Social Media Policy

Purpose

This policy provides clear guidance for all members, players, coaches, and volunteers on the responsible use of social media. Its purpose is to:

• Protect the reputation and integrity of Langwarrin Soccer Club (LSC).
• Promote positive, safe, and respectful communication online.
• Prevent the misuse or misrepresentation of the club, its brand, and its members.
• Ensure the safety, privacy, and well-being of all players — especially minors.

Scope

This policy applies to all individuals associated with LSC — including players, parents, coaches, volunteers, team managers, committee members, sponsors, and affiliates — whenever they post, comment, share, or engage on social media in connection with the club. By registering with Langwarrin SC, all members agree to comply with this policy.

Representation and Identity
Only authorized representatives may create, manage, or post from official LSC social media accounts. All official accounts are managed by the club’s Media & Communications team under committee oversight.

Authorization Limitations
Only the LSC Committee or the Media & Communications Team may approve or authorize social media activity on behalf of the club. Coaches, team managers, volunteers, or individual members cannot approve any social media account or page.

Perceived Representation
Accounts do not need to state “official” to imply representation of Langwarrin SC. Any public account featuring LSC uniforms, age groups, team names, club colours, training venues, or match-related content may be considered representative of the club and therefore requires formal club approval.

Team & Individual Pages
To protect privacy and maintain consistent messaging, parents, teams, age groups, and individuals are not permitted to create public social media pages that reference LSC teams, players, programs, or club imagery.

Internal communication platforms (WhatsApp, Messenger, Team App, etc.) are permitted for team coordination only. These groups must remain private and respectful.

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Restrictions on Social Media Accounts

• No Unauthorized Pages: Creating public pages, groups, or profiles that use LSC’s name, location, uniforms, colours, or imply affiliation without written approval is strictly prohibited.
• Private Social Media Pages: Private social media pages (e.g., Instagram or Facebook accounts) sharing team results, highlights, or club-related content are permitted but must remain private with appropriate privacy settings. These accounts cannot imply affiliation with the club and must adhere to the guidelines of this policy.
• Implied Affiliation: Any page or account that uses the club’s name, similar naming conventions, age groups, colours, uniform imagery, training locations, or anything that suggests association with LSC is considered an affiliated account and requires approval.
• Ownership of Club Branding: The LSC name, logo, club colours, uniforms, photographs, videos, and all official visual assets are the property of the club. While parents are encouraged to share their personal experiences and celebrate their child's involvement with the club on their personal social media accounts, any use of official LSC branding or imagery should not imply official representation or affiliation with LSC and adhere to the guidelines of this policy.
• Highlight / Fan Pages: Public highlight pages, fan pages, “team reels pages,” or content pages that feature LSC teams, players, match results, or club imagery must not be created without authorization.
• Club Environment & Program Ownership 
  All training sessions, matches, club events, and program environments are the property of LSC. Content created within these environments must adhere to the guidelines of this policy.

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Respect and Conduct

When representing or engaging with LSC online (including from personal accounts), members must:

• Communicate respectfully, professionally, and with integrity.
• Avoid posts, memes, or comments that are offensive, harmful, or discriminatory.
• Refrain from negative discussions about club staff, players, referees, parents, or other clubs.
• Avoid posting in ways that bring the club into disrepute.
• Report harassment, bullying, or inappropriate content to the club immediately.

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Content Sharing

General Requirements

• Only share content that reflects positively on LSC.
• Ensure all information is accurate and appropriate.
• Respect copyright and media rights.
• Never share private messages, internal discussions, or sensitive information.

Player & Child Safety

Because most LSC participants are minors, members must:

• Obtain parental/guardian consent before posting identifiable images of children.
• Not tag or identify other people’s children without permission.
• Not share personal details such as full names, school information, or identifying details of minors.
• Not livestream matches or training sessions unless explicitly approved by the club.

Images Including Other Players
Photos or videos that include other players — even in the background — must not be posted on any page implying team or club affiliation unless full consent is obtained from all parents/guardians.

Match & Team Information
Posting match results, team lists, or any on-field/training-related content is restricted to official LSC channels unless written approval is granted.

Positive Use of Social Media
LSC encourages members to celebrate the positive aspects of football and community life. Examples include:

• Sharing official LSC posts.
• Resharing club milestones, community moments, or event promotions.
• When in doubt — ask before posting.

LSC members are welcome to share their own football experiences on their personal social media accounts. Members may post:

• Photos or videos of their own child or themselves participating in training, matches, or club events.
• Personal football achievements, milestones, and reflections.
• Reposts of official club content. To protect all players:
• Do not post or tag other children without consent from their parent/guardian.
• Do not imply that your personal account represents or speaks on behalf of LSC.
• Do not use the LSC logo, branding, team names, age-group titles, or imagery in ways that suggest affiliation.
• Do not publish match results, team lists, or internal club information unless it has already been released publicly by LSC. Members are encouraged to celebrate their football journey while respecting the safety, privacy, and experience of all participants.

Disciplinary Actions

Breaches of this policy may result in:

• Formal warnings.
• Removal of offending content.
• Withdrawal of media or game-day privileges.
• Suspension or removal from teams or programs.
• Referral to Football Victoria for conduct breaches. The LSC Management Committee reserves the right to take disciplinary action as required.

Review and Enforcement

This policy is reviewed annually and updated to reflect best practices. All members agree to comply with this policy as a condition of participation in the club.