The Texas Medical Association (TMA) is active on various social media platforms with TMA accounts.
For purposes of this policy, “TMA social media conduit” means a TMA established site/page/profile/account on a social media platform (including group messaging applications) that TMA uses to share content with and among TMA members or certain TMA members (which also may be in private TMA groups) or with and among TMA members and other stakeholders/the public, including TMA pages on social media platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and TMA use of private groups on GroupMe.
To maintain a friendly and informative environment, we ask that users of TMA's social media conduits:
- not post any links, comments, photos, images, or
videos that:
- use abusive or inflammatory language or otherwise abuse, harass, bully,
demean, or threaten others, or violate the legal rights of others;
- include personal attacks or otherwise attempt to incite personal
attacks that target one or more individuals;
- are hateful or violent;
- are defamatory, indecent, vulgar, misleading, anticompetitive, or
unlawful;
- make false or damaging statements about individuals or organizations;
- expose the private data of others, violate state or federal privacy
laws or rules or share protected health information (PHI);
- violate another’s copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property
rights;
- contain commercial solicitations, or are overtly promotional in nature;
- contain spam or are intended to cause disruptions on the page;
- include confidential information about TMA or its members;
- are off-topic or irrelevant to page or post content;
- are uncivil or disrespectful toward fellow community members;
- violate TMA’s Six Principles of Professional Decorum to the extent
applicable; or
- violate any local, state, federal, and/or international laws or
regulations; and
2. not share posts that were made within a TMA
private group (on a TMA social media conduit) outside of the TMA private group
where the post originated.
We reserve the right to remove any posted content and/or block any user that fails to adhere to these rules.
Failure to adhere to one of these rules by a member or non-member of TMA may result in TMA, in its sole discretion, removing any posted content and/or blocking any user (from one, more than one, or all of TMA’s social media conduits simultaneously).
This policy is not intended to stifle unpopular, opposing viewpoints. The goal is to foster thoughtful, meaningful discussions in a courteous and orderly manner.
The views expressed in comments on any of our TMA’s social media conduits are those of the author. Please note that TMA does not endorse opinions or content not posted or originally created by TMA. You are fully responsible for everything that you post.
All content provided is for informational purposes only, and no representations are made as to the accuracy or completeness of any information found on TMA’s social media conduits or found by following any link on one of these pages. Further, TMA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of third-party websites accessed through any of our social media pages.
Please note that posts within TMA private groups on TMA social media conduits are not to be shared outside of the TMA private group where the post originated. Reposting another TMA private group member’s post/comment outside the private TMA group it was originally posted on, including reposting on other social media pages/profiles/ platforms or personal social media sites, violates the terms of this social media conduct policy and may result in the user being blocked from TMA social media conduits (including TMA social media conduit private groups).
Please note that the rules in this policy are intended to supplement, not replace, any applicable requirements in the TMA Constitution and Bylaws, and any applicable TMA policies. To the extent a violation of this policy arises to a violation of the TMA Bylaws or Constitution (or of the AMA Principles of Medical Ethics or the ethical policies of TMA), the violation may also be subject to disciplinary review by the applicable board of censors (if a complaint is filed).
TMA reserves the right to take any other action under law or equity for violations of this social media conduct policy. As social media evolves and not all situations may be contemplated and expressly listed in this policy, TMA also reserves the right to remove any posted content and/ or block any user for a post or conduct that is otherwise inconsistent with the overall spirit of this policy (even if not expressly listed above).
For questions regarding TMA, you may contact the TMA Knowledge Center at (800) 880-7955.