United Grand Lodge of England
Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, LondonWC2B 5AZ
Telephone: 0207831 9811 Fax: 0207831 6021
Internet web site
The Board of General Purposes has recognised that the Internet can be a major tool in the process of better informing the public about Freemasonry. It also recognises that the lack of control over access to and the placing of information on the Internet may cause problems. Following representations from Provinces and individual lodges (and Chapters in the Royal Arch) the Board has agreed a Code of Practice for web sites.
There is no objection to Provinces, Districts or individual Lodges (or Chapters) setting up web sites, but to ensure accuracy and consistency on policy matters the material to be used should be forwarded to the Grand Secretary for approval in advance of its use. Approved material will then have the right to carry a `Charter Mark' or a simple statement of approval on each of the approved pages.
Web sites of a Masonic nature or which include Masonic materiai which are established by or in connection with Provinces, Districts, Lodges, Chapters or individual brethren, which contain material which is considered by Grand Lodge to be injudicious or contrary to Grand Lodge policy, will be required to amend or remove . this material. Refusal or dilatory response would render the Masonic parties involved subject to Masonic discipline.
The use of email for Masonic correspondence raises questions of security, protocol, capital costs and staffing. An advisory committee is investigating and will report to the Board. Until such time as the Board has formulated its policy communications with Grand Lodge should be by post, fax or telephone and should observe longstanding protocols.
Code of Practice for Masonic Web sites
1.Provinces, District, Lodges and individuals under the United Grand Lodge of England, and their equivalents under the Supreme Grand Chapter of England, who wish to establish Masonic web sites should submit their proposed content to the Grand Secretary for approval before they are brought into use.
2.Sites which are already in existence are invited to apply for approval.
3.Pages on a site which have been officially approved will be entitled to carry on each approved page:
a) the statement `This page has been approved by the United Grand Lodge of England', or
b) a small representation of the Arms of Grand Lodge with the statement `Approved by UGL of E' (available from the Communications Department of Grand Lodge)
4.As Grand Lodge does not endorse the writings of individuals, pages giving the texts of talks, addresses, orations etc by individuals or extracts from books, pamphlets, journals, newspapers etc will not be entitled to carry any form of Grand Lodge approval.
5.It should be remembered that web sites are available to any member of the public world wide and care should be taken that views put forward reflect Grand Lodge policy. Any web site produced by a unit under the United Grand Lodge of England will be seen as a reflection of that body regardless of who has set it up.
6.Names, addresses and personal details of living individuals, or photographs of them, must not be entered on the web site without their written permission.
7.A web site for a Lodge of Chapter may not be set up by an individual without the agreement of the Lodge or Chapter concerned.
8. Lodge or Chapter summonses, which contain personal details, may not be posted on the open pages of the web site, though there would be no objection on a `news' page to commenting on what in general is to happen at the next meeting e.g. elections, a talk or which ceremony is to be worked (without giving the candidates details). Similarly, Lodge or Chapter minutes may not be posted on open pages.
9.Care should be taken to ensure that the web site is kept up to date.
10. Care should be taken over the inclusion of copyright material. Copyright subsists not only in the printed word (not just books but also newspapers, magazines and pamphlets) but also in `images' (photography and art works). If such material is
to be used the copyright holder's permission must be sought. Failure to do so can lead to prosecution.
11.If a web site includes a `visitors book' or `comments page' these should be carefully monitored and any items including profanity, religious, political or antiMasonic comments should be removed as soon as possible.
12. If a web site is to provide links to other Masonic web sites the bona fides of these web sites should be checked with the Grand Secretary's office.
Appendix 1
Suggested content of a Provincial/District web site
a)a `welcome page' detailing the name of the Province/District, details of geographical coverage (e.g. a map showing meeting places), contact details for further information
b) details of the Provincial Executive
c)details of the Province's meeting places and which lodges meet there
d) a brief history/chronology of the Province, historical figures connected with the Province etc
e)Masonic news at (a) national and (b) local levels f)diary of events
g) official statements etc from Grand Lodge on `hot' topics h) the Provincial Newsletter
Appendix 2
Suggestions for a Lodge / Chapter web site
a) welcome page detailing the name of the lodge, its badge, location, meeting dates and a contact for further information
b) a brief history of the lodge (including meeting places)
c) diary of .future events - Masonic and social
d) Lodge news (remembering that individuals can only be referred to with their written agreement).