Re: Proposal for an Events Code of Conduct and Policy Referendum

[Olav Vitters <olav vitters nl>]

On Sun, Apr 15, 2018 at 04:40:29PM +0200, Benjamin Berg wrote:
> Codes of Conduct (CoC) and especially the policies surrounding them are
> a very political issue (which easily becomes emotional). Unfortunately,

I reviewed the latest CoC proposal. My feedback is below.



https://wiki.gnome.org/Diversity/CoCWorkingGroup/DraftEventsCoC/DraftPhotographyPolicy

In summary: please choose if you want pictures to be taken or not. At
the moment the rules are written in a strange way. E.g. half of them
assume that by default picture taking is ok (need a badge to show you
don't want your picture to be taken). But there's also rules where
everyone's permission needs to be asked. So why the badge?

I think this policy needs to be much clearer. Currently most people are
fine with their pictures being taken. I'd suggest to make it easy to see
which ones don't want their pictures to be taken and keep the bits where
it's not complying with this preference means you're out of the
conference/ hackfest/ similar.

I am well aware that we have attendees which do not want their picture
to be taken plus do not want to have everyone know this.

| Guidelines for attendees
| 
| If you don't want to have your picture taken, please make this known to
| event organizers before or near the beginning of the event. During some
| events, you will be issued a special badge to indicate that your picture
| should not be taken. There may be a photo-free zone where you can sit
| during talks - feel free to ask event organizers about this.

This implies that most people are fine with their picture being taken.
It also implies that some people might not be.

| Photographers should ask your permission either before or after taking
| your picture.

If most people are fine with having their picture taken, why should
permission be asked? I think this is too much of a burden (asking and
being asked) and not practical.

|               If this doesn't happen, you should feel free to ask them
| to stop or to delete any pictures they have taken. If you don't feel
| comfortable doing this, just ask an event organizer and they will assist
| you.

The bit about being entirely comfortable and it being ok to ask for
deletion of a picture seems reasonable.

| There are some cases where all attendees should expect to have their
| picture taken. This includes if you participate in a group photograph,
| or if you give a talk.

This seems odd, either permission should be asked or it shouldn't be. I
think it's too much of a burden. But if you want permission to be asked
then it should be asked _every_single_time_. The exceptions are basically
the ones which are difficult for the organizers of an event. However,
it's also a heavy burden for all participants taking pictures.

It seems way easier to assume that by default picture taking is ok while
at the same time it's mandatory to adhere that some people do NOT want
their pictures to be taken. Much easier!

| Guidelines for photographers

I use my phone for taking pictures and I'm an attendee, not a
photographer I think.

| If you are taking photographs at a GNOME event, make yourself available
| to those you are taking pictures of. Ensure that you get permission from

I don't understand what's meant with 'make yourself available'. I could
imagine that after a picture I need to hang around for 5 minutes or
something? Usually people don't notice that I take their pictures. The
best pictures are when people are not noticing their picture being
taken.

| your subjects either before or after you have taken their picture.

That's not practical and I'm going to break that rule. I've been to
Germany last weekend and observed (at least in Cologne) that most people
actually wait for a traffic light. It's not practical nor reasonable
request to ask a hundred times/day if you can take someones picture.
Especially if you take a lot of pictures it'll be impossible. If someone
would actually follow these rules it's a huge burden.

Imagine coding where for every line someone interrupts you with a
question. You'll not be able to concentrate nor get anything done. While
taking pictures it's unreasonable to do a lot of red tape just for the
sake of it (IMO).

Another practical bit: I've taken pictures of a big group. E.g. in
Manchester where people were sitting on the stairs. You cannot really
make anyone out or anything. According to this rule I'd need to spend
time to track them around and ask permission? It seems impractical. Same
for e.g. the 20 year party even, I have various pictures with around 50
people on there.

| Permission from parents or guardians should be requested for all minors.

Is the "should be" like an RFC? Meaning I can just ignore it? If so, why
even have it in there?

| If someone asks you not to take their picture, don't. If someone asks
| you to delete or unpublish a picture you have taken of them, politely
| comply.

This seems great.

| Don't harass people by repeatedly taking their picture without
| permission. Don’t take pictures of those wearing photo-free badges. If a
| photo-free zone has been set up, do not include this area in your
| photographs.

This again seems great.



https://wiki.gnome.org/Diversity/CoCWorkingGroup/DraftEventsCoC/DraftCoC

This seems hugely improved though not that much text changed since the
last time I read it.


| Do not, under any circumstance, negatively discriminate or make
| derogatory statements about people based on their age, culture,
| ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, language, race,
| sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, place of residence
| or origin, political or religious views. 
| 
| Event organizers reserve the right to take any action against those who
| behave inappropriately, including expulsion from the event. Actions and
| incident reports will be recorded and stored by the GNOME Foundation for
| the purposes described in the Code of Conduct Data Retention Policy. Be
| alert to the possibility of unconscious biases; ensure that they don't
| influence your behavior.

The last sentence ("be alert") seems a bit off in this paragraph. It
maybe fits better in the previous paragraph ("do not"). Though it also
seems to be a repeat of the "how to behave" section.

| Enforcement
[..]
| If you are planning a talk or event that may contravene some aspects of
| the Code of Conduct, please get in touch with the Code of Conduct
| Committee in order to discuss your plans.

This might need to be mentioned elsewhere as well. Maybe part of the
speaker instructions or something.

| If you need help
| 
| If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable at a GNOME event

Unsafe/uncomfortable: I think there should be a better way to word this,
due to:
unsafe: CoC is not so much about safety, I hope?
uncomfortable: seems better but doesn't exactly seem to cover the
intention?



https://wiki.gnome.org/Diversity/CoCWorkingGroup/DraftEventsCoC/DraftResponseGuidelines

| Incident Response Guidelines

The only bit I find missing is what happens if someone tries to submit a
non-existing incident? Basically like a false police report.

-- 
Regards,
Olav