The Zero Tolerance Policy (ZTP) covers all forms of explicit hateful and discriminatory speech that make other users feel unsafe and uncomfortable. This includes but is not limited to racist, homophobic, or transphobic posts, as well as discrimination or offensive comments based on sexuality, gender or an individual's choice to be defined as something else altogether.

 

When we launched the original ZTP in 2019, it was reserved for explicit instances of offensive behavior. Unfortunately, this inadvertently allowed for instances of subtle or hinted comments (such as "veiled" racism) to continue to be posted, which would be captured by an "Offensive" or "Insensitive" warning point. On the other hand, many users were being permanently banned for being ignorant rather than malicious, and were not given the chance to return to the forum if they realized the error of their ways and who took responsibility for their post(s). 

 

To prevent the above from happening, we are adjusting the policy to be able to capture all forms of offensive behavior on the forum, while giving members who were only ignorant and not malicious the chance to continue being a member of ATRL.

 

The new policy, enacted and in force from 16 June 2020, reads as below.

 

Zero Tolerance Policy 2020

An Offensive warning will include a three month ban from the forum, alongside the 2 warning points with an expiry of one year.

If you accrue three Offensive warnings from the date of this policy being in force, a permanent ban from the forum will be issued with no appeal process. 

However, in exceptional circumstances, the ATRL staff reserve the right to issue a permanent ban at their discretion before reaching your third offense.

 

Please note that this policy will not be generally applied retroactively to previous permanent bans under the original ZTP.

....It's really been a year already?! ATRL mods doing gods work. Still remember why this was implemented in the first place.

 

Keep doing the good job Mods  

 

26 minutes ago, ATRL Administration said:

 to capture all forms of offensive behavior on the forum

Could you expand on this a little more. 

Unban Jax 

29 minutes ago, ATRL Administration said:

An Offensive warning will include a three month ban

I hope that the Offensive warning is not abused. What if the comment is not as offensive as others?

6 minutes ago, Timber said:

Could you expand on this a little more. 

We did not wish to define "offensive behaviour" beyond what is provided above in the first paragraph in order to keep the policy as broad as possible.

 

2 minutes ago, americanlife said:

I hope that the Offensive warning is not abused. What if the comment is not as offensive as others?

The policy is called the "Zero Tolerance Policy" for a reason, any form of discrimination is not tolerated on this forum, no matter how relativity offensive it is compared to someone else's post.

 

The Insensitive warning is still in effect for posts however, which does not have a ban attached. 

13 minutes ago, DevonRoars said:

Unban Jax 

This post is off-topic and not the place for nonsense. 

11 minutes ago, Oxygen said:

We did not wish to define "offensive behaviour" beyond what is provided above in the first paragraph in order to keep the policy as broad as possible.

 

The policy is called the "Zero Tolerance Policy" for a reason, any form of discrimination is not tolerated on this forum, no matter how relativity offensive it is compared to someone else's post.

 

The Insensitive warning is still in effect for posts however, which does not have a ban attached. 

Okay, I just wanted to clarify that by offensive you meant what was said in the first paragraph. In that case, this is wonderful. 

Where does atrl stand on words that are typically oppressive when used by in groups but have been taken back in slang by the “out group.” For example, using the f word as a LGBT person. See @SheaCoulee, Twitter, June 15 (“cries in f**”). Would something like this be considered bannable under the zero tolerance rule.

 

Thanks, this is meant more for personal clarification and not an opportunity to troll. Keep up the good work mods. 

Teaching resetera how it’s done

 

 

1 hour ago, ATRL Administration said:

On the other hand, many users were being permanently banned for being ignorant rather than malicious, and were not given the chance to return to the forum if they realized the error of their ways and who took responsibility for their post(s). 

 

 

Where is the line between ignorant and malicious? Any specific examples? 
 

Also how will said people take responsibility for their posts and prove they realized the error? A simple click just acknowledging It like the warnings? There needs to be more details. 
 

It still seems too broad and generic, kind of like every company saying they are undergoing an “investigation” on a case but no specifics and put out a PR statement saying how committed they are.

good  

 

I'll have to stop calling ATRLers the f-word when they piss me off, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make

What is an example of "veiled" racism?

Come through 

great news
 

BUT can I still call my good judies f****ts? It’s a term of endearment 

Edited June 17, 20206 yr by Kuntmonster

7 minutes ago, Triton said:

Where is the line between ignorant and malicious? Any specific examples? 
 

Also how will said people take responsibility for their posts and prove they realized the error? A simple click just acknowledging It like the warnings? There needs to be more details. 
 

It still seems too broad and generic, kind of like every company saying they are undergoing an “investigation” on a case but no specifics and put out a PR statement saying how committed they are.

It might be sufficient to imagine a stereotypically malicious example of racism, "All people belonging to X race are evil and need to be eliminated." It's clear and simple to diagnose that this is a plainly bigoted post, drenched with hatred for a group of people. However, most posts aren't this blatantly obvious to diagnose. So, when moderating posts containing racism/sexism/transphobia/etc. with the original ZTP, it was difficult to actually moderate because often the original ZTP's call to instantly perma-ban felt too harsh when a person didn't seem like they were malicious in nature and were just ignorant. This had the consequence of making the original ZTP functionally ineffectual because many cases would result in an offensive WP with no further immediate punishment. This revised ZTP will allow for them to then be banned for some period of time and then be expected to rejoin in hopes that they no longer continue to engage with ATRL's community in such a way. 

 

This revised version of the ZTP is meant to be easier to enforce on our side so that we can more easily make ATRL a more respectful community.

16 minutes ago, MAKSIM said:

Where does atrl stand on words that are typically oppressive when used by in groups but have been taken back in slang by the “out group.” For example, using the f word as a LGBT person. See @SheaCoulee, Twitter, June 15 (“cries in f**”). Would something like this be considered bannable under the zero tolerance rule.

 

Thanks, this is meant more for personal clarification and not an opportunity to troll. Keep up the good work mods. 

It just depends on the context of the post, and if the user has tried to avoid the profanity censor.
 

As a general rule, you will be penalised for using the word when attacking another member or public figure. 

 

We would rather the slurs to not be used at all, but if you do then you are posting at your own risk.

17 minutes ago, Jan said:

What is an example of "veiled" racism?

The assertion that all lives matter in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. 

 

15 minutes ago, Kuntmonster said:

great news
 

BUT can I still call my good judies f****ts? It’s a term of endearment 

See my post above  

Wonderful! What about users that make ageist comments ? 

Good

5 minutes ago, Sergi91 said:

Wonderful! What about users that make ageist comments ? 

That has nothing to do with the ZTP. 

Great! 

2 hours ago, ATRL Administration said:

An Offensive warning will include a three month ban from the forum, alongside the 2 warning points with an expiry of one year.

I imagine this will be only for offensive warning points related to this policy, right? For example, if I attack a member for a completely different subject and I get an offensive wp, will I be banned?

It would be nice if ageist and weightshaming comments applied to this too. There are a lot of size zeroes on here who disgustingly insult the bodies of people with thicc bodies every chance they get.

 

But good