Social Media Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This policy provides clear guidelines for all IMA personnel on the responsible, ethical, and lawful use of social media. It applies to all staff, interns, volunteers, and contractors across all global sites (U.S., Peru, Kenya, etc.).

Social media is a powerful tool, but it carries significant risks in a medical and international context. This policy exists to:

• Protect patient privacy and confidentiality.
• Respect the dignity of all community members.
• Uphold IMA’s ethical values and reputation.

These rules apply to all social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, blogs, etc.). Even on personal accounts, if you reference IMA or share experiences obtained through IMA, this policy applies.

2. At a Glance: The 3 Core Rules

When in doubt, follow these three non-negotiable rules.

1. PROTECT PRIVACY: When in Doubt, Act Like HIPAA Applies. Treat all patient and community information as confidential. Never post identifiable health details, diagnoses, or personal stories. IMA’s global standard is to uphold the principles of HIPAA privacy, regardless of your location.
   
   
2. GET INFORMED CONSENT: “No Photo” is the Default. You must get clear, informed consent before posting any identifiable photo or story. If the person is a minor (under 18) or a vulnerable adult, the default answer is no, unless you have explicit written consent from a guardian AND approval from your IMA supervisor.
   
   
3. UPHOLD DIGNITY: Focus on Partnership, Not Pity. Portray everyone with respect. Do not post images that exploit suffering, perpetuate stereotypes, or promote a “savior” narrative. Your posts must reflect collaboration and mutual respect.

3. Protecting Privacy and Confidentiality

The “HIPAA Standard” is Our Global Standard

Patient confidentiality is a core medical ethic. IMA’s standard is simple: You must apply the privacy principles of HIPAA to all patient and community interactions, regardless of the country in which you are located.

This means you must not share any Personal Health Information (PHI) or identifiable details. This includes:

• Patient names, or any part of their name.
• Diagnoses, conditions, or medical procedures.
• Photos that clearly show a patient’s face or distinctive features (such as scars or tattoos).
• Any details that could, in combination, identify a person (e.g., “the village chief’s son who came in with a broken arm today”).

Even if specific U.S. or EU laws (such as HIPAA or GDPR) do not apply in your host country, our ethical policy does. Breaching this confidentiality is a serious violation.

Informed Consent is Mandatory

Posting an identifiable image or story without informed consent is strictly prohibited. Consent is more than a quick “yes”—it means the person understands:

• What you are sharing (e.g., their photo, their story).
• Where it will be shared (e.g., “on my public Instagram, visible to people worldwide”).
• That they have a choice and saying “no” will not affect their care in any way.

If you are ever in doubt about consent, do not post the content.

4. Respectful Portrayal: Dignity, Not Pity

IMA’s mission is based on partnership, not pity. How we portray our work and our partners online is critical.

Avoid Harmful Stereotypes

Be conscious of stereotypes. Posting only images of poverty, illness, or “helplessness” paints an incomplete and demeaning picture of the communities where we work.

• DO: Balance your content by highlighting local professionals, community resilience, and everyday life (with consent).
  
  
• DON’T: Use images that solely showcase suffering, graphic injuries, or destitute conditions to get attention. This is exploitative.

Focus on Collaboration, Not “Saviorism”

We explicitly prohibit content that promotes a “savior” narrative. This is any post that frames volunteers as “heroes” and local communities as “helpless” or “victims.” This narrative is harmful, disrespectful, and false.

• Instead of: “I helped save these poor children today.”
• Try: “I learned so much from the amazing clinical team and the children at the center.”
• Instead of: A photo of yourself as the central figure “saving” passive individuals.
• Try: A photo that highlights the work of local partners or your role as part of a team (with everyone’s consent).

5. Pre-Posting Self-Check

Before you post, ask yourself these questions. If you hesitate on any, do not post.

1. Consent: Do I have clear, informed consent to post this person’s identifiable image or story?
2. Privacy: Does this post contain any confidential health information or personal details?
3. Dignity: Does this post portray the person with dignity? Or could it be seen as exploiting their suffering or vulnerability?
4. Stereotypes: Could this post (or caption) perpetuate a harmful stereotype about this community or country?
5. Motivation: Am I posting this to highlight collaboration, or to make myself look heroic?
6. “Home” Test: Would I post this exact photo and caption if it were taken in a hospital or community in my home country?

6. Best Practices for Sharing Your Journey

We want you to share your experience! Here’s how to do it well:

• Anonymize Your Stories: To talk about what you’ve learned, speak in general terms. Focus on your personal learning (“Today I learned about the challenges of…”) rather than specific patient cases.
  
  
• Highlight Local Partners: Give credit to the local doctors, nurses, and staff you work with. Show them as the skilled professionals they are.
  
  
• Focus on Non-Clinical Content: The safest and often most interesting posts are about your cultural experiences—the food, the landscape, the language, and the adventures you have on your days off.
  
  
• Don’t Vent Publicly: Social media is not the place to resolve conflicts or complain about your placement, colleagues, or the local culture. Use internal IMA channels for these issues.
  
  
• Use a Disclaimer: It’s good practice to have a disclaimer in your bio (e.g., “Opinions are my own and do not represent IMA”). Note: This disclaimer does not exempt you from this policy.

7. Enforcement and Consequences

Adherence to this policy is mandatory. The goal is not to police your account but to protect the people we serve. If this policy is violated, IMA reserves the right to take appropriate action.

• Content Removal: You will be asked to immediately remove any post that violates this policy.
  
  
• Corrective Training: For most first-time issues, our approach is educational. You may be required to complete additional training.
  
  
• Disciplinary Action: Serious or repeated violations (e.g., a major privacy breach or refusal to remove a harmful post) can result in formal reprimand, termination of employment, or immediate dismissal from the internship/volunteer program.
  
  
• Legal Liability: You are personally responsible for any unlawful social media activity. Breaches of privacy can expose you and/or IMA to legal action.

By accepting your position with IMA, you agree to abide by this policy. Thank you for helping represent IMA and the communities we serve with respect and integrity.