As we continue to share stories online via social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must be mindful that we’re showing accurate depictions of our university community that are consistent with UMBC’s health and safety guidelines. Please follow these guidelines in posting photos and videos on accounts affiliated with UMBC.
- While masking is no longer required for much of the campus, it is still required:
- In classes, instructional labs, and academic performance spaces
- During posted hours in the Retriever Activities Center (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.)
- In healthcare settings
- On UMBC Transit
- In additional (limited) designated areas. These policies are subject to change and the most up-to-date information can be found on UMBC’s COVID-19 page.
- When posting photos/videos of any of the designated areas listed above, individuals must be appropriately masked.
- If using archival images of these areas, we ask that you indicate in the accompanying text or on the image/video itself the date of the image/video. This can be as simple as noting “photo from March 2019” or “📷 2019″ (using the camera emoji). You may skip this step if the image or video is immediately linked to a story where it is clearly captioned or described.
- If using photos/videos from somewhere not on UMBC’s campus, defer to and abide by the rules of the location. If it’s a mask-optional location and the image/video depicts individuals with and without masks, you may want to clarify that “masking was optional at this event but strongly encouraged.”
- For images of laboratory research, only use research images where people are wearing necessary safety gear. This may include gloves, masks/respirators, goggles, lab coats, or other items, depending on the lab space and research underway. If it is an instructional lab, masking is required.
- Whenever possible, use captions or additional text to give context about your image or video and the safety precautions being exercised.
- Be sure to respect the comfort level of any individual being featured and refrain from asking or encouraging them to remove their masks.
Above all, please Keep Masks in Mind and have an appropriate, high-quality mask readily available. We want to make sure all those in our community feel safe and comfortable, especially if we plan to showcase them online. For more information about UMBC’s policies, please see our COVID-19 updates page.
We will continue to update these recommendations as needed. Questions? Contact social@umbc.edu.