• Be friendly and patient.
• Don't give criticism if it ain't constructive. Remember what your mama taught you, "if you can't say anything nice, -or constructive- don't say anything at all".
• Infringement is criminal. If you are found posting the work of others and passing it off as your own you will be ejected from the group.
• Exposure is great, when it's welcome. If you are found posting the work of others that has been posted privately in the slack, consider this an NDA, if you post, or send it to someone outside of the slack without the owner's explicit permission, you will be ejected from the group.
• Be welcoming. We strive to be a community that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, colour, immigration status, social and economic class, educational level, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.
• Be considerate. Your work will be used by other people, and you in turn will depend on the work of others. Any decision you take will affect fellow members, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions.
• Be respectful. Not all of us will agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for poor behavior and poor manners. We might all experience some frustration now and then, but we cannot allow that frustration to turn into a personal attack. It’s important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one. Members of the BC Freelance community should be respectful when dealing with other members as well as with people outside the BC Freelance community.
• Be careful in the words that you choose. We are a community of equals, and we conduct ourselves as such. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other participants. Harassment and other exclusionary behavior aren’t acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Violent threats or language directed against another person.
  • Discriminatory jokes and language.
  • Posting sexually explicit or violent material.
  • Posting (or threatening to post) other people’s personally identifying information ("doxing").
  • Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability.
  • Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes, sexualized comments or jokes; inappropriate touching, groping, and unwelcomed sexual advances.
  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
  • Inappropriate physical contact. You should have someone’s consent before touching them.
  • Repeated harassment of others. In general, if someone asks you to stop, then stop.
  • Inappropriate photography or recording.
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following (online or in person).
  • Sustained disruption of community events, including talks and presentations
  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
  • Not going through the proper channels to report someone.
• When we disagree, try to understand why. Disagreements, both social, professional, aesthetic or technical, happen all the time and BC Freelance is no exception. It is important that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively. We build each other up. We do not break one another down. Remember that we’re different. The strength of BC Freelance comes from its varied community, people from a wide range of backgrounds. Different people have different perspectives on issues. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that it is human to err and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere. Instead, focus on helping to resolve issues and learning from mistakes.

(Remixed words curtesy of the Speak Up! Project and used under CC License)