Further refine moderation guidelines

README.md

@@ -4,6 +4,89 @@
 
 This document is a working draft and incomplete.
 
+Missing aspects:
+- spam
+- automated posts
+- high-frequency posts
+- …
+
+## Non‐normative summary
+
+We wish to provide an environment in which queer and neurodivergent people can
+be their authentic selves. In addition to communication itself, we have various
+tools for restricting communication to help us achieve that goal.
+
+We need however be mindful that every action we take may not only protect from
+harm, but can also be harmful by itself. We should therefore in general respect
+people’s autonomy in deciding with whom they wish to interact and what kind of
+content they like to see. We should only limit that autonomy to a degree that
+is necessary and effective to achieve our goals.
+
+Distribution of content that is strictly illegal under the laws of the
+Federal Repulic of Germany, whether we agree with them or not, obviously
+undermines our goals because it may result in termination of this instance.
+
+Communication may be harmful to others, both to users of this instance as well
+as on other instances. Harmfulness can be difficult to assess and quantify
+objectively and always requires consideration of the larger context.
+Communication content can be annoying or distressing to people, or it might
+cause them to take harmful action.
+
+Our moderation actions should be proportional to the risk of harm resulting
+from the communication we moderate. We should attempt cooperative measures
+(discussing an issue with the originators of a communication or the moderators
+of another instance) before we forcefully restrict communication.
+
+We should also note that we have the ability to apply restrictions selectively
+both in terms of the communication parties or content as well as the degree of
+restriction.
+
+Restrictions can be applied based on local user identity, remote instance name,
+hash tag or content keywords. They may be applied to messages themselves or
+media attachments. And the degree of restriction can vary from a reduction in
+visibility to complete termination.
+
+### Local users
+
+Local users are generally moderated through the administrative web interface
+of this instance and available moderation actions include
+
+- unlisting (removal from federated timeline), `mrf_tag:force-unlisted`,
+- sandboxing (removal from public timelines), `mrf_tag:sandbox`,
+- marking media attachments as sensitive, `mrf_tag:media-force-nsfw`,
+- stripping media attachments, `mrf_tag:media-strip`,
+- account deactivation, and
+- account deletion.
+
+### Instances
+
+Instances are moderated through this Git repository using the following
+settings:
+
+- `activities`:
+  - `unlist`: Remove activities from federated timeline,
+  - `restrict`: force activities to be visible to followers only, or
+  - `reject`: reject all activities except deletes.
+- `media`:
+  - `mark`: Mark media attachments as sensitive, or
+  - `strip`: strip all media attachments.
+
+### Hashtags
+
+Hashtags can be matched by case‐insensitive exact match with the following
+flags:
+
+- `sensitive`: Mark tagged activities as sensitive, and
+- `unlisted`: remove tagged activities from federated timeline.
+
+### Key words
+
+Key words are matched by regular expression with the following options for
+moderation:
+
+- `unlist`: Remove matching activities from federated timelines, or
+- `reject`: reject matching activities altogether.
+
 ## Definitions
 
 The key words _shall_, _shall not_, _should_, _should not_, _may_ are to be interpreted as described in
@@ -19,7 +102,7 @@ The term _representation_ applies to both textual (something being described in
 (something shown in a still image or video) representation. It applies whether or not the represented
 idea is real or imaginary.
 
-## Visibility
+## Visibility guidelines
 
 - _unrestricted_
   - Activities _may_ be visible in public timelines.
@@ -133,58 +216,93 @@ Eye contact may be experienced as uncomfortable by some people. May need some re
 **Practical application:**
 - Selfies with eyes focused on the camera _may_ be marked as sensitive and labelled with `ec`.
 
-## Instance moderation
+## Escalation strategy
 
-Instances _should_ only be moderated if an issue cannot be expected to be resolved in a less invasive manner,
-for example by addressing them directly with the users causing them or the instance administrators.
-Reducing the visibility of an instance’s content _should_ generally be preferred over complete defederation.
+The moderation action should be proportional to the harm potential of the
+communication. Occasional mild infractions should be solved through cooperation
+while persistent or serious violations may require forceful action.
 
-_(incomplete)_
+Failure to remedy an issue or repeated violation should be met with gradual
+escalation of measures.
 
-- `activities`:
-  - `unlist`: Remove activities from federated timeline.
-  - `restrict`: Force activities to be visible to followers only.
-  - `reject`: Reject all activities except deletes.
-- `media`:
-  - `mark`: Mark media attachments as sensitive.
-  - `strip`: Strip all media attachments.
+(incomplete)
 
-### Practical guidelines
+### Prohibited content
 
-_(incomplete)_
+Content that is obviously illegal or very harmful is _prohibited_.
 
-#### Politics
+- _Any_ such content _shall_ be deleted locally immediately.
+- Local user accounts distributing _any_ such content _shall_ be restricted
+  immediately by sandboxing or deactivation, they _should_ however not be
+  deleted without further investigation.
+- Local user accounts _primarily_ distributing such content _shall_ be deleted
+  immediately.
+- Remote instances distributing _any_ such content _may_ be restricted
+  immediately by `restrict`ing their activities and `mark`ing or `strip`ping
+  their attachments.
+- Remote instances failing to contain the distribution of _any_ such content
+  within an adequate time period _should_ at least be restricted by
+  `restrict`ing their activities and `strip`ping their attachments. They _may_
+  also be defederated by `reject`ing their activities.
+- Remote instances _primarily_ distributing such content _shall_ be defederated
+  immediately by `reject`ing their activities and `strip`ping their
+  attachments.
 
-- Instances focused on right‐wing extremism _should_ be defederated.
-- Instances with strong free speech policies _may_ have their activities withheld from public timelines.
-- Instances with a high prevalance of unlabelled political content _may_ have their content withheld from public timelines.
+### Restricted content
 
-#### Personal integrity
+- _Any_ such content _may_ be removed from the public and federated timelines
+  if not adequately labelled.
+- _Any_ such content _may_ be forcibly labelled with appropriate content
+  warnings.
+- Local user accounts distributing _any_ such content without adequate labels
+  _should_ be contacted for cooperative resolution.
+- Remote user accounts distributing _any_ such content without adequate labels
+  _may_ be contacted for cooperative resolution.
+- Local user accounts _primarily_ distributing such content without adequate
+  labels _should_ be contacted for discussion.
 
-- Instances with a high prevalence of media depicting violence _should_ have their media marked as sensitive.
+(incomplete)
 
-#### Nudity & sexuality 
+### Cooperative communication
 
-- Instances focused on CSAM _shall_ be defederated.
-- Instances with a high prevalance of legally questionable sexual content _should_ have their media stripped.
-- Instances with a high prevalance of unmarked sexual content _should_ have their media marked as sensitive.
+- Try to be friendly and respectful in your communication.
+- Describe your role.
+- Clearly describe the offending behaviour and explain the reason for it being
+  considered offensive.
+- Note whether improvement of the behaviour is a suggestion, a recommendation
+  or mandatory.
+- Mention the possible consequences if the behaviour is not improved.
 
-## Local user moderation
+#### Examples
 
-Issues with local users _should_ preferably be addressed in a cooperative and constructive manner.
+> “Hey, I am a moderator of this instance. My colleagues and I noticed that you
+> have been posting a lot on current political events. While we have no strict
+> rules about it, we feel that an excess of such content is very exhausting to
+> our users. We therefore suggest that you consider labelling such posts as
+> `??pol`, so that users can skip over them if they are not interested, or
+> publishing them as _unlisted_, so that they are not visible on the public
+> timelines.
+> 
+> We trust in your ability to be considerate to others and don’t believe that
+> any further action is required on our part.”
 
-_(incomplete)_
+> “Hey, I am part of the moderatorion team of this instance. We have received
+> complaints from other users about sexually suggestive posts from your
+> account. While not considered inappropriate per se, we recommend that such
+> posts be labelled as `suggestive` or `lewd` and media marked as _sensitive_.
+> 
+> Please be reminded that if you continue to post such content without
+> marking it appropriately, we may decide to remove your posts from the public
+> timelines and mark all your media attachments as _sensitive_.”
 
-- Unlisting (removal from federated timeline), `mrf_tag:force-unlisted`
-- Sandboxing (removal from public timelines), `mrf_tag:sandbox`
-- Marking media attachments as sensitive, `mrf_tag:media-force-nsfw`
-- Stripping media attachments, `mrf_tag:media-strip`
-- Account deactivation
-- Account deletion
+> “Hey, I am contacting you on behalf of this instances’s moderation team. You
+> have been posting sexually explicit images without marking them as sensitive.
+> This is however mandatory and if you violate this requirement again, we will
+> restrict your posts to followers only and forcibly mark all your media
+> attachments as _sensitive_.”
 
-### Practical guidelines
-
-_(incomplete)_
-
-- Users publishing CSAM _shall_ be permanently suspended.
-- Users failing to mark sensitive media _may_ have them forcibly marked as sensitive.
+> “Hi, I am writing to you on behalf of this instance’s moderation team. We
+> have noticed that you have been mentioning … despite their clearly and
+> repeatedly stated request not to be involved in the discussion any longer.
+> We ask that you disengage and honour their wish. If you fail to do so, we
+> will have to suspend your account.”