1. Purpose
Wired/Different wants online sessions to feel safe, welcoming and genuine. In interactive group sessions, visible participation helps hosts confirm who is present, notice safeguarding concerns and protect the group from people joining for the wrong reasons.
2. Which events use this policy?
Every online event shows its room type before booking.
- Interactive group session — camera required: participants and hosts join with camera on and normally keep it on throughout. Microphones start muted and speaking is optional.
- Interactive event — camera optional by design: this will be clearly marked where the format is intended to work without visible participation.
- Presentation: audience cameras stay off. Chat, reactions and raise-hand remain available. A person invited to speak decides whether to accept and must switch on their own devices.
3. Consent and control
The private setup screen does not record or transmit your preview. In a camera-required session, video begins only when you actively choose Join with camera on. Wired/Different and its hosts cannot remotely switch on your camera or microphone.
4. Adjustments, technical problems and breaks
Tell the host if you have a technical problem, need a brief camera break or need an accessibility adjustment. The team will respond calmly and privately where possible. An agreed adjustment does not require you to explain personal medical information to the whole group.
5. Privacy and recording
- Participants must not record, photograph, screenshot or share another person’s session image, name, chat or contribution without explicit permission.
- Wired/Different does not record sessions by default. Any planned recording needs separate advance notice and appropriate permission.
- Choose a background you are comfortable sharing and avoid showing private information.
6. Respect
No negative comments about someone’s appearance, camera quality, background, movement, eye contact or communication style are accepted. Camera-on means visibly present; it does not mean sitting still, making eye contact, speaking or masking.
7. Identity and moderation
Use the name connected to your booking and cooperate with reasonable identity or safeguarding checks. Hosts can see when a required camera is off. They may check whether help or an adjustment is needed and may remove someone who refuses to follow the policy or whose presence creates a safety concern.
8. Participant pledge
By joining a camera-required session, you agree to keep your camera on unless there is a technical problem, agreed adjustment or brief break the moderator knows about; respect everyone on screen; make no recordings or screenshots; use accurate joining details; and tell a host if you need support.
9. Help and safeguarding
For an adjustment or ordinary help, contact angela@wired-different.co.uk before the session where possible. For a safeguarding concern, contact safeguarding@wired-different.co.uk.
10. Review
This policy is reviewed when the online service, safeguarding practice or room controls materially change.