Social Media and Digital Communications Policy

Al-Waris Foundation uses social media and digital communications to:

The charity is committed to communicating online in a way that is:

Digital communications must not knowingly mislead donors, beneficiaries, regulators or the public.

This policy establishes expectations for:

This policy applies to:

It applies to platforms including:

The Board of Trustees retains overall responsibility for ensuring appropriate communication and reputational controls exist.

Operational communications may be delegated to:

Trustees are not required to approve every routine post.

Significant or higher-risk communications should receive proportionate review.

Official social-media accounts should be created and maintained for legitimate Al-Waris Foundation purposes.

Accounts should use consistent:

Where verification is available and appropriate, the charity may seek account verification.

Official social-media accounts are assets of Al-Waris Foundation.

They do not belong personally to the individual who created or manages them.

The charity should retain appropriate access and recovery arrangements.

Access should be limited to authorised persons.

The charity should maintain an appropriate record of:

Access should be removed promptly when no longer required.

Multi-factor authentication should be enabled for official social-media and digital communications accounts where available.

Stronger authentication should be prioritised for accounts capable of:

Official accounts should use:

Passwords should not be shared unnecessarily.

See the Information Security and Cybersecurity Policy.

Critical accounts should not depend entirely on one person's personal:

where reasonable alternatives exist.

Recovery information should remain current.

Official Al-Waris Foundation email addresses should normally be used for charity communications where available.

Functional mailboxes may include:

Messages should be routed according to their subject and operational need.

Where appropriate, the Al-Waris Foundation website should act as the authoritative source for:

Social-media posts may direct users to the website for fuller information.

Public digital content must be materially accurate.

The charity must not knowingly publish false information concerning:

Material factual claims should be checked before publication where reasonably practicable.

This is particularly important for:

Where a figure is an estimate, target or projection, this should be clear from the context.

An estimate must not be presented as a verified fact merely because a more precise figure would appear more persuasive.

Digital content should distinguish appropriately between projects that are:

A planned project must not be presented as completed.

Social-media content promoting an Appeal should link to or clearly identify the relevant official fundraising destination where practical.

Closed or fulfilled Appeals should not continue to be promoted as active without a legitimate reason.

Communications should preserve the distinction between:

This helps donors understand whether they are supporting:

All digital fundraising must comply with the Fundraising Policy.

Posts should clearly avoid:

Official posts should use approved donation links.

Administrators should verify important links before publication.

The charity should be alert to:

Social-media posts should not request donors to send money to an individual's personal account unless an exceptional arrangement has been properly authorised and clearly explained.

Approved charity payment channels should normally be used.

QR codes used in digital or printed fundraising should be checked to ensure they direct users to the intended official destination.

Outdated or incorrect QR codes should be withdrawn.

Where an optional operational contribution forms part of an online donation process, public communications should not misrepresent it as part of the donor's designated project amount where it is separately allocated.

Where digital communications refer to:

the charity should ensure its operational handling supports the claim being made.

Religious terminology must not be used merely as a marketing label where the charity cannot reasonably administer the donation accordingly.

Digital communications must protect beneficiary dignity.

The charity should avoid:

Identifiable beneficiary media must be handled under the Photography, Video and Beneficiary Consent Policy.

Receiving aid should not normally be made conditional on participation in social-media content.

Content involving children requires enhanced safeguarding consideration.

The charity should avoid unnecessarily publishing combinations of:

Posts involving adults who may be vulnerable should consider:

The charity must not casually publish:

Visual content should be checked before publication for:

Al-Waris Foundation may use AI-generated content for:

AI-generated content must not be knowingly represented as genuine evidence of real charitable activity.

A fictional AI-generated person must not be described as an actual Al-Waris Foundation beneficiary.

Where realistic AI imagery could reasonably be mistaken for documentary photography, the context should make clear that it is illustrative.

AI-generated content must never be used to fabricate:

AI-generated text should be reviewed before publication.

It should not be assumed accurate merely because it is fluent or professionally written.

Particular attention should be given to:

Routine low-risk content may be published by authorised communications personnel.

Higher-risk content may require additional review.

Examples include:

Where public website content is created through the charity's CMS, authorised users should use appropriate:

workflows.

Scheduled posts should be reviewed where circumstances materially change before publication.

An automated post should not remain live merely because it was scheduled earlier if its content has become inaccurate or inappropriate.

Where the charity publishes a material factual error, it should correct it promptly and transparently where appropriate.

The form of correction should reflect:

A post may be removed where:

Where a significant post is removed because of a material error, the charity should consider whether a correction is also necessary.

Historical project posts may remain online where they accurately represent completed work.

Old posts should be reviewed where they contain:

Trustees and volunteers are generally free to use personal social-media accounts in their private capacity.

They should avoid creating a false impression that personal views are official Al-Waris Foundation statements.

People publicly identifying themselves as Al-Waris Foundation trustees, volunteers or representatives should recognise that serious online misconduct may affect the charity.

Private conduct should only become a charity governance matter where there is a genuine material connection to:

A personal opinion should not be presented as an official charity position unless authorised.

Where necessary, wording such as "views are my own" may help distinguish personal communications, but it does not excuse disclosure of confidential information or serious misconduct.

Al-Waris Foundation must remain independent of party politics.

Official charity accounts must not be used to:

Legitimate charity campaigning must further the charity's purposes and comply with charity law.

Trustees and volunteers may participate in politics privately, subject to applicable law.

They must not falsely imply that Al-Waris Foundation endorses their personal political activity.

The charity may communicate appropriately regarding religious giving or values where this is consistent with its activities and purposes.

Communications should not:

Official digital communications should not contain unlawful discriminatory, harassing or abusive material.

The charity should communicate respectfully about:

Official accounts must not be used to:

The charity may respond to criticism or misinformation where appropriate.

Responses should remain:

The charity should avoid escalating routine criticism into unnecessary public disputes.

Users must not knowingly publish false statements that could seriously harm the reputation of another person or organisation.

Where a proposed statement creates significant legal risk, professional advice should be considered.

Content published by Al-Waris Foundation must respect copyright.

Images, video, music, graphics and text should only be used where the charity has:

Content being visible online does not mean it is free to reuse.

Where music is used in social-media content, the charity should use:

Commercial or charity-account restrictions may differ from personal-account permissions.

Al-Waris Foundation branding should be used consistently and appropriately.

Third-party logos should not be used in a way that falsely implies:

Official Al-Waris Foundation logo files should be controlled through approved brand assets.

Administrators should avoid modifying the logo in ways that undermine:

The charity should monitor material impersonation where reasonably practicable.

Potential impersonation may include:

Evidence should be preserved before reporting or requesting removal.

Where platform verification is available and proportionate, Al-Waris Foundation may seek verification to reduce impersonation risk and improve public confidence.

Verification does not replace other security measures.

Direct messages may contain:

Administrators should route significant matters into the appropriate charity process rather than managing complex cases entirely within social-media messages.

If a safeguarding concern is received through:

it should be escalated under the relevant safeguarding policy.

The disclosure should not be publicly discussed in comment threads.

Complaints received through social media should be:

Volunteer enquiries received through digital channels should be directed to the appropriate volunteer process and official contact route.

Sensitive application information should not be collected publicly through comments.

Donation-related support should be routed to the appropriate donations function.

Administrators should not request:

Users with website-account or login problems should be directed to an appropriate support route.

Social-media administrators should not attempt to reset passwords manually by requesting confidential credentials.

Messaging applications may be used for legitimate operational communications.

Important decisions, safeguarding matters, complaints or project evidence should be transferred into appropriate charity records where necessary.

Disappearing-message features should not be used where the charity has a legitimate requirement to retain the communication.

This is particularly relevant to:

Official group chats should only include people who need access.

Participants should avoid sharing unnecessary:

Official email communications should be:

Sensitive email should follow the Confidentiality and Information Security policies.

Official email signatures may include:

Signatures should not falsely imply authority beyond the sender's role.

Bulk communications should comply with applicable marketing and privacy requirements.

Recipients' email addresses should not be exposed unnecessarily.

A person's:

does not automatically authorise unrestricted marketing.

Applicable consent and lawful-basis requirements must be respected.

Newsletter subscriptions should be handled according to the Data Protection and UK GDPR Policy.

Unsubscribe requests should be honoured appropriately.

Digital communications may use analytics to understand performance.

Analytics must comply with:

requirements.

Metrics such as:

may inform communications strategy.

They should not incentivise:

Where the charity uses paid advertising, campaigns should comply with the same standards as organic content.

Ads must not knowingly contain:

Where influencers, creators or other third parties are paid or otherwise incentivised to promote Al-Waris Foundation, appropriate disclosure requirements should be followed.

The charity should provide accurate approved information.

Influencers fundraising for Al-Waris Foundation should use approved:

Material relationships should be documented where appropriate.

Short-form platforms may encourage simplified messaging.

Al-Waris Foundation should still maintain:

A short character limit does not justify materially misleading content.

Live streaming should receive additional care because content may be published without prior review.

Live streams involving beneficiaries should consider:

Al-Waris Foundation may moderate:

to maintain safe and constructive channels.

The charity may remove, hide or report content that includes:

Legitimate criticism should not automatically be deleted simply because it is unfavourable.

The charity should distinguish between:

Where significant misinformation about the charity is circulating, Al-Waris Foundation may respond with:

Responses should avoid unnecessarily amplifying trivial claims.

Comments exposing or attacking beneficiaries should be moderated where necessary to protect:

Users may be blocked where reasonably necessary because of:

Blocking should not be used merely to prevent legitimate scrutiny.

Potential social-media security incidents include:

Such incidents should be handled under the Information Security and Cybersecurity Policy.

If an official account is suspected to be compromised:

An unauthorised post should be:

The charity should determine whether credentials or permissions need to be changed.

Administrators should be cautious of people impersonating:

Official support organisations should not normally require users to disclose passwords.

Before linking an official social-media account to a third-party management or scheduling service, the charity should consider:

Unused integrations should be removed.

Automated posting tools may be used where appropriately configured.

Automation should not publish unchecked sensitive content or continue posting outdated emergency information.

AI may assist with:

Human review should be used for material public content.

Translations should preserve the substance of the charity's communication.

Sensitive or important translations should receive additional review where practical.

Digital content should be made reasonably accessible where practicable.

Measures may include:

Video content should use captions or subtitles where reasonably practicable, particularly where important information is communicated verbally.

Meaningful images on the website should include appropriate alternative text where relevant.

Decorative images should not be given unnecessary repetitive descriptions.

Digital content should comply with the Data Protection and UK GDPR Policy.

Personal information should not be published merely because it is useful for engagement.

Real-time precise location information should be used cautiously where it could expose:

Content concerning overseas work should avoid:

During disasters or emergencies, facts may change quickly.

Posts should be updated or corrected where material circumstances change.

Unverified reports should not be presented as established facts.

Significant incidents should normally have a coordinated communications approach.

Only authorised persons should make official statements concerning:

Where a proposed publication creates significant:

risk, professional advice should be considered.

Material digital communications should be retained where necessary for:

Not every routine social-media post requires permanent internal duplication.

The charity may retain selected copies or records of important posts where useful for:

Where a material post is removed because of:

the charity may retain an internal copy where there is a legitimate accountability reason.

Direct messages and email should not become long-term repositories of unnecessary personal information.

Important records should be transferred into the appropriate system and unnecessary copies deleted where appropriate.

When a person stops managing digital communications:

External social-media or communications contractors should receive:

Contracts should clarify ownership or permitted use of content produced for the charity where necessary.

Digital communications complaints should be handled under the Complaints Policy.

Content should be corrected or removed where the complaint identifies a genuine material issue.

Digital communication must comply with:

Online interaction can itself create safeguarding concerns and must be treated accordingly.

Official digital channels must not be used to retaliate against or publicly attack someone who raises a legitimate whistleblowing concern.

A significant digital communications failure may require consideration under the Serious Incident Reporting Policy.

Examples may include:

Breaches may result in:

People managing official digital communications should receive proportionate guidance concerning:

Official account access should be reviewed periodically.

Inactive or unnecessary administrators should be removed.

The charity should periodically review important public digital information for:

This policy should be read alongside:

This policy will be reviewed:

Version: 2.0 Status: Approved Approved by: Board of Trustees Approval date: 25/08/2026 Next scheduled review: 24/08/2027