Terms and Conditions

ATAP Connect

Policy and Content Guidelines

July 2024

The ATAP Connect is a private virtual networking communications platform for ATAP members only. The ATAP Connect is an advantageous resource to membership because it enhances professional connection, discussion, and provides a space for specific information valuable to our membership’s multiple disciplines, working in a variety of organizational contexts. This policy addresses the association’s expectations for the ATAP Connect to include outlining prohibited activity and/or content. Anything posted by a member represents their personal views and does not reflect the opinion of ATAP.

Content Standards & Civility

ATAP does not assume responsibility for the content of the ATAP Connect.  Information sharing and commentary on ATAP Connect is focused on professional engagement and education for violence prevention and victim support. Given our mission, ATAP Connect hosts varied content, academic or operational discussions, news articles, photos, videos, research or primary source material associated with those committed to committing acts of targeted violence. Often, the very nature of members’ discussion and commentary are part of a collective attempt to understand the behaviors, beliefs, and thought processes of those persons of concern who pose a threat of planned violence. ATAP Connect members initiate and participate in critical conversations about these difficult and graphic topics.

It is vitally important that we support a free and open atmosphere within Connect for ATAP members to post information and discussion that they find relevant to our respective fields, and specifically to threat assessment and management. ATAP encourages content that invites analysis and discussion of violent pathway behaviors and events, but we also uphold that content to a standard of value for our ATAP membership.

While the Association strongly supports engaging in diverse and possibly challenging views, we balance our open atmosphere with respect and consideration for our member audience. In our efforts to understand and prevent violence, we remain sensitive to our members who have been victims of violence. All posts should purposefully enhance dialogue and information sharing around sensitive topics, be researched for their veracity, or stated otherwise, and consider the value to readers.

To this point, our leadership and membership maintain high expectations when it comes to personal engagement and debate. All ATAP communications on ATAP Connect should refrain from negative behavior such as name-calling, degradation, etc. Treating others with respect, regardless of professional or personal disagreements, and with a professional mind for diverse and equitable inclusion for all, is paramount to the core of our association.

 

Posting Guidelines and Prohibited Conduct

ATAP encourages freedom of information; therefore, any member’s posts on the ATAP Connect are not subject to review before sharing. While ATAP celebrates collective discussion on all relevant issues, some content and unprofessional behavior is prohibited or regulated on the ATAP Connect due to Association Bylaws, Code of Ethical Conducts, or policy. Prohibited content is subject to immediate removal from the ATAP Connect forum by system administrators:

  • No Solicitations or Direct/Indirect Promotions of For-Profit Products or Services.

    Within the ATAP Connect and throughout ATAP, we respect each other and our members; their professions, their privacy, and their right to be free from unwanted solicitations, promotions, or harassment. Posts mentioning specific companies or individuals and their products and services designed for financial gain or promotion are prohibited on the ATAP Connect. These posts are allowed only in the “Marketplace” group, as provided in ATAP’s general Non-Solicitation and Marketplace Policies. Posts requesting information regarding services/products, are also required to be included in Marketplace, only. Groups may not be formed to engage solicitation or promotion outside of Marketplace. Posts or comments that violate this rule will be removed and the posting member will be contacted and encouraged to re-post their content in Marketplace. (Please review the attached, “Workplace Guidelines” for examples.)

    Examples of posts/actions that are prohibited in Workplace EXCEPT for the Marketplace group:

    • A member creates a post about a challenging aspect of their work and another member mentions their business and offers to assist;
    • A member posts about their business or product, book, etc. created by them or their business, specifically in ATAP Announcements;
    • A member promotes their book, a free webinar, or free class (outside of Marketplace) produced by their business that is an indirect promotion of their services.
    • A post regarding any outside ATAP-sponsored event (whether run by a for-profit or non-profit entity) that charges a fee for attendance.

    ATAP highly encourages members to post all of their successes and business ventures, books, classes, etc. in Marketplace. To participate in these member offerings and celebrations, please join Marketplace as you would any other group in the ATAP Connect.

    No posts may contain any “hate” speech against, or specific promotional reference/preference for one entity over another, related to any race, religion, gender, sexuality or gender identification, group, etc. Open, respectful, ideological and professional discussions addressing subject-specific belief systems or cultural considerations are well accepted. ATAP is an environment where differences are celebrated, not disparaged.

  • No political engagement/advocacy posts.
  • No hate speech.

The ATAP Connect is for professional discussion regarding threat assessment and management considerations, as well as specifics and considerations for each membership field. It is not a forum for promoting a political candidate or societal ideology.

  • Please consider the following before posting within the ATAP Connect or before engaging in messages with other members:
    • The membership and leadership of ATAP encourages freedom of speech. Our professional expectations include respectful dialogue and engagement with all the ATAP Connect participants and members. All participants should consider these expectations as they engage on the ATAP Connect.
    • Consider the value of the information and its relevance to ATAP members and the mission of the Association. Does your post follow the content guidelines of addressing relevant threat assessment and management issues? Would other members consider your post “spam” or “filler” rather than highlighting relevant discussion?
    • Does your post follow the policy regarding non-discrimination, etc.? Posts in the ATAP Connect should not advocate for a specific political or social position, race, culture, sexuality, etc. absent of direct discussion regarding threat assessment or positive management and engagement processes related to the same. Such posts belong on one’s personal social media page, not in a professional multidisciplinary association platform.
    • Evaluate which the ATAP Connect group would be the best place to share the information and unless necessary, do not share across numerous groups, which is often repetitive to the membership.
    • Contextualize your post with your perspective, viewpoint, or takeaways you consider valuable to the ATAP membership, which helps generate constructive dialogue. Including narrative text to your post helps set the tone for engagement and connects relevancy of what you’re sharing to a specific point of discussion
    • If the content you intend to share would seem graphic to a reasonable viewer, use a link so that a member will need to choose to view the graphic information, rather than see graphic video and/or photographs while scrolling through a “news” feed (example, having to click on a video or photograph link before any seeing potentially disturbing visuals); and,
    • If your post may contain graphic material, preface the post with a disclaimer such as “WARNING! Graphic in nature,” so members are forewarned, and have choice for viewing post content.

    If you are ever in doubt regarding any potential post you are considering, we encourage you to reach out to the Communications Committee for consultation and to discuss any concern you may have with Committee members. A contact list of current committee members is available at www.atapworldwide.org in the “Members” section and members may also be located on the ATAP Connect platform. 

    Making, Receiving, And Addressing ATAP Connect Complaints

    To make a complaint or address a concern regarding an ATAP Connect post, members should report the post through the available online option that accompanies each post. Once the post has been reported, the Communications Committee will evaluate the post. Please reach out to any Communications Committee member for assistance if you cannot locate the post’s complaint feature and have immediate concerns.

    Your complaint will adhere to the following process:

  • After a complaint has been received, a member of the Communications Committee will attempt to contact the complainant for detailed information regarding their concerns. The Committee member will then address the post with the originating member, advising them of the complaint and concern, whether or not the post has been removed. The complainant should refrain from contacting the member who originated the post that is the subject of the complaint. The Committee will also inform the complainant of the outcome.

  • If a post of concern follows all the ATAP Connect rules, or there is significant professional engagement on the post and the post can be and is corrected to fall within the ATAP Connect rules, the post will remain active, unless there is a defined issue that has not yet been addressed in this policy, which indicates removal in the judgment of the Communications Committee.

  • Should the complainant or the originating poster disagree with the Committee’s findings, they may file an appeal. Any appeal of the judgment of the Communications Committee to remove or require editing of a post must be made to Communications Committee Chair within 30 calendar days of notification of removal to the posting member and the complainant. The appeal will be heard and decided upon by the ABOD at its earliest convenience.

Repeated Bylaws/Code of Ethics Violations: ATAP Connect is a value-added benefit of ATAP membership, but it is not a right. "Repeated’ which is defined as two or more," "unethical” and/or “egregious” violations of this policy shall be grounds for removal from Workplace, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.

Violations may include, but are not limited to:

  • Posting for profit or self-promotion outside of Marketplace in violation of ATAP bylaws.
  • Using rude or discourteous language.
  • Sharing offensive content.
  • Posting on subjects that do not pertain to threat assessment and management or ATAP membership and networking related content, etc.

"Unethical" violations may include posting aggressive or hateful speech, postings, or action that violates the ATAP Connect policy as described herein and violates the ATAP Code of Ethics. 

Should a member’s  ATAP Connect access be suspended or terminated for what is determined to be a violation of the ATAP Code of Ethics, they will also be subject to an investigation as it relates to their membership status by the Ethics Committee.

The following matrix will be used for violations of this policy:

1. First violation: verbal education from the member’s chapter Sergeant at Arms (SAA) and removal of the post in question.

2. Second violation: Education by the Communications Committee Chair who further educates and advises that a third infraction may constitute possible suspension or termination of workplace access.

3. Third violation: National SAA will investigate all posts and or comments that are deemed to be egregious by the Communications Committee and will investigate the policy violations. The SAA will then present the findings to the Ethics Committee, who will evaluate and provide a recommendation to the Association Board of Directors (ABOD) on appropriate action(s) to address repeated* violations of the ATAP Connect policy.

Note: Singular instances of egregious violations of the ATAP Connect Policy may result in termination of the ATAP Connect access. Final determination for removal will be made by the ABOD.

Creation of New Workplace Groups

In an effort to maintain open and free communication among members, while avoiding duplication, ATAP Connect Administration reserves the right to create all groups. With few exceptions, groups shall remain open to all members in order to enhance communication and information sharing. If you would like to open a group, please contact a member of the Communications Committee, your chapter president, or any board member.

Blocking Posts or Turning Off Notifications

Just like your personal social media, there may be repeated posts from someone or a group that you do not want to see. You can block individual people’s posts from showing up on your feed or unfollow any group you have joined to tailor your news feed. Visit the settings in your own ATAP Connect account for assistance.

All ATAP members are encouraged to review these “ATAP Connect Guidelines” for helpful information. Anything posted by a member represents their personal views and does not reflect the opinion of ATAP.

Questions? Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Communications Committee Chair.  We are here to assistance in any way possible. Thank you!

 

UPDATED: Originated in 2017, this policy was updated in July 2024 by the current National Board.

The Legal Stuff

This site is provided as a service for the members of ATAP.  ATAP is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on this site by others. We disclaim all warranties with regard to information posted on this site, whether posted by ATAP or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall ATAP be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on this site.

Do not post any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials.  Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that he or she owns the copyright with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner. In addition, the posting party grants ATAP and users of this site the nonexclusive right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material.

Messages should not be posted if they encourage or facilitate members to arrive at any agreement that either expressly or impliedly leads to price fixing, a boycott of another's business, or other conduct intended to illegally restrict free trade. Messages that encourage or facilitate an agreement about the following subjects are inappropriate: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers.

ATAP does not actively monitor the site for inappropriate postings and does not on its own undertake editorial control of postings. However, in the event that any inappropriate posting is brought to the attention of ATAP we will take all appropriate action.

ATAP reserves the right to terminate access to any user who does not abide by these guidelines.


Privacy Policy

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With Whom Do We Share the Personal Information We Collect Through This Site:

Our Service Providers
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