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WikiJournal User Group/Code of conduct/General

< WikiJournal User Group | Code of conduct

Implementing this code of conduct

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It may be useful to develop a unified code of conduct across chapters, thematic organisations, user groups, and projects. Below is a suggested code of conduct that has been developed based on comparing, combingin and adapting previous codes of conduct in the Wikimedia areas and open projects (listed below draft). If you’d like to use this code of conduct as a template, here’s our suggested process:

  1. Hold a vote within your community and implement the consensus.
  2. If changes are needed compared to this code of conduct, we recommend voting on additional amendments that are indicated as differing from the core CoC.

If you have any suggestions for us on how to improve it please tell us here!

{{{User Group}}} code of conduct

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We are dedicated to maintaining a healthy and constructive environment within the project to enable a respectful, supportive, safe, harassment-free, and equitable experience for everyone involved. All people engaging in {{{User Group}}}s, whether paid or volunteer, are required to abide by the following Code of Conduct. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact {{{User Group}}}_CoC@wikimedia.org.

This code of conduct sits alongside the [[{{{User Group}}}/Bylaws|bylaws]] which define our governance procedures.

Positive behaviours to strive for

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1. Treat other people with respect

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Collegiality and assuming good faith are core principles of the Wikimedia movement. We realize most people want to help the projects and fellow community members, not hurt them. Remember that most of us are volunteers and need to be appreciated for the time and effort we put into improving the Wikimedia projects.

2. Engage in collegial, constructive dialogue

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We expect you to consider the following when engaging in discussion:

  • Context and background: Do I have a basic understanding of the context and background of the discussion? Have I made sure to educate myself before asking others to explain things to me?
  • Respecting differences: Am I being sensitive to cultural differences and language barriers? Am I making assumptions about people and their values based on e.g. their culture, language, gender or sexual orientation?
  • Experience: Am I considering and not making assumptions about a person’s level of experience (with the Wikimedia movement, a specific topic, etc.)?
  • Support: Am I framing my comments or questions in a supportive, concise and constructive way, offering suggestions for improvement? Is appropriate assistance or information being offered?
  • Impact focus: Are my questions focused on outcome and impact or am I overly focused on minor details? Keeping meta-discussions as brief as possible (without curtailing what is necessary) frees time for actual project work.
  • Readiness: Am I ready to get involved or assist? Do I have time that I can spare? Will I need support and do I know where I can access it?

3. Respect confidentiality

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We must respect and maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information that {{{User Group}}} contributors might share in confidence. This may include personal information, information about community members or the general public, and information about the internal workings of a {{{User Group}}}.

4. Behave ethically

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People engaged in {{{User Group}}}s should aim to be honest, transparent and ethical in their dealings with each other, with community members, project users, partners, suppliers and the public.

People acting on a {{{User Group}}}’s behalf should seek to take good care of {{{User Group}}} property (physical or information), and not expose it to loss, damage, misuse or theft. {{{User Group}}} property should be used solely for legitimate {{{User Group}}} purposes and not for personal benefit.

5. Be an Ambassador for the project

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People engaged in {{{User Group}}}s represent the wider Wikimedia community, whether intentionally or not. Our words and actions should reflect well on Wikimedia projects and the image of the community as a whole.

Negative behaviours that are unacceptable

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Everyone is free to participate in {{{User Group}}} spaces, ‘without distinction of any kind’, including (but not limited to):

  • race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability.

Harassment

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We do not tolerate harassment of contributors in any form. Harassment includes (but is not limited to):

  • Inappropriate comments related to the characteristics listed above
  • Stalking, following, or continued one-on-one communications after being asked to cease
  • Sustained disruption of discussion
  • Deliberate “outing” and/or sharing personal or private information about a person without their consent (e.g. ‘doxing’)
  • Publication of non-harassing private communication
  • Unwanted sexual attention or sexual innuendo
  • Violence, threats of violence, inciting violence, deliberate intimidation and personal attacks

Discrimination

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We do not tolerate excluding people from participating based on the above distinctions. Discrimination includes (but is not limited to):

  • Rejection of contributions, opinions, articles, or other work based on characteristics listed above
  • Withholding information from individuals or groups based on the characteristics listed above
  • Placing unreasonable requirement, condition or practice that disadvantages individuals or groups based on characteristics listed above
  • Banning of individuals or groups based on characteristics listed above

Reporting a problem & actions

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Reporting process

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If you are the subject of, or observe, the problem behaviours discussed above in any {{{User Group}}} space, please contact {{{User Group}}}_CoC@wikimedia.org. All communications will be kept confidential unless you give explicit permission. You may be contacted to request further information.

Reports can be as short as a notification with a link, but more information can help us understand what is happening. You can include:

  • Your contact information (e.g. Wikimedia or Phabricator usernames), if you want to identify yourself
  • Your account of the incident:
    • Where and when it happened
    • A description of the unacceptable behavior
    • Who was involved and who saw it happen
    • Whether the incident is ongoing
  • Links to public records of the incident or screenshots showing what happened
  • Any additional information that will help us fully understand the problem, such as previous incidents or special circumstances

Response process by committee

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The {{{User Group}}} code of conduct committee is an elected group tasked with ensuring community safety and health. Additionally, they aim to transparently resolve situations where possible and encourage healthy behaviours by identifying learning opportunities. Response contact may be made by a collective {{{User Group}}} code of conduct committee email.

Code of conduct committee response process
  1. The information will be triaged to assess whether it needs to be immediately escalated to a later step
  2. The person who exhibited behaviour which is perceived to be outside of the code of conduct will be contacted via private email and informed that their behavior has been noted. Initial contact will be blame-free e.g.:
    • Informing them of a behaviour that may have breached this CoC
    • Asking if anything is wrong, and what could be done to help.
    • Direct to policy and definitions: please read again
    • (e.g. You do not seem to be your usual friendly self, how can we help you to act the way we have known you before? You may have inadvertently behaved in a way that was discriminatory…)
  3. If necessary, each person involved may be requested to provide a single, confidential statement (max 500 words, not including urls).
  4. If the behaviour repeats, the person who exhibited unacceptable behavior will asked to make specific changes. Specific reading may be requested of a section of this CoC, or or other specified material.
  5. The decision and summary of reasoning may be shared on the appropriate channel (e.g. on relevant wiki or mailing list)
  6. In the behaviour repeats, the committee may opt to enforce specific (temporary or permanent) actions, including (but not limited to):
    • Private message (from the committee email address)
    • Public message (in the same venue that the violation occurred)
    • Request reading of a specific code of conduct section, or other information
    • Request for an apology (requires prior approval by the potential recipient)
    • Remove or hide comments on-wiki
    • Mailing list ban
    • Interaction ban
    • Topic ban
    • Site ban
    • Metawiki global ban (via request to Stewards)
    • Initiate
      editorial board removal vote
  7. At the committee’s discretion, cases may be referred up to the WMF's Trust and Safety Team (e.g. if behaviour is escalating, dangerous, or unlawful) who may choose to apply office actions.

Anyone subject to such actions may request a single email summarising further reasons for the decision (approx 100-200 words) or mount a single appeal by providing evidence that the problematic situation will not repeat.

Code of conduct committee structure

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Committee members are expected to be:

  • Elected in a transparent manner
  • Impartial
  • Aware of potential conflicts of interest and willing to recuse themself if necessary
  • Able to be trusted with keeping information confidential
  • Approximately 6-12 in number
  • 2-year renewable terms
  • In contact with the WMF Trust and Safety Team

CoCs used as inspiration when drafting

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{{{User Group}}}

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MediaWiki

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Wikimedia Trust and Safety

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Wikimedia Grants

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WikiMedia Foundation

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Outside inspiration

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