Click HERE to download the Guidelines for Virtual Meetings

Guidelines for Video Meetings

Protocol for entering and staying in video meetings using platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, etc. and video meetings in which members can attend either by video or telephone.

a. Attendance only by video

1. In order to enter the meeting, members should first be placed in a “waiting room” if the platform has this type of functionality. The purpose of the waiting room is to quickly determine the identity of the attendees and let them into the meeting either one at a time or en masse. When the waiting room feature is utilized, it is recommended that the meeting consider having at least two facilitators, one to monitor the waiting room and one to facilitate the meeting.

2. If the platform does not have this type of functionality, the meeting secretary or facilitator must assume the duty of identifying all attendees before the meeting begins as well as any attendee who arrives after the meeting has begun.

3. Attendees who are not known to the waiting room facilitator should be further questioned as to the reason for their attendance. If they identify themselves as compulsive gamblers in need of a meeting or new members, they should be taken at their word and admitted to the meeting. The nature of the meeting (open or closed) will also determine the admission of those other than compulsive gamblers, and the final say on admission will rest with the waiting room facilitator.

4. If anyone refuses to identify themselves to the waiting room facilitator, they should immediately be dropped from the waiting room.

5. The meeting, through a group conscience, may elect to have all attendees turn their cameras off.

6. If #5 above does not occur, attendees should still be given the option of turning off their cameras and appearing on screen as a “placeholder” or avatar.

7. Attendees should caption their pictures, “placeholders”, or avatars with their first name and last initial only or any other caption that masks their true identity.

8. Virtual backgrounds that may camouflage others who are sharing the member’s meeting space should not be used.

b. Attendance by telephone

1. Members who wish to attend a video meeting by telephone must be screened using the same methods as above so their identity is known to the waiting room facilitator and/or meeting facilitator.

2. Callers who refuse to identify themselves or whose caller ID is either blocked or shows “anonymous” shall not be allowed to attend.

c. Operation

1. Announcements that should be read before each and every meeting (if not included in that meeting’s customary announcements)

2. There will be absolutely no video or audio recording of any kind, including screenshots.

3. Our meeting facilitators have done everything humanly possible to ensure that this is a secure meeting. However, because of the nature of the media we are working with, we cannot guarantee absolute security and thus, anonymity. Therefore, we ask that members not discuss…

4. Any crimes for which they may still be prosecuted.

5. Anything of such a sensitive nature that it could potentially harm that member or any other members should that information be surreptitiously recorded and leaked.

Miscellaneous

i. Members who are especially concerned about their anonymity are invited to turn their cameras off and/or change their screen name. It is suggested that the same process of identification in physical meetings should take place in virtual meetings (i.e. First Name, First Initial of Last Name. No other form of identification should be allowed. If a someone does not change their format, then they should be removed from the meeting.)

ii. The following should be inserted before any attendees can come into the meeting:
When using digital media, members are responsible for their own anonymity and the anonymity of other members. By participating in this virtual meeting, you agree that you may not save, record, share or post this meeting or any photos/videos from this meeting. By breaking anonymity in this meeting, you may inadvertently break the anonymity of others. All statements made in this meeting should remain in this meeting. Who you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.  Thank you!

iii Representation: In the event a digital meeting wants to be identified as a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, the committee recommends the meetings to join an Intergroup / Regional Service Office to represent them. That Intergroup / Regional Service Office will than inform the I.S.O. of the meetings information. That meeting will then have all the rights and responsibilities of a physical meeting.

iv Slides / Literature. Only approved Gamblers Anonymous Literature may be displayed. This is not up to Group Conscience / Vote. Any literature displayed has to be purchased from the I.S.O. in digital form. No other program, religious or offensive (pornographic) material may be displayed. If a member does display this type of material, it is the responsibility of the meeting facilitator(s) to remove said member from the meeting.

v. Monetary Contributions. Every digital meeting should have the ability to collect money from members just as the physical meetings can. A treasurer should be appointed and then an appropriate venue (PayPal, Venmo etc. can be used to collect contributions.). Anonymity has to be remembered here, so that all past and future contributions are not displayed.

Hybrid Meeting

A Hybrid Meeting is defined as follows: Any meeting that has any combination of both physical and virtual meeting elements is considered a Hybrid Meeting.

A hybrid meeting should have the feeling  of a physical or virtual meeting and has to follow the same rules and procedures and guidance code elements.

A hybrid meeting is considered an approved GA meeting.