A harness racing organization recently unveiled a social media policy for its members, with the stipulation that the organization reserves the right to require the immediate removal or modification of comments that result in a breach of the policy.

Under its new policy, the British Harness Racing Club defines social media as including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, discussion boards, blogs, online forums, instant messaging, and online newspapers where comments can be left, as well as other forms of media.

The BHRC policy states that social media should not be used for any of the following:

• To publish or make comments that are detrimental to the harness racing industry and any of its members,

• To direct abuse or inappropriate comments about other individuals or organizations that participate in the harness racing industry,

• To breach any of the British Harness Racing Club Rules,

• To assume or use the identity of another licensed person or official

• To publish any information that is related to the harness racing industry that is confidential in nature or is part of any ongoing inquiry or investigation

• To make any comment or post that is, or could be considered, to be malicious, offensive, abusive, racist, threatening, discriminatory, bullying, defamatory or disrespectful to another person or body in the harness racing industry or BHRC, its employees, officials and participants that comprise of the UK Harness Racing Industry.

The BHRC has stated that non-compliance of the policy may result in the individual being called before the BHRC stewards. The BHRC has stated that it reserves the right to require the immediate removal or modification of ‘medial’ comments that result in a breach of the policy.

(With files from the BHRC)