Internal Communication and Moderation

The Internal Communication and Moderation policy will ensure that chapter communication spaces remain welcoming, constructive, and aligned with the DSA’s Code of Conduct for members as well as Tucson DSA's Online Code of Conduct policy and Meeting and Events Code of Conduct.  By establishing consistent moderation practices and clear guidelines, this Policy will help facilitate productive discussion, reduce disruptive behavior, and protect the ability of members to organize effectively online. 

1. At all chapter meetings and events, members must adhere to the Policy: Meeting and Event Code of Conduct.

2. For all online communication, members must adhere to Policy: Online Code of Conduct. 

3. Members may appeal a moderation decision through the Procedure: Moderation Appeal Process. All thoughts and concerns regarding a moderation action may not be shared on public platforms. Any questions regarding a moderation appeal or action must be asked privately and directly to a moderator or HGO.

1. Tucson DSA members may use the Discord server, moderated by the chapter (hereafter referred to as the chapter Discord) to communicate with other active members, to discuss among themselves as individuals, and to advocate for their own individual perspectives. With the exception of announcements from moderators or duly elected or appointed chapter officers, posts are understood to represent individual opinions, not official decisions or positions of the Tucson chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

2. Access to the Discord is available to Members in Good Standing only. 

3. Signal should be used occasionally, concisely and for person to person, immediate communication. Signal may also be used in the event that said communications need to be encrypted.

4. Any Tucson DSA Signal Chat has been terminated. There is no official Tucson DSA Signal Chat and no working groups operate out of any official Tucson DSA Signal Chat(s). 

5. The primary official method of outreach shall be through regular direct outreach to members and supporters at the contact information they have shared with DSA and Tucson DSA (e.g., email newsletters and occasional phone calls or texts). Chapter officers shall organize this outreach. Outreach using chapter contact lists shall be conducted using DSA resources to ensure members’ privacy. Scripts and emails shall be approved by duly elected or appointed chapter officers to ensure that they reflect the collective decisions of Tucson DSA.

Moderators: members who moderate and monitor discussion in chapter chat servers

Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs): responsible for overseeing the investigation of Members accused of engaging in prohibited behavior according to the Harassment Policy (Resolution 33) of DSA. 

Administrators: Maintain membership in the chapter chat server, adding in new members and channels plus removing members who are no longer in the chapter. Admin roles will be given to specific chapter account(s) and be maintained by the Co-Chair(s), Membership Coordinator and Communications Coordinator. More admins will be added on an as needed basis.

Discord Moderators exist to maintain a communication environment consistent with the chapter's Member Communication Standards Policy and to document conduct that may require review. They are not a disciplinary body and do not have independent authority to determine outcomes — that authority rests with the Steering Committee and Harassment and Grievance Officers. 

The chapter will maintain up to three (3) Discord Moderators. All three hold equal standing in the role — there is no lead moderator, hierarchy, or tiebreaker among them. Moderation interventions may be carried out by any individual moderator acting alone, but moderators are encouraged to consult one another where time permits before taking action.

Discord Moderators are appointed, not elected. Any member of the Steering Committee (SC) and/or Harassment and Grievance Officer(s) initiate appointment(s) and the Steering Committee confirms them by majority vote. Moderators serve a fixed term running from February to February each year. A moderator may be reappointed for subsequent terms without limit.

A moderator may step down at any time by notifying the Steering Committee in writing. The Steering Committee or Harassment and Grievance Officer(s)may initiate removal of a moderator at any time, subject to SC confirmation, where the moderator is no longer able to fulfill the responsibilities of the role or where their conduct has become inconsistent with the standards expected of someone in the role.

To be eligible for appointment as a Discord Moderator, a member must:

1. Be a member in good standing of Tucson DSA

2. Have no history of complaints or grievances related to their conduct in the Discord server or any other online organizational space that were sustained or are currently pending

3. Not be a current member of the Steering Committee

4. Be willing to carry out the responsibilities of the role impartially and consistently

Discord Moderators have two and only two powers:

Documentation. When a moderator observes conduct in the Discord server that may be inconsistent with the Member Communication Standards Policy, they will screenshot and preserve a record of the conduct. This documentation will be shared with the Steering Committee and HGOs and retained for the duration of any related review process.

Timeout. A moderator may issue a temporary timeout to a member whose conduct in the Discord server is actively inconsistent with the Member Communication Standards Policy. A timeout is a short-term technical restriction on a member's ability to post and is not a disciplinary finding. It exists to pause conduct that is causing harm while review is arranged.

A timeout does not constitute discipline under the Unified Grievance Policy and does not predetermine the outcome of any review. The Steering Committee retains authority under the Unified Grievance Policy to remove members from online spaces as a formal temporary disciplinary measure following review.

When a moderator issues a timeout, they will:

1. Notify the Steering Committee and HGOs in writing as soon as practicable, including the documentation gathered

2. The matter will be placed on the agenda for review in executive session at the next scheduled Steering Committee meeting

3. The Steering Committee and HGOs will determine in that session whether further action is warranted under the Unified Grievance Policy

4. No timeout will extend beyond the next scheduled Steering Committee meeting without SC review and confirmation that it should continue.

Discord Moderators may not:

1. Make determinations about whether a member has violated chapter policy — that authority rests with the Steering Committee and HGOs

2. Issue discipline of any kind beyond a temporary timeout pending SC/HGO review

3. Speak publicly on behalf of the chapter about moderation decisions or the conduct of any member

4. Share documentation or details of moderation interventions outside of the Steering Committee and HGOs

Discord Moderators report to the Steering Committee and the chapter's Harassment and Grievance Officers. They are not required to provide reportbacks to the general membership. They may be asked to report to the Steering Committee on moderation activity at any scheduled SC meeting, and are expected to respond to such requests promptly and completely.

The Discord Moderator role operates within and is consistent with the DSA Unified Grievance Policy. The Steering Committee's authority to remove members from online spaces as temporary discipline, as provided under that policy, is not delegated to Discord Moderators — moderators may only issue timeouts pending SC review. Nothing in this policy limits the Steering Committee's or HGOs' authority to act independently of the moderation process where circumstances warrant.

Discord Moderators do not have authority to delete content from the server. Where a moderator believes content rises to a level that warrants deletion — including but not limited to content that is threatening, harassing, or grossly violates the Member Communication Standards Policy — they will:

1. Screenshot and preserve the content immediately before taking any other action

2. Contact the Steering Committee and/or Harassment and Grievance Officer(s)directly to request authorization for deletion

3. Notify the HGOs so they may note the incident in the conduct record and advise the Steering Committee and/or Harassment and Grievance Officer(s)of any outstanding grievance context that may be relevant

4. Post all content proposed for deletion or automatically deleted to the #mod-logs channel

The Steering Committee and/or Harassment and Grievance Officer(s)hold sole authority to authorize deletion of member content with the exception of:

1. Doxxing;

2. Insults;

3. Slurs and/or hate speech;

4. NSFW content including violent and/or sexual images, videos, or links to such content;

5. Spam

All content subject to deletion must be documented with screenshots prior to deletion. Screenshots are required to be posted in the #mod-log channel.

Where Discord Moderators cannot reach agreement on whether a timeout or escalation is warranted, no unilateral action will be taken by an individual moderator. The matter will be escalated immediately to the Steering Committee and HGOs, who will determine whether action is needed and carry it out through the appropriate authority. Moderators will provide their documentation to the SC and HGOs at the point of escalation so that the situation can be assessed with full context.