Social Media and Communications Policy

Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition Social Media and Communications Policy Approved by: Board of Directors October 2026

1. Purpose

   The Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition (BVSC) is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to building, maintaining, and stewarding natural-surface trails in the Buena Vista area. BVSC's social media accounts and other organizational communication channels are its own property, run by volunteers, staff, and paid contractors. BVSC welcomes community input, questions, and criticism, but will not permit its channels to be used to harass, threaten, intimidate, or repeatedly target Board members, volunteers, staff, partners, or other community members. As a private organization, BVSC has broad discretion over its own communication channels. This policy explains how BVSC generally exercises that discretion.

   
   

2. Scope

   This policy applies to BVSC's official social media accounts, website, email accounts, and other communication channels it controls, including comments, replies, and direct messages on those channels. It does not regulate what individuals say on their own accounts or in forums BVSC does not control.

   
   

3. We Value Community Feedback

   BVSC appreciates thoughtful engagement from our community, including feedback that is critical of the organization, its Board, or its projects. Substantive criticism will not be removed solely because of disagreement, and BVSC distinguishes this kind of feedback from harassment, abuse or repetitive complaints that have been heard and addressed or responded to.

   
   

4. Conduct

   BVSC May Moderate BVSC may remove, hide, restrict, or otherwise moderate content or communications on its channels for any reason it considers appropriate, including but not limited to:

   • Personal attacks — content that demeans, insults, intimidates, or harasses an identifiable individual, or that focuses on a person's character, motives, or personal life rather than a substantive issue.

   • Repeated or persistent targeting — a pattern of directing comments, accusations, or arguments at the same individual, including after the matter has been addressed or the individual has asked that contact stop. The Board may weigh the overall pattern of conduct, not just a single communication in isolation.

   • Repeated unwanted contact — repeatedly contacting Board members, volunteers, or staff about the same matter through personal or organizational channels after BVSC has responded or designated a channel for further communication.

   • Provocation — communications that appear primarily intended to provoke, embarrass, or bait a Board member, volunteer, or staff member into a personal dispute.

   • Coordinated harassment — multiple accounts or individuals coordinating to target, overwhelm, or intimidate an individual.

   • Threats or intimidation — any content threatening violence or harm, or reasonably intended to make someone fear for their safety. BVSC may remove this content immediately, preserve evidence, and report it to the platform or law enforcement.

   • Disclosure of personal information — publishing another person's address, phone number, or other private information without permission, particularly where it could facilitate harassment.

   • Repetitive, disruptive, or spam content — posting substantially identical content across multiple threads, automated content, or unrelated commercial solicitation

   • Hate speech or discriminatory content directed at individuals or groups.

   • Obscene or sexually explicit content.

   • Content that violates the applicable platform's own terms or community standards.

     
     

5. Board Discretion and Response

   BVSC may respond to a violation of this policy in whatever way it judges appropriate under the circumstances. Available responses include, but are not limited to, leaving content in place, responding to it, hiding or removing it, warning the individual, directing the individual to a designated communication channel, restricting the individual's ability to comment, or temporarily or permanently blocking the individual. BVSC may block or restrict any individual whose conduct violates this policy. In deciding whether and how to act, the Board or a designated moderator will generally consider the severity of the conduct and whether it reflects an ongoing pattern, but is not limited to any fixed set of factors and need not apply them mechanically. Serious threats, severe harassment, disclosure of personal information, or other conduct presenting an immediate safety concern may result in immediate blocking or other action without prior warning. BVSC may also moderate an entire comment thread — including disabling comments or removing a post — when a discussion has become dominated by harassment, personal attacks, or repetitive accusations.

   
   

6. Communications With BVSC

   BVSC has no obligation to respond to any comment, question, or communication, and may end engagement on any matter at its discretion, including by directing an individual to a designated channel or declining further response to repetitive communications about a matter already addressed. Board members, volunteers, and staff may likewise decline to respond to BVSC-related communications sent to their personal accounts or contact information, and BVSC may direct such communications to an official channel to protect their privacy.

   
   

7. Emergencies and Safety

   Social media is not an emergency communication channel. Individuals should contact appropriate emergency, law-enforcement, or land-management authorities when immediate action is required. BVSC may remove or restrict content that creates a credible safety concern and may preserve or report it as appropriate.

   
   

8. Relationship to Public Agencies

   BVSC may work with the Town of Buena Vista, Chaffee County, land-management agencies, and other public entities. This policy governs BVSC's own channels and does not alter the policies of any governmental entity.

   
   

9. Policy Administration

   The Board of Directors is responsible for interpreting and administering this policy and may amend it at any time to reflect changes in platforms, organizational practice, or the needs of the BVSC community.

   
   

10. Reservation of Rights

    Nothing in this policy limits BVSC’s ability to take other lawful action when circumstances warrant, including reporting threats or other unlawful conduct to the appropriate authorities.