Members’ Communications Policy

1. Introduction

1.1 This policy relates to the use of CISLI’s communications systems, including the CISLI website and CISLI social media and social media fora, such as (but not limited to) Zoom, Facebook and Whataspp, and the conduct of members when using these systems. It sets out the required standards for membership of all CISLI communication systems and illustrates inappropriate conduct.

1.2 This policy is available on the CISLI website. Any updates to the policy will be sent to members.

1.3 Please read these terms of use carefully before you start using CISLI’s communication systems. By using CISLI’s communications systems, you confirm that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to comply with them. By engaging in CISLI social media fora, members accept the provisions of this communications policy. Therefore, if you do not agree to these terms of use, you must not use CISLI’s communications systems.

1.4 The CISLI committee’s internal communications is regulated by the CISLI Communications Policy (Committee communications).

2. CISLI Membership

2.1 It is the responsibility of each member to ensure that they keep their contact details up to date, to ensure they receive updates from CISLI.

3. Use of attachments and documents

3.1 From time to time, the CISLI committee may upload attachments to the CISLI website for members’ use. The committee will make every effort to ensure that no file uploaded is likely to contain viruses or explicit material. However, members assume all responsibility for use of the website and any materials downloaded from the website.

4. Social Media Disclaimer

4.1 The opinions expressed through messages and resources shared by members on CISLI social media, including Whatsapp, are the opinions of the individuals expressing them and are not considered to be the opinions of CISLI.

4.3 Members are personally responsible for the content they share on CISLI’s social media and should obtain any necessary permissions from the content source. Members must be mindful to adhere to the CISLI communication policy’s confidentiality clause when sharing resources.

5. Use of CISLI Social Media Fora

5.1 Each CISLI social media forum is intended to be a pleasant, useful and confidential space within which to discuss relevant CISLI business and exchange information and views.

5.2 CISLI social media fora are not intended to be the route for members to ask questions of the committee. The committee can be contacted by email at cisli.ireland@gmail.com.

5.3 All CISLI members are expected to read and agree to abide by this policy. Anyone who feels they cannot abide by the policy must request to withdraw from CISLI’s social media fora.

6. Sanctions

6.1 Non-compliance with this policy may lead to any of the following sanctions being imposed upon a member (for any or all CISLI fora they are a member of):

• Receiving a warning;
• Being deemed ineligible for the forum membership and removed immediately, on a temporary basis;
• Being deemed ineligible for the forum membership and removed immediately on a permanent basis.

6.2 Should sanctions be imposed, the member involved will be informed of the action being taken. In the case of a member being removed from one or more fora, they will be informed whether their removal is temporary or permanent. This will be at the discretion of the committee based on the level of breach of policy.

6.3 Violations not referred to elsewhere in this policy will be dealt with when they arise and, depending on their nature, could result in any of the above sanctions being imposed.

7. Membership of CISLI groups and fora

7.1 The use of the CISLI members’ social media fora is generally restricted to all current Active, Associate and Student members of CISLI.

7.2 The use of a special interest forum is restricted to members that have requested to join the forum. Special interest fora can, when required, include others co-opted onto the fora should that be necessary for a specific reason.

7.3 Non-members of CISLI may be invited to join a group or network, when necessary, for a specific reason.

7.4 Should membership of the Association lapse, for whatever reason, the individual will no longer have access to CISLI’s members only social media fora.

8. Privacy and confidentiality

8.1 Members are expected to adhere to the spirit and letter of Section 1 of the CISLI Code of Ethics, Professional Accountability with regard to confidentiality and professional conduct.

8.2 All group and forum members are required to treat postings to any CISLI forum with due sensitivity and regard for confidentiality, in order that each CISLI forum remains a safe place for information sharing and discussion or debate.

8.3 Copying, forwarding, or quoting from another member’s forum post in a members’ only forum, in any form, whatever the content, is not allowed without the permission of the author.

Other cases of copying, forwarding or quoting from another member’s post, in any form, whatever the content, will result in a warning being issued to the member concerned.

8.4 When members are admitted to CISLI fora, they have access to members’ personal information (e.g. email address and mobile phone numbers). Members are not permitted to share this information with third parties without consent from the subject.

8.5 Interpreters, colleagues, service users, clients and other interested parties should not be named in postings. Debate on ethical issues of particular interest to interpreters is encouraged, on the understanding that the debate does not compromise or damage, in any way, another individual’s right to privacy.

8.6 Respecting the views of others is an integral part of continued membership of CISLI’s social media fora.

9. Personal attacks and harassment

9.1 In the course of any discussion, there may be circumstances in which the conversation can become heated. While we recognise that such discussions can contribute to the development of the profession, we feel that some guidelines must be set. A strongly held opinion is no excuse for uncivil behaviour.

9.2 While it is acceptable (and desirable) to challenge ideas, personal attacks will not be tolerated. A personal attack includes any statement that, either explicitly or implicitly, attacks a person’s character instead of their views. When a message consists of, or includes, an attack on an individual, the sender will be advised. The sender may then re-word the message and send it again, once the personal attack is deleted. A personal attack may ultimately result in the member being deemed ineligible for fora membership and removed by the fora administrator.

9.3 Hate speech of any kind will result in immediate expulsion from CISLI fora. The term hate speech is understood as any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factor (United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, 2019).

9.4 In accordance with section 4.3 Respect for Colleagues of the CISLI constitution, CISLI is committed to ensuring that its communication systems are harassment free. Complaints of harassment are taken seriously and will be investigated by the Committee. Should any member be found to be engaging in harassment through a CISLI communications system, this may result in the member being deemed ineligible for fora membership and removed by the fora administrator.

9.5 Harassment is defined as unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or humiliating or offensive environment for that person that is linked to a person’s race, nationality, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, membership of the Travelling community, family status, age, gender or civil status.

10. Hazardous and illegal messages

10.1 Messages that call for illegal action, or that might result in harm to others, are not allowed. Such messages will be deleted from the forum, and the sender may be deemed ineligible for fora membership and removed immediately.

11. Obscenities

11.1 Gratuitous obscenity and/or explicit or implicit descriptions of sex do not belong in CISLI’s social media fora. Vulgarisms (bad language) should not be used. Such messages will be deleted from the forum archive, and the writer may be deemed ineligible for fora membership and removed immediately.

12. Advertising

12.1 CISLI social media fora are not for general advertising.

12.2 Commercial advertising is prohibited.

13. Accessibility

13.1 Members must ensure that their posts are accessible to all members (i.e. please ensure that audio content is either subtitled or transcribed in English or interpreted into ISL).

14. Discussion of the CISLI website and social media policy

14.1 We understand that from time to time there may be disagreements about the management of the CISLI website and social media fora. Please send any complaints or suggestions to cisli.ireland@gmail.com.

14.2 Any disagreement on fora policy that cannot be resolved to a member’s satisfaction should be forwarded to the Chairperson for final consideration.

Version: 16^th October 2020