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City of Preston Triathlon Club
Online safety

Social media & online safety

How we keep our young athletes safe online, and what we expect from everyone in the club.

Last updated: October 2026 (review due October 2028)

1. Purpose and scope

This policy sets out the safe, effective and compliant use of social media and online communication platforms for City of Preston Triathlon Club for Juniors (COPT). Its purpose is to safeguard young athletes, protect volunteers and coaches, and maintain the positive reputation of the club.

It aligns with the Triathlon England Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures (Swim Bike Run – Safe). It applies to all club committee members, coaches, volunteers, parents and carers, and junior athletes using any digital platform, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.

2. Managing the club’s online presence

  • Dual administration: all official club social media accounts and messaging groups must be password-protected. At least two designated club volunteers or committee members must have admin access and monitor the channels regularly.
  • Privacy settings: group pages or channels involving or highlighting junior activities must be set to ‘Private’ or ‘Closed’. Only verified club members, parents and authorised individuals will be granted entry.
  • Welfare integration: the volunteers managing the club’s online platforms work closely with the club’s Welfare Officer to review and enforce safeguarding protocols.

3. Guidelines for coaches, officials and volunteers

Coaches, run and ride leaders, and volunteers hold a position of trust and must maintain professional boundaries online just as they do offline.

  • Separate accounts: club staff and volunteers must use official club communication methods or dedicated professional accounts for triathlon matters. They must never use personal social media accounts to contact junior members.
  • No direct messaging: staff and volunteers must not ‘friend’, ‘follow’ or privately message junior athletes (under 18) on personal social networks. All group communications must include a parent or carer, or be routed through the parent’s contact details.
  • Age restrictions: the club will decline requests from children under 13 to join club social media pages and will report this to the parent or carer. On group messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, direct access is restricted to people aged 16 or over, with younger juniors represented by their parents.
  • Tone and content: all posted content, symbols and emojis must be positive, professional and free of inappropriate, suggestive or discriminatory language.

4. Guidelines for parents and carers

Parents and carers play a vital role in keeping our junior community safe online.

  • Respectful interaction: parents are expected to communicate respectfully with coaches, officials, volunteers and other families across all club channels.
  • No public disputes: public grievances or training and racing disputes must not be broadcast on social media. Concerns should go directly to the Club Welfare Officer or the Committee through private, official channels.
  • Privacy controls: parents must not post identifying details of other club members’ children (such as full names, school names or locations) without the prior consent of that child’s parent or carer.

5. Guidelines for junior athletes

We want our young athletes to share their achievements safely. Juniors are asked to agree to the following:

  • Be kind online: treat clubmates, coaches and competitors with the same courtesy online as you would at the track, pool or race transition area. Bullying, trolling and offensive comments will not be tolerated.
  • Protect personal information: never post details such as your home address, school name, phone number or daily routine on public pages.
  • Think before you post: online posts can become permanent. If you are unsure whether a post or comment is appropriate, don’t post it.
  • Report issues: if you see anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, or that targets a club member unfairly, tell a parent, coach or the Club Welfare Officer straight away.

6. Photography, video and data protection

To protect children from online targeting, COPT applies strict controls on media:

  • Prior consent: photos or videos of junior members will only be published on club platforms if the junior’s parent or guardian has given explicit consent on the junior membership registration form.
  • Minimising identifying data: posts will never include a junior’s full name or other specific personal identifiers alongside their image. Captions focus on the sporting achievement, for example “Great effort from COPT at the local aquathlon today!”
  • Appropriate imagery: images must focus on the activity itself and show young athletes in appropriate kit, such as club tri-suits or running gear. Images taken in changing areas, or poolside, without specific permission are strictly prohibited.

For how we handle personal data more generally, see our Privacy & data protection policy.

7. Take-down policy and enforcement

The COPT Committee reserves the right to monitor its official channels and act swiftly to protect its members.

  • Immediate removal: any post, message or comment judged inappropriate, abusive or in breach of this policy will be removed immediately by an account administrator.
  • Logging and review: removed posts are logged, and the admin will explain the reason for removal to the affected user and their parents (if a junior is involved).
  • Disciplinary action: serious or repeated breaches will be referred to the Club Committee and may result in disciplinary action, suspension from training sessions, or escalation to Triathlon England’s Safeguarding Team.

8. Key welfare contacts

If you have any online safety concern, or suspect online bullying or inappropriate messaging, please report it immediately.