a wide range of perspectives, the implications of participation in social media.

Show results must not be publicised (including on social media) until the judging has fully concluded

General guidelines

Maintain privacy

Do not post confidential or proprietary information. Do not discuss a situation involving named or pictured individuals on a social media site without their permission. As a guideline, do not post anything that you would not present in any public forum. Ask yourself, would I want to see this published in the newspaper or posted on a billboard tomorrow or 10 years from now?

Does it pass the publicity test?

If the content of your message would not be acceptable for face-to-face conversation, over the telephone, or in another medium, it will not be acceptable for a social networking site.

Think before you post

There’s no such thing as a “private” social media site. Search engines can turn up posts and pictures years after the publication date. Comments can be forwarded or copied. Archival systems save information even if you delete a post. If you feel angry or passionate about a subject, it’s wise to delay posting until you are calm and clear-headed.

Understand your personal responsibility

You are personally responsible for the content you publish on blogs or any other form of user-generated content. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time—protect your privacy.

Be aware of liability

You are responsible for what you post on your own site and on the sites of others. Individual bloggers have been held liable for commentary deemed to be copyright infringement, defamatory, proprietary, libellous, or obscene (as defined by the courts). Be sure that what you post today will not come back to haunt you.

Be accurate

Make sure that you have all the facts before you post. It’s better to verify information with a source first than to have to post a correction or retraction later

Correct mistakes

If you make a mistake, admit it. Be upfront and be quick with your correction. If you’re posting to a blog, you may choose to modify an earlier post—just make it clear that you have done so.

Respect others

You are more likely to achieve your goals if you are constructive and respectful while discussing a bad experience or disagreeing with a concept or person.

Respect your audience

Don’t use personal insults or obscenity, also show proper consideration for others’ privacy and for topics that may be considered sensitive. Users are free to discuss topics and disagree with one another but be respectful of others’ opinions. You are more likely to achieve your goals if you are constructive and respectful while discussing a bad experience or disagreeing with a concept or person.

Take the high ground

Remember that you’re most likely to build a positive following if you discuss ideas and situations civilly. Don’t pick fights online.