Thank you for being part of the IOA Online CommUnity. To ensure the best possible experience for all community members, we have established some basic guidelines for participation.
What is the IOA Online CommUnity?
The IOA Online CommUnity is designed to provide IOA members with an inclusive online space where they can privately, equitably, and easily collaborate; safely network with their ombuds peers; and search for specific ombuds resources.
IOA encourages members to come prepared to share successes and challenges as well as provide constructive feedback, questions, and perspective regarding ombuds topics. Every member using the platforms is asked to agree to the following terms of use. This will ensure the IOA Online CommUnity remains an open space to discuss issues and topics related to the ombuds profession.
In order to preserve a climate that encourages both civil and fruitful dialogue, IOA reserves the right to utilize the stated Community Violation Policy on the IOA Online CommUnity members who violate these rules.
The Rules
Don’t attack others. The discussions on the community platforms are meant to stimulate conversation, not to create contention. Let others have their say, just as you may.
Don't post commercial and/or promotional messages. The IOA Online CommUnity messages should not contain promotional material, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services. IOA reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations. See more information below about other opportunities to share and promote information to members.
Use caution when discussing products. Information posted on any platform is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws.
All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials are strictly prohibited and will be removed.
Send your message only to the most appropriate groups and/or discussion forums. Please note that members are part of multiple groups, posting to 1-2 groups per message should reach all the members you seek to get feedback from.
We recommend you not post anything that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you.
If you wish to reproduce and/or share a member’s post outside of the Online CommUnity, ask for permission to republish their words elsewhere (especially if elsewhere would be a publicly viewable setting).
Please note carefully all items listed in the disclaimer and legal rules below, particularly regarding the copyright ownership of information posted to the Community.
Legal Information
These social media pages, accounts, and sites are provided as a service of IOA. IOA is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on these sites by others. IOA disclaims all warranties with regard to information posted on these sites, whether posted by IOA or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall IOA 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. In addition, by posting material, you grant to IOA and the members of this community the nonexclusive, worldwide, transferable right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material in any way and in any medium, including but not limited to print or electronic form.
Content should not be posted if it encourages or facilitates 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. Content that encourages or facilitates 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. IOA does not actively monitor these sites 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 IOA's attention, IOA will take all appropriate action.
IOA reserves the right to block any users who do not abide by these guidelines.
Promotional Messages
Promotional messages are not permitted in the IOA Online CommUnity. IOA has many outlets for our members to provide information about relevant trainings and services. We encourage you to select the correct outlet amongst our many offerings:
