The EVZ Foundation has a social media presence on the channels Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok YouTubeLinkedIn, Bluesky and Mastadon with its own accounts. It also operates the EVZ Academy – A Platform for Learning and Networking. The following “netiquette” applies to the communication on our social media channels and the EVZ Academy.

1. Respectful interaction

When contributing to a conversation, always maintain a fair, courteous tone and stay objective: always treat other users the way you yourself would like to be treated. Please do not forget that behind every user there is a human being. Never direct personal attacks or arguments against someone to prove your point. Let others have their opinion; do not try to impose your point of view on others. We will delete comments with the following content and, if necessary, report them to the respective social media operator:

  • Insults
  • Slander
  • Obscenities
  • Personal attacks
  • Instigation to violence
  • Racist, anti-Semitic, sexist or homophobic/transphobic statements
  • Comments using vulgar, abusive or hateful language
  • Comments that infringe on third-party rights or violate copyright law.

2. Relevance to the topic

Please check your comments to make sure they are relevant to the topic. We will remove posts and comments that have absolutely nothing to do with the article posted as well as repeated posts of the same comment.

3. Misuse

The misuse of the various social media channels as advertising space for other websites or services or for commercially or privately offering goods and services is not permitted; we will delete such improper use or report the comment. The posting of content, information, software or other material that violates existing laws is prohibited.

4. Quotes and images

If you wish to incorporate a quote in your comment, please also specify the source and the author. Only quotes and sources that can be verified by other users should be used. Bear in mind when you post images that you must have the rights to them. When you provide links to external websites, please do so as sparingly as possible.

5. Responsibility

We are not responsible for our users' comments; the users themselves are responsible. By posting a comment, the author gives the EVZ Foundation the right to keep the comment on the social media channels indefinitely.

6. Violations of these comment rules

As the operators of this social media channels, we do not tolerate violations of the comment rules listed here. We reserve the right to delete or report comments at any time, if necessary also without giving any reasons. By interacting on the EVZ Foundation's social media channels, you acknowledge and accept these guidelines. Violations of the general laws and regulations may result in exclusion from our social media channels, in serious cases, entail legal consequences.

These comment rules are based on the publicly accessible netiquette published by the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.