News & Notes 890:New Guidelines for Auronet

News & Notes 890
2 October 2021

New Guidelines for Entity::Auronet

Dear Community, as you may remember, in July 2020 a draft of new guidelines for Auronet use was presented to you for feedback. This feedback was collected and reviewed, and some was integrated. However, due to the onset of the pandemic and other reasons, these guidelines did not go through the final steps for formal community approval.

Lately there have again been many voices expressing frustration, disappointment and even anger at the type of posts that are often made on Auronet and the lack of a clear code of conduct for being part of this community communication platform.

Therefore, we will be implementing the new guidelines on a trial basis for a period of 6 months, after which they will be presented to the community for final approval.

We hope this will help us all to use in a more conscious way what was intended as a healthy tool for us to communicate with each other about a wide variety of topics and issues.

With hope,
The Entity::Working Committee and the Entity::Auroville Council

Auronet discussion forum guidelines
January 2021

1. About Auronet

Auronet is the Intranet portal of Auroville. The purpose of Auronet is to facilitate the publication, storage, processing and exchange of information and views among its users for their individual growth as well as the collective growth of Auroville. Access to Auronet is limited to Aurovilians and long-term friends and associates of Auroville. The contents of Auronet are a reflection of the growth process of Auroville towards its ideals. The views expressed on Auronet are those of the respective users and do not represent the position of Auroville as a whole or that of the Moderators.

2. Reasons for the Guidelines

These guidelines stem from the recognition that:

The “quality” of the documents we publish under the Auronet name has an important bearing on Auroville’s reputation.
The written word has power. Negativity or bad will affect the community as a whole and pollute our collective space.
The guidelines are necessary to ensure proper use of Auronet. In the interest of Auroville as a whole, there are Moderators and a Moderation Support Group to see that these rules and guidelines are respected and followed.

3. Principles

The core principles underlying the Guidelines are that:

Auroville believes strongly in the importance of freedom of expression. This is reflected in the Auronet platform that includes the right for Auronet members to publish controversial findings, to draw challenging conclusions, and to take a radical stance.
With this freedom comes a responsibility to back up conclusions with thorough research, and to be sensitive to the way in which views are communicated so as to contribute to informed debate.

4. Guidance from Sri Aurobindo

In a letter to a disciple, Sri Aurobindo outlined the psychic self-control needed during discussions:

Not to allow the impulse of speech to assert itself too much or say anything without reflection, but to speak always with a conscious control and only what is necessary and helpful.
To avoid all debate, dispute or too animated discussion and simply say what has to be said and leave it there. There should also be no insistence that you are right and the others wrong, but what is said should only be thrown in as a contribution to the consideration of the truth of the matter.
To keep the tone of speech and the wording very quiet and calm and uninsistent.
Not to mind at all if others are heated and dispute, but remain quiet and undisturbed and yourself speak only what can help things to be smooth again.
If there is gossip about others and harsh criticism (especially about sadhaks/spiritual aspirants), not to join − for these things are helpful in no way and only lower the consciousness from its higher level.
To avoid all that would hurt or wound others.

(Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga – III, “Transformation of the Physical – IX”

5. Auronet Guidelines

Keeping Sri Aurobindo’s words in mind and respecting the right of individuals to publish their views in a personal capacity, the following guidelines must be followed for the protection of individuals and the community at large.

All material published must be of a minimum standard in terms of thought and expression, as courtesy and respect are at the core of any material (written or drawn) circulating among Auronet users.
When posting external content from the Internet, link to content (with a short introduction as to why it is relevant) rather than posting it in its entirety, unless you are the copyright holder or have permission from the copyright holder.
Communications on Auronet aim to inform the reader with objectivity; and where necessary the author must informed him/herself by speaking to the relevant persons or working groups, or base his/her argument on verifiable facts.
Individuals must try to solve their personal issues with other individuals or with working groups on a one-to-one basis.
Constructive criticism and legitimate enquiries formulated in a civil manner are welcomed. Therefore, if they fulfil the above recommendations and are constructive in character and positive in nature, any questions can be asked, and any opinion can be expressed.
Discuss ideas, not people.
In a thread of discussion stick to the topic.

Posts that include any of the following may be edited or deleted by the Moderators:

Accusations or allegations against a specific person.
Slander and gossip.
Violent language.
Any content meant to harass, insult, taunt, provoke, demean, or personally attack any individual.
Any content with political or ideological agenda and propaganda.
Any derogatory statement about nationalities, belief systems or religions.
Any content containing antisemitic or racist remarks.
Any personal correspondence quoted without expressed permission of the author indicated in the post.
Any content that encourages violation of Indian law.

6. The Moderators and the Moderation Support Group

The Administrators of Auronet will function as moderators.
The Moderators have the authority to act where guidelines have not been respected.
The Moderation Support Group helps the Moderators decide actions in “grey areas” where guidelines do not apply easily. The Moderation Support Group consists of 3 representatives of the Auroville community.
The Auroville Council will ask individuals with knowledge and experience in the field of editing and publishing to step forward and simultaneously make an open call for community members to come forward for the task. The Working Committee and Council will do the final selection.
In addition, all Auronet users are encouraged to be vigilant regarding the content of our collective space and to point out insensitive or offensive language, or any violation of the guidelines, either directly through the flagging option, or by writing to the Auronet team, in order to uphold the integrity and potential of this cooperative tool.
If any user is dissatisfied with the Moderators’ actions, redress can be sought from the AV Council.

7. Guidelines for Moderators

What is the role of a Moderator?

The purpose of the Auronet Discussion Forum is to share and exchange information, ideas and views for individual growth as well as for the collective growth of Auroville. Guidelines for the entire community are in place to fulfil that purpose, and the job of the Moderators is to keep the forum operating for its intended purpose. All moderation action is to that end. The following are guidelines on what to do as a Moderator.

What to do when?

There are two types of categorical tasks as a Moderator. The first has to do with the operations of the forum. The second requires experience of people management.

Two explicit examples on how to tell the difference:

a. A user has posted an event announcement in the Discussion forum… this is where you can go in, edit the content and guide the user on the proper use of Auronet.

b. A user is rude… this is when a user is affecting the emotional safety of others on the forum and exhibits behaviour that distracts from the key use of the forum. For situations like this, if warnings and corrections are not working, please refer to the Consequences Policy, and make sure a thread is opened in the Moderation Support Group forum.

Editing of postings that are not permitted on Auronet

Postings that are not permitted on Auronet will be edited or deleted. Moderators will post a new comment and send out an email to the user to explain that the inappropriate content has been removed in accordance with the Auronet Guidelines. Moderators will inform the Moderation Support Group that they edited or deleted a particular post.

Consequences Policy

These are the consequences if a user is not following the Auronet Guidelines:

Level 1: Warning

The Moderation Support Group will send a warning email with a yellow card to a user who is not following the Auronet Guidelines.

Level 2: Serious Warning

After once again not following the Auroville Guidelines, the Moderation Support Group will send a serious warning in the form of a second email with yellow card.

Level 3: Deactivation

Users who violate the Auronet Guidelines again after having been given two warnings (two yellow cards) will be sent a red card email by the Moderation Support Group and will not be allowed to post or comment on Auronet for a period to be determined by the Moderation Support Group. The user will be able to only access and view Auronet content during this period.

Appeal

A decision of the Moderation Support Group to issue a yellow card warning cannot be appealed.

A decision of the Moderation Support Group to issue a red card and disallow a person to post or comment on the Auronet for a period of time can be appealed through the Auroville Council.

What should I do if I encounter a problem that is not covered by these guidelines?

Moderators will report to the Moderation Support Group any situation that is not currently covered by these guidelines. This also applies to “grey areas” or when a Moderator is in doubt whether a certain action should be taken.