CONSUMER REPORTS
SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization that proudly supports the right of all people to freely—and respectfully—exchange ideas about important issues affecting consumers. We aim for every participant to feel welcome in each of the dialogue and learning experiences we create.
CR has adopted these engagement guidelines to help ensure that our social media interactions are safe spaces that reflect our values of equity, inclusion, and fairness for all consumers. They describe the behavior we expect from all who participate in our social media interactions with people inside and outside of CR.
Creating inclusive and respectful social media interactions also means addressing harmful, abusive, and harassing behavior directed at our colleagues, partners, fellows, and other participants. When these things happen, we reserve the right to take action, such as removing inappropriate comments, or reporting and blocking a user from our channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
Expected Behavior
All participants on Consumer Reports social media platforms agree to:
- Be respectful of others. Understand that people have different experiences and views.
- Share your own perspectives and stories.
- Focus on the topic or related content posted.
- Do not make personal attacks or comments about another person’s identity, appearance, voice, or any other personal trait.
Unacceptable Behavior
Behavior such as bullying, harassment, intimidation, and aggression will not be tolerated on any of CR’s social media platforms. Examples of unacceptable behavior include:
- Derogatory language that excludes or demeans a person based on their identity or traits (real or perceived). Examples: Asking where a CR staffer, journalist, partner, or interviewee is “really from.” Saying you can’t understand a speaker because of their accent. Deliberately using the wrong pronoun to refer to an individual. Using sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ageist, or ableist language. Posting personal insults.
- Aggressive expressions directed at CR staff members, partners, or other people.
- Disruptive, off-topic comments during live social media events.
- Bullying, including repeated comments of a threatening, intimidating, or harassing nature.
Other examples of unacceptable behavior include solicitation or the use of Consumer Reports’ name or community to promote personal business or financial interests.
Ways to Engage
We greatly appreciate community input and feedback. If you enjoy our social media content and articles, we hope you would consider showing your support by:
- Liking or sharing the post to help us reach and inform more people.
- Posting a comment or question for our journalists and experts.
- Leaving us a comment or direct message (DM) if our posts help you make a decision on a product or service.
Also, if you witness or experience unacceptable behavior at any point, send us a DM or email at socialmedia@cr.consumer.org. We reserve the right to remove, hide, mute, block, and report to social media platforms any language that is inconsistent with our Engagement Guidelines.
Thank you - your involvement plays an essential role in our vision of a fair and just marketplace for all.
