Requests for Comment/Code of Conduct reform

The Code of Conduct has for a long time been a different kind of policy as it was originally intended for technical spaces but over time has developed into a policy for wikis as well due to the gap of any other policies to prevent inappropriate comments and behavior. Along with the Content Policy RfC it feels necessary to make modifications to the Code of Conduct and make it more appropriate for wikis, since vague requirements like "be nice" have no place as a general rule for all wikis and are rather something for other spaces. These proposals make attempts to have more clarity in terms of what is allowed and what is not. Most proposals are largely based on the current interpretations of the Code of Conduct and are things that are generally seen as unacceptable in a community and are banned by most large platforms. It's probably also noted that (at least in some countries) a lot of the things listed are on the limits of legality if not outright illegal (such as harassment, hate speech and any kind of threats). Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal initiated by: Reception123

Proposal co-initiated by: Agent Isai

Proposal 1 (Miraheze Spaces Code of Conduct)

 * The current Code of Conduct as written is cloned into the Miraheze Spaces Code of Conduct (MSCoC) and applies to all domains where 'Miraheze' as a group has authority. A non-exhaustive list of things this includes are: any IRC channel under the control of Miraheze, such as the the #miraheze- namespace on libera.chat (including #miraheze itself), Phabricator, and Discord. The MSCoC does not strictly apply to wikis but it is recommended that users follow it. A new Global Conduct Policy is created for wikis. In the event that no sub-proposals are approved, the status quo will remain and Proposal 1 does not come into effect.

Explanation: Per the foreword, the original Code of Conduct was not intended to be used on wikis but instead in spaces. As such, this proposal clones the Code of Conduct into a new Miraheze Spaces Code of Conduct and defines its new jurisdiction.

Support (1)

 * 1)  per general explanation and original intentions. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 1.1 (Global right holders)

 * The Miraheze Spaces Code of Conduct will apply to all users who hold advanced permissions on Meta and globally, including on all wikis.

Explanation: The MsCoC has some important reminders for advanced permission holders which they should also keep in mind on wiki. The requirements to 'be nice' and 'step down when you no longer have time' will remain for these groups from whom the community expects the highest standards of behavior.

Support (1.1)

 * 1)  Makes sense for it to apply to people who represent the community and have responsibilities. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 1.2 (General Conduct amendment)

 * The "General Conduct" section of the MSCoC is amended to the following:


 * Be nice. We're all part of the same community, so be friendly, be welcoming, and be a nice person overall. Be someone that other people want to be around, not avoid. Together, we work to build a project so be likable person.


 * Be respectful. Disagreement is no excuse for poor manners. We work together to resolve conflict, assume good intentions and do our best to act in an empathic fashion. We don't allow frustration to turn into a personal attack. A community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one and will surely fail. Always assume good faith and work together to resolve disputes or seek assistance if you can't come to an agreement.


 * Harassing others is unacceptable. Harassment hurts others and the project. A hostile environment is tense and one no one wants to be in. Depending on the severity of your actions, you may be warned once or immediately disciplined (muted, quited, banned, etc.) depending on the medium. If you have a problem with another user, please contact a platform moderator first before escalating the issue. Harassment is never the answer.


 * Ask for help when unsure. Nobody is expected to be perfect in this community. Asking questions early avoids many problems later, so questions are encouraged, though they may be directed to the appropriate forum. Those who are asked should be responsive and helpful, they should never be rude or condescending. Those who hold advanced permissions are expected to ask for help, they aren't perfect either, so they should never be afraid to ask for help.


 * Step down when you no longer have time. If you hold advanced permissions or have some form of responsibility in running community resources (i.e. you're operating a bot or service), be aware of your own constraints. If something occurs in your life and you can no longer find time to devote to your roles, find a way to step down gracefully. If you don't, other people on your team may always await your opinion and stall things waiting for your very delayed review or response. Some users may become discouraged from seeking advanced roles which they would be a perfect fit for because they think the role is adequately staffed when in reality, it needs more active users. By stepping down, you help encourage more users to take up advanced roles which they may be suitable for. Make sure someone can take over for you, and transfer the relevant information (contacts, passwords, etc.) for a smooth transition.

We all go on tangents sometimes, and casual off-topic discussion is fine. However for all of Miraheze's services, if you are a disruption to actual on-topic discussions, you may be removed. Some platforms allow for off-topic discussions and others don't. If you're having an off-topic discussion on a platform that allows for it, make sure to go to the appropriate spot.

In addition to our Content Policy that covers our website, all forms of spam and vandalism are unacceptable.

Our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy apply to services besides our website, where applicable.

Explanation: While the points are the same as on the current Code of Conduct, the explanations behind them have been amplified to bring more clarity on what they mean. For example, the 'be respectful' and 'harassment' section has been extended to recommend contacting platform administrators if you have a problem with someone as an alternative to venting one's anger and the 'harassment' further clarifies types of actions which local platform moderators can take. The 'ask for help' section further exhorts people to seek help where needed. The 'step down' section is made easier to read and adds (very common) examples of what happens when inactive users don't resign.

Support (1.2)

 * 1)  Less vagueness is better and the fact that it no longer applies to wikis makes it possible for it to be more detailed. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 1.3 (Enforcement)

 * Local platform administrators will be responsible for enforcing the Miraheze Spaces Code of Conduct.

Support (1.3)

 * 1)  Makes sense. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 2 (Volunteer Conduct Policy)

 * The Volunteer Conduct Policy (VCP) is an additional conduct policy which is directed to Miraheze volunteers such as local Meta and global permission holders from whom the community holds to a higher standard of conduct.


 * Be courteous. You represent Miraheze (in a way)! Even if you hold low advanced permissions, some users may confuse you for a 'staff' member just because you have an extra button you can press that they can't. Therefore, make sure your conduct reflects well on Miraheze. Be nice and courteous, even if people do annoy you. Remember, we're all part of the same community, so be friendly and be welcoming!


 * Be respectful. Our volunteers are held to higher standards of conduct. Thus, we never let escalate disagreement or frustration into personal attacks or harassment. We, of all people, work together to resolve conflicts, assume good faith, and do our best to act in an empathic fashion - we set the example of how to do this. A hostile environment where where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one and harms the project, our users, and you. Always assume good faith and work together to resolve disputes amicably or seek assistance if you can't come to an agreement.


 * Be patient. Our users come from all different backgrounds. Some may be very technically inclined and may have no problems understanding your instructions. Others may be completely new to the concept of wikis, wikitext, or even MediaWiki itself. It is important to be patient with them. If possible, guide them through our processes. Don't get annoyed or angry if they don't understand something you may find easy (such as creating a page, using ManageWiki, or basic page formatting) or if they themselves get frustrated when they don't understand things. If you lose patience with someone, let someone else help that user. An outburst of anger will only discourage and hurt the user who will leave the project with an bad impression. Even if a user displays issues with competence, be patient with them or if your patience has reached a limit, simply leave the conversation.


 * Work together in unity. Miraheze is not a one-man show. Our volunteers are what drive the project! Always work amicably with other volunteers. Always seek input from your peers; don't try to take big decisions unilaterally, this has backfired on many in the past. If you have questions regarding things such as how to handle wiki request or handle a case, seek feedback from your fellow peers, don't be afraid to ask. We work together for the benefit of our users, therefore, if you have a disagreement with another volunteer, try to resolve it. If you can't resolve it on your own, contact an immediate superior to you such as an Engineering Manager, a Steward, administrator, bureaucrat, or another user who can help mediate. Even if you don't get along with another volunteer, if you are required to, work together with them for the benefit of our project. Don't be belligerent and don't stir up more issues with them. This only hurts our project, our users and most importantly, you.


 * Don't abuse your power. Use any rights granted to you correctly. Never overstep the boundaries set by policy and never use your powers to harass or intimidate others, 'power show', or to force your view in editorial disputes. If you are unsure about an action, contact a Steward who can help guide you on proper procedure. Overstepping the boundaries set by policy or harassing others will result in your actions being referred to the community for review or immediate revocation in certain cases, as defined by relevant policy. Advanced permission holders should also never show off their rights to impress or intimidate others, this is disrespectful and may be construed as an abuse of power in some circumstances.


 * Ask for help. Don't carry the world on your shoulders. Nobody is be perfect. You of all users are expected to ask for help. This is a team effort so ask for help whenever you need it. Also ask for help if you have a question; asking questions and second opinions early on helps avoid many problems later on. Never be afraid to ask for help!

Explanation: While drafting this entire Request for Comments, some of the clauses within this proposal were originally in the new MSCoC as it was envisioned that the MSCoC could also apply to advanced permission holders at all times, even on wiki. The wording on these clauses began to feel improper to apply to regular users too and began to become too specific to those who hold some sort of responsibility or advanced permission but it was necessary that that be said. As such, this new volunteer-oriented conduct policy was created with vital clauses such as "be patient." This new conduct policy exhorts some simple but vital things that we Miraheze volunteers should keep in mind at all times such as teamwork, seeking others input, asking for help, being patient, and more. You may notice that some of the clauses in the VCP may seem similar to ones in the MSCoC but in comparison to the ones in the MSCoC, these clauses are modified to be more specific to our volunteers (such as the 'be respectful' clause which encourages volunteers to set the example of how to resolve issues).

Support (2)

 * 1)  It's a good idea to hold advanced permission holders to higher standards. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 2.1 (Enforcement)
How will this be enforced?
 * Stewards, along with Meta administrators and bureaucrats for roles they oversee, will be in charge of enforcing this policy on wiki. Platform moderators will enforce this on their respective platforms.

Explanation:

Support (2.1)

 * 1)  Makes sense. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3 (Global Conduct Policy)

 * The Global Conduct Policy is a global conduct policy that applies individually to all users on all wikis. This new policy governs the conduct of users and what behavior is unacceptable.

Proposal 3.1 (Harassment)

 * Harassment of other users is unacceptable. In order for something to fall under this section, it usually requires a pattern of behavior rather than a single instance or event, but in some instances a single instance may be enough. Harassment defined in this Global Conduct Policy includes those set forth below, but are not limited to:
 * Personal attacks, violence, threats of violence, or deliberate intimidation.
 * Offensive, derogatory, or discriminatory comments.
 * Gratuitous or off-topic use of sexual language or imagery.
 * Inappropriate or unwanted public or private communication, following, or any form of stalking.
 * Disclosure or threatening to disclose a person's identity or other private information without their consent. Disclosure of some identifying information is not consent to disclose other identifying information.
 * Inappropriate or unwanted publication of private communications. Publishing or reporting private communication or personally identifying information for the purposes of reporting harassment (as explained here) is acceptable.
 * Discrimination, particularly against marginalized and otherwise underrepresented groups. Targeted outreach to such groups is allowed and encouraged.
 * Reporting users for purposes other than reporting genuine violations of global policies (e.g., retaliating against a reporter or victim by filing a report claiming their response was harassment).
 * Repeated failures to handle harassment appropriately despite proper warnings by global functionaries

Explanation: This section is part of the current Code of Conduct. This new revision has only slightly modified this list by removing mentions of defunct bodies such as the Code of Conduct Commission.

Support (3.1)

 * 1)  As currently defined in the CoC, behavior above is clearly unacceptable and have no place on Miraheze. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3.2 (Inappropriate behavior)
Explanation: This is intended for situations where it is not clear that harassment is occurring (as that's a serious charge) but where the behavior is still unacceptable. This should be strictly interpreted.
 * Other than the rules outlined above, users may not behave in such a way which makes people feel threatened and uncomfortable. Such behavior may include: repeated personal attacks towards multiple users, casting aspersions, making false accusations, attributing statements to users without them having been made.

Support (3.2)

 * 1)  Sometimes there are users who manage to be just under the definition of harassment but which still cause a majority of people to feel uncomfortable. This should obviously not be lightly enforced but it should be clear that the behavior mentioned is still not acceptable. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3.3 (Hate speech)

 * Hate speech is not allowed. Examples include but are not limited to: using racist, homophobic or other derogatory language towards a person or group of people.

Explanation: While the current Code of Conduct and the harassment section does prohibit hate speech indirectly when used in harassment, this new proposal explicitly prohibits its usage in all contexts when directed to people. This is pretty reasonable as we don't want to harbor hate on the platform.

Support (3.3)

 * 1)  These kind of things have no place on Miraheze and some are even illegal under UK law. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3.4 (Personal threats)

 * Personal threats are not allowed. Examples include but are not limited to: death threats, threats of injury, threats of violence.

Explanation: While the current Code of Conduct and the harassment section does prohibit this indirectly, this new proposal explicitly prohibits threats even when made outside of direct harassment. Threats in general against one's safety have no place here.

Support (3.4)

 * 1)  Per explanation. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3.5 (Standards)

 * Global and local functionaries (i.e. Stewards, administrators, etc.) are held to a higher standard than other community members. They should also not misuse their permissions to harass or intimidate others. If these groups violate this policy, they should expect less leeway than others.

Explanation: Global and local functionaries should be held to a higher standard of conduct hence their positions. This clause makes it clear that they should not expect extra leeway but instead, less leeway.

Support (3.5)

 * 1)  Per comments made above. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3.6 (Enforcement)

 * Local administrators are responsible for enforcing the Code of Conduct. This may include: reverting revisions, hiding revisions, warning users, blocking users, etc.
 * As per their role descriptions, Stewards and Global Sysops may enforce the Global Conduct Policy where necessary.

Support (3.6)

 * 1)  Makes sense, in line with CP rules. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)

Proposal 3.7 (Sanctions)

 * Local administrators are in principle free to decide what sanctions to apply to users who violate this policy. In certain situations, if Stewards believe that the sanction imposed is very disproportionate to the violation and/or the harm done, they may modify the sanction imposed
 * If a user violates this policy on multiple wikis, they may be globally locked.

Explanation: This allows for local administrators to handle sanctions instead of dictating "If X then Y" in an arbitrary fashion. This is also helpful as it allows Stewards to lock accounts which clearly violate this policy across multiple wikis (such accounts are typically, almost 101% of the times, trolls, vandals, or both).

Support (3.7)

 * 1)  Makes sense, in line with CP rules. Reception123 (talk) ( C ) 07:52, 14 November 2022 (UTC)