Intellectual Property and Social Media Policy for ASP Meetings

ASP is adopting an edited version of American Association of Biological Anthropology (AABA) 2023 policy for the sharing of intellectual property and social media use.

Intellectual Property and Social Media Policy for ASP Meetings

Materials prepared by the presenters together with the content of all oral presentations and poster presentations at the ASP Annual Meeting, whether presented virtually or in person, are the property of the presenters, including sole ownership of his/her/their presentation and all associated rights to use, reproduce, license, distribute or display the presentation. Video and audio recording of oral presentations and poster presentations without the prior written consent of the presenters are prohibited. This prohibition includes capturing or downloading video or audio content of online, virtual presentations without the prior written consent of the presenters. Still images of presentations or parts of posters may be captured for social media distribution unless the presenter opts out, per the following ASP Social Media Policy.

ASP Social Media Policy

ASP recognizes that social media is a common tool for communication at scientific meetings. As ASP’s social media presence grows, we hope to continue to increase the exposure of primatological research conducted by our society members. However, there is a wide range of opinions about the proper use and utility of social media for sharing research. The misuse of this medium can have a negative impact on the Society’s reputation, membership and to nonhuman primates. ASP supports and enforces a formal opt-out model of social media dissemination during our annual meetings.

• If you want to ensure that your presentation is not shared on social media, verbally state you do not want social media dissemination of your research at the beginning of your presentation in addition to adding the appropriate image (no tweeting or no photographs, which includes video) in the lower right corner of your slide, poster board or other graphical content. These images are available to download for free from these websites: (No Tweeting and No Photos).
• If a presenter states their intent for no social media dissemination and has the proper image, no attendee may place photographs, videos or text content of that presentation on any social media source.

If a presenter is concerned that this policy has been violated, we encourage presenters to first ask that social media posts be taken down. If this interaction is not possible, or if the posts are not removed in a timely fashion, presenters should contact the Media and Public Engagement Committee Chair, Katie Gerstner, via email at media@asp.org for additional steps. A violation of this policy that is not rectified voluntarily may be referred to the ASP Board of Directors.

In addition to the formal opt-out policy, there are best practices for social media usage at scientific meetings to which we encourage attendees to adhere. Social media content provides long-lived public access to the conference, the data, and the ideas presented.

These are the guidelines for expected community behavior:

• Always be respectful of a presenter’s wishes to opt-out of social media dissemination.
• Be professional and respectful in your posts. ASP strives to create a supportive environment, especially in criticism. Critiques should be limited, constructive, and to the extent possible communicated personally (e.g., in-person, email, direct message, within session chat functions) rather than publicly broadcast through social media.
• As a primatology society, we are helping to tackle the spread of misinformation about primates as pets and if pictures showing primate handling were posted on our social media accounts, it might be misleading. These are certain guides for presenters to follow to ensure responsible representation of primates in images (IUCN Best Policies Guidelines).
• To increase access, please add alt text to your images (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook), and captions to your videos (auto caption apps).
• Use discretion when creating visual content. Do not share images that may include proprietary data. Images of presenters with their title slides are a good way to advertise your enthusiasm for a presentation without accidentally sharing data.
• If you are active on social media, include your handle(s) and platform(s) in your presentation so that others may more easily credit you. If you are sharing information about a presentation, include those handles and links to the presenter’s webpage or publications, if possible.
• When sharing information about someone else’s presentation, make sure to clearly attribute intellectual content to the presenter (where appropriate).
• Differentiate your opinions from statements made by the presenter.
• Being highlighted on social media is an excellent opportunity for scientists to gain visibility. Try to be mindful as you post to include a diverse representation of scientists and research topics.

These guidelines were prepared by the ASP Media and Public Engagement Committee, chaired by Katie Gerstner, in May 2023. Approved by the ASP Board of Directors on 26 May 2023.