FGS 2011 – Social Media Policy

FGS recently posted their social media policy to their website. I was very happy to see that they are allowing attendees to engage in various forms of social media like Twitter, Facebook, and live blogging about the speakers and conference highlights. In fact it is encouraged. This is a nice change from the last conference I went to that did not allow any cell phone use at all.

Click here to view the Social Media Policy

They were also very clear about certain grey areas like photographs – they ask that you request the speaker’s permission before photographing them – and that you do not use flash photography; they also clarify that cell phones do not have to be turned OFF, but merely that the ringer should be turned off so as not to interrupt the presentation. Lastly, the social media policy clarified that although snippets and highlights are allowed to be broadcast, the speaker should be properly cited or credited, and presentation materials should not be reproduced “in full” during the conference.

Now will all of this even be possible? Paula recently posted a blog post to the FGS Conference Highlight blog about how a couple of co-chairs went around and tested these features in the conference center and the Starbucks across the street. It worked for them but you never know what happens when a couple thousand technology-savvy genealogists come along!

So make sure you get your Tweet on at FGS 2011!

You can follow my highlights on Twitter at Smitty327 or search for the hashtag #fgs2011.