bSIDES AdelAIde code of conduct - 2024

PURPOSE: 

BSides is an open platform to share ideas, insights, and develop relationships with others in the cyber security and technology community. BSides is inherently inclusive and has been called an ‘unconference’–allowing a diverse set of people and views, with a strong focus on unearthing the joy of technology. 

A primary goal of BSides Adelaide and this Code of Conduct is to be inclusive to the largest number of contributors, with the most varied and diverse backgrounds possible. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and religion (or lack thereof).

This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community (i.e. scope), the consequences of unacceptable behaviour, as well as a mechanism of addressing grievances of unfair or false accusations of all the latter. 

We invite all those who participate in our events to help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone.

CONSEQUENCES OF UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

Unacceptable behaviour from any community member, including sponsors and those with decision-making authority, will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour is expected to comply immediately. 

If a community member engages in unacceptable behaviour, the community organisers will take action deemed as appropriate and fair, which can include a temporary ban or permanent expulsion from the community without warning (and without refund in the case of a paid event). 

The BSides Adelaide team will be organising for security support in conjunction with the Lot 14 venue. 

IF YOU WITNESS OR ARE SUBJECT TO UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

If you are subject to or witness unacceptable behaviour, or have any other concerns, please notify a community organiser as soon as possible. You can find support contacts of this code of conduct at the bottom of this page. Additionally, community organisers are available to help community members engage with local law enforcement or to otherwise help those experiencing unacceptable behaviour feel safe.

In the context of in-person events, organisers will also provide escorts as desired by the person experiencing distress.

ADDRESSING GRIEVANCES

If you feel you have been falsely or unfairly accused of violating this Code of Conduct, you should notify one of the event organisers with a concise description of your grievance. Your grievance will be handled in accordance with our existing governing policies. 

SCOPE

We expect all community participants (contributors, paid or otherwise; sponsors; and other guests) to abide by this Code of Conduct in all community venues—online and in-person—as well as in all one-on-one communications pertaining to community business. 

BEING A BETTER CITIZEN

It is goal of this Code of Conduct to foster a community that allows an exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences. We strive to be better citizens within communities of open source, open tech, and open culture. BSidesAdelaide is an inclusive and safe space for people to come together and build friendships and professional relationships within the InfoSec Community. BSides Adelaide seeks to include the voices of all people, no matter their sex, gender, colour, ability, nationality, or identity. All are welcome here.***

Communities mirror the societies in which they exist, and positive action is essential to counteract the many forms of inequality and abuses of power that exist in society. As such we encourage participants to recognize and strengthen the relationships between our actions and their effects on our community. We ask that you do so in a manner that promotes speech that is informative, respectful, and civil. As members and volunteers of BSides Adelaide we will not tolerate hate speech or violence against any group or individual.***

Help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone. If you see someone who is making an extra effort to ensure our community is welcoming, friendly, and encourages all participants to fully contribute, we want to know. 

Be a better citizen within your communities by encouraging participants to recognise and strengthen the relationship between our actions and their effects on our community.

EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR

- Participate in an authentic and active way. In doing so, you contribute to the health and longevity of our community.

- Exercise consideration and respect in your speech and actions.

- Be mindful and respectfully use an individual's pronouns. "Doing so communicates respect for them and their identity, while using other pronouns conveys a disregard for the individual." **

- Attempt collaboration before conflict.

- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behaviour and speech.

- Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert community leaders if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

Unacceptable behaviours include, but are not limited to:

- Speech or actions that are intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning.

- Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments related to gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, disability.

- Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images (including presentation slides).

- Inappropriate depictions of violence (including presentation slides)

- Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following.

- Harassing or unwanted photography or recording.

- Sustained disruption of talks or other events.

- Inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. 

Such behaviours are unacceptable in our community online, at all related events and in one-on-one communications carried out in the context of community business. Community event venues may be shared with members of the public; please be respectful to all patrons of these locations.

PHOTO, VIDEO, AND RECORDING DEVICE POLICY

Given the nature of BSides Adelaide, which is a distributed village-style event, hosted across different locations, it is not possible for us to police all photography and videorecording. Live streams and podcasts will form part of the BSides Adelaide experience. All venues within the BSides Adelaide precinct will have a video and photography policy; each policy will be set by the village host. Where possible, permission will be sought from anyone who is in a photograph or recording. This includes those in the background. “Crowd shots” from the front (facing the crowd) are strongly discouraged without appropriate consent. If you are asked by a participant to delete/blur a picture they did not give you permission to take, do so immediately. We ask formal photographers to adhere to this policy, as well. 

POINT OF CONTACT

If you feel you have seen someone violate any policy of BSides Adelaide, have questions regarding the polices, or do not feel safe, then please use the below points of contact. 

If there is a threat to your life, or if you are concerned about an immediate harm to yourself or someone else, please call 000. Otherwise, please contact the BSides Adelaide Organising Committee at admin@bsidesadelaide.com.au or 0491 951 354.

LICENSE AND ATTRIBUTION

*This is a modified version of the Berlin Code of Conduct (BCC). The BCC is licensed and distributed as Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). It is based on the pdx.rb code of conduct.

**From the article "The Chicago Manual of Style on the Singular Pronoun 'They'." Written by kfischie. Published by Indiana University Bloomington /Libraries /Gender Studies.

*** This is a modified version of the Diana Initiative’s Inclusion Policy. This can be found at The Diana Initiative.