SSAA NSW

YouTube, Facebook and the future of shooting The use of social media is a wonderful way to share the fun and excitement of our beloved shooting sports with the world. With it we can convey the joy that we find not only with words and still pictures but with video evidence of our skill in action. It can also be extremely detrimental to all shooters if proper thought and consideration is not used. The sharing of video clips that portray the sport and shooters in general as reckless and undeserving of the public trust and acceptance developed over recent years appears to be more frequent these days. They are usually pulled down after the damage has been done, and this is too late. Consideration must be given in looking at the content before you post. Ask yourself "how will what I am saying or showing affect all shooters and the sport". Some shooters may look at a clip and be amused but someone with no interest in firearms or worse still someone with an interest in banning firearms will be given a reason to argue for tighter restrictions. Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. Comments made in forum posts can be just as damaging to the sport as video clips. Remember, if your mates can view your post or video clips then so can anyone else. Think about it, social media is viewed or monitored by everyone including the Police, the Greens, the Coalition to ban whatever it is that people enjoy and anyone else you can think of. Video content showing unsafe or unlawful behaviour with any firearm is giving those who would ban our sport ammunition to use against us. Now that really doesn't make sense or help in any way. There have been some recent negative effects on the sport as a direct result of You Tube video clips emanating from those who should know better. It is human nature to sometimes forget or even rebel against some rules that we don't like, but to do so in a very public manner is sheer stupidity and puts us all at risk. Mitch Newbery Policy and Project Manager 11

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