We, as contributors and maintainers of the Evidence Graph project, pledge to create an emotionally safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all participants, regardless of:
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Age, body size, disability (visible or invisible)
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Ethnicity, nationality, race
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Gender identity and expression, sexual orientation
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Level of experience, education
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Socioeconomic status, employment status
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Religion or lack thereof
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Political beliefs (within bounds of mutual respect)
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Neurodivers
ity, mental health status
Core Principle: We prioritize contributor emotional well-being as highly as code quality.
Be Kind and Respectful: - Assume good intentions - Use welcoming and inclusive language - Respect differing viewpoints and experiences - Accept constructive criticism gracefully - Focus on what is best for the community
Be Empathetic: - Recognize that people have different backgrounds and constraints - Respect personal boundaries (time, energy, emotional capacity) - Understand that volunteering is a gift, not an obligation - Value emotional labor (documentation, mentorship, community building)
Be Collaborative: - Welcome newcomers warmly - Mentor generously - Share knowledge without gatekeeping - Celebrate others’ contributions - Give credit where due
Be Professional: - Keep discussions technical and constructive - Separate ideas from people - Disagree without being disagreeable - Avoid personal attacks, name-calling, or ad hominem arguments
Harassment includes but is not limited to: - Offensive comments related to protected characteristics (see Pledge) - Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following - Sustained disruption of discussions - Unwelcome sexual attention or advances - Publishing others’ private information (doxxing) - Trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, personal attacks
Discrimination: - Exclusion based on identity or background - Gatekeeping or elitism - Dismissing lived experiences - Microaggressions (even if “unintentional”)
Emotional Manipulation: - Guilt-tripping contributors - Demanding unpaid labor - Using maintainer status to pressure contributors - Ignoring “no” or pushing boundaries
Technical Misconduct: - Submitting malicious code or security vulnerabilities - Plagiarizing others’ work - Falsifying test results or benchmarks - Sabotaging project infrastructure
How to Report:
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Confidential Email: conduct@evidencegraph.org (monitored by P1 maintainers)
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Private Message: Contact @Hyperpolymath on GitHub
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Third-Party: Report to GitHub (https://github.com/contact/report-abuse)
What to Include: - Your contact information (optional if you want to remain anonymous) - Names of people involved (or “anonymous reporter” if you prefer) - Description of the incident - Date, time, and context - Any supporting evidence (screenshots, links, etc.) - Whether the incident is ongoing
Confidentiality: - Reports handled with discretion - Reporter identity protected unless they consent to disclosure - Only essential details shared with enforcement team
1. Acknowledgment (24 hours) - Reporter receives confirmation - Initial assessment of severity
2. Investigation (7 days) - Gather facts from all parties - Review evidence (chat logs, PR comments, etc.) - Consult with neutral third parties if needed
3. Decision (14 days total) - Determine if Code of Conduct was violated - Decide on appropriate consequences - Inform all parties of decision
4. Appeal (optional, 30 days) - Affected party may appeal decision - Independent reviewer examines case - Final decision issued
Depending on severity, violations may result in:
Level 1: Warning - Private written warning - Request for public or private apology - Required hiatus from project (e.g., 30 days)
Level 2: Temporary Ban - Temporary suspension (30-90 days) - No participation in project spaces (GitHub, chat, events) - May be required to complete training or mediation
Level 3: Permanent Ban - Permanent removal from all project spaces - Contributions may be reverted (see Reversibility policy) - Public statement issued (to protect community)
Level 4: Legal Action - For severe cases (threats, doxxing, harassment) - Law enforcement contacted - Project disassociates entirely
This Code of Conduct applies to:
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GitHub spaces: Issues, PRs, Discussions, code comments
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Communication channels: Email, chat, video calls (if established)
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Events: Conferences, meetups, online gatherings
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Public representation: Talks, blog posts, social media (when representing project)
Violations outside project spaces may be considered if they affect project safety.
Per Palimpsest License v0.8:
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Contributors may withdraw work within 90 days
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No questions asked, no guilt-tripping
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Contributions reverted or replaced promptly
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See CONTRIBUTING.md for full process
We track and publish metrics to ensure community health:
| Metric | Current | Target | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Contributor Churn (6-month) |
TBD |
<20% |
📊 Measuring |
Review Turnaround |
TBD |
<48h |
📊 Measuring |
Issue Resolution Time |
TBD |
<14 days |
📊 Measuring |
Governance Transparency |
100% |
100% |
✅ On Track |
See MAINTAINERS.md for live dashboard.
Before escalating to enforcement:
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Direct Communication: Try to resolve privately (if safe)
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Mediation: Request a neutral third party (P2 contributor)
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Cooling-Off Period: Take a break, revisit later
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Documentation: Write out your perspective (helps clarify)
When to escalate immediately: - Threats, doxxing, or harassment - Discrimination or hate speech - Repeated boundary violations - Safety concerns
Maintainers must: - Model respectful behavior - Respond to reports promptly and fairly - Enforce Code of Conduct consistently - Protect reporter confidentiality - Avoid conflicts of interest (recuse if needed)
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Enforcement decisions documented in MAINTAINERS.md (anonymized)
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Community informed of pattern trends (not individual cases)
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Annual Code of Conduct review with community input
Everyone can contribute to a healthy community:
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Welcome newcomers: Respond to “beginner” questions kindly
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Assume best intentions: Miscommunication is common, malice is rare
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Call in, not out: Address issues privately first when possible
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Support each other: Check in on contributors, celebrate wins
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Respect maintainer boundaries: They’re volunteers too
This Code of Conduct is inspired by:
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CCCP (Community-Centric Code of Practice) principles
Modified to emphasize emotional safety and reversibility as core values.
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Code of Conduct Team: conduct@evidencegraph.org
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Lead Maintainer: @Hyperpolymath (GitHub)
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Anonymous Reporting: (third-party service TBD for Phase 2)
This Code of Conduct may be updated to: - Clarify ambiguities - Address new scenarios - Incorporate community feedback
Process: 1. Proposed changes published in GitHub Discussion 2. Community comment period (30 days) 3. Maintainer decision with reasoning 4. Changelog entry in MAINTAINERS.md
Last Amended: 2025-11-22 (initial version)
This Code of Conduct is licensed under CC BY 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution). You may adapt it for your own projects with attribution to Evidence Graph.
Remember: This community is built on trust, empathy, and shared commitment to investigative journalism. Let’s make it a place where everyone can contribute their best work without fear or pressure.
Last Updated: 2025-11-22 Version: 1.0 (CCCP + Palimpsest v0.8)