Digital Safeguarding Policy
rdent Theatre Company (ATC) is committed to the welfare and safeguarding of all our participants, service users, voluntary, casual and temporary and permanent staff, both offline, and online.
This policy sets out the expectations for all ATC’s volunteers, staff, associated contractors, third party providers and users to ensure the protection of children, young people, vulnerable adults, volunteers, users and staff online.
As staff and representatives of ATC it is our responsibility to raise concerns and report online incidents that happen inappropriately, using this policy and its procedures.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the ATC Safeguarding Policy.
Policy Scope
This policy specifically covers all ATC’s online and digital activities, plus all digital activities undertaken on behalf of ATC at a local, regional national, international level, on proprietary platforms (i.e., non-ATC affiliated) and third-party social media and devices.
This includes but is not limited to:
email
social media channels (such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, LinkedIn)
all Content Creation platforms
other digital platforms such as Google Hangouts and Zoom
all ICT devices (including phones) and internet connectivity that is provided by ATC
This policy explains ATC’s approach to protecting participants, service users, volunteers and staff. ATC is constrained by the terms of service of third-party social media providers in its approach.
Digital Safeguarding Principles
In order to uphold these principles our volunteers and staff must:
Ensure that ATC social media accounts are set up with robust user guidelines, privacy settings and GDPR requirements in place
Make it clear on personal social media accounts using disclaimers that their views, thought and opinions are personal and not reflective of ATC policies, procedure or guidance through the inclusion of ‘All views are my own’ where relevant on content
Make sure that technical solutions are in place to reduce access to inappropriate content on devices owned or used by ATC. These could be filtering or monitoring software (e.g., parental controls). It is noted at present that shared devices are not used during Ardent activities
Ensure the correct permissions are in place before taking and using photographs on mobile or other devices
If requested ATC will delete pictures should a participant change their mind about ATC using their personal image in promotional or archive materials
ATC staff and volunteers are instructed not to respond to digital contact e.g., email or DMs from any participant covered by ATC’s Safeguarding Policy (e.g., child, young person or vulnerable adult)
Report the contact to the founding Creative Director or Chair of Trustees who will consider if professional contact can be made via ATC
ATC may report such contact to a relevant parent organisation (e.g., school) or statutory body such as police or social services
Make every effort to ensure that all users but especially children, young people and vulnerable adults understand why and how they must use social media responsibly and safely using the appropriate privacy settings
ATC will:
Make available the Ardent Theatre Company Safe Practice video online once created
Ensure all freelancers and participants have been emailed the link for this video and supporting policies
Ensure that freelancers and participants have confirmed viewing of and agreement with policy requirements
Ensure our projects, activities, programmes and campaigns support all of our participants, users, volunteers and staff to stay safe online
Use best practice digital safeguarding for technical solutions, processes and procedures
Help our volunteers and staff to support our participants and users in being effective online
Take best practice action when a digital safeguarding incident occurs (see final section of this policy)
Support and train appropriate volunteers and staff in digital safeguarding
Have appropriate links with key organisations to raise awareness and refer and report incidents
Risk-assess all projects, initiatives, programmes, activities, services and campaigns to make sure appropriate digital safeguards are in place
Definitions:
Digital safeguarding means: ‘the protection from harm in the online environment through the implementation of effective technical solutions, advice and support and procedures for managing incidents’.
ATC is committed to the safeguarding and protection of all participants, users, volunteers and staff of our digital services and social media channels, and we apply the same safeguarding principles to ATC’s activities whether they are offline or online.
This means protecting our participants, volunteers and staff from online harms such as:
Online bullying and harassment
Online bullying can be offensive, intimidating, malicious and/or insulting behaviour and the abuse of power which humiliates or denigrates the other person. It can involve one or more person. This can be known as ‘trolling’ when the user deliberately starts quarrels or upsets people by posting inflammatory or off-topic messages in an online community.
Online harassment can come in the form of unwanted verbal conduct online which has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and or creating a hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It can be related to personal characteristics of an individual, such as age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or belief or nationality.
Online examples of this abuse include abusive messages, exclusion from groups, malicious or insulting comments and sharing offensive imagery.
Sexual exploitation and grooming online
Sexual exploitation and grooming online is the act of developing a relationship with a child, young person or vulnerable adult with the intention of abusing them. Offenders use emotional and psychological tricks to build relationships. The abuse can take place online or offline.
Non-contact abuse is where a child, young person or vulnerable adults is encouraged to share live or still images of themselves of a sexual nature. They can be forced to commit sex acts or to perform on web cams or built-in cameras in phones and other devices. These acts are then used to further dominate and abuse the child, young person or vulnerable adult.
Discrimination and abuse on the grounds of any protected characteristic
It can be an offence to stir up hatred – known as inciting hatred - on the grounds of the following protected characteristics:
Age
Sex
Race
Disability
Religion or belief
Sexual orientation
Gender reassignment
Marriage or civil partnership status
Pregnancy and maternity
The content of a website can also be illegal when it threatens or harasses a person or a group of people. If this is posted because of hostility based on protected characteristic, it can be considered a hate crime,
Illegal material could be in words, pictures, videos, and even music and can include:
Messages calling for racial or religious violence
Web pages with pictures, videos or descriptions that glorify violence against anyone due to a protected characteristic, for example their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or because they are transgender
Chat forums where people ask other people to commit hate crimes
Sharing of illegal and inappropriate imagery
The sharing of illegal and inappropriate imagery online (sometimes known as sexting) can fall into two categories: illegal and inappropriate.
‘Illegal’ is child sexual abuse imagery and imagery that incites violence, hate or terrorism. ‘Inappropriate’ in this context could mean the sharing of pornography, violent content, racist content and homophobic, biphobic or transphobic content.
It is an offence to share inappropriate imagery of anyone under the age of 18 and could result in a conviction.
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is the repeated use of electronic communications to harass or frighten someone, for example by sending threatening communications.
Impersonation and hacking
Impersonation and hacking online is where a user pretends to be somebody else, and they may hack into their profile and share information, imagery or posts for example, on behalf of that person.
Disinformation and misinformation
Misinformation and disinformation are the acts of spreading knowledge that is incorrect.
Disinformation is the deliberate intent to spread information which is known to be incorrect. Misinformation is where an individual may not be aware of the fact that they are sharing inaccurate information, for example they share information or content that they believe to be true.
The oversharing of personal information
Personal information includes information that makes an individual personally identifiable. This can include name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address and social media profile name. It may also include identifying details based on an individual’s protected characteristic.
Subsequent action to be taken
Do not delay.
Do not act alone.
Do not start to investigate.
Inform the founding Creative Director of the disclosure immediately.
The founding Creative Director will then inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead of the parent organisation immediately (the support of the Chair of Trustees maybe sought at this time). If the original disclosure implicated the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Designated Safeguarding Lead is not available then the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead maybe approached
If not completed as a part of Step V. then notify the Chair of Trustees (currently ATC DSL*) who will inform the full Board of Trustees.
The founding Creative Director or the Chair will liaise and consider the response from the parent organisation and if necessary, may then inform social services or the police of the disclosure/incident. It is the responsibility of the authorities e.g., the school or local borough to determine whether abuse has occurred.
If the disclosure/incident supports professional contact from an external participant perspective (e.g., a child involved in a digital workshop) who has Level 3 Safeguarding training, the ATC Safeguarding lead may hand over relevant reporting duties to a parent organisation but will ensure appropriate action is taken.*DSL – Designated Safeguarding Lead who has Level 2 Safeguarding training.
If the venue or staff team from an external workshop participant perspective has Level 3 Safeguarding training, the ATC Safeguarding lead may hand over relevant reporting duties to the parent organisation but will ensure appropriate action is taken.