Troop Website Guidelines

Is your troop creating its own Girl Scout website? Below are some guidelines.

You must have a photo release form filled out for any recognizable persons in photos placed on the site. Do not use names with photos, and make sure you blur out any names that may appear on nametags, swim caps, t-shirts, etc. in the photo.

Please keep graphics within a reasonable size. Visitors get frustrated if pages take too long to download. Have someone test your site out to see if things are taking too long. Usually, you should save graphics as .gif files and photos as .jpg files. Resolution for images should be set to 72-96 dpi.

Avoid using trademarks, banner, icons, graphics, or logos from other sites. Any advertisements that appear on web pages (as on "free" website space) should have a disclaimer below it that states "Neither GSUSA nor its council is responsible for the content of any other site linked to this site. The inclusion of any link to such a site does not create or imply any approval or endorsement of that site by GSUSA or its council. GSUSA and its councils make no representations whatsoever as to any other website that you may access through this one." You can make this text very small. You can also use this text where other links to non-GS sites are posted.

If you have links to other areas that you do not maintain personally, you should have a place for girls to take the online safety pledge before having access to these links. These links should be monitored closely for inappropriate messages, advertisements, etc. Do not include links blindly on your site without thoroughly browsing the site to which they refer.

Do not alter the trefoil logo in any way other than changing the color or size (always size proportionally). The trefoil should never be represented without the "Girl Scouts" part underneath, and the words cannot be added separately; they are part of the entire, orginal logo. The logo should not be used as part of a design, i.e., tiled to form a background, rotating or showing any designs behind it. You may make it any color and place it on any solid (or lightly patterned) background.

Be very careful when listing event details. Do not give troop numbers and individuals' names in the same place and do not use last names of girls. Remember, anyone can see this information. No phone numbers if possible. It is much safer to put email addresses on the site, but make sure you have the adult's permission to do so. No personal girl information at any time, including phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, etc.

Never use a messaging system that allows anyone to post information without it first being reviewed. This includes guest books and chat rooms.

If you provide something on your website that requires a plug-in, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, always provide a link to obtain it. If you are not sure how to do this, contact the brand department.

Try to avoid dead-end pages. Every page should at least have a "Back" link so visitors are able to get back to earlier pages. Always include an email contact to whoever manages the site. Visitors like to be able to tell you if there are problems.

Remember that underlining is reserved for hyperlinks. Use bold or large fonts for emphasis.

Copyright code of conduct is the same with websites as it is for publication. A basic principle for graphics and other design is, "if it's not yours, don't use it," even if it is easily downloadable. If you would really like to use something that you did not create, you must obtain written permission to do so from the owner. The same copyright rules apply for music and sound.