In recognition of Pink Shirt Day/ Anti-Bullying Day on February 25, the Town of Collingwood is reaffirming its commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful community - both in person and online.
The Town’s social media channels are intended to be welcoming spaces where followers can access information, ask questions, and engage in constructive conversation. Recently, an increase in comments that are disrespectful, offensive, or otherwise harmful to members of the community has been posted on the Town of Collingwood channels. This type of behaviour does not reflect the Town’s values of Integrity and respect, nor does it align with the Community Vision of an inclusive community, and will not be tolerated on our platforms.
As outlined in the Town's Social Media Policy, the Town reserves the right to remove the comments that include:
- Profane, obscene, racist, or otherwise discriminatory language
- Personal attacks, insults, or threatening language
- Plagiarized material or copyrighted material
- Solicitation of commerce or for personal gain
- Violations of municipal by-law, provincial or federal law, or encouragement of illegal activity
- Confidential information published without prior consent
- Promotion of political candidates or other political material
- Content considered inappropriate by the Town
- Comments not germane to the original post
- Comments that are inaccurate, misleading, off-topic, spreading misinformation or disinformation regarding Town Services, programs, operations, staff, or Council
- May compromise the safety, or security of the public, municipal property, or staff.
In the spirit of transparency, comments violating these guidelines will be removed to protect the well-being of our online community.
A Shared Responsibility
Creating respectful online spaces is a shared effort. Here’s how you can help as a social media user engaging with the Town online:
- Engage in civil, constructive dialogue
- Treat others with kindness and respect
- Consider the impact of your words before posting
- Abide by the community guidelines
If you encounter comments that violate our policy, you can help by:
- Reporting the comment through the platform
- Hiding harmful replies when possible
- Choosing not to engage
- Notifying the Town
Social Media Moderation
Town social media channels are monitored during regular business hours. While best efforts are made to review content promptly, comments posted on evenings, weekends, or holidays will not be addressed until the next business day.
Your patience and your partnership in helping keep our digital spaces safe and welcoming for everyone are appreciated.
On Pink Shirt Day - and every day - let’s continue working together to stand up to bullying and build a community rooted in respect!