Operator Rules and Code of Conduct

by Unikitty v0.1

founders: VelvetBlueEyes, PrincessAww, razielle_tzu, unikitty

Purpose
Channel ops are a team. Our main purpose for being there is to handle trolls and problem users, as well as to de-escalate conflicts when they arise in the channel. We help keep the tone of the chat on track so that it doesn't turn into a shit show or become hostile.

In order for this to work, we all have to stay on the same page and follow the same protocols. Otherwise, there will be disagreements and divisions among our team, and that kind of conflict spills out into the channel and creates a toxic environment for everyone else. The purpose of this document is to outline a set of procedures that all ops will follow that should help to keep things cool and keep drama levels low, both in the channel and among the ops team.

Handling a conflict in the channel

 * The main rule I want to stress when it comes to dealing with a problem in the channel is - *don't do anything without bringing it up before another op first.* You need to bring another set of eyes (or preferably two sets of them) to the situation to make sure that you aren't just acting out of your emotions, a personal dislike for the person in question, etc, before you do anything.
 * If you notice a problem arising, make note of it in the ops channel so that other ops that are online can watch what's going on.
 * Once you have confirmed with someone else that it's not just you that has a problem, and that the user in question is actually exhibiting problematic behavior, you need to follow the rules of escalation in dealing with the issue.
 * If at all possible, have another op actually perform the operator actions; this avoids the situation where one op is picking on a user that they don't like and acting from their emotions, and it reduces the likelihood that the user at fault perceives that this is what's happening to them.
 * The only time an op should ever do anything unilaterally is in the case of an obvious troll, or a known banned user that is evading a ban.
 * don't call people out in front of the channel. Confront users in PM, and only if they fail to respond should you bring it up in the channel.
 * try to use the lightest action that will get the point across. I.e. if a user is being hostile, fighting, arguing, etc., try muting them for a couple of minutes.

The Ops Channel
The ops channel is meant to be a place where we can discuss problem users, discreetly alert each other to issues unfolding in the channel, and come to consensus on moderation actions.

The ops channel is not a place to shit talk users that you don't like behind their backs. Please try to keep gossip and cattiness to a minimum. We don't need to be adding more hostility to the situation than is necessary to deal with the issue. If you need to vent, there are likely better places to do it, such as in PM.

Handling Issues Between Ops
If you have a problem with the behavior of another op, or if a personal problem arises between two or more ops, please don't accuse or attack them directly. Bring it up with a founder (val, raz, uni), and they will handle it. We will try to mediate the situation and see if it can be resolved in a way that doesn't involve fighting or confrontation.

Following Procedures
The procedures outlined above are meant to help the channel be a better place to hang out for everyone, including ops. If an op displays hostile or unprofessional behavior in the channel, starts fights with users or other ops, can't follow procedures, or otherwise can't/won't work as a team with the rest of the ops, they will be warned and/or temporarily/permanently de-oped at founder discretion.

This document is a work in progress, so if you have any comments/questions/ideas/suggestions, bring it up in the ops channel, and we'll have a chat about it. Good luck everyone :)