Social Media Terms of Use

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (“CPSO”) uses X, LinkedIn, and YouTube (“active social media accounts”) to share information about CPSO and/or to communicate with our stakeholders. The accounts are managed by CPSO. Some of CPSO’s other social media accounts may be inactive or have been archived. Existing content remains available for informational purposes; however, please note that posts reflect information available at the time of publication and may no longer be current.

CPSO makes reasonable efforts to ensure that content it posts comes from official and approved sources. CPSO welcomes all commentary, opinions, questions and responses on active social media accounts that relate to CPSO or the issue being discussed, and which comply with these ‘Terms of Use’. CPSO endeavours to read all comments posted and to respond where appropriate during its regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). CPSO aims to respond to inquiries within one to two business days, when appropriate and depending on the nature of the request.

Rules for posting content

• CPSO will allow comments and other content from users to appear on or through its active social media accounts, including without limitation, comments and content submitted or posted by any means and in any media (“posting”) unless CPSO determines in its sole discretion that the comments and content:
  • provide information or opinions that are unrelated to CPSO or the issue being discussed;
  • provide personal information or information that may identify a third party;
  • discuss complaints or compliments about a specific physician;
  • relate to a specific individual;
  • discuss an ongoing investigation;
  • make false or unsubstantiated allegations;
  • are or may be aggressive, abusive, obscene, profane, hateful, harassing or threatening;
  • may abuse or infringe any intellectual property right;
  • are or may be defamatory, slanderous or libelous;
  • constitute spam;
  • advertise or solicit business;
  • breach or may breach any CPSO by-law, policy or terms of use (including these Terms of Use);
  • breach or may breach any law, statute, regulation, order, code, standard or rule;
  • are or may be unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.
• CPSO may move to restrict a user’s use of its active social media accounts if CPSO determines in its sole discretion that the user is
  • impersonating another person;
  • allowing any other person to use the user's identification for posting or viewing comments or content;
  • breaching or may breach any CPSO by-law, policy or terms of use (including these Terms of Use);
  • breaching or may breach any law, statute, regulation, order, code, standard or rule;
  • is engaging, or may engage, in activity which is unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.

Content removal and other remedies

• CPSO reserves the right at any time to refuse to post comments and content or to remove comments or content, in whole or in part, that CPSO determines, in its sole discretion, does not comply with these Terms of Use.
• Violation of any element of these Terms of Use can lead to restrictions regarding use of CPSO’s active social media accounts, including without limitation, blocking a user from posting to CPSO’s active social media accounts.
• CPSO’s rights and remedies under these Terms of Use are cumulative and are in addition to and not in substitution for any rights and remedies provided at law, in equity or by statute.
• Please notify CPSO if you see a comment, content, or a use that you think does not comply with these Terms of Use.

Privacy

• Please do not post personal health information or sensitive data. All information posted is public and can be seen by others.

Disclaimers and Agreements

• Social media content is not legal, clinical, or regulatory advice.
• All comments posted are the opinion of the writer, not CPSO.
• Any user who uploads content that CPSO determines contains a virus, is malicious, or facilitates and/or encourages violations of these Terms of Use may have their comments hidden, deleted, or, in severe cases, be blocked by CPSO from one or more of CPSO’s social media accounts.
• By posting comments or content, you are giving CPSO permission to use and distribute those comments and content. For any comments or content you post that is covered by intellectual property rights (“IP Content”), you specifically grant CPSO the non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use IP Content in any manner (including without limitation the right to copy, distribute and make derivative works). You confirm, represent and warrant that you have the right without restriction to post all comments and content (including without limitation all links) posted by you.
• The submitter of comments and content is fully responsible for the comments and content posted; CPSO is in no way responsible for such comments and content nor for any information, references, links, opinions, claims, or advice in such comments and content, nor to collect, review, use, update, edit, retain, return, dispose of, share, circulate, act on, consider, or respond to, any such comments and content.
• CPSO in no way verifies or confirms the accuracy of user comments or any aspect of posted content. CPSO does not review any references or links in any content and is not responsible for any content of any document referred to or site linked.
• Spelling and grammatical errors will not be corrected.
• CPSO will not automatically 'follow' a user back or subscribe to their channel . A decision to 'follow' a user or subscribe to a channel does not constitute endorsement of comments, content, position or perspective.
• Any sharing or re-sharing of links on the part of CPSO does not equate to endorsement.
• Active social media accounts are or involve third-party service providers for CPSO which are not affiliated with CPSO. Users are encouraged to read the terms and conditions of use and the privacy policy of each relevant social media platform.
• By using any of CPSO’s active social media accounts (including without limitation by posting any comment or content), each user agrees to indemnify CPSO regarding and to hold CPSO harmless from any liability, loss, damage or expense, including without limitation professional and other fees and expenses, arising out of such user’s use of any CPSO active social media account and any comments or content posted.