Even with the addition of an email-only option for release forms two years ago, local officers that publish information for their SCA branches (including social media officers, web ministers, chroniclers, and others) have continued to describe the use of release forms as a burden to doing their work.
Given that context, I was excited to hear from the Society Social Media Officer that other forms of written consent can substitute for release forms.
They listed three distinct forms this consent could take:
- a release form,
- a written statement of permission, or
- a hashtag that indicate permission, such as
#sharemysca.
This brings the practices for copyright (photographers and artists) and likeness (models) in line with the existing practices for privacy (personal information), which also can be published after receiving a simpler type of written consent short of a full release form.
I hope that other offices will follow their lead!
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: Society Social Media Officer
Date: 21 September 2024
Good evening, Your Excellency,
Some of the social media officers I’ve spoken to here in the East have grumbled about the hassle involved in getting release forms filled out by photographers and people pictured in photos and videos, and then in keeping track of all of the resulting paperwork, and so I’ve been on the lookout for “success stories” of folks in the Society who are handling this challenge well in hopes that others can learn their techniques.
The Society’s official social media feeds on Instagram and Facebook share a dozen or more photographs every month and I’d love to hear how you manage the associated record-keeping.
Do you generally have people sign paper release forms, or sign the PDF forms electronically, or have them agree to the release via email?
Roughly what proportion of the photos you publish are considered “portrait style” and require a model release?
How do you keep track of all of the release forms you’ve collected over the years?
Thank you so much for any information you’re able to share!
— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
From: Society Social Media Officer
To: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Date: 1 January 2025
Thanks for your patience.
The important thing is to have explicit permission for usage. Some groups have run education campaigns for use of hashtags that indicate the permission of the creator for use or have simply contacted the creator in writing and gained their agreement and kept this as a record. Examples of the hashtags include #regrammysca #sharemysca #regramcalontir
A full release will always be the ideal option but explicit permission from the creator reduces the risk exponentially.
Brigid
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: Society Social Media Officer
Date: 2 January 2025
Thanks so much for that explanation!
It is often simple to get explicit permission from the creator, but significantly more challenging to get them to sign a release form — lowering the bar will make it much easier to collect great-looking material for our social media feeds!
Does this looser “explicit permission” standard only apply to the social media office, or does it also govern other offices such as the webministry?
— Mathghamhain
From: Society Social Media Officer
To: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Date: 2 January 2025
I can’t speak for other offices. This is for social media only.
Just remember you need documented explicit permission – so verbal isn’t enough