Intended Use Guidelines & External Content Policy
These guidelines address placement, use, and removal of external content that may be placed on or linked from the Washington State Military Department Website. This notice covers the following topics:
Also see...
Purpose |
The Washington State Military Department recognizes that "external content" -- content that is provided by entities that are not part of government -- may be placed upon the publicly accessible Washington State Military Department Website operated by that organization. The Washington State Military Department does not intend that this website be an open public forum, and external content on pages operated by the Washington State Military Department will be permitted at the sole discretion of that organization.
Applicability |
This policy applies only to pages that are operated by the Washington State Military Department. This policy is not intended, and shall not be construed, to prohibit external content that is:
- Required or authorized by law;
- Constitutes official government business or furthers the specific purpose of a government organization's Website; or
- On Websites or web pages not operated by the Washington State Military Department.
It may be in the public interest to include other content on the Washington State Military Department Website, such as;
- Links to resources that are provided by others on websites outside of Washington State Military Department control;
- Public acknowledgement of sponsors or other contributors of resources to allow the Washington State Military Department to expand the on-line information and services; and
- Advertising revenues to decrease costs and expand the offering of information and services.
External content therefore includes, but is not limited to, links, acknowledgements, and advertisements on pages operated by the Washington State Military Department.
Content Guidelines |
In exercising its discretion to allow external content on the Washington State Military Department Website and its social media pages, the Washington State Military Department will be guided by the purpose of the Washington State Military Department Website, which is as follows:
The Washington State Military Department Website and its social media pages is intended to support, as efficiently, conveniently, and cost effectively as possible, and in a manner of presentation befitting government, the following uses by citizens, businesses and public employees:
- Location of and access to useful public information provided by public agencies or non-profit, non-partisan organizations;
- Location of Websites provided by public agencies or non-profit, non-partisan organizations;
- Location of public services;
- Delivery of public services via the Internet.
The Washington State Military Department, at its sole discretion, will determine whether external content meets these purposes. Generally, external content that does not suit these purposes includes, but is not limited to, content that contains, suggests, or infers any of the following:
- Advocacy of or opposition to any politically, environmentally, or socially controversial subjects, issues, or candidates.
- Disparaging or promoting any person or class of persons.
- External content not suitable for readers or viewers of all ages, or links to or other promotion of businesses whose products or services are not suitable for persons of all ages.
- Promoting or inciting illegal, violent, or socially undesirable conduct, including acting as an "anonymous troll."
- Promotion or availability of alcohol or tobacco products.
- Promotion or availability of illegal drugs.
- Promotion or availability of adult or sexually oriented entertainment or materials.
- Promotion, opposition, or availability of weapons.
- Promotion, opposition, or availability of gambling.
- Claims of efficacy, suitability, desirability, or other non-objective statements about businesses, products, or services.
- Content that infringes on any trademark, copyright, or patent rights of another.
- Claims or representations in violation of advertising or consumer protection laws.
- Content that a reasonable citizen may not consider to maintain the dignity and decorum appropriate for the Washington State Military Department.
USE OF WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD SOCIAL NETWORK SERVICES
The Services may contain email services, wall posts, messages, notes, blogs, chat areas, news groups, forums, communities, personal Web pages, calendars, photo albums, videos, and/or other message or communication facilities designed to enable you to communicate with others (each a "Communication Service" and collectively "Communication Services"). You agree to use the Communication Services only to post, send and receive messages and material
that are proper and, when applicable, related to the particular
Communication Service. By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree that when using the Communication Services, you will not:
Use the Communication Services in connection with surveys, contests, pyramid schemes, chain letters, junk email, spamming or any duplicative or unsolicited messages (commercial or otherwise).
Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal
rights(such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.
Publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, obscene, indecent or unlawful topic, name, material or information.
Upload, or otherwise make available, files that contain images, photographs, software or other material protected by intellectual property laws, including, by way of example, and not as limitation, copyright or trademark laws (or by rights of privacy or publicity) unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consent to do the same.
Use any material or information, including images or photographs, which are made available through the Services in any manner that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary right of any party.
Upload files that contain viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, cancel bots, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer or property of another.
Advertise or offer to sell or buy any goods or services for any business purpose, unless such Communication Services specifically allows such messages.
Download any file posted by another user of a Communication Service that you know, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally reproduced, displayed, performed, and/or distributed in such manner.
Falsify or delete any copyright management information, such as 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 uploaded.
Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Communication Services.
Violate any code of conduct or other guidelines which may be applicable for any particular Communication Service.
Harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including email
addresses.
Violate any applicable laws or regulations.
Create a false identity for the purpose of misleading others.
Use, download or otherwise copy, or provide (whether or not for a fee) to a person or entity any directory of users of the Services or other user or usage information or any portion thereof.
LINKS TO ANY THIRD PARTY SITES
Links on this site may let you leave the Washington National Guard's site. The linked sites may not be under the control of the Washington National Guard and the Washington National Guard is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained on a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. The Washington National Guard is not responsible for webcasting or any other form of transmission received from any linked site.
The Washington National Guard is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by the Washington National Guard of the site.
OPERATIONAL SECURITY (OPSEC)
Operation Security (OPSEC) includes any information including, but not
limited to, the movement of soldiers in and out of theaters of operation,
current and ongoing military operations, or tactics, techniques and
procedures poses a security risk to soldiers. This risk needs to be
mitigated at all times, and any information containing dates, complete
names, and the locations of soldiers or their immediate family, and military operations needs to be guarded and kept confidential at all times. This is a public Web site and as such there is no way to control whoever may view the information that is posted.
MATERIALS PROVIDED TO THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD OR POSTED AT ANY NATIONAL GUARD WEB SITE
The Washington National Guard does not claim ownership of the materials you provide to the Washington National Guard (including feedback and suggestions) or post, upload, input or submit to any Services or its associated services for review by the general public, or by the members of any public or private community, (each a "Submission" and collectively "Submissions"). However, by posting, uploading, inputting, providing or
submitting ("Posting") your Submission you are granting the Washington National Guard, its affiliated companies and necessary sublicenses permission to use your Submission in connection with the operation of their Internet businesses (including, without limitation, all Washington National Guard Services), including, without limitation, the license rights to: copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, translate and reformat your Submission; to publish your name in connection with your Submission; and the right to sublicense such rights to any supplier of the Services.
Removal of Content |
The Washington State Military Department reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to withdraw external content that otherwise meets its guidelines. This discretion may be exercised if the Washington State Military Department becomes aware, receives claims or allegations, or has reason to inquire whether, the content refers or links the viewer to content not on the Washington State Military Department Website that is violates any of the above listed guidelines, except No. 10, or would be reasonably likely to offend a reasonable citizen. Withdrawal of content on these bases will be permitted whether or not the Washington State Military Department is legally obligated to act upon any information of which it is aware.
