Guidance for Unit Web Sites

After considerable discussion and review, the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America has issued "Guidance for Unit Web Sites."  Those guidelines and South Texas Council local additions are below.  These guidelines address a few vital items pertaining to unit Web sites. 

Unit Webmasters should contact their local councils with any questions ... 

Guidance for Unit Web Sites

The Boy Scouts of America provides the following advice for individuals who use privately owned Web sites and e-mail accounts to communicate information about Scouting.

Decorum

Scouters should exercise propriety and good taste online. Material that will be posted to a unit site or sent from a unit e-mail account should be reviewed by at least three adult members of the unit committee. Access (the ability to place material on the site or send messages from the account) should be controlled by an adult who is responsible to the units committee.

Youth Protection

Names, images, and especially contact information pertaining to youth members should never be gathered or published over the Internet.

Site Hosting

Units must make their own arrangements for Web site hosting—this service is not presently provided by our Council.  

Though it is commonplace and quite acceptable under most circumstances for local units to host their sites in donated Web space, it is advisable to have a written service agreement that guarantees the unit complete control over the content of its site. Such clauses are common in commercial hosting arrangements, and are essential to maintaining reliable control over the unit's Web presence.

It's worth noting that there are a number of services that offer "free" Web site hosting, but require sites they host to display banners and/or contain links to other member sites, whether within a page or in a separate window that pops open when the site is visited. These services should be avoided entirely.  Unit sites with banner and pop-up ads will not be linked to from the South Texas Council site.

Copyright

Do not "borrow" (without permission) content for use in unit Web sites. Written permission should always be obtained,. Even when material is declared to be "free" or "public domain;" it might not be.