One of the best things about the Chatham House rule is that unlike similar agreements such as "off the record" or "on background" it is clearly and unambiguously defined. There's literally a website for it www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/cha... - ThreadSky

hern.bsky.social • 11 days ago

One of the best things about the Chatham House rule is that unlike similar agreements such as "off the record" or "on background" it is clearly and unambiguously defined. There's literally a website for it https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/chatham-house-rule

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handle.invalid•11 days ago

📌

hern.bsky.social•11 days ago

And the key, defining feature of the Chatham House rule, the one that distinguishes it from all similar organisations that have sensitive discussions under a veil, is that _you can share anything you learn_

iguandonjim.bsky.social•10 days ago

I like this particular clarification point on The Rule

dsquareddigest.bsky.social•11 days ago

Absolute purists would say that it's breaking the rule to write "I said this" because you're a participant (and obviously if enough people do it, the identity of other speakers can be guessed)

hern.bsky.social•11 days ago

Yeah. Amongst my many experiences of going "are you sure you mean Chatham House rule and not off the record" one of my favourite was explaining that "you can report that he gave a speech but the contents of the speech are under Chatham House rule" is the same as "on the record"

simnett.bsky.social•11 days ago

Might not be understanding that- I thought you couldn't report who spoke? On the margin it is closer to the spirit of the rule to not even be able to report the meeting happened at all?

hern.bsky.social•11 days ago

Right - and so if you’re saying “this is Chatham house rule on the contents of the speech but you can report that it happened” then you’re (presumably accidentally) saying that the rule is “you can report the contents of the speech and the identity of the speaker”

dsquareddigest.bsky.social•11 days ago

"the contents of the speech are under the Chatham House Rule" means "the contents of the speech can be reported". If someone adds that they have a modified rule which allows you to identify that he gave the speech, there's nothing left, it's on the record

simnett.bsky.social•11 days ago

Disagree with the caveat- it is a very clear breach of the rules.

dsquareddigest.bsky.social•11 days ago

Not really; it's definitely logically implied but I think they have sometimes changed and updated because it's kind of weird to tell people they can't say something that they are happy to say attached to their own name

simnett.bsky.social•11 days ago

Yeah, but can you say that you said it *at that meeting* in that case? If I say "I think Boris Johnson is an idiot", saying that I said it at a specific meeting is surely an attempt to add authority to the statement, which feels exactly not the point?

jamesrball.com•11 days ago

You can *directly quote*! In quote marks! Just not with any attribution! God it’s maddening.

jackmoxley.bsky.social•11 days ago

"attribution! God it’s"

Like that?

jonnelledge.bsky.social•11 days ago

The Chatham House rule is you DO NOT TALK about the Chatham House rule.

alanbeattie.bsky.social•11 days ago

I like the idea of a rule where you can quote anyone except yourself. You get one chance to have your say at the meeting and if no one else thinks it’s worth quoting then you’re not allowed to say it again and have to think of something new to say. Would shut up those “comment not a question” berks.

samokorosec.bsky.social•11 days ago

Heh, with the quoted post and “off the record” stuff I expected there to be nuance or it not to be completely clear or something.

Reading it, though, it’s really clear what the intent is. Somewhat dispiriting that so many people seem to have trouble with it (going by the other replies here).

jackcarterbenjamin.bsky.social•11 days ago

I once had a senior comms lead argue that an event I attended explicitly under Chatham House rule was off the record and even when I pointed them to this website they refused to concede. Maddening.

flourogoth.bsky.social•11 days ago

As someone who attended a school named "Chatham House"; I have to remind myself that it's not the rule about being allowed to remove your blazer and roll up your shirt-sleeves in Summer. Or receiving no punishment if you break the Headmaster's window by hitting a six on the lower cricket field...

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