Social Media Policy

Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)

PREAMBLE

Social media is changing the way we communicate and work, offering new models to engage with our certificants (CRCs, CCRCs, CVEs, CWAs, CCAAs), applicants and future applicants, colleagues, and the general public. We believe this kind of interaction:

• provides a means for our certificants to champion the quality of services they provide;
• assists our certificants in building stronger, more successful professional relationships;
• facilitates participation in broader conversations related to the fields of rehabilitation counseling and vocational evaluation; and,
• keeps interested parties informed regarding relevant professional topics and news.

By creating or contributing to discussion groups, blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, or any other kind of social media offered by CRCC (“Social Media Sites”) you agree to this Social Media Policy, which includes the Social Media Code of Conduct. Please be aware that this Social Media Policy will evolve as new social networking tools emerge.  The date of the last revision to the Social Media Policy will be indicated by the “Last updated” date at the bottom of this document.

Participation in CRCC’s Social Media Sites is not a right, but an opportunity, so please treat it seriously and with respect. Be professional, ethical, and legal. Failure to abide by this Social Media Policy including the Social Media Code of Conduct could put your participation at risk. Please also be sure to follow the terms and conditions for any and all third-party sites in which you engage, including Facebook and LinkedIn.

If you have questions regarding this Social Media Policy please contact CRCC via email at info@crccertification.com.

CRCC SOCIAL MEDIA LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS

Official CRCC Forums: Only those Social Media Sites created by CRCC are official forums of CRCC. Any other forums containing CRCC logos or purporting to be an official CRCC Social Media Site should be reported immediately to CRCC.

Intellectual Property: All programs, guides, manuals, and materials developed by CRCC remain the intellectual property of CRCC and, as such, may not be offered by any other individual, group, or organization for sale or purchase. This includes, but is not limited to online courses offered by CRCC and the CRC Interactive Practice Test. You also agree that CRCC has an irrevocable right and royalty free license to reproduce, publish, display or use any content posted on any CRCC Social Media Site.

Non-Commercial Use: CRCC Social Media Sites may not be used for the advancement of business or financial interests of any person or entity, besides CRCC, including any financial transaction for the benefit of the author, either directly or indirectly. This includes, but is not limited to advertisements for products or services, any discussions of rates for services, prices for products, profits, territories, referrals, notices regarding rental of office space, and direct solicitations to purchase products or services.  The provision of any rehabilitation counseling services on or through any CRCC Social Media Sites is not permitted.

Research: CRCC Social Media Sites may not be used to conduct research and/or solicit research study participants.

Elective Positions: CRCC Social Media Sites may not be used to campaign or announce one’s intention to run for any elective position, or to endorse any candidates for a position or office with CRCC or other professional and/or governmental organizations.

Legal Use: You must be 18 years or older to post any content on CRCC Social Media Sites.  The CRCC Social Media Sites must not be used for illegal purposes. This includes, but is not limited to libel, harassment or discrimination or the violation of any laws, including privacy, intellectual property, antitrust, unfair competition or criminal laws. Content regarding hourly rates charged by professionals in the fields of rehabilitation counseling and/or vocational evaluation, or their wages or salaries, is prohibited except in the context of reference to published salary survey data. No materials may be transmitted on any CRCC Social Media Site that are disruptive, profane, obscene, abusive, threatening, tortious, or otherwise improper.

Your Warranties: By your use of any CRCC Social Media Sites, you represent and warrant that you have all the rights (including all copyrights) necessary to receive, use, transmit, and disclose all data and materials that you use, transmit or otherwise provide through the CRCC Social Media Sites. You further represent and warrant that your use of the forums and of any materials and data transmitted by you into the Social Media Sites shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. You warrant that any materials transmitted by you will be free of software viruses, worms, or any other programs designed to limit computer functionality or collect any personal data.  You also agree and acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any liabilities, fines, penalties, or forfeitures resulting from a breach of these warranties.  You further agree to indemnify CRCC from and against all cost and expenses relating to any breach of these warranties.

Disclaimer of Content: CRCC is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on its Social Media Sites. CRCC shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to review, refuse, monitor, edit or remove any content that appears on its Social Media Sites. CRCC expressly disclaims all responsibility or liability to you or any other person or entity for the performance or nonperformance of such content review. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU ASSUME ALL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF ANY AND ALL CONTENT ON ANY CRCC SOCIAL MEDIA SITE.

Disclaimer of Warranties: The use of Social Media Sites is solely at your own risk. CRCC expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind with respect to its Social Media Sites, whether express or implied. CRCC does not guarantee that its Social Media Sites and/or any content therein will meet your requirements, are secure, current, accurate, complete, or error-free or that the results that may be obtained by use of any CRCC Social Media Sites and/or any content therein will be accurate or reliable. You understand and acknowledge that your sole and exclusive remedy with respect to any defect in or dissatisfaction with CRCC’s Social Media Sites is to cease using them.  CRCC further disclaims any requirement to maintain the confidentiality of any transmission made by you to its Social Media Sites, and you understand that CRCC will respond to any lawful requests for information from any governmental agency or through a lawful subpoena.

Limitation of Liability: You expressly understand and agree that CRCC shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, including without limitation, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data loss, or other losses (even if CRCC has been advised of the possibility of such damages) resulting from: (i) the use or inability to use its Social Media Sites, (ii) any link provided in connection with its Social Media Sites, or (iii) any matter otherwise related to your use of the CRCC Social Media Sites.

Claims: You agree that any claims or disputes relating to CRCC’s Social Media Sites or your use thereof will be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, and agree to be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal or state courts located in Cook County, Illinois.

SOCIAL MEDIA CODE OF CONDUCT

1. Disclose

Be honest: Your honesty—or dishonesty—will be quickly noticed in the social media environment. Be professional and ethical, use good judgment, and be accurate and honest in your communication.

Be transparent: Write in the first person. Use your real name, identify that you are a CRC/CCRC/CVE/CWA/CCAA, and be clear about your role. Never impersonate someone else, or purposefully obscure your credentialed identity.

Where your connection to CRCC and/or your credential is apparent, whether within a professional or personal social media presence, make it clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of CRCC. In those circumstances, you should include a disclaimer such as: “The views expressed on this [blog; website] are my own and do not reflect the views of CRCC.” Consider adding this language in an “About me” section of your blog or social media profile.

Please note that no certificant, by way of holding a credential, is entitled to speak on behalf of CRCC.

Be truthful: If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, be the first to point it out and be specific about what it is. Always disclose if you’ve received something in exchange for a review of a product or service (a FTC regulation).

Be yourself: You are responsible for the content you post. Stick to your area of expertise. Write what you know. Build your own reputation. Care about what you are talking about. If you publish information outside of your credentialed scope of practice or expertise, use a disclaimer such as: “The postings on this site/platform are my own and don’t represent CRCC’s positions, values, or opinions.”

2. Protect

Don’t tell secrets: Make sure that you do not violate your client’s, your employer’s, or CRCC’s confidentiality or ethical and legal guidelines—or your own privacy. Know the laws and don’t break them. Do not divulge or discuss proprietary information, internal company documents, any content under a non-disclosure agreement, or other confidential material. Remember, if you’re online, you’re on the record—everything on the Internet is public and searchable.

Respect CRCC: Honor CRCC’s brand identity, trademark, copyright, fair use, and trade secrets. If it gives you pause … pause rather than publish. If unsure, check with CRCC. And unless approved by CRCC, your social media name, handle, and URL should not include CRCC’s name (full or abbreviated) or logo.

Give credit: Always cite when quoting someone else and/or using an information source. Consider using a link to the original source. Never use copyrighted material, including images, without permission.

Play nicely: Be respectful of fellow credentialed professionals, CRCC, and other professional organizations. Anything you publish must be true and not misleading.  Refrain from making any claims you cannot substantiate.

Share with caution: We believe in sharing and linking to the best content from all over the web. A link is not an endorsement, so link if you feel it is worthwhile to your colleagues and friends. But do be careful —once you hit “share,” you usually can’t get it back.

3. Use Common Sense

Follow policies: Follow all applicable CRCC policies and codes.

Do us proud: Perception is reality and in online social networks, the lines between public and private, personal and professional, are blurred. Just by identifying yourself as a credentialed professional, you are creating perceptions about your expertise and about CRCC.

Add value: Among countless words available, make yours helpful, insightful, and thought-provoking. Build community by posting content that invites responses—then stay engaged. Consider broadening the dialogue by citing others who are writing about the same topic and allowing your content to be shared.

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

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY INFRACTIONS

We expect all who participate in CRCC Social Media Sites to understand and to follow this Social Media Policy, including the Social Media Code of Conduct. Failure to do so may put your future participation at risk.  If, for any reason, an incident occurs that violates this Social Media Policy, we expect you to bring the issue to our attention immediately so that we can work together toward a resolution.

Inappropriate behavior: We will address any violations of this Social Media Policy on an individual, as-needed basis, which may include suspension or prohibition from further participation in the CRCC Social Media Sites without further notice.

False or misleading statements: We may contact you for correction. If you fail to correct such statements or are found to repeatedly make inaccurate statements, you may be prohibited from further participation in the CRCC Social Media Sites, without further notice.