2. The Alternate Chairperson has enough responsibilities as it is. Won’t this add a lot more work to their job description?   It is not our intention to create more work for the Alternate Chairperson. One of the main new Alternate Chairperson responsibilities is to just read the report that is created by the Web Team at the Quarterlies and Assemblies. It will be the responsibility of the Web Team to keep the Alternate Chairperson informed of the progress they are making and their expenditures. (See the Administration and Maintenance section of the Guidelines For The Website.)

3. Does this mean that the Alternate Chairperson has to know how to design web sites?   No. One of the major concerns heard at the Assembly last year was the cost of funding a Web Site Committee Chairperson to Quarterlies, Assemblies, Communication, etc. Costs would be travel, meals and lodging. This new motion does not create a new standing committee, so the approximate $2000 annual cost to fund the committee chairperson has been eliminated. The Alternate Chairperson would simply give status reports of the web site (prepared by the Web Team) at all quarterlies and assemblies. (See the Administration and Maintenance section of the Guidelines For The Website.)

4. Will this motion increase expenses for the Alternate Chairperson?   No. The Alternate Chairperson is already going to Area Quarterlies and Assemblies.

5. We shouldn’t show affiliation with any outside enterprises or institutions. Non-AA sites show up along with the Area 92 site in search engines when a search is made for AA and Spokane. (Tradition 6)   Just because we are listed in a search engine, doesn’t show affiliation. Just because the Big Book is in the library, doesn’t mean there is association with the book next to it. The search engines are just directories...guides to sites on the Internet. Just a ‘phone book’ if you will. Just because we are listed along with another site, doesn’t mean we are affiliated with it. It’s pretty obvious to the user that the title ‘Official AA Area 92 Web Site’ is affiliated with AA…not ‘Bob’s AA Site’.

6. We don’t want personal information posted on the site. (Traditions 11 & 12)   No personal information (last names, telephone numbers, postal addresses, etc.) will be posted on the site. (See Item 1a in the Contents and Services section of the Guidelines For The Website.)

7. How is autonomy of the Groups, Districts, Central Offices and Intergroups going to be preserved? (Tradition 4)   Home Groups, Districts and Intergroups/Central Offices will decide for themselves what information they do and do not want given on the Website. (See Item 1c in the Contents and Services section of the Guidelines For The Website.)

8. We don’t want to link to any outside enterprise or other people’s AA pages. (Tradition 6)   Only links to web sites sponsored by bona fide A.A. service entities will be provided as a service to the Website visitor. It shall be made clear Area 92 does not endorse these web sites, and our linking to their web site does not constitute their endorsement of the Area 92 Website. (See Item 5g in the Contents and Services section of the Guidelines For The Website.)

9. We don’t want non-A.A. websites linking to the Area 92 Website.   We don’t have control over who links to us, any more than we can control a non-AA library book referencing our Big Book: It’s an outside issue and we don’t pull our book off the shelf in response to this situation. And even if a non-AA website links to us, is this a bad thing? People will then see what AA is about in Area 92 (official meeting schedules and locally approved literature), as well as officially sanctioned AA material on the G.S.O. web site … as compared to someone’s experience in AA. Anyone can link to the their web site, G.S.O. has no control over this either.

10. Having E-Mail contact to Area Officers on the web site is biased, what about those Area Officers that either do not or don't want to use E-Mail?   Having a Website does not mean that Area Officers need to have E-Mail. The trusted servants responsible for the maintenance of the Website will forward (postal mail, FAX, etc.) comments and questions to Area Officers that do not have E-Mail, or those who choose not to use it. Contact information will accompany the message to allow the Area Officer to reply in a manner they feel is appropriate.

11. We will be creating a service position that can't be done by everyone.   Anyone will be welcome to join the Web Team, if there is room on the team. Web design skills are not necessary in order to apply. There are plenty of duties to be performed that are non-technical. They are, but not limited to: information gathering, data entry, assisting the Alternate Chairperson in overseeing activities and helping in web site design and concepts. (See Item 3 in the Administration and Maintenance section of the Guidelines For The Website.)

12. How can we expect to have a website when G.S.O. has hired a full-time employee? (A large part of this job is to clear up unwanted links to the G.S.O. web site.)   The G.S.O. Public Information desk stated a full-time employee is not assigned to maintaining their web site. Updates are decided on by the GSO web site committee and then implemented by an individual who works in the Publication department. They also stated that they have no opinion on other sites linking to the G.S.O. web site, and they do not police or attempt to "clear up" links to their web site (G.S.O. considers the links to be an outside issue too, see 'We don’t want non-A.A. websites linking to the Area 92 Website.' Issue elsewhere in this list of objections).

13. Not everyone has uses the Internet, is there enough benefit to justify spending the money to have an Area web site?   G.S.O. established a presence on the World Wide Web (WWW) around late 1995. Since then it's continued used by the public and our fellowship have shown that it is a useful tool. Over the past two years visitors use has grown by 300% and in 2000 more than 3,000 page hits/day (on average) have been observed. Professionals' use of the G.S.O. web site tool to obtain information about A.A. has also grown. In 1999 there were nearly 1,500 requests for information originating from the G.S.O. web site, compared to the over 2,000 requests received from all sources.

During this time around 16 other Areas established a presence on the WWW, and they are still on-line providing useful information to our fellowship and the public. In March 1998 District 4's Website was created. Since that time it too has experienced significant use and growth: over the last two years web site traffic has increased by around 400%, and on average there are currently around 30 page hits/day. District 4's experience has been that the web site is a useful tool for the professional community, the general public, and our fellowship as a whole.

These statistics and experiences indicate that the WWW is indeed being used, but to what extent is it helping the still suffering alcoholic and those new to recovery? If two people came to the web site in one month & then wound up going to a meeting because they were too afraid to pick up that phone...but found going to their computer in the privacy of their own home much easier...is the web site worth it then? 3 people? 10? 100? When would it be worth it? It should be stressed that we will still be following guidelines...ATTRACTION rather than promotion. We don't need to PROMOTE AA, but state facts.

One can go to the local library and use the Internet for free, if they don’t have a computer or access at home.

14. How come we don't hear any negative things about the proposed web site, aren't there any issues?   There are issues associated with having a web site. While many solutions exist to resolving potential problems, it will be the Web Team and Alternate Chair’s responsibility to handle them as they arise. Careful consideration of each issue and strict adherence to the 'Guidelines For The Website Of The Washington State East Area Assembly Of Alcoholics Anonymous' (attached to the website motion) will ensure that difficulties are taken care of in an appropriate manner. Some matters may not be able to be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, these issues will be presented at Area 92 Quarterlies and/or Assemblies to obtain an informed group conscience.

Pending Area 92 Motions | Passed Area 92 Motions | Failed Area 92 Motions

Area 92 Home Page |
Area Handbook | Assembly Motions | Website Guidelines |