The Fine Print- Group Guidelines for Everybody’s Zoom
A Note on Safety
No space is entirely safe for everyone at all times. These guidelines represent our best effort to foster clear, consistent communication. They outline what is expected and what to expect in case of the unexpected.
Core Guidelines
Respect and Empathy: Treat others with kindness, respect, and empathy, regardless of differences in opinion, background, or identity.
Active Listening: Listen attentively without interrupting; respond thoughtfully.
No Personal Attacks: Avoid personal attacks, insults, or inflammatory language.
Constructive Feedback: Offer specific, respectful, and actionable feedback.
Confidentiality: Respect the privacy of discussions and participants' identities.
No Doxing: Do not share others' personal information without explicit consent.
No Abuse of Mods/Hosts: Treat moderators and hosts with respect. Abusing them (including in DMs) may result in an immediate ban.
Actions for Violating Guidelines
1. One Warning: A gentle reminder from The Mod Team/Host to respect the guidelines.
2. Muting: If the behavior continues, the participant will be muted.
3. Time-Outs: If the behavior still continues, the participant will be sent to the waiting room. Time to be determined on a case-by-case basis. The Mod Team/Host can initiate a temporary ban of 24 hours or longer, to be determined case-by-case, and ideally, a conversation on the side to address harm, understand impact, and find ways to repair relationships.
4. Removal from EZ : If the behavior persists after the above efforts, the participant will be banned from the zoom room and/or any EZ chat groups to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
Moderator/Host Responsibilities
Moderators and hosts will:
Ensure guidelines are clear
Monitor discussions and intervene as needed.
Give warnings, facilitate conversations, determine and enforce removals.
Uphold fair, impartial moderation, to the best of their ability
Most actions should be discussed with the moderation team except when an urgent need requires immediate action. Any decision can be later reviewed if necessary.
Avoid misuse of mod/host privileges and apply the guidelines to everyone impartially. Mod/Host privileges are a responsibility and a service to Family🌈 Thank you!
Participant’s Agreement
By participating in this Zoom discussion or scheduled event, participants agree to:
- Adhere to these guidelines and respect The Mod Team/Host's decisions.
- Complain only a little (and constructively) if they have concerns or issues.
These guidelines and actions apply to all open discussions and scheduled events on Everybody’s Zoom, including both zoom video meetings and social media related chats.
The Finer Print
Zoom rooms are not public. They are not protected by the first amendment, nor do you have a right to them as a taxpaying American citizen. Zoom rooms are purchased by people or teams to use for a specific purpose. The moderation team of this zoom room owns this room, and gets to make decisions as to what happens in it. Don't like it? Buying a zoom room is a thing you can do too! Then you can set your zoom room to follow your ethics.
This zoom room is more open than most. The team that bought it did so for the purpose of having a pleasant place for themselves and their peers to hang out in. If you behave in ways that make it less pleasant for the folks that bought and use it, than you are not welcome. It is truly that simple.
We understand that everyone has off days. We aren't asking you to practice toxic positivity. When shit sucks, ask if the other folks in the room have the headspace to listen right now, and as long as they do, vent away. If some folks in the room don't have the headspace for tough topics today, take the conversation into a breakout room or a private call with the person you need to talk to. No one here is your therapist, and no one owes you their time. Remember to “not dominate the rap, jack”. Even if folks have consented to your rant, doesn't mean they aren't also going through their own struggles. Be mindful of the amount of space that you are using. Remember this isn't a real campfire. At a real campfire 3 conversations can happen at once and blend and separate fluidly. Unfortunately, the technology we are using highlights only one voice at a time per room. So if you are talking, no one else can start talking until you have stopped. We are all here together to try to get through trying and lonely times.
We have tried to lay out some basic guidelines to guide the sorts of behavior we want to see. Violating our stated guidelines will get you at least put into time out, and potentially banned. We also reserve the right to use our best judgment and instincts to keep this room working as we like it. As the owners of this zoom room, this is our right, and by using this zoom room, you agree to only complain about it a little.
We have a created a team of moderators, to talk through how to build the sort of culture in this zoom room that is healthy. Most decisions are discussed to an absolutely excessive degree. However, the modteam also places a lot of trust in each other, and trusts that if one moderator had to step up and make a decision in the moment, it was the decision that had to be made in that moment. Complaining excessively about it to the rest of us will only result in a longer/permanent ban or rectal leakage. Contact your physician for erections lasting longer than four hours.
TLDR: Yes, we can ban you if you annoy us. Not sorry.