Telegram Chat Moderation Policy
of the Chicago Pet Patrol
Created January 16, 2022
Formal moderation progression:
This moderation progression relates to all issues within the chat. While larger issues may be handled through items of the Code of Conduct, Values Statement, or other governing documents, the following progression relates to issues of chat rule violation and is applicable across each of the chats.
Level 1:
- Each user can accumulate 2 warnings without action.
- A 3rd warning will result in a 1 week temp-ban.
- After 1 week, the user may rejoin the chats.
Level 2:
- Once rejoined, a user can accumulate 1 warning without action.
- A 2nd warning will result in a 1 month temp-ban.
- After 1 month, the user may rejoin the chats.
Level 3:
- Once rejoined, any offense that results in a warning will result in an indefinite ban.
- Indefinite bans can be appealed per the appeals section below. If your behavior has resulted in this many uncontested/unresolved warnings, you need to earn back the trust of the community, and that's best discussed at length in the Business Meetings.
Egregious offenses:
- For issues that are particularly hateful or harmful, steps may be skipped in this process.
- The board has the final say in what offenses are particularly egregious, but the moderation team should have input and the greater community should speak up when they see unfair moderation practices. Trust that actions of the board are rooted in an effort to do good for the community, but it's your privilege and right to dispute that, and we encourage you to challenge it should it be called for.
Appeals:
- Because of timing, 1 week and 1 month temp-ban appeals should be sent to the board at board@chicagopetpatrol.org
- Indefinite bans may be appealed to the membership at a quarterly business meeting. The appeal process should start by contacting board@chicagopetpatrol.org
- While a ban from the chat may not necessarily result in a ban from membership, a ban from membership will result in a ban from the chat. This is due in large part to the gravity of what a ban from membership represents. Bans from membership are borne of repeated violation of the Code of Conduct, demonstration of repetitive or egregious disregard for the Values statement, issues of violated sexual consent, physical abuse, emotional abuse, or harassment. Therefore a ban from membership must be resolved before a ban from the chat can be appealed. Overturn of a ban from membership will result in an overturn of a ban from the chat.
Good reasons to appeal:
While not all of these reasons may automatically result in removal of a warning, these are things the board and membership should consider in an effort to demonstrate restorative practices of moderation.
- One of my warnings was from [a long time ago]
- I've demonstrated that I've been able to correct that behavior
- I've learned why I was wrong in the moment and have been working on correcting that behavior
Community bystanders:
- See something, say something. This is your chat. There are two sides to every story, and a mod rushing to take care of an issue may not have all the backstory. When you do say something, please trust that the moderation team has the best intent, and recognize that there may be gaps in understanding. While not an excuse for poor moderation practices, filling in those gaps is essential to make the best choices possible, and can/should result in reversal of moderation actions when appropriate.
- Report issues to @admin for consideration (this notifies every admin of the group). These can be replies to messages for context, and you can supply a reason with your message.
- This chat has a long and storied history. Please recognize that there may be a past to an issue you aren't aware of. All the same, the moderation team should transparently offer that context when asked.
- Do you feel like another user has accumulated excessive warnings across the chat groups that have not resulted in appropriate temp-bans? Call it out in chat or in private message with a mod. Unfortunately Miss Rose can't take automatic action on accumulated warnings across the chats like she can within a chat, but she does log each of them in a channel. The moderators can search this channel (but can't modify). If it's found that the number of warnings should result in a temp-ban, appropriate actions will be taken.
Interested in helping moderate a chat?
If you feel like you would be a good moderator, please contact a board member to discuss a possibility on the moderation team. Moderators should demonstrate:
- A measured approach in the face of issues
- focus on de-escalation and issue resolution rather than blind callouts
- An ability to divorce their friendships and interpersonal issues from their demonstration of fair moderation of individuals in the chat
- A healthy communication practice with the rest of the moderation team, and an openness to correction when called for