[edit] (DRAFT)
The Administrators of the NYCGA site are volunteers in service to the Occupy Wall Street Movement. We are not lawyers and do not claim to be upholding laws, as part of the focus of Occupy Wall Street is to work on developing an alternative society. Therefore, we expect our readers to focus on comradeship and collaboration, rather than approaching our development with an eye towards legality. Won't you join us in creating a new world order that is expressed on the streets and online, and help us create a society with the shared principles of: transparency, non-hierarchy, and non-violence?
Translating these values online can be very clear in certain regards, for example, we would not allow sexual solicitation on our websites. In other regards, as many topics require evaluation and discussion of existing political, economic, legal, and social norms, we expect a certain amount of debate, and possibly heated debate, on our websites.
Occupy Wall Street, as a movement open to discourse, welcomes debate. However, as with any human interaction, whether in-person or online, the publication of acceptable norms is mandatory. The fundamental reason to develop and post a set of Administrator/Acceptable Use policies is for the protection of our members. Although we, in name (the 99%) represent a huge majority of people in the United States, the number of people accessing, participating in, and benefiting from our websites is small. First of all, it is limited to technically proficient people. Secondly, many people who identify with Occupy Wall Street may not feel compelled to visit the website and follow discussions and updates about the movement.
For those who do participate in the website, it is necessary to create a set of rules. Although we are not proponents of hierarchies, they are needed so that those concerned can create processes that may benefit many others. As in all aspects of Occupy Wall Street, the creators and enforcers of the Acceptable Use policies are not elected, paid, or chosen to represent one particular viewpoint. We are volunteers for the movement who are technically apt and who have had experience moderating, participating in, and perhaps working on websites. We are social-media savvy and want the Occupy Wall Street websites to be legal, safe, and comfortable experiences for our users and visitors.
In that regard, we propose these policies beginning on December 26, 2011:
[edit] 1. No agendas
No one shall use the Occupy Wall Street websites to promote private personal agendas. If this is found to be the case, groups, members, and written records may be archived (removed) from the site. People who wish to mention sympathetic organizations may do so by creating links to external sites;
[edit] 2 No solicitation
No one shall solicit membership in other external organizations. If this is found to be the case, groups, members, and written records may be archived (removed) from the site;
[edit] 3 Not-for-profit
The Occupy Wall Street websites are not profit-making. Donations are used to cover the cost of running the sites;
[edit] 4 Etiquette
Behavior, language, and attitude on the Occupy Wall Street websites shall adhere to the same as in personal communication. We do not tolerate cursing, threatening, defamation, lying, or manipulating members. If this is found to be the case, groups, members, and written records may be archived (removed) from the site;
[edit] 5 Respect copyright
Articles and posts submitted should be personal and not violate copyright rules. If copyrighted materials are referenced, please cite them correctly. If copyright violations continue to occur, groups, members, and written records may be archived (removed) from the site;
[edit] 6 Contributions are licensed
Creative Commons language here ??? ;
[edit] 7 Be tolerant, tolerable
People write in various ways using various expressions that depict tone. Writing a statement is not the same as speaking it. The way a statement is read is open to interpretation. Because language is often misconstrued, we request that submissions use neutral or positive words when possible. Complimenting and thanking other members for their contributions is built in to various systems with "twinkles" and "likes." When you use these features, try to separate out the person from the idea. As it is impossible to meet everyone face-to-face, give the poster the benefit of the doubt when reading their submissions. Recognize that Occupy Wall Street includes a tremendously diverse cross-section of participants. Some may write better than others. Some may be unhappy and express this emotion online. Using empathy, humility, and respect is the key to maintaining a positive political and social movement that will help create the kind of world we, the 99%, would like to create.
