Photos & Media Guidelines
Taking photographs of players and using web sites and social media to publicise Railway and visual recordings of events, games, training and coaching sessions are considered normal activities. A common sense approach is required when deciding what may or may not be appropriate, as to not prohibit the advantage that this type of media can afford the club, its players and its members while adhering to best practice guidelines.
When parents/guardians register their children as a member of Railway Union RFC, they are granting their consent for the possible taking and publication of photographs and video footage of their children in the promotion of the club and the sport and the use of such imagery in line with the guidelines outlined below.
Railway has implemented the following guidelines in this area:
- All children/young people featured in recordings must be appropriately dressed
- No personal details relating to the young person should be revealed as accompanying materials to the photograph or recorded image
- The club and its coaches are permitted to use video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid and as a means of recording special occasions
- Photographic images or video recordings may be published on the club website, social media or distributed to parents or children. If the club or relevant committee are unhappy with any of the material they are entitled to withdraw and destroy the material involved
- Parents and spectators taking photographs/recordings should be prepared to identify themselves if requested and state the purpose for their photography/filming. If club personnel are unhappy about any matter relating to such photography, the person can be asked to stop immediately
- Photography and the recording of images in a public place do not generally require explicit or prior consent. However, if an event, game or training session is taking place involving under age players in a public, private or local authority venue, and if you are in charge of such an event you are obliged to request a person to stop taking photos if you feel that such action or photography may be inappropriate
- Group and team photographs may be taken but it is not necessary to match a player’s name. The photograph may appear with the player’s name recorded underneath but need not be in the order in which they appear in the photograph
- It is recognised that on certain occasions individual children or young people may receive recognition and may be presented with an award and this may be photographed or recorded. Should the parent or child/young person in receipt of such recognition not wish to be recorded or published, they are entitled to inform club of same and have wishes respected. The club will endeavour to ascertain in advance of the event to agree what is and is not permitted
- Any instances of the use of inappropriate images should be reported to Railway’s Child Welfare Officer and also to the relevant statutory authorities as deemed appropriate
By implementing these guidelines, Railway will:
- Permit and facilitate the recording of relevant and suitable club activities
- Allow the photographing of club activities
- Enable coaches to use the latest technology in the delivery of training
- Allow the promotion of activities in a safe and non threatening manner – this can mean publication of some events in local or national newspapers, the club website and on social media sites
It should be noted that Railway has little or no influence on what photographs may be taken and published in local or national newspapers. Should the club ever be unhappy with the publication of such photographs or images, we can address this matter with the individual newspaper or the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman.