WMAA34 WEBSITE COMMITTEE
This website is based on the AA
principles and traditions along with help from AA members, groups, districts,
area assembly, the website committee and the AA world services guidelines. It is
just another service to help the members of AA, and those still looking for the
answers, and help AA provides. With your help and suggestions may we
always strive to make it the best it can be.
GUIDELINES FROM AA WORLD
SERVICES
FAQ About A.A. Web Sites
1. Q. How do we start to set up a local A.A. Web site?
A. Decisions in the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous are usually made
through an informed group conscience and the decision to post a web page is no
different. Whether area or district, central office or intergroup – A.A.
experience suggests forming a committee to discuss all aspects of setting up a
web site, including all possible concerns about the Traditions.
Early on, it is important to agree upon a method for gathering the group
conscience of the local A.A community, and to inform local groups, districts,
areas and central/intergroup offices (if affected) about the committee’s
progress. When the committee has reached a consensus, its findings are shared
with the whole group (district, area, etc.) and a decision is made through an
informed group conscience vote. It is then that the actual work on the web site
can begin. It is helpful to remember that there is no need to let the speed of
this technology dictate the speed of our actions. Technical questions regarding
this communication method will need to be answered by experts in that field.
2. Q. Who is responsible for a web site?
A. A thoughtful and informed group conscience is encouraged to be responsible
for deciding the contents, policy and procedures involved in setting up and
maintaining a web site. It has been suggested that a web master (web manager) be
appointed or elected to serve as a trusted servant, responsible to the committee
or groups served. This can be an arduous task if the web master is responsible
for updating local meeting information.
3. Q. How do we select a domain name for our web site?
A. What you choose for your domain name should, again, be determined by the
group conscience. To preserve Alcoholics Anonymous’ trademarks and service
marks, individuals and A.A. groups are asked to avoid using these marks (“A.A.”;
“Alcoholics Anonymous”; “The Big Book”) in their domain names. It has been our
experience that many service entities have integrated lower case “aa” into their
domain name along with other identifying information (e.g.
www.aacentraloffice.org or www.area999aa.org).
4. Q. What A.A. information is suitable for a web site?
A. Again, the group conscience will determine the contents. Copyright
restrictions apply to material displayed on the web site – just as copyrights
protect A.A. literature. Permission must be obtained from G.S.O. prior to
including A.A.W.S. material on your web site. However, web sites created by A.A.
areas, districts and central/intergroup offices are permitted to quote a phrase,
sentence or brief paragraph excerpted from A.A. literature – such as the Big
Book (Alcoholics Anonymous), Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, The A.A.
Service Manual, and Conference-approved pamphlets – without a prior, written
request to do so. When this occurs, the proper credit line should be included to
ensure that the copyrights of A.A. literature are protected. After a quotation
from a book or pamphlet, the credit line should read: “Reprinted from (name of
publication, page number), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.”
The A.A. Preamble is copyrighted by the A.A. Grapevine. Beneath it, and
beneath any article or cartoon reprinted from the Grapevine, these words should
appear: “From the (date) Grapevine. Reprinted with permission of The A.A.
Grapevine, Inc.” If you wish to include items on your web site that are
currently available on the G.S.O. or Grapevine web site, we suggest that you
link to the appropriate pages of those sites.
Again, aside from web sites created by A.A. areas, districts and
intergroups/central offices, all others wishing to include A.A. material on
their web sites must request permission from G.S.O. to do so.
5. Q. Who pays for a web site?
A. In keeping with our Seventh Tradition, A.A. pays its own expenses and this
applies in cyberspace A.A. as well. Free web hosting sites are available on the
Internet, but often require the inclusion of mandatory advertising space or
links to commercial sites as consideration for their use. To avoid confusion and
to guard against inadvertent association or promotion, care should be taken in
selection of the web host site.
6. Q. What about linking to other sites?
A. Linking to other A.A. web sites will often have the positive effect of
significantly broadening the scope of your site. Information contained on these
sites becomes instantly available to those visiting your site. However, since
each A.A. entity is autonomous and has its own group conscience, a site to which
you have linked may start to display information which your group conscience
finds objectionable; and there is no way to know when this might occur, or to
prevent it from happening. Linking to non-A.A. sites is even more problematic.
Not only are they much more likely to display non-A.A. and/or controversial
material, but linking might imply endorsement, if not affiliation, regardless of
the contents. In the final analysis, experience strongly suggests that, when
considering linking to another site, one must proceed with caution.
At G.S.O. we have attempted to avoid some of these pitfalls by confining our
links to known A.A. service entities, and by incorporating a mandatory exit from
our site. The mandatory exit applies even in those cases when someone wishes to
activate any of the links we have included on our site. Additionally, we post a
prominent notice to that effect.
7. Q. What about anonymity?
A. We observe all A.A.’s principles and Traditions on our web sites. As
anonymity is the “spiritual foundation of all our Traditions,” we practice
anonymity on A.A. web sites at all times. An A.A. web site is a public medium
which has the potential for reaching the broadest possible audience and,
therefore, requires the same safeguards that we use at the level of press, radio
and film.
8. Q. Will the General Service Office of A.A. act as a “clearinghouse” for
local web sites?
A. There is no central authority in Alcoholics Anonymous, hence, the General
Service Office of A.A. is not a “clearinghouse” for local web sites. Questions
regarding the Traditions, contents, linking, etc. are determined by a local
group conscience. G.S.O. is available to share collected experience on any
subject, including web sites. At this point, though, G.S.O. has only limited
sharing from local web site committees regarding their experience with matters
which are unique to web site creation.
9. Q. What can be found on G.S.O.’s A.A. Web site (www.aa.org)?
A. In keeping with our Twelve Traditions and viewing the Internet as a form
of public and electronic media, G.S.O’s A.A. Web site was originally set up as a
public information tool. It has been broadened to include material that are more
directed to members of our Fellowship. The site provides accurate and consistent
information about Alcoholics Anonymous to the general public, media and
professionals in English, French and Spanish.
10. Q. How many people visit G.S.O.’s A.A. Web Site?
A. In 2001, the Web site was visited 1,437,590 times, which is an average of
approximately 4,000 visits daily.
11. Q. Is this promotion rather than attraction?
A. As our co-founder, Bill W., wrote: “Public information takes many forms –
the simple sign outside a meeting place that says ‘A.A. meeting tonight’;
listing in local phone directories; distribution of A.A. literature; and radio
and television shows using sophisticated media techniques. Whatever the form, it
comes down to ‘one drunk carrying the message to another drunk,’ whether through
personal contact or through the use of third parties and the media.”
The needs and experience of people in your own area, large or small, urban or
rural, will affect what you decide to do. If you have further questions do not
hesitate to contact our office at:
General Service Office
P.O. Box 459
Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163 (212) 870-3400
FROM AA WORLD SERVICES WEBSITE
http://www.aa.org/default/en_services_aa.cfm?pageid=31
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