Amendments to the Code of Conduct regarding the Fediverse

Hi all,

With regards to our recent integration into the Fediverse, it has become evident that specific rules should be outlined regarding our conduct towards it and our place in it. As such, we are making provisional amendments to the Code of Conduct in specific regard to federation as we find our footing and stake our ground as a part of the wider Fediverse ecosystem. The amendments are as such, demarcated within the dividers:

Federation

In regards to the Fediverse, a dual-pronged approach should be assumed:

Local Communities

Conduct remains as previously outlined [in the Hexbear Code of Conduct], except:

Users visiting Hexbear should be given breathing room to inquire in good-faith about topics that seem obvious to well-trodden leftists. Assume good faith in even the most obvious of questions, except in cases where a user is explicitly acting in a combative or unreasonable manner.
Do not ping users from other federated instances with intent to goad or mock.
Do not directly link to comments or posts of other federated instances on public posts with intent to goad or mock.
Disengagement rules, whilst not amended, are thoroughly emphasized regarding visiting users.

Federated Instances

Assume the conduct outlined regarding local communities, as well as:

When in a federated instance, their rules (and their code of conduct) apply.
Allow instances their own space for discussion, if requested implicitly or explicitly. If said discussion regards this site or its users, you are allowed to discuss said discussion within the local purview (meaning, within a Hexbear community), with regards to the rules laid out prior.
Conduct that is deemed untenably toxic to the Fediverse and Hexbear’s standing within it (by discretion of Hexbear moderation) may be subject to reprisal, regardless of whether it is explicitly outlined.

We're thankful to the moderation and admins of the instances federated with us for their patience as we carve out our own little hole within the Fediverse. And to our beautiful posters, thank you for bearing with us in this week where decades happen

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320 comments

First I want to say federation with instances friendly to us is an unmitigated good. There are plenty of those.
But as someone new who only came here because of federation, I have to say it seems like the imposition of rules to appease the libs even in the short time I've been here has put a chill on many of the great discussions I came here for. Why do we want to stay federated with instances that demand we stop saying anything good about the see see see pee (and other oriental horrors, very evil and definitely all the same) and have massive debates about whether we should exist in their perceived reality? The moment such a debate becomes prominent in another instance and under serious consideration by its leadership should probably be the moment for us to defed them. For the benefit of everyone involved. If they want that reversed they should be asking us. This is not a small instance.
If we have to appease the libs here, then here becomes a lot like everywhere else. At least for a minute I felt freer to speak here than for example in the small mastodon instance I'm also in. Mostly because I don't want to make a problem for that small instance and get it massively defederated for being too "tankie." For a small instance that's a death sentence. This is not a small instance.
I can see some value, if this is technically possible, in keeping some comms federated under unique rules with a view to maximize interaction with other instances, and other comms only available for local interaction. But if that's not viable I just don't see the value of engaging with instances whose leaderships don't seem to be acting in very good faith, whose members seem to think at best somehow exposing us to their great lib takes will "soften our views" or something as if their dumb shit isn't the hegemonic garbage forced into our ears and eyeballs and down our throats more or less everywhere but here.
As a recent immigrant and beneficiary of federation (the good kind) maybe I am a hypocrite for saying so. But in my humble opinion, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, president Xi, fire when ready.
- I haven't noticed a big reduction in topics libs would get the vapours over, more just that the current federation drama is the flavour of the minute. We had a pretty big and good Tiananmen Square threat the other day for example. And you could always come and hang out in the news megathread. The libs fear to tread there (although I have no doubt they lurk in silent horror from some of the comments I've seen on other instances).

320 comments