A primary goal of D4D Ambassadors is to be inclusive to the largest number of contributors, with the most varied and diverse backgrounds possible. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religion (or lack thereof).
This code of conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community, as well as the policies and processing for maintaining community standards.
We invite all those who participate in the D4D Ambassador program to help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone.
Additional roles/accountability to name: Admins of the Slack: “soft” responsibility of setting expectations of community behavior by participating in Slack conversations, gently reorienting and calling in, if necessary, behavior that is detrimental to the community-at-large or towards any one individual or group and reinforcing community-centered behavior.
Admins of github:
Code of Conduct committee: “hard” responsibility of acting as a reporting body for breaches in community conduct. Dedicated email and private slack channel to discuss the process for members from slack. Responsible for decisions related to membership.
A supplemental goal of this Code of Conduct is to increase open [source/culture/tech] citizenship by encouraging participants to recognize and strengthen the relationships between our actions and their effects on our community.
Communities mirror the societies in which they exist and positive action is essential to counteract the many forms of inequality and abuses of power that exist in society.
If you see someone who is contributing to a hostile environment that makes it difficult for others to participate fully, we want to know.
In contrast, if you see someone who is making an extra effort to ensure our community is welcoming, friendly, and encourages all participants to contribute to the fullest extent, we also want to know.
The following behaviors are expected and requested of all community members:
- Participate in an authentic and active way. In doing so, you contribute to the health and longevity of this community.
- Exercise consideration and respect in your speech and actions.
- Attempt collaboration before conflict. *Collaboration also includes respectful disagreement: our community is stronger because of our diverse perspectives.
- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech.
- Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert community leaders (Slack admins, ambassadors, leadership council, code of conduct committee) if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential.
- Remember that community event venues may be shared with members of the public; please be respectful to all patrons of these locations. *D4D Slack channel is an 18+ environment. If you agree to join the Slack committee, you are stating that you are 18+ *The Global Data Ethics Principles should be considered in all D4D projects and data work.
- You are committed to documentation and communication. *Be mindful that we are a global community of people who live in many time zones. When setting meeting times, consider who can and can not make a meeting time. Compensate by over-communicating and over-documenting processes. Consider other respectful and inclusive ways to address this issue, but also consider your self-care.
- Your Slack name should either be your real name, nickname, or initials. We understand privacy and safety concerns of some of our members who may not live in societies who respect who they are. *You represent yourself. Do not make your Slack name an organizational name or the name of another person. *Project channels should be default public unless you are dealing with private information for a community partner. (Exception: Code of Conduct committee will have a private channel to discuss violations) *Do not assume that some who is doing social good or ethical work wants their employer or country to know about it. Check before you broadcast someone’s involvement in D4D. If you are unsure about where their boundaries lie, reach out to them personally. Respect what they say, and seek consent. *Have fun and take ownership of your work and your behavior.
The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable within our community:
- Violence, threats of violence or violent language directed against another person.
- Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language.
- Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material.
- Posting or threatening to post other people's personally identifying information ("doxing").
- Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability.
- Inappropriate photography or recording.
- Inappropriate physical contact. You should have someone's consent before touching them.
- Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes, sexualized comments or jokes; inappropriate touching, groping, and unwelcomed sexual advances.
- Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following (online or in person).
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
- Sustained disruption of community events, including talks and presentations.
- Continued contact with members after express removal of permission.
No weapons will be allowed at D4d Ambassador events, community spaces, or in other spaces covered by the scope of this Code of Conduct. Weapons include but are not limited to guns, explosives (including fireworks), and large knives such as those used for hunting or display, as well as any other item used for the purpose of causing injury or harm to others. Anyone seen in possession of one of these items will be asked to leave immediately, and will only be allowed to return without the weapon. Community members are further expected to comply with all national, state and local laws on this matter.
Unacceptable behavior from any community member, including sponsors and those with decision-making authority, will not be tolerated.
Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.
If a community member engages in unacceptable behavior, the Code of Conduct committee with input from the Slack admins may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including a temporary ban or permanent expulsion from the community without warning (and without refund in the case of a paid event).
If you are subject to or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please notify the Code of Conduct committee as soon as possible either with a DM or through the following email. Your privacy will be maintained.
Additionally, community organizers are available to help community members engage with local law enforcement or to otherwise help those experiencing unacceptable behavior feel safe. In the context of in-person events, organizers will also provide escorts as desired by the person experiencing distress.
If you feel you have been falsely or unfairly accused of violating this Code of Conduct, you should notify Data4Democracy with a concise description of your grievance. Your grievance will be handled in accordance with our existing governing policies.
We expect all community participants (contributors, paid or otherwise; sponsors; and other guests) to abide by this Code of Conduct in all community venues--online and in-person--as well as in all one-on-one communications pertaining to community business.
This code of conduct and its related procedures also applies to unacceptable behavior occurring outside the scope of community activities when such behavior has the potential to adversely affect the safety and well-being of community members.
This code of conduct will be reviewed annually by the D4D community on Slack, and proposed edits will be voted on through a process that is yet to be decided. The Code of Conduct committee will be in charge of coordinating the process and updating the document.
The Citizen Code of Conduct is distributed by Stumptown Syndicate under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.
Parts of text derived from the Django Code of Conduct and the Geek Feminism Anti-Harassment Policy.
Additional D4D specific recommendations were determined by the D4D-Ambassadors channel in discussion and consensus including recommendations for behavior specifically in our D4D Slack. (Etc)
Revision 2.3. Posted 6 March 2017.
Revision 2.2. Posted 4 February 2016.
Revision 2.1. Posted 23 June 2014.
Revision 2.0, adopted by the Stumptown Syndicate board on 10 January 2013. Posted 17 March 2013.