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Facebook Page for Cub Scout Pack


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I'm wanting to setup a Facebook page for our new Cub Scout Pack and wanted to get some input on it. Is there a way to setup the page up without it having to be created under my personal facebook account? The reasoning behind this is when my son is out of this Pack in 3 years I want someone else to be in charge of it as I will be moving up to Boy Scouts with my son.

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~~When creating a Facebook page, you should make it a public fan page.

 

That's from the official BSA Facebook policy, you can find the whole thing here http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Marketing/Resources/SocialMedia.aspx

 

So the page may not be private according to the BSA.

 

 

 

Interesting. I'm not sure I understand the reasoning here as long as there is two-deep in the group.

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correct policy states it cant be private. But some parents wont allow pictures taken if it isnt private.

 

I much rather have a page for JUST my parents, so they are see ALL the fun stuff we did as apposed to NO page at all.

 

have fun

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To the OP, as far as I know pages/groups can only be created by Facebook accounts. Following Facebook's TOS, each person is only allowed one account (I know many do not follow that but discussing rules here, that's one of them for Facebook itself.) If you create it under your name, you can assign admins but you will also be one, you may be able to leave it once your time is up but no one can boot you from it beforehand, even other admins (we found this out earlier this year in our group.)

 

Speaking of our group, this prompts a question from me that relates to the OP. Our pack created a private group back in 2010 for the parents in our pack to share photos, chat, get info on upcoming events, etc. Since we are a pack, not a troop (and none of our cub scouts are 13 or older), there are absolutely no scouts themselves in our group (as that would be against Facebook TOS.)

 

That being said, I see on the page linked above: "Therefore, no private channels (e.g., private Facebook groups or invite-only YouTube channels) are acceptable in helping to administer the Scouting program. "

 

The last part - 'helping to administer the Scouting program' - I try not to pick apart things but if our group is not being used to administer the program itself, does that count? I guess it depends on your definition of administer.

 

I know all these rules were put into place with the scout's safety in mind (I wholeheartedly agree, especially considering my job involves nothing but social media and I have seen the dark side of it in many forms) but if this is something solely for the parents, does it still apply?

 

We have four administrators (two of us are new since the other two have since moved on to Boy Scouts) to ensure nothing funny pops up in there when another isn't online. We have close to 80 adults in our group (every year we clean it up to make sure the only adults in there are presently part of our pack) and everyone behaves and utilizes the group well.

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Keep in mind what the question was. It was for a cub scout Facebook page. The policy is for all scouts including teen boy scouts and doesn't necessary relate to the OP's question. The policy makes many mentions of two deep leadership, scout safety, etc. I believe the intent of the policy is to protect the scouts who may be on Facebook (remember Facebook is for age 13+). I take the OP's question to be about a communication forum for cub scout PARENTS. As such I see no issue for a private pack group as it does appear to be intended for the scouts themselves. Heck, think about the purpose of the policy is for scout safety. It is far safer for the boys if their photos, schedules, and other info is protected in a NON-PUBLIC forum.

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make a private group and assign the tigers and webelos 2 parents as the admins. rotate accordingly.

 

That isn't allowed. I agree it's silly, I think the rule should be that all parents are welcome to a closed group, but rules are rules.

 

Per BSA guidelines:

http://www.scouting.org/home/marketing/resources/socialmedia.aspx

To help ensure that all communication on social media channels remains positive and safe, these channels must be public, and all communication on or through them must be public. This enables administrators to monitor all communication and help ensure there is no inappropriate communication between adult leaders and Scouts or between Scouts themselves. Therefore, no private channels (e.g., private Facebook groups or invite-only YouTube channels) are acceptable in helping to administer the Scouting program. Private channels and private communication put both the youth and you at risk. If you feel the information you seek to share via social media channels should not be shared in public, you should not share that information via social media.

Abiding by the “two deep†leadership policy that governs all Scouting activities also applies to use of social media. Two-deep leadership means two registered adult leaders, or one registered leader and a parent of a participating Scout or other adult, one of whom must be 21 years of age or older, are required for all trips and outings.

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To me the Purpose of a Facebook page for any Scouting Unit..No Matter what age is to share the experience of Scouting with all people interested scouting and to preserve the History of that Unit for Future Scouters. You can set who can post comments and posts pictures so you can control who posts what...No Spam, No Pornographic Pictures etc...

 

As for Posting Pictures...While Some parents may not want their Children "Named" in photographs I am sure most won't mind them being in pictures if they are Not Tagged.

 

I rarely see any Units Tagging Youth (and It would be stupid to Tag this way) "Little Johnny Q. Public 1234 Main Street Anytown USA 123456 (111)111-1111 johnnyqpublic@anyemail.com"

 

 

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The guidelines clearly refer to Scouts and social media. Our pack has a private FB group with no scouts as members, just parents. My council says that this is fine and has similar groups for some activities. The risk isn't with private groups anyway, but with private messaging. I don't think FB is appropriate for Cub or Boy Scout communications as the age in the TOA is 13 years old. I could see a crew using FB effectively, but IME that age group is texting and ignoring FB for the most part.

 

As an aside, if I do tag photos on FB, scout or otherwise, I tag an area on the photo that doesn't have a person, like a tree. Serves the purpose of directing someone's attention to the photo without identifying the subject, especially group shots.

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I do the same thing.

If your group is for a Scouting Unit then it needs to be public.

If your not sharing scouting info then your fine.

Most people do not use a Facebook group for Young children to communicate but to share accolades and share event pictures...Free Website basically.

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...

As for Posting Pictures...While Some parents may not want their Children "Named" in photographs I am sure most won't mind them being in pictures if they are Not Tagged.

...

 

"Most" except for the adoptive parent of a kid with a stalker bio- parent. One of those, and your photo-editing burden can double.

 

I would suggest, if your intent is recruiting, to have a very public page with ZERO pictures of youth. Just their drawings, PWD car, campsites, etc ...

 

If your intent is to just communicate with parents, don't use FB. Use brief E-mails and phone chains with whatever short announcement and inviting anyone wanting more details to parent committee meetings.

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I see your point, qwazse, but I have to mention that using FB for parent communication really improved parent participation for our pack. We get a much better response to requests for volunteers on FB, and more parents are willing to look at FB for weather cancellation, meeting reminders, and general info about pack activities. FB is easy to use, parents respond to that.

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