(2) Mass Communication and Social Computing Regulations

The acceptable use and unacceptable use of the Email Services for mass communication, and publishing via personal web sites and social media platforms, and related violation penalties, if any, are governed by the “Policies on Use of IT Services and Resources”, “Electronic Mail Regulations”, “Campus Network Regulations”, “Electronic University Data Regulations”, “Information Security Policies and Standards” and additional regulations defined in this document.

B. Scope

All users of university-provided Mass Communication Services (including email services, postings on CityU Announcement Portal; hosting webpages in University servers, subscribed services, with or without university domain or IP addresses; or any other CityU-provided electronic media such as digital signage); or postings to social media platform through CityU-provided IT services; or posting to social media platform in the capacity of CityU’s employment stated explicitly or implicitly (collectively, "Service") are subject to regulations defined in this document.

C. Statement

1. CityU Announcement Portal (hereafter “CAP”) is the University’s official e-communication service for both staff and students.  CAP is setup to minimise emails overloading and provide a single pane of glass of all announcements made by university bodies, categorising for different personas.
   1. Users of email services should use “CityU Announcement Portal (CAP)” instead of emailing to large group of recipients.  The University or its delegate may impose control on the number of emails to be sent by any individual.
   2. Depending on the settings of announcements made on CAP, the announcements may be shown on University website, daily email digests, campus digital signages, as well as mobile apps.
   3. Users must not use CAP to initiate a discussion or conversation, regardless of such discussion or conversation be carried out in or outside CityU provided IT Services and Resources.
2. Mass email senders should respect recipient’s rights to opt-out from the mailing list.  An opt-out or unsubscribe mechanism must be provided by the sender.  Central IT will regularly check if mass email senders comply with the requirements above.
3. To help segregate various channels in the Service to their best use and to avoid information overloading, users should use only one of the channels to communicate the same/similar information to the same internal group.
4. Users should use the Service only to send or post materials that are legal, proper and in direct support of the vision, mission and role of the University.
5. Users must not use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose.
6. Users are entirely responsible for all Content (including all data, text, information, links, images, multi-media data and other content) that published, posted, uploaded, distributed, disseminated or otherwise transmitted via the Service.  The University shall not be liable or otherwise be responsible for any claims of whatever nature relating to the Content, if the content posted are not duly authorised by appropriate authority from CityU.
7. Content posted will be public and stayed online for an infinite period of time and users should be fully aware of it.
8. Users should follow the terms of service of the related websites/platform.
9. Users should hold CityU harmless and indemnify CityU, and its delegate, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, employees, licensors, suppliers or partners, from and against any third party claim arising from or in any way related to their posting or publication of the Content through the Service, violation of regulations of the Service or any other actions connected with their use of the Service, including any liability or expense arising from all claims, losses, damages (actual and consequential), suits, judgments, litigation costs and attorneys' fees, of every kind and nature.
10. Users must not make personal attacks, defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.
11. Users must not use the Service as for political appeals, editorializing, or partisan (including issue-partisan) lobbying.
12. Users must not post any inappropriate, defamatory, infringing, obscene, or illegal content.
13. Users should respect their audience, and shall not use defamatory and discriminatory terms, personal insults, ethnic slights, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that is not appropriate or acceptable to CityU.  Users shall also respect the privacy of others, and shall not post the photos of individuals, named or not, on social media without their prior knowledge or permission.
14. Users must not post any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary right of any party (the "Rights"), or likely or intended to cause confusion that they are or connected with the owner of the Rights or are otherwise using the Rights with authorisation.
15. Users must not use the Service for commercial or profit-making activities, promotion of pyramid schemes, chainmail, etc.
16. Users must not download any file posted by another user that they know, or reasonably should know, that cannot be legally distributed in such manner.
17. If identifying themselves as a member of CityU on the social media:
    1. Users shall be aware of their association with CityU, ensuring their profiles and the content related are consistent with how they present themselves through CityU.
    2. It will be desirable for users to include a disclaimer in the profile section like this: “The postings I put up on this site are fully under my responsibility, and do not reflect the positions and views of CityU.”
18. Users must not impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is posted.
19. Users shall not provide sensitive, confidential or proprietary information of CityU, its staff, its students, its alumni or its units on the social media without authorization.
20. When making a reference, users should always link back to the source whenever possible.
21. Users must not restrict or inhibit any other user from using the IT Services and Resources.
22. Users must not remove, obscure or alter any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notices contained in or within the Service.
23. Users must not interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers or networks connected to the Service, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Service.
24. Users must not submit Content that falsely expresses or implies that such Content is sponsored or endorsed by the University or a third party.
25. Users must not promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities or promote physical harm or injury against the Service or individual.
26. Users must not transmit any viruses, worms, defects, trojan horses, or any items of a destructive nature.
27. It is fine to engage in lively and vigorous debates on social media, but users shall be mindful to be respectful to others and of their opinions.  It shall be commendable for users to be the first to correct their own mistakes.  Below are some standard etiquettes, or Do’s and Don’ts for using the social media:
    1. Verify information before posting it.
    2. Make sure the links work.
    3. Be cautious when posting and tagging photos.
    4. Thank people for giving input or feedback, including negative ones.
    5. If friends/fans post postings that involve profanity, disrespectful comments, inaccurate or misleading information, etc., consider removing them.  If postings are outright egregious, block the posters, or even report them to the social media if violence, pornography, smear, hate speech etc. are found.
28. Only use CityU logos or trademarks on the social media if users are authorized to do so.
29. The University or its delegate sees appropriate may modify or terminate the Service at any time with or without notice and users are bound by such changes. 
30. If the University or its delegate is informed that any Content published through the Service does not appear to conform to the regulations, the University or its delegate may investigate and may in good faith and in its sole discretion remove the Content.  The University and its delegate have no liability or responsibility towards any person to carry out such investigation or remove such Content.