Basketball England's Live Streaming Guidance

With the popularity of live streaming ever increasing and with children, young people and adults at risk taking part, it is important to remember that live streaming can be both unpredictable and hard to moderate. Everyone involved in the sport should look to take adequate steps to ensure that no individual is left vulnerable.

Technology is fast moving, new ideas, websites and apps are developed on a regular basis. Live streaming has become increasingly prevalent over the coming years or so due to the ease it brings in showcasing games and events.

Live streaming is a live visual broadcast over the internet.  All you need to be able to live stream is an internet enabled device, like a smart phone or tablet, and a platform (such as website or app) to broadcast on. At the click of a button, you can broadcast anything you are doing across the world without delay or edit.

With the popularity of live streaming ever increasing and with children, young people and adults at risk taking part, it is important to remember that live streaming can be both unpredictable and hard to moderate which is understandably worrying for parents and carers. It is increasingly significant to ensure that all of those involved within a live stream understand what risks children, young people and adults at risk may face and take the practical steps to make an individual’s basketball, and online, experience safer. 

Basketball England has some basic principles when it comes to photography, videos, and images:

• The interests and the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk taking part in basketball are paramount;
• Parents/guardians and children/adults at risk should consent for images to be taken and used;
• Parents/guardians and children/adults at risk have a right to decide if their images are to be taken, and how those images may be used;
• Consent only lasts for one year and is not indefinite;
• Excessive personal information accompanying images could place an child or adult at risk in jeopardy.
• Images should never be taken in changing rooms;
• Images should only be taken by authorised persons,
• All images should be securely stored;
• In the case of images used on websites, care must be taken to ensure that no identifying details facilitate contact with a children/adults at risk by a potential abuser.

By adopting the points highlighted in these guidelines, you will be putting into place the best possible practice to protect children, young people, and adults at risk.

Through working with the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), Basketball England has developed a Live Streaming guidance document for those who run events and games in basketball to use and implement to ensure that no individual involved within basketball is not put at risk. 

The full Live Streaming guidance document can be found below: