Code Of Conduct
The 'Code of Conduct' law (
Establishment Of Code Of Conduct) allows us to draft and circulate 'passive' (that is, they do not directly affect the game in terms of hard code alteration of content/behavior) petitions which may allow us to establish our own moral and behavioral guidelines. This page will act as a resource bank for petitions being drafted, in circulation, and passed.
It's worth noting that the following are by no means a definitive rules on how you should play, moreso a collectively written document that outlines some of our generally accepted and 'healthy' societal practices. As such, perhaps consider the following as a 'heads up' on ways to fit in to our established and acceptable practices.
Contents
- General Standards Of Behavior & Safe Practice
General Standards Of Behavior & Safe Practice
Intentional divulging of personal and real-world information
It is not acceptable to reveal or communicate any player's real world information to any another player or players without their prior explicit permission. This includes, but is not limited to, name, address, age, gender, etc.
Reasoning: While we appreciate that this may often happen casually as friendships and relations develop within the game, this rule is in place to avoid the malicious and harmful use of said information.
- Feedback from MarvL: Does this policy also apply to the non-voluntary linkage of primary/alternate/sequential avatars/spouses/mules who are played from the same keyboard?
- Response from Kaotika : I think that it's the responsibility of the couple to ascertain and set boundaries, and maintain those themselves. They may, for example, wish to moderate the content of their chat tabs, given that their spouse has the ability to access those.
- MarvL: I'm more concerned about speculation, accurate or otherwise, about Silver's twenty mules, Pameow and her hordes, or "Who KahnQbyne used to be?"
- Response from Calixes: AFAIC, The two cannot really ever compare. Divulging real world information could bring someone to serious harm in any number of ways. Speculation about fictional personae, while maybe annoying to the owners, isn't really going to cause significant hurt to anyone and can sometimes even be significant to game play/game dynamic. Speculation, also, is just speculation, whether real world or not. Either way, though, I guess the message is the same: if you don't want a particular bit of information out there, guard it. And in that sense, I think that it is more important to say "don't reveal personal information that you don't want shared" than it is to say "don't reveal information about others." Better yet, say both.
Inappropriate Language & Behavior
It is not appropriate to use sexually explicit, harmful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, obscene, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive language beyond the point where any parties who are exposed to it take offense, and make it clear that they do not wish to be exposed to such content.
Reasoning: While we recognize that each individual is entitled to their own opinions and playstyles, we aim to promote and maintain a tolerant, inclusive and safe society.
- Response from Refa : It's an ultimate slippery slope to begin restriction of freedom of speech. To restrict anyone's speech about anything only opens up the ability for people to feel less and less able to speak their mind how they would like. To restrict that to the point of "those who do not wish to be exposed" being the decision makers would bring the speech to fluffy-bunny glitter and sparkles. And I will call bullshit on that day and night.
- Response from MarvL: In any case, opt-in channels such as The Hive should not be subject to the tender mercies of the thought police. Main and Regional Chat, perhaps, and unsolicited personal chat is an interesting conundrum.
- Response from Refa : I find it entirely the opposite. Each individual community and each individual guild has EVERY right to say what is and is not appropriate to be said or done inside of their group. It IS NOT acceptable for regional chat, main, or any other such public channel to be restricted in any way. If membership is voluntary in a guild (which they all are) you can set any rules you'd like. If membership is compulsory (such as "main" chat) then any restrictions made there are nothing short of a ban of freedom.
- Response from MarvL: We're probably closer to agreeing than you might think. Each community has every right to create and maintain standards of conduct. We therefore agree that opt-in guild chat should not be subject to the influence of InnocenceAbused unless she's a member of that guild. For Main and Regional Chat, which are inclusive, the members are the greater community, so MissGoodyTwoShoes shouldn't have to worry about PottyMouthPete burning off her ears, nor should she be able to restrict content in accordance with her refined sensibilities. How about the publication of bullying or stalking that uses unsolicited personal chat tabs??
- Response from Telanoc : I would also agree issues regarding speech have no place here.
- Response from Aluman : After much thought, I'm afraid I must disagree with Refa here on the first point, and agree with Refa and MarvL on the second point. Public channels should be the one safe venue for anyone to have discussion in, and listen to. In the matter of opt-in channels (and please, lets not debate the finer points of Regional Chat being opt-in, its a public channel, accessible by anyone at a moments notice), I feel that ultimately they should be subject only to the sensibilities of the Elders. Where Microphones are concerned, that is strictly up to the channels moderators.
- Response from Calixes : I am a *huge* proponent of freedom of speech (seriously, you should see the size of my butt), but I think it would be a bad idea to place too many strictures on it. What constitutes "offensive language" varies so much. On the other hand, as this isn't a law carrying a punishment that we're talking about, and the goal is really to educate new players, I see no harm at all in saying that keeping it clean in non-guild channels is probably a good rule of thumb.
Feedback and Suggestions
Feedback From Ellorin
Heres my bit of gumph..... relating to Egypts plague situation I would like to ask what people feel about how to assist in stamping it out. I don't think the whole issue can be resolved waiting for Ktsibios to finish his research. And if we do wait for Ktisibios to finish have we made any worthwhile SOCIAL attempt to resolve it ourselves, so i'm interested in your views on how the people can assist in this. This is heavily related to social responsibility and many suggestions have been discussed already and turned down as being too harsh. However, people are restricted to their home bases and many have suggested leaving the game because of this event so suggestions as to how this can be done without compromising too many people for too long a time is I feel overdue. Is passing a law restricting movement acceptable if only for a short time? Or is it acceptable that people carry on infecting others indefinitely and compromising everyones game whether it be by mistake or deliberately? Are laws relating to personal behaviour unacceptable and if so how can egypt turn this situation around? To me this event has been the biggest lesson in social responsibility so far so it seems like a good place to start. End of gumph!!!!
ellorin