Effective Date: February 25, 2026

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1. Purpose and scope

This policy explains how the campaign to elect Jeff Thompson (“Candidate”) as the council representative for the City of Fredericton Ward 10 (“Campaign”) uses social media and digital platforms, how the Campaign uses tools, including Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) to prepare content, and how the Campaign moderates public replies to keep discussions respectful and safe. This policy applies to the Campaign’s public-facing digital spaces, including but not limited to: Facebook Page, Instagram, Substack, Wix Website, and any associated comment threads, direct messages, and community features (collectively the "Platforms").

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2. Our commitment to respectful civic dialogue

The Campaign welcomes disagreement but does not tolerate abuse. The Campaign’s goal is to keep these channels useful for residents: sharing information, hearing concerns, and having honest conversations about local issues. The Campaign will moderate in a way that prioritizes safety, basic decency, and the ability for others to participate without intimidation.

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3. Use of AI and Digital Tools (transparency and accountability)

The Campaign may use digital tools, including AI-enabled tools, to help prepare content. This can include tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, Canva AI, and Meta AI. AI and similar tools may be used for: i) research support (e.g., summarizing public documents, generating questions to investigate, outlining issues); ii) drafting assistance (e.g., first drafts of posts, edits for clarity and tone); iii) grammar and readability improvements; iv) content formatting (e.g., turning long notes into concise posts); v) image/video support (e.g., generating layout ideas, captions, thumbnails, or short clips). What AI will not do: vi) replace the Campaign’s judgment, values, or the Candidate’s accountability for what is published; vii) serve as the final authority on facts; viii) provide legal advice or substitute for official information. Even when AI tools are used, the Campaign remains responsible for the final content, and it will aim to verify factual claims using primary sources where possible (official government pages, meeting agendas/minutes, legislation, audited reports, direct statements). Should they occur, the Campaign will correct material errors when found or brought to the Campaign’s attention. The Campaign will not use AI to impersonate real people or misrepresent real events. If AI media is used for illustrative purposes, it will be labeled.

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4. Community standards for comments and replies

You are welcome to comment, question, and criticize. However, comments or replies may be removed if they include any of the following: i) threats of violence or harm, or encouragement of violence; ii) harassment, bullying, intimidation, or targeted abuse; iii) hate speech, slurs, or discriminatory attacks (race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc.); iv) obscene, graphic, or sexually explicit content; v) defamation (false statements presented as fact that damage someone’s reputation); vi) doxxing or sharing personal information (addresses, phone numbers, private emails, private workplace details, etc.); vii) spam, scams, impersonation, or repetitive flooding of threads; viii) content that encourages illegal activity; ix) malicious misinformation designed to deceive (as distinct from honest disagreement or uncertainty). These categories are consistent with how public institutions frame unacceptable content in their online engagement rules.  

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5. Moderation process (how removals happen)

When content is removed, the Campaign may add a brief note such as: “a comment was removed for violating the page’s community standards.” The Campaign will not identify or quote the removed commenter. If a post appears to include credible threats, harassment, stalking, or intimidation, the Campaign may also: i) report the content to the Platform authorities; ii) preserve screenshots/records for documentation; iii) contact appropriate authorities when necessary. Online threats and harassment can have legal consequences in Canada, and the Campaign will treat safety seriously.  There is no obligation to host all speech as these are privately administered channels (even when used for public discussion). Participation is welcome, but it is not unconditional.

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6. Access levels, restrictions, blocking, and bans

To keep channels functional and safe, the Campaign (and/or Platform administrators) may use tools provided by the Platforms to manage access and participation. This can include: i) limiting who can comment on certain posts; ii) using Platform lists or controls (e.g., friends/acquaintances, follower-only features, comment filters); iii) temporarily restricting a user (time-outs); iv) blocking or banning accounts after repeated misuse, harassment, threats, or persistent rule-breaking. Where practical, the response will be proportionate: warnings or deletions for first issues, stronger action for repeated or severe misconduct. Severe threats may result in immediate blocking and reporting. Moderation decisions are made in the Campaign’s sole discretion and may be applied differently depending on context, volume, and safety risk. Typical escalation is: hide/delete → warn → restrict → block/ban; severe threats may skip steps.

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7. Privacy, data residency, and no guarantee of confidentiality.

Public comments are public. If you post, reply, react, share, or message on these Platforms, you should assume there is no guarantee of privacy. In particular: i) the Campaign does not control how Platforms store, process, analyze, or reuse content and metadata; ii) the Campaign cannot guarantee data residency in Canada. Your content and data may be transmitted, stored, or processed outside Canada, depending on the Platform’s systems and policies; iii) Platform terms of service and privacy policies apply in addition to this campaign policy. Do not send the Campaign sensitive personal information by direct message. If you do, the Campaign may delete the message, may inform you of the deletion, and may direct you to a safer channel. The Campaign cannot guarantee the confidentiality, retention, or security of information sent by direct message.

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8. Personal information and consent

Please do not share sensitive personal information in public comments that might include your civic address, your phone number, private disputes, or anyone else’s personal details. If you need to share something sensitive, use a private channel. If you post personal information about another person, it may be removed to protect safety and privacy.

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9. Legal framework

This policy is governed by the laws of New Brunswick and the laws of Canada applicable thereto. Comments that appear defamatory, threatening, harassing, or that disclose personal information may be removed and may be reported or preserved where safety or legal concerns arise.  

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10. Corrections and updates

If the Campaign publishes something materially incorrect, it will aim to correct it in a visible way (edit notes, a follow-up post, or a correction in-thread, where reasonable). This policy may be updated as the campaign evolves, Platform tools change, or risks emerge. The current version date will always appear at the top.

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11. Contact

If you believe your content was removed in error, or you want to flag threatening or abusive behavior, you may contact the Campaign through the website contact form or by e-mail at: contact@ward10together.ca.