Code of Conduct

Published: October 1, 2026

The FLDR Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines that explains how members of the Florida Digital Rights Association (FLDR) and our wider community behaves. It also explains the things that we value to members and outsiders. The Code of Conduct is a living document and will be updated when and if it is deemed necessary.

The Code of Conduct is enforced by humans making real decisions based on all of the available information and using all available context.

The Code of Conduct does not seek to restrict speech or penalize non-native speakers of English. Instead the Code of Conduct spells out the kinds of behaviors we, as a community, find to be acceptable or unacceptable.

TL;DR: Be respectful to people. Be respectful of the community you are entering into. Ideally, make friends along the way. :)

Our Pledge

In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we pledge to collaborate in a respectful and constructive manner, and welcome everyone willing to join us in that pledge. We welcome individuals regardless of ability, age, background, body size, education, ethnicity, family status, gender identity and expression, geographic location, level of experience, marital status, nationality, national origin, native language, personal appearance, race and/or ethnicity, religion, sexual identity and orientation, socioeconomic status, or any other dimension of diversity.

Our communciation channels should focus on the digital rights, the movement, and organizing for digital freedom. We pledge to make participation in the association and community a harassment-free experience for everyone. We pledge to avoid personal attacks on others, and to avoid inflammatory language and speech that perpetuates discrimination. Furthermore, we pledge to not use the Florida Digital Rights Association and its platforms as a basis to engage in personal campaigns against other organizations or individuals.

Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to creating a positive environment include:

• Using welcoming and inclusive language
• Being kind to others
• Behaving with civility
• Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences
• Gracefully accepting constructive criticism
• Focusing on what is best for the movement
• Showing empathy towards other community members

Examples of unacceptable behavior include:

• The use of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances
• Initiating controversy for controversy’s sake (repeatedly asking disingenuous questions under a guise of sincerity)
• Saying insulting/derogatory comments and making personal attacks
• Repeatedly instigating conflict, and baiting people into arguments
• Public or private harassment
• Publishing someone else’s private information, such as a physical or electronic address, without explicit permission
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Violent threats or language directed against another person
• Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or exclusionary statements, even if they were meant as jokes
• Excessive swearing
• Unwelcome physical contact
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events
• Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting even if the conduct may be legal under the laws of some jurisdiction.

Our Responsibilities

The FLDR Steering Committee is committed to enforcing the Code of Conduct in a fair and impartial manner so that community members are able to participate in FLDR and its associated activities in a safe and respectful environment. To achieve this, the Steering Committee is responsible for clarifying and interpreting the standards of acceptable behavior, responding to and investigating reports of behavior that is not aligned to the Code of Conduct, and determining appropriate and fair corrective action in response.

Within their respective areas of participation, community members have the right in their sole discretion and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject contributions that are not aligned to the Code of Conduct. Community members are expected to exercise these rights in alignment with the Code of Conduct.

Scope

The Code of Conduct applies in all online and offline organizing spaces and in all online and offline spaces where an individual is representing FLDR, its community, or is acting as a community member.

Examples of acting as a community member include:

• Chatting in any FLDR Signal groups
• Communicating externally via email or social media with FLDR or official members
• Contributing to or organizing with FLDR in any form
• Using an official association email address
• Posting via an official social media account
• Acting as an appointed representative at an online or offline event
• Speaking for FLDR at a public event or online video
• Serving as an elected or appointed leader in FLDR, including being a member of the Steering Committee

Reporting and Enforcement

Instances of behavior inconsistent with the Code of Conduct may be reported by contacting any member of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will handle reporting and enforcement of the Code of Conduct.

Our Stance on Retaliation

FLDR is committed to ensuring that community members feel safe and empowered to report concerns without fear of negative consequences. We do not tolerate retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, reports a potential violation of the Code of Conduct or assists in its investigation.

Protection for Reporters and Participants

No one should face threats, harassment, discrimination, or any other form of retaliation for:

• Making a good faith report of behavior they believe violates the Code of Conduct.
• Participating in the investigation of a Code of Conduct report, including serving as a witness or providing information. This protection explicitly extends to members of the Steering Committee in the execution of their duties.

"Good faith" means that you honestly believe the information you are providing is accurate, even if an investigation does not ultimately confirm the violation.

Acts of retaliation are serious violations of the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct Committee will address any confirmed instance of retaliation with appropriate corrective action, consistent with the enforcement of other Code of Conduct violations. If you believe you are being retaliated against, please report it to the Steering Committee.

Addressing False Reports

We expect all community members to act responsibly when making reports. The Steering Committee will investigate all reports. If the Committee determines, after thorough investigation, that a report was intentionally made with false information and with malicious intent (for example, to harass or silence someone), this action itself will be considered a violation of the Code of Conduct. An unsubstantiated report, when made in good faith, is not considered a false report.

Attribution & License

This Code of Conduct is an edited form of the Fedora Project Code of Conduct and the Contributor Covenant, version 1.4 along with material from the PyCon Code of Conduct and others. The process of dealing with reports is inspired by ideas from the Mozilla CPG Incident Process.