Article XII.  Rules and Guidelines for the Internet

The Internet is perhaps the most important communications tool available to the Church and her presence will remain substantial and provide all members with information and instruction through its technology.  The term ‘virtual’ when applied to the Church’s administration admits that light-speed dialogue and interpersonal dynamics are not bound by geography or language.

The domain name inclusiveorthodox.org is reserved to the Inclusive Orthodox Church, a Corporation Sole.  As with the use of the Church’s name and crest, which are revocable privileges given by the apostolic president, so is the presence on the Internet in an official capacity of all provinces, vicariates, missions and their respective bishops, vicars apostolic, missionaries, abbots or abbesses, and all other clergy of the Church.

The Church’s web master shall have the exclusive privilege of using the domain name and the format and content of any and all pages under that domain name.  The web master shall also have discretion over any and all links to websites outside of the inclusiveorthodox.org domain.

All provinces, vicariates and missions are required to use the inclusiveorthodox.org domain for all matters relating to the Church and may not establish independent domain names or websites or utilize other domains or web sites than those which are authorized and on which are placed the Church’s name or crest.  Personal websites may not be linked to the domain name inclusiveorthodox.org.

The name and crest are not to be used on privately published works, brochures or personal web sites.  Reference to one’s religious affiliation for the purpose of professional credibility, curriculum vitae, and resume are allowed.

The apostolic president’s office of communication, through the web master reserves the sole right to approve, edit, amend, change and make all uploads of web pages on the worldwide Internet.  This means that no entity of the Church can have an independent presence on the Internet and must submit in electronic format all material it wishes to appear to the apostolic president directly.

Each province, vicariate and mission is allowed one web page on the Church’s site.  Additional web pages may be requested for an annual fee, which considers web page design, maintenance and associated Internet service provider costs.

It is the communications policy of the Church to control the use of its name, crest and all other means of identification to ensure globally consistent, high standards of public relations.  All provinces, vicariates, missions and other Church entities are prohibited from their use in any and all external publications, written, visual and in electronic format and from use and reference to the global leadership, collectively and by name, to infer endorsement by the Church of any statement, policy or position, product or any other thing without the written consent of the apostolic president, who with his executive council will review each request.

Communications internal to provinces, vicariates, missions and other entities for the purposes of congregational publicity and religious education may use the Church’s name and crest without such authorization, so long as its purpose is internal publicity or education.

The Inclusive Orthodox Church name and crest may be used on both business stationery and professional business cards and for other purposes as outlined in the canon.  However, both the name and crest are internationally protected copyrights, trademarks and service marks of the Inclusive Orthodox Church, a Corporation Sole and perpetually remain the property of the apostolic president and all his successors.

The apostolic president reserves the right to rescind the privilege of using the name and crest of the Church, in which case the individual or group must cease and desist from use of both the name and crest under penalty of law.

Return to Article XI.  Monasteries & religious institutions

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