Title: Expectations, Values, Bans, and Forgiveness
AI: 3
Author: nix
Co-Authors: Jason, R. Lee, Murphy, G.
[
The goal of this is to expand on our banning system and implement some
clearly defined values into the rules of Agora. This comprises two main
changes.
The first removes the "free speech" clause from R478 and replaces it
with a bill of expectations that largely seek to maximize participation
while recognizing ways in which that might reasonably be abridged.
Nothing here is strictly binding.
The second one expands on the banning system largely through guidelines.
It does not actually add any new mechanisms for banning or unbanning,
but offers a strongly-worded procedure for what should occur before a
ban, and what kind of actions might constitute bannable offenses. It
also adds an official mechanism to attempt to appeal a ban, and what
should be considered when such an attempt is received.
This is largely informed by Jason's current ban system, Murphy's
response to Anti-Cleisthenes, R. Lee's values proto, and parallel
discussions in other spaces. Hopefully I have done justice to everyone's
viewpoints.
]
Amend R478 by deleting the following text:
Freedom of speech being essential for the healthy functioning of
any non-Imperial nomic, it is hereby resolved that no Player shall
be prohibited from participating in the Fora, nor shall any person
create physical or technological obstacles that unduly favor some
players' fora access over others.
Enact a new Power=3 rule titled "Expectations of Participation" with the
following text:
An "Agoran forum" is a forum with publicity of discussion or
public. Players of Agora have the following expectations of agoran
fora:
* Agoran fora allow equal participation for all players, subject
to the rules of Agora and the explicitly stated rules of the
fora.
* The rules of participation in public fora are as closely
aligned with the rules of Agora itself as possible; a player
expects to be able to fully participate in all public fora as
long as eir participation is in line with Agora's rules.
* Agoran fora allow all interested persons, even those that are
otherwise restricted in eir participation, to read all messages.
* Discussion fora moderators may restrict participation subject to
eir own clearly stated rules but should only do so to players
temporarily and proportional to the harm of the rule breakage.
* The content of discussion fora should primarily be about Agora
itself, or reasonably adjacent topics.
If an existing Agoran forum is in violation of these expectations,
the Agoran community, led by the Registrar, SHOULD remove it or
replace it with an appropriate forum as soon as possible.
Amend R869 by deleting the following:
Banned is a secured negative boolean person switch tracked by the
Registrar. A person is unwelcome if e is Banned or if at least one
part of em is unwelcome. Rules to the contrary notwithstanding, an
unwelcome person CANNOT register or be registered, and e is
immediately deregistered if e is ever a player. Designations of
unwelcomeness are secured.
Unwelcomeness is to be used only to make a social statement that
the Agoran community no longer wishes to interact with certain
persons; in particular, it is not to be used to acquire gameplay
advantage. As such, an unwelcome person SHOULD NOT, under any
circumstances, attempt to bypass unwelcomeness, and e SHOULD
carefully consider the circumstances of eir becoming unwelcome
before participating in public or discussion fora.
Enact a new Power=3 rule titled "Restrictions on Participation" with the
following text:
Banned is a secured negative boolean person switch tracked by the
Registrar. A person is unwelcome if e is Banned or if at least one
part of em is unwelcome. Rules to the contrary notwithstanding, an
unwelcome person CANNOT register or be registered, and e is
immediately deregistered if e is ever a player. Designations of
unwelcomeness are secured.
A Banned switch SHOULD ONLY be flipped by a proposal for the
express purpose of flipping Banned switches.
Flipping a Banned switch to True (banning a player) SHOULD ONLY be
done when:
* the person's actions have been deemed harmful to Agora, to any
player of Agora, or the overall community, and
* the harm has been clearly communicated to the person, and e has
been given time to consider and respond, and
* e has made no attempt to make amends, eir attempt was
unsatisfactory, or e has continued to act in harmful ways.
Actions that are harmful are subject to the discretion of the
community of Agora, but may include: any form of identity-based
discrimination, personal attacks, disrespect of values or beliefs
of any member of the Agoran community, or provocative/bad-faith
comments.
Once a quarter, any unwelcome player may submit a Request for
Forgiveness to the Registrar. Such a document SHOULD contain
sincere self-reflection including any appropriate apologies and an
indication on how e intends to avoid or prevent similar incidents
in the future.
The Registrar SHALL publish any Request for Forgiveness e receives
in a timely manner. If the community deems the Request sincere and
appropriately reconciliatory, steps should be undertaken to flip
the submitter's Banned switch to False.
The Banned switch of any player that was unwelcome before this proposal
was enacted is flipped to True.
--
nix
Herald, Collector
