Online Community Guidelines

Overview

Together, we are responsible for making sure the places and spaces stewarded by Build Nova Scotia are safe and welcoming for everyone. This includes our online spaces and social media presence (“online communities”), including but not limited to our Facebook page, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube,  and Instagram accounts (both @BuildNovaScotia and @MyWaterfrontNS).

These online communities are intended to encourage engagement, connection, and conversation. We encourage freedom of speech and sharing of opinions and ideas. We also recognize that members of our online community will encounter differences and disagreements at times.

As a steward of public space and social infrastructure, we are committed to championing a respectful and socially conscious environment. Therefore, we reserve the right to remove any content or comments posted on our website or social media channels at any time for any reason.

Decisions as to whether content violates the Online Community Guidelines will be made at the discretion of Build Nova Scotia at any time after posting. To help ensure a safe and welcoming experience for everyone, below are guidelines for participating in our online communities.

Additionally, Build Nova Scotia’s email communications, website, and microsite content is governed by our Privacy Policy.

Engagement Guidelines

Please refrain from posting material that:

• Contains vulgar, profane, abusive, or hateful language; epithets or slurs; text or illustrations in poor taste; inflammatory attacks of a personal, racial or religious nature; or expressions of bigotry, racism, discrimination, or hate.
  
  
• Is defamatory, threatening, disparaging, inflammatory, false, misleading, deceptive, fraudulent, inaccurate, unfair, contains grossly exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims, violates the privacy rights of any third party, or is unreasonably harmful or offensive to any individual or community.
  
  
• Discriminates on the grounds of any of the protected characteristics under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.
  
  
• Violates or evades any municipal, provincial, or federal law, rule, regulation, or ordinance; or attempts to encourage such a violation or evasion.
  
  
• Unfairly interferes with any third party’s uninterrupted engagement or enjoyment of Build Nova Scotia’s online communities.
  
  
• Advertises or otherwise promotes a candidate for office or political party.
  
  
• Uploads copyrighted or other proprietary material of any kind on Build Nova Scotia’s accounts without the express permission of the owner of that material.
  
  
• Includes images, photos, or articles or other content that constitute, promote, or encourage illegal acts, violation of any right of any individual or entity, violation of any municipal, provincial, or federal law.
  
  
• Uploads or transmits viruses; contains or transmits malicious code; or other harmful, disruptive, or destructive content.
  
  
• Disrupts, interferes with, or otherwise harms or violates the security of Build Nova Scotia, or any services, system resources, accounts, passwords, servers, or networks connected to or accessible through Build Nova Scotia or affiliated or linked sites.
  
  
• Attempts to inflame any individual or entity. For example, sending repeated messages related to another user; making derogatory or offensive comments about employees, community members, or other individuals; or repeating prior posting of the same message under multiple threads or subjects.

Respectful Workplace

People run the social media channels that make up our online communities and their right to a safe and respectful work environment extends to how you interact with our online communities, too.

Harassment, sexual harassment, and discrimination (offensive behaviour) on corporate social media channels or towards any employee’s personal social media accounts will not be tolerated. It is the right of all employees to work in an environment free from harassment, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

Violating Engagement Guidelines

If a post is removed due to violation of these Online Community Guidelines as outlined above, the associated Build Nova Scotia account will notify the user (if available/accessible) via a message and referring the user to a link to these Online Community Guidelines.

If a user repeatedly violates the Online Community Guidelines as outlined above, Build Nova Scotia reserves the right to block and/or report the account in question.