code of conduct

Be decent to people, at events and on the site. The rest of this page is what that means in practice.

the short version

Treat everyone at an event the way you would want a friend of yours treated there. If someone asks you to stop, stop. If a host asks you to leave, leave.

at events

• hosts set the house rules for their event and may ask anyone to leave, for any reason, at any time
• respect the venue: its rules, its staff, its property, and the neighbors around it, especially late at night and on the way out
• if an event is at someone's home, you are a guest there; act like one
• do not come to an event you were not admitted to, and do not bring people who were not

not allowed, anywhere

• harassment of any kind: intimidation, stalking, following, sustained interruption, or unwelcome attention after being asked to stop
• discrimination or demeaning comments about who someone is, including gender, identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, appearance or background
• unwanted contact: touching, cornering, blocking someone's way, or pursuing someone after the event who did not ask to hear from you
• recording people without consent: no photos, video or audio of people who did not agree to it, and no posting them
• pitching people who did not ask: no unsolicited sales, recruiting, fundraising or "quick demos" aimed at guests, hosts or speakers
• abusing the site: fake listings, fake registrations, impersonating anyone, or using notes and messages to spam people

if something happens

• at an event: tell the host first. They are there, they set the rules, and they can act right away.
• then tell us through the contact form, so we know and can act on the site side. You can also tell us if the host was the problem.
• in an emergency, call 911 first and worry about the rest later.

We will take a report seriously, keep what you tell us private, and get back to you. We will not share your name with the person you are reporting without asking you.

what we do

• remove listings, and refuse future ones from a host who breaks this code or lets it be broken at their event
• close accounts, without notice if needed
• tell hosts about a person who has been reported, so they can decide about their own event

We are volunteers, not a security team. What we can do is keep the directory clear of people and events that make the week worse for everyone else.

who this applies to

Everyone: attendees, hosts, speakers, venue staff on the night, and the volunteers who run this site. Nobody is exempt, including us.