SocialHub Community Values Policy

[how]

@strypey

The policy was not drafted through an open process, in consultation with the members of the forum.

The original proposal was made at the end of January 2021 following the “alt-tech exodus”, and a moderation issue involving an alt-right user, that triggered a discussion among admins to make a statement. On January 31st, 2021, I made a proposal to keep the trolls away in a private conference where 7 people were involved, following the alt-right threat:

@how

The idea is to open a Community > SocialHub Policy topic, and this post is to provide context to make a proper draft.

Three days later, we decided on proposing:

@rhiaro

Members of the Social Web Incubator CG agree to abide by the W3C Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

On top of this, we acknowledge that Web and communication technologies are inherently political and can be used to cause harm, against the intent of the original creators. We recognise power imbalances already endemic in the tech industry, and in Social Web systems in mainstream use. With that in mind, we do not welcome participation (however polite) by contributors to projects which are designed or primarily used for:

• oppression, or encouraging oppression, of vulnerable people or minority groups.
• planning, encouragement of or inciting violence against vulnerable people.
• promoting fascism, nazism or other authoritarian systems and practices.
• perpetuating, promoting, or enacting systematic injustices, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia.

We are vigilant for the use of imagery, language and dogwhistles related to such behaviours. We reserve the right to exclude projects which tolerate such behaviours within their communities, or have not made a good faith effort to discourage such behaviours.

SocialCG chairs and forum administrators may use their discretion to remove posts or suspend user accounts. SocialCG chairs may similarly refuse access to or remove individuals from virtual meetings.

And the rest is documented at the link on top of this topic in the staff notice: Policy Proposal: SocialHub Community Values. This discussion took fifteen days and concluded on the agreement of people who emitted concerns, with the integration of suggested changes and clarification of the scope of the policy.