Code of Conduct
IFTF seeks to create and maintain a safe environment throughout our programs’ activities, both online and in-person. We will not tolerate actions that violate this aim, and will practice active enforcement and moderation as needed in order to uphold the safety and happiness of our organization’s staff and volunteers, as well as all community members participating in IFTF programs or using IFTF-associated resources.
The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to make sure that IFTF spaces stay safe, tolerant, and welcoming to all members, regardless of the role they have taken within these spaces. We ask that our community members act with compassion and kindness towards others, and these are the values under which this Code of Conduct operates.
If you have any questions about IFTF’s General Code of Conduct, please write to us at info@iftechfoundation.org. While this General Code of Conduct only applies within the boundaries of IFTF programs, you may also contact us with any related concern, and we will do our best to get you to the right resource and help.
The General Code of Conduct described in this document outlines the behavior that IFTF does not tolerate within any of its programs and activities. Programs may also establish their own codes of conduct, with policies specific to their own events and projects. These program-specific codes of conduct, when present, complement this organization-wide General Code of Conduct.
Diversity and Inclusion statement
IFTF strives to practice active inclusivity, including continuously learning how we can improve this practice. We acknowledge the systemic oppression encountered by marginalized groups at many levels of society, and ask that our members practice sensitivity towards one another’s lived experience—including the structural oppression a member may face. We aim to provide a space that does not contribute to these forms of oppression.
We expect participants of IFTF programs to be aware of these guiding principles, as they inform our perspective and approach to content moderation. Similarly, members should let these guidelines inform their own behavior when participating in IFTF or IFTF-adjacent spaces, when creating Content, and/or when attending an IRL Event (as defined below).
In-person events
The following policies, rules and guidelines apply only to and/or at any in-person event hosted and promoted by IFTF (each an “IRL Event” and collectively, “IRL Events”).
- Attendees must be at least 18 years of age, or accompanied by a parent, guardian or sponsor authorized by a parent or guardian, to attend any IRL Event.
- Attendees must respect every other attendee, and every IFTF Volunteer, and any staffer employed by or on behalf of any location where any IRL Event is taking place (“Location Team Member”).
- Harassment will not be tolerated; harassment is defined as a lack of respect for and/or denigration of the humanity of attendees, IFTF Volunteers and/or Location Team Members. If you believe you have been falsely accused of harassment, you will have an opportunity to appeal to the IRL Event Organizational Team within a reasonable period of time.
- Damage to or destruction of the private and/or personal property of any attendee, IFTF volunteer and/or Location Team Member will not be accepted or tolerated, and such actions will result in the removal of the destroyer.
- Cosplay is not consent; no matter what someone is wearing, they have not consented to be touched or photographed unless and until they affirmatively grant such consent.
- No balloons or drones, whether flown or tethered, are allowed aloft within any IRL Event without the prior written consent of IFTF, which must be requested at least 14 days before said IRL event where one seeks to have a balloon and/or drone.
- No physical handouts of any item larger than a business card, or of stickers of any size or type, are permitted without the prior written consent of IFTF.
- Scooters and Segways, except for those used as mobility aids, are not permitted at any IRL Event; bicycles and hoverboards and onewheels are never permitted inside any IRL Event.
- Pets are not permitted; service animals are permitted but must be registered with IFTF at least two business days before said IRL Event.
- Smoking of any smokable item is not permitted; vaping and e-cigarettes are not permitted where barred by law, including in any indoors space or courtyard.
- Firearms, weaponry, knives and anything that can project a projectile (including cans of silly string) are never permitted at any IRL Event.
- You are morally, ethically and financially responsible for any damage that you cause to any physical property, including IFTF property and other individuals’ property.
- Even if an IRL Event is taking place on public property, each attendee at an IRL Event must wear sufficient clothing to not violate public nudity laws of the location in which the IRL Event is taking place.
- If an IRL Event takes place in a private home, residence or other space, the host of said IRL Event reserves the right to require masking, confirmation of negative COVID-19 testing and/or proof of vaccination. If an IRL Event takes place elsewhere, criticism of any individual’s decision to wear a mask, or not wear a mask, should not be made directly to said individual.
- You agree to abide by any Covid-19 protocols, which may change, even if you disagree with these protocols. You understand that you risk contracting Covid-19 or a variant while you travel to or from the IRL Event, and while at the IRL Event. IFTF and its personnel are not liable to you or anyone else for an illness, injury, or death that may occur, wholly or even in part, from Covid-19 or a variant thereof, as an inherent risk of exposure to Covid-19 exists in any public place where people are present. Your presence at an IRL Event means you are voluntarily assuming all risks related to exposure to Covid-19 and/or any other communicable illness including the flu, and you affirm that you will not blame IFTF for any illness you may catch at any IRL Event.
All IFTF events and services
The following list of “Unacceptable Behaviors” are not tolerated by IFTF in any forums, communities, discussions or IRL Events; however, within a narrative or story, or draft thereof, characters, even those based on real people, may act in ways that would constitute an Unacceptable Behaviors—in other words, characters can behave badly, but we, as members of a community, should not.
Physical behavior that causes harm to another person or group:
- Assault.
- Physical sexual harrassment.
- Unwanted touching.
- Bullying, stalking, following, or intimidating behavior.
- Deliberately disregarding or violating explicitly required public-health safety measures.
Verbal behavior, whether spoken or written, that causes harm to another person or group:
- Verbal abuse or sexual harrassment.
- Any verbal communication that is designed to demean, devalue, or is derogatory towards a person’s culture, heritage, identity, body, or circumstance.
- Verbal threats of physical harm, real or implied, intentional or not.
- Verbal threats of financial or professional harm, real or implied, intentional or not.
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any harmful behavior towards another member or members, private or public. This also includes online communication.
Online behavior that causes harm to another person or group:
- Doxxing, stalking, spamming, or otherwise intimidating online behavior.
- Distributing digital material that is deliberately and maliciously targeting another person or persons.
- Online threats of physical harm, real or implied, intentional or not.
- Online threats of financial or professional harm, real or implied, intentional or not.
- Online harassment, including the creation of multiple or fake personas to circumvent protective measures on the side of the victim, such as blocking or muting.
- Distributing sexually demeaning, illegal, inappropriate, or unnecessarily violent material amongst the community.
- The use or creation of bots with the aim of swarming, harassing, distributing harmful material, or otherwise engaging in harmful behavior against another person or group.
- Knowingly engaging, promoting, or selling scams designed to defraud others.
Discriminatory and damaging behavior, particularly towards marginalised groups:
- Disparaging remarks about marginalized racial or ethnic groups
- Racial or ethnic slurs
- Misogynist comments
- Homophobic or transphobic comments or slurs
- Deliberate misgendering, such as using different pronouns than requested
- Deliberate use of names people have asked others not to use
- Negative comments about body size or shape
- Discriminating against pregnant people, mothers, or other birthing parents
- Discriminatory comments against members of religions, marginalised or otherwise.
- Negative comments or discriminating based on age or family role
What To Do If You Witness Behavior That Violates Our TOS
If you witness unacceptable behavior within an IFTF-associated space, whether online or in-person, you have two routes available for reporting it:
Report the incident to the appropriate individual, group, or committee according to the rules of the space or event where the incident took place.
Report the incident via email directly to IFTF: incident@iftechfoundation.org. We will redirect the report to the appropriate personnel for initial response.
IFTF’s board of directors and its program committees take reports of unacceptable behavior seriously. The organization will investigate any issues raised with care and in a timely fashion. The specific nature of the resulting consequence will be dependent on the situation and will only be actioned after careful discussion with all relevant parties, on a case-by-case basis. Reports of incidents within specific programs get handled initially by those programs’ operating committees. They can escalate issues to IFTF’s Board of Directors or to other advisory groups when necessary.