Close up of a woman pointing a camera

MEETINGS GUIDELINES ON PHOTOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

About the guidelines

The Meetings Code of Conduct and  AGU Scientific Integrity and Ethics Policy [PDF] provide overall guidance for all meeting attendees and participants in the scientific community. However, AGU has specific guidelines for the use of social media and photography at all AGU meetings. We ask meetings participants, including those at AGU Fall Meeting, to follow the guidelines outlined below.

Learn more about AGU’s guidelines on photography and social media, last updated in 2018.

AGU's Ethics Policy

AGU members and authors of AGU publications must adhere to the AGU Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics Policy.

VIEW THE POLICY

Social media guidelines and best practices

We welcome social media use at AGU meeting, including live tweeting. Use includes all public settings such as the exhibit hall and receptions, and scientific settings such as oral and poster sessions, lectures, keynotes, and town halls.

In particular, we ask social media users to adhere to the following:

A man and a woman look at a phone with a Welcome to Fall Meeting banner behind them
  • 1
    Use the appropriate meeting hashtag, e.g. #AGU20 for Fall Meeting 2020.
  • 2
    Employ commonly used hashtags that relate to the content to increase engagement.
  • 3
    Treat all participants, attendees, AGU staff, and vendors with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity of views and opinions.
  • 4
    Be respectful and collaborative; communicate openly and with respect for others, critiquing ideas rather than individuals.
  • 5
    Avoid personal attacks directed toward other attendees, participants, AGU staff, and suppliers/vendors.
  • 6
    Credit (identify) presenters by name.
  • 7
    Do not take or share photographs of individuals under 18 on social media without explicit verbal or written permission of a parent or guardian.
Person holding phone with social media on screen

Photography guidelines and best practices

Photography by individuals for personal use and for social media is allowed at social events, in the Exhibit Hall and in public spaces throughout AGU Meetings is permitted. Additional uses of photography at AGU Meetings are permitted as of 8 December 2018 with the following guidelines:
  • 1
    Photography for personal and social media use is permitted throughout AGU meetings – including sessions, lectures, town halls, plenaries and keynotes – unless the presenter has opted to be excluded.
  • 2
    Attendees are expected to honor the preference of any presenter who has indicated “no photo.” AGU will support and enforce this expectation.
  • 3
    The presenter must be identified by name when a photograph of the presenter, presenter’s slides, or  poster is shared on social media or elsewhere.
  • 4
    Attendees should be respectful and considerate of others. Do not use flash, block attendees view of presenters when capturing photos, or otherwise disrupt presentations.
  • 5
    Do not photograph individuals under 18 years of age without explicit verbal or written permission of a parent or guardian. If in doubt, ask.
     
Dark image with person using phone and dark screen

Photography permission

Permission is understood to be granted unless the following conditions apply:

  • The presenter has affixed a “no photo” image provided by AGU to the poster or presentation; or their own “no photo” image or language.
  • The presenter, and/or the convener on behalf of the presenter, explicitly states to the audience their preference for no photographs.

Due to the fact that attendees often come in and out of the room during sessions, AGU recommends that presenters affix the “no photos” image provided by AGU on all slides to ensure that attendees are aware of the presenter’s preference.


woman explaining poster to woman in poster hall

Limits to audio and video recording

Audio and video recording by individuals for personal use and for social media use is allowed only at social events, in the Exhibit Hall and in public spaces throughout the meeting. Audio and video recording can be disruptive to the presentation and the attendees, and in addition, there are legal considerations that preclude attendees from making recordings.

The AGU GO program provides a controlled avenue for sharing science and presentations from the meeting. Video of selected sessions and lectures are made available free of charge to everyone.

The following limitations and exceptions apply to audio/video recording:



Young boy explaining poster to adult
  • 1
    Recording of all sessions, named or public lectures, town halls, plenaries and keynotes is not allowed for personal, social media, or any other use.
  • 2
    Be respectful and considerate of others. 
  • 3
    Do not record individuals under 18 years of age in any setting without permission of their parent or guardian. If in doubt, ask.
  • 4
    AGU staff and contractors who capture content from selected sessions, lectures, keynotes and town halls are excluded from this prohibition.
Woman is interviewed on camera at Fall Meeting