Kappa Alpha Theta’s Social Media Policy

As a sister of Kappa Alpha Theta and a MDC, Member Development Committee, representative for my senior class, one thing we discuss quite frequently is our chapter member’s social media. We require members to not post on any social media platforms, specifically Facebook, Instgram and Twitter, using harsh, offensive language, illegal activity, topics or pictures with illegal activity or alcohol beverages, and much more.
       One social media policy, which is brought up at almost every meeting, is sisters posting pictures on Instagram or Snapchat with alcohol in sight. Our policy says:

“Appropriateness of social media content is the responsibility of the individual member and is subject to review, discovery, or monitoring by other members and Fraternity representatives. When inappropriate content is discovered or brought to attention, the member may be subject to disciplinary action. Inappropriate items that should not appear on a site where Theta is referenced include, but are not limited to, the following:…….

Photos, posts, references, etc., to alcoholic beverages. There is a zero-tolerance policy for photographic or artistic alcohol references on under-age member pages. Members of legal age should use appropriate judgment in posts containing alcohol, and should not reference the Fraternity. Any post with alcohol is subject to review by chapter or Fraternity officers. Certainly any depiction of excessive alcohol use, such as drinking directly from bottles, being surrounded by alcohol, etc., would be in direct violation of this policy.”

As members of MDC, we stick to this policy very strictly. We are responsible for contacting sisters who break this, which can happen on accident every now and then. This policy can be very hard to enforce, but is essential to our chapter. Sisters might not always like the reasoning behind it, especially if they are of age, but it is the same for everyone. It isn’t altered for one person or one time, we keep it consistent.
        It is likely to assume if you have an Instagram or Snapchat you have followers who will see whatever is posted. These posts can be screenshot and kept forever whether you deleted the post or it goes away in 24 hours. These posts can cause problems with our chapter or the individual. We hold ourselves to a higher standard and it begins with how we present ourselves to others. We do allow exceptions to this policy. For example, if its your 21st birthday, we allow you to post a picture with a drink. Also, if you are of legal drinking age we allow pictures with alcohol to be posted tastefully. Thus meaning, if you look presentable and captions are appropriate, we will allow you to keep the post.
         Likewise, businesses and organizations want the same for their employees. They might not be as strict, but they still do not want photos going around of employees, which could jeopardize their reputation or the company’s. It is about keeping everyone safe and protecting everyone involved.