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Operational Social Media Policy

The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO, the College) uses social media to share information about the College with its members, the public and other stakeholders. RCDSO makes every effort to ensure that communications materials published on social media adhere to official policies and come from approved sources. RCDSO encourages discussion, comments, questions and responses to social media posts, providing they comply with the terms of use as spelled out below, and are made in a respectful manner. Should a question be posed or a comment that is made warrant a response from RCDSO, the College will make every effort to respond appropriately in a timely manner during our regular business hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Rules for posting content

The RCDSO will allow discussion and inquiries on its social media accounts without limitation, unless it is determined by RCDSO that these comments and responses:

  • Are unrelated to RCDSO and/or the content to which they are attached.
  • Contain vulgar or inappropriate language including harassing, racial or sexual terminology.
  • Mention or discuss specific RCDSO members, employees, dental staff, or individuals.
  • Threaten a person or dental office, or contain aggressive language.
  • Contain slanderous or potentially libelous words.
  • Contain advertisements of any sort.
  • Make false claims, allegations or conclusions.
  • Contain reference to any ongoing case or investigation.
  • Discuss ongoing investigations, or complaints or compliments about a specific dentist or dental office.
  • Provide personal information or information that may identify a third party.
  • May abuse or infringe any intellectual property right or copyrighted material.
  • Breach or may breach any RCDSO by-law, policy or terms of use (including these Terms of Use).
  • Breach or may breach any law, statute, regulation, order, code, standard or rule.
  • Are or may be unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.

The RCDSO may restrict a user’s access to a College social media site or channel if it is determined by the College that the user:

  • Is impersonating another user.
  • Is in violation of any RCDSO policy or terms of use.
  • Is in breach of any existing law, statute, regulation, standard or rule or by-law.
  • Has engaged or is presently engaging in unlawful, malicious, discriminatory or harassing behaviour.

Content removal and other remedies

  • When RCDSO determines a reply, comment or message on our social media sites does not comply (in whole or in part) with these terms of usage, it reserves the right to both refuse to post and remove comments and replies from all posts on social media.
  • If it is determined by the College that these terms of use have been violated by a user, this may lead to restrictions regarding use of and access to RCDSO’s social media sites. RCDSO reserves the right to block any user for a breach of these terms of use.
  • Please notify RCDSO if you see a comment or content or a user that you think does not comply with these terms of use.

Disclaimers and Agreements

  • All comments or posts that do not originate from RCDSO accounts are the opinion of the writer, not RCDSO.
  • Users agree not to encourage, facilitate or enable any violations of the terms of use.
  • By commenting, posting content or engaging with RCDSO on social media, users give the College permission to share and distribute those comments/content.
  • Users who comment or add content to grant RCDSO non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use said content in any manner (including without limitation the right to copy, distribute and make derivative works).
  • Users who submit comments or content to RCDSO are fully responsible for their comments and content, and all responses that may be generated as a response. RCDSO is in no way responsible for such comments or content, and holds no responsibility to edit, update, advise on, review, retain, dispose of, circulate, act on, or respond to any such content.
  • Allowing any comment or content posted to or in response to RCDSO social media content to remain is in no way an endorsement of such content from RCDSO.
  • Any sharing of external content by RCDSO does not equal endorsement. Likewise, a “follow” or “like” from RCDSO social media channels does not equal endorsement of content or channel.
  • Social media sites, tools or channels include involvement from third-party service providers with which RCDSO is not affiliated. Users are encouraged to read the terms and conditions and privacy policies of each relevant social media site or channel prior to use.
  • By using any RCDSO social media channel, tools or sites, each user agrees to hold RCDSO harmless from any liability, loss, damage or expense, including without limitation professional and other fees from expenses, arising out of such user’s use of any RCDSO social media site or channel and any comments or content posted to social media.