The first, addressing the topic of coordinated harassment head-on, is this:
We specifically prohibited using GitHub as a tool for enabling abuse on other platforms.
But that wasn't enough: we all know how internet badguys are. They'll read the rules, and then act terribly just within the rules.
We specifically prohibited using GitHub as a tool for enabling abuse on other platforms.
But that wasn't enough: we all know how internet badguys are. They'll read the rules, and then act terribly just within the rules.
Comments
"We will resolve disputes in favor of protecting users as a whole."
That right there. That tells everyone how Trust & Safety is going to act, and it gives T&S profound latitude. They're not there to rules-lawyer or first-amendment.
"But-"
No.
"What if-"
Nope.
"Consider-"
Ah. My mistake... Perhaps you do fall under The Clause then.
And if one person comes in and tosses people's toys out, they're going to respond.
Anyway. Apropos of nothing. But I'm still proud of that, and seven years later, it's still there, so it must be working.
There are other contexts where it doesn't, one of which prompted my thread.
*: both in the figurative hyperbole sense and because it would probably break atty-client privilege)
I honestly have always considered that this is how it works
"Don't be a dick"
But that's why this is Rule 11, not Rule 1. There are other rules, and this is just a tool for interpreting the others.
But again, in theory, yes. There are no perfect solutions in content moderation.
https://bsky.app/profile/inanedragon.bsky.social/post/3ld7qwherik2e
The GitHub AUP also forbids harassment, as well as many other bad behaviors. Rule 11 isn’t the only rule. But it empowers the T&S team to think broadly when enforcing those rules.
But that could just be my overeager cynicism…
I assume "users as a whole" means the affected group specifically? (Wondering about a situation with thousands complaining vs. millions on the platform who don't care.)
At what point should ToS moderation pick up from user moderation (mute, block)?
Community rules & guidelines aren't, and can never be, a Turing complete set of self-descriptive rules. They're frameworks to react to human behavior & psychology, which are open ended, ever changing & infinitely nuanced.
Rules MUST allow humans to use those same human tools defensively.