Online Safety

The vast majority of online experiences are positive, and the Internet is no less safe -- or no more safe -- than face-to-face, human interactions. However, just as working with people face-to-face brings with it some inherent risks, so too does the Internet. There are, indeed, inappropriate and even harmful activities that are attempted online, such as programmers who create computer viruses that can be transmitted via e-mail and can disable a software program or an entire computer system; people who try to break into computer systems via the Internet to steal confidential information; or individuals who attempt to exploit or harm children, women and others through the Internet.

The key in keeping your organization and those with whom it works safe online is by adapting and enforcing your offline, face-to-face safety guidelines, and the legal standards for such in your country, to Cyberspace. It is up to each individual organization to explore and understand the laws in its country as they apply to working with volunteers and children, and to apply these laws accordingly in working with Online Volunteers.

Other basic tips for staying safe online:

• Keep a record of ALL online exchanges with Online Volunteers.
• Do not share proprietary or confidential information with Online Volunteers, such as systems passwords or bank account numbers.
• Regularly change computer and systems passwords.
• Detail, in writing and in the most expressive terms possible, exactly what is and isn't appropriate behavior by Online Volunteers and your staff working with them. Make sure you communicate these terms to Online Volunteers at the start of their service.
• Communicate to all staff and Online Volunteers exactly what they should do if they receive an inappropriate communication as a result of their association with your organization.
• Do not allow Online Volunteers to interact with each other or those your organization serves without your written approval and, depending on the nature of their work, without your direct online supervision.
• Do not allow youth at your organization to EVER have online exchanges with Online Volunteers outside of a protected, secure, private and fully supervised online communication system, such as a specially-designed password-protected bulletin board that archives all messages and allows you to review and approve messages to youth before they are received by the youth (for more information on designing such a system, see the Virtual Volunteering Project

There are many tips for online safety at these sites, which are not a part of any UN Volunteers web site or publication; these are hosted by other organizations:

• Safety in Online Volunteering Programs
• A Parent's Guide to the Internet
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Privacy
Online Volunteers are obliged to treat all information of their host institution that they encounter during their assignment as proprietary, privileged and confidential, unless told otherwise, in writing, by the host organization. Such information can be of a personal nature, related to staff, volunteers, clients, or other people. It may be institutional information, or perhaps technical data.

The host institution is required to tell the Online Volunteer, in writing, when information is proprietary, privileged and confidential. Failure on the Online Volunteer's part to maintain confidentiality may result in termination of the volunteer's relationship with the host and our Online Volunteering service.

The host organization also guarantees the confidentiality of all information kept about the volunteer. It is prohibited to trade, sell or publicize any contact information of volunteers without the written permission of the individual. Failure on the host organization's part to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the Online Volunteer may result in termination of the organization's relationship with the UN Volunteers program.

Viruses
In the course of your Online Volunteering experiences, you will exchange computer files. To protect your computer from viruses that might go along with such files you MUST have a recent version of anti-virus software installed. It is the responsibility of Online Volunteers and host organizations to obtain anti-virus software and to keep it up to date.

Representation of UNV to External Parties
Organizations and volunteers are asked not to contact each other or someone else on behalf of the United Nations, or any U.N. agency. The Online Volunteer is only allowed to represent the host organization if they have written permission to do so.

UNV Responsibilities to Volunteers and Hosts
UNV facilitates the initial relationship between the host and the Online Volunteer. However, UNV assumes no responsibility for any problems that arise during the assignment, and will not make any referee's decision. UNV will investigate complaints about inappropriate or harmful activities in connection with users of its site, and encourages both Online Volunteers and organizations to share their experiences about both using the this Online Volunteering service web site and working together online. Feedback from volunteers and organizations helps UNV improve its services and provide continuously improving support.

UNV may use personal information in aggregate form that is not personally identifiable, for analytical or statistical purposes. Any other use of personal information (e.g., email addresses for a mailing list) will require documented permission from the individual or organization.

UNV Financial Obligations
No financial obligations are entailed from this service, not from or towards UNV nor between the host and the volunteer. These terms of our policy complete the UNV Privacy page.