Fastest Place on Earth Code of Conduct
Version 1.0 - Updated May 23, 2024
Mission Statement
Our goal is to create an open and welcoming speedrunning marathon environment and to make participation in our event and community a harassment-free experience for everyone. We recognize that the heart of any event is people. We put people first and do our best to recognize, appreciate and respect the diversity of our community. We welcome everyone who shares our goals and wants to contribute healthily and constructively within our community. As such, we require all those who participate in our community to agree and adhere to these Community Participation Guidelines to help us create a safe and positive community experience for all.
These guidelines aim to support a community where all people should feel safe to participate, introduce new ideas and inspire others, regardless of background, race and/or ethnicity, caste, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, family status, national origin, native language, geographic location, socioeconomic status, or any other dimension of diversity.
Openness, collaboration and participation are core aspects of our work — from creating our live-streamed events, to providing community spaces, and all other activities a speedrunning marathon like us wants to promote. We gain strength from diversity and actively seek participation from those who enhance it. These guidelines exist to enable diverse individuals and groups to interact and collaborate to mutual advantage. This document outlines both expected and prohibited behavior.
When and How to Use These Guidelines
These guidelines outline our behavior expectations as members of our community in all activities, both offline and online. Your participation is contingent upon following these guidelines in all activities, including but not limited to:
- Appearing on stream for our events.
- Interacting with other community members (virtually or co-located)
- Activity in other communities (other events, and any other applicable online communities).
- Activity on social media (on both official accounts and personal accounts on any applicable social media platforms).
While these guidelines/code of conduct are specifically aimed at our community, we recognize that it is possible for actions taken outside of our spaces to have a deep impact on community health. For example, in the past, we identified a runner actively involved in another discord server promoting hate speech and extremist ideologies as clear grounds for removal from the community.
Modifications to these Guidelines
We may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it
Volunteering with Fastest Place on Earth
We appreciate everyone who their time to help Fastest Place on Earth(FPoE) with our various events. While volunteering for any FPoE events to include Fastest Place on Earth, Fastest Place on Earth Community Showcases, and any other events we may run on our channel, volunteers may end up creating assets for the benefit of the events. FPoE as an organization reserves sole right and ownership of any and all assets or Intellectual Property created for our events by volunteers unless otherwise documented with the volunteer ahead of creation.
Expected Behavior
The following behaviors are expected of everyone in our community.
Be Respectful
Value each other's ideas, styles and viewpoints. We may not always agree, but disagreement is no excuse for poor manners. Be open to different possibilities and to being wrong. Be respectful in all interactions and communications, especially when debating the merits of different options. Be aware of your impact and how intense interactions may be affecting people. Be direct, constructive and positive. Take responsibility for your impact and your mistakes – if someone says they have been harmed through your words or actions, listen carefully, apologize sincerely, and correct the behavior going forward.
Be Direct But Professional
We are likely to have some discussions about if and when criticism is respectful and when it's not. We must be able to speak directly when we disagree and when we think we need to improve. We cannot withhold hard truths. Doing so respectfully is hard, doing so when others don't seem to be listening is harder, and hearing such comments when one is the recipient can be even harder still. We need to be honest and direct, as well as respectful.
Be Inclusive
Seek diverse perspectives. Diversity of views and people on teams powers innovation, even if it is not always comfortable. Encourage all voices. Help new perspectives be heard and listen actively. If you find yourself dominating a discussion, it is especially important to step back and encourage other voices to join in. Be aware of how much time is taken up by dominant members of the group. Provide alternative ways to contribute or participate when possible.
Be inclusive of everyone in an interaction, respecting and facilitating people's participation, regardless of whether they are not native language speakers, or coming from a different culture. using pronouns other than “he” or “she”, living in a different time zone, or facing other challenges to participate.
Think about how you might facilitate alternative ways to contribute or participate. If you find yourself dominating a discussion, step back. Make way for other voices and listen actively to them.
Understand Different Perspectives
Our goal should not be to “win” every disagreement or argument. A more productive goal is to be open to ideas that make our own ideas better. Strive to be an example of inclusive thinking. “Winning” is when different perspectives make our work richer and stronger.
Appreciate and Accommodate Our Similarities and Differences
We come from many cultures and backgrounds. Cultural differences can encompass everything from official religious observances to personal habits to clothing. Be respectful of people with different cultural practices, attitudes and beliefs. Work to eliminate your own biases, prejudices and discriminatory practices. Think of others' needs from their point of view. Use preferred titles (including pronouns) and the appropriate tone of voice. Respect people's right to privacy and confidentiality. Be open to learning from and educating others as well as educating yourself; it is unrealistic to expect everyone to know the cultural practices of every ethnic and cultural group, but everyone needs to recognize one's native culture is only part of positive interactions.
Lead By Example
By matching your actions with your words, you become a person others want to follow. Your actions influence others to behave and respond in ways that are valuable and appropriate for our organizational outcomes. Design your community and your work for inclusion. Hold yourself and others accountable for inclusive behaviors. Make decisions based on the highest good for our mission.
Behavior That Will Not Be Tolerated
The following behaviors are considered to be unacceptable under these guidelines.
Illegal Activity, Terrorism and Violent Extremism
Breaking any applicable local, national, or international laws is not acceptable. This includes depicting, glorifying, encouraging, or supporting terrorism or other violent extremist actors, or threatening to or encouraging others to commit acts that would result in serious physical harm or significant property destruction.
Self-Destructive Behavior, Violence and Threats of Violence
Endangering the physical or mental well-being of anyone is not acceptable. This includes violence, threats or incitement of violence, posting or threatening to post other people's personally identifying information (“doxxing”) online, or encouragement of self-harm.
Personal Attacks
Conflicts will inevitably arise, but frustration should never turn into a personal attack. It is not okay to insult, demean or belittle others. Attacking someone for their opinions, beliefs and ideas is not acceptable. It is important to speak directly when we disagree and when we think we need to improve, but such discussions must be conducted respectfully and professionally, remaining focused on the issue at hand.
Derogatory Language
Hurtful or harmful language related to background, race and/or ethnicity, caste, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, family status, national origin, native language, geographic location, socioeconomic status, or any other dimension of diversity is not acceptable. This includes deliberately referring to someone by a gender that they do not identify with, and/or questioning the legitimacy of an individual's gender identity. If you're unsure if a word is derogatory, don't use it. This also includes repeated subtle and/or indirect discrimination; when asked to stop, stop the behavior in question.
Unwelcome Sexual Attention or Physical Contact
Unwelcome sexual attention or unwelcome physical contact is not acceptable. This includes sexualized comments, jokes or imagery in interactions, communications or presentation materials, as well as inappropriate touching, groping, or sexual advances. Additionally, touching a person without permission, including sensitive areas such as their hair, pregnant stomach, mobility device (wheelchair, scooter, etc) or tattoos is unacceptable. This includes physically blocking or intimidating another person. Physical contact or simulated physical contact (such as emojis like “kiss”) without affirmative consent is not acceptable. The sharing or distribution of sexualized images or text is unacceptable.
Disruptive Behavior and Malicious Conduct
Any other activities that disrupt, interrupt, harm, or otherwise violate the integrity of our community are not acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Fostering or promoting a negative and/or toxic environment, for example by causing hostility in the community, live stream, or other community spaces.
- Engaging in phishing, spreading malware, or viruses.
- Impersonating any individual or organization, for example, community staff, other community members, friends, celebrities, and companies.
- Continued participation in communities that consistently and publicly engage in unacceptable behavior, even after being made aware of such activities.
- Promoting, glorifying or influencing others to commit any unacceptable behavior
Consequences Of Unacceptable Behavior
Bad behavior from any community member, including those with decision-making authority, will not be tolerated. Intentional efforts to exclude people (except as part of a consequence of the guidelines or other official actions) from the community are not acceptable and will be dealt with appropriately.
Reports of harassment/discrimination will be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the people responsible for the safety of the community. Appropriate measures will be taken to address the situation.
Anyone being asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Violation of these guidelines can result in anyone being removed from our community, either temporarily, for the duration of an event, or being banned from participation in our spaces, future events and activities in perpetuity.
In addition, any participants who abuse the reporting process will be considered to be in violation of these guidelines and subject to the same consequences. False reporting, especially to retaliate or exclude, will not be accepted or tolerated.
Reporting
If you believe you're experiencing unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated as outlined above, reports are triaged by our Head of Safety Kasaki Tanari, who may also be reached out to individually at kasakitanarinoga@gmail.com
After receiving a concise description of your situation, you will receive an initial contact about your report within 3 days, letting you know that they will review and determine the next steps. In addition to conducting any investigation, they can provide a range of resources, from a private consultation to other community resources. They may involve, with your consent, other community members or outside specialists (such as other event organizers), as needed to appropriately address each situation.
Please also report to us if you observe a potentially dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of these guidelines, even if the situation is not happening to you.
If you feel you have been unfairly accused of violating these guidelines, please follow the same reporting process.
Ask Questions
Everyone is encouraged to ask questions about these guidelines. Your input is welcome and you will always get a response within 3 days if you reach out to either of the above email addresses.
License and Attribution
This set of guidelines is distributed under a Creative Commons Attributation-ShareAlike License.
These guidelines have been adapted with modifications from Mozilla's Community Participation Guidelines, the Ubuntu Code of Conduct, Mozilla's View Source Conference Code of Conduct, and the Rust Language Code of Conduct, which are based on Stumptown Syndicate's Citizen Code of Conduct. Additional text from the LGBTQ in Technology Code of Conduct, the WisCon Code of Conduct, the Twitch Community Guidelines, the current No Glitches Allowed Code of Conduct. and the previous No Glitches Allowed Participant Code of Conduct.