Media and photo policy

Media and photo policy

[ORGANIZATION NAME]

Approved by the board on: [DATE] Next review: [DATE]

1. Why we have this policy

Photos, video and stories help us share our work. The people in them trust us. This policy explains how staff and volunteers take, share and post images and stories so that everyone is treated with dignity, privacy is protected, and children are kept safe. It applies to all staff, volunteers, interns and board members when acting for [ORGANIZATION NAME], at our events and activities, and on our accounts.

2. Who may post for us

• Only these people may post on [ORGANIZATION NAME]'s official accounts: [NAMES OR ROLES].
• [ROLE] approves any post that shows a person who receives our services, or any child, before it goes up.
• Passwords for our accounts are held by [ROLE] and shared only with approved people. When someone leaves, their access is removed the same week.
• Only [ROLE] speaks to journalists for us. If a reporter contacts you, take their details and pass them on.

3. Consent comes first

• We don't take or use a photo, video or story of a person we serve without their written consent on our photo, video and story consent form, and we only use it in the ways they ticked.
• For anyone under 18, we need written consent from a parent or legal guardian. Where a child is old enough to understand, we ask them too, and we respect a "no."
• For staff and volunteers, we ask before featuring them, and respect a "no."
• In crowd shots at public events, we [PUT UP SIGNS SAYING PHOTOS ARE BEING TAKEN AND OFFER A WAY TO OPT OUT, FOR EXAMPLE A COLORED LANYARD]. We don't feature a person prominently from a crowd shot without their consent.
• Saying no never affects anyone's access to our services or their place as a volunteer.
• Before posting, check the consent record. If you're not sure, don't post.

4. Extra care with children

• No full names of children, their school, their home area or anything else that could locate them.
• No photos of children in swimwear, changing, or in any situation that could embarrass them.
• No geotags or live location on posts that show children.
• Photos of children are taken on [ORGANIZATION-OWNED DEVICES / APPROVED DEVICES] and moved to [STORAGE LOCATION] within [NUMBER] days, then deleted from personal devices.
• Staff and volunteers don't post photos of children from our activities on their personal accounts.
• We don't contact children through personal social media accounts.

5. People we serve

• We show people as people, with dignity, not as objects of pity.
• We don't photograph people in moments of distress, or while receiving help, unless they've clearly agreed.
• We never share someone's health, immigration status, criminal record or other sensitive information in a post, even with consent to use their photo, unless they've made that specific choice in writing.
• For people at risk, such as survivors of violence, we don't use faces, names or locations at all.

6. Staff and volunteers' personal accounts

• You're welcome to share our official posts.
• When you post about your work with us on your own account, make clear you're speaking for yourself, not for [ORGANIZATION NAME].
• Don't post photos of the people we serve, or any confidential information about them, on personal accounts.
• Don't post anything on our behalf, or that looks official, unless you're approved to.
• Nothing in this policy stops employees from talking with each other or others about their pay, benefits or working conditions.

7. Storing images and stories

• Keep images and consent forms in [STORAGE LOCATION], labeled so each image can be matched to its consent form.
• Keep them only as long as we're using them and as our document retention policy allows. Delete the rest.

8. Taking things down

• If someone withdraws consent, or asks us to remove an image or story, [ROLE] removes it from our website and accounts within [NUMBER] days and stops using it in new materials. We can't recall printed materials already handed out.
• If anyone sees a post that breaks this policy, tell [ROLE] straight away. We'll remove it first and discuss afterward.

9. If something goes wrong

Report any concern about a post, a photo of a child, or a breach of someone's privacy to [ROLE AND CONTACT DETAILS]. Concerns about a child's safety are handled under our [SAFEGUARDING OR CHILD PROTECTION POLICY]. Breaking this policy may lead to removal of posting access and, for serious or repeated breaches, action under our volunteer or personnel policies.

10. Acknowledgment

I have read the media and photo policy and agree to follow it.

Name: [NAME]

Role: [STAFF / VOLUNTEER / BOARD]

Signature: [SIGNATURE]

Date: [DATE]