Code of Conduct

CLEAR NAME POLICY

To help attendees find and connect with each other we ask that individuals use the name under which their submission has been published. We ask that individuals use their ‘publishing name’ (aka the name they intend to commonly go by in professional / academic spaces) so that attendees with questions about the submission can easily locate the authors and connect with them. Please note it is fine if an attendee’s ‘publishing name’ differs from their legal name.

We highly encourage attendees to add pronouns (They/them, She/her, He/him, etc.) after their name on the official conference online spaces Discord and Zoom (e.g., Jane Smith [they/them]). This is to encourage accuracy and mutual respect in how we speak with one another as much as to create an atmosphere of acceptance of who people are and how they identify. However, we also respect attendees’ rights to privacy and attendees as always can choose not to include pronouns if they wish. 

RECORDING AND SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING

We would like to remind all attendees that making and sharing audio/visual/video/screen recordings without the clear and confidently expressed consent of everyone involved  is not allowed. 

Depending on various circumstances during the conference, sessions may be recorded by the CHI PLAY organizers. Any recorded sessions will be made available at all times via posted links within the virtual conference platform. Thus, attendees will be able to access our conference content no matter where they are in the world (e.g., also if they have little overlap with the local time zone).

Please also note that as CHI PLAY 2022 is a hybrid conference, the onsite event will be livestreamed for remote attendees, so you may be recorded as you move around the conference venue.

CONTENT

We ask that you keep discussions about Covid-19 and other current crises contained as much as possible. While situations may be improving for some members of our community it is important to remember that the pandemic and other global issues have had and continue to have a devastating effect on many individuals in our global family. This conference aims to offer a momentary respite from the all to present stressors of these difficult times. We hope to create a restorative space for discussing the innovative, generative, and critical matters of our fields. 

SUPPORTIVE SPACE 

Be patient with technical hiccups and slips. Remember there will be a wide variety of individuals with different levels of access to internet connection, available technology, and technological aptitude attending the conference. 

In addition to the above suggestions regarding content we ask that everyone do their part to be sensitive, kind, and supportive. You do not know who may have been directly affected by illness, violence, or death recently. Thus, insensitive jokes, harsh criticism, and insults (intentional or not) will not be taken lightly. If you are being critical, be positively critical by ensuring your criticism is generative and supportive.

Lastly, so that we may all work together to make CHI PLAY 2022 welcoming and safe for all, we ask that all attendees, presenters, and session chairs adhere to the following guidelines and at all times work to uphold the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

FOR ATTENDEES

If you’re attending, it is important that you regularly check-in with yourself. This is as much for your self care as it is to encourage respect for others. Ask yourself the following questions throughout the conference:

  • Self-Care: CHI PLAY can be a fast-paced, highly complex experience. We emphasize taking moments throughout each day to check-in with yourself and engage in self-care. The CHI PLAY schedule is set up to allow for breaks between sessions but you may still  find you need to recuperate every once and awhile. While your self-care practices are entirely your own, we feel the following sample questions are helpful in taking account of your well-being: 
    • Have I had enough sleep, food, water, and time to relax/decompress? 
    • What mood, attitude, energy, and knowledge am I bringing into this space? Is it welcomed, challenging, hostile, permissive, etc.?
    • Am I recognizing that others’ experiences differ from my own? 
    • Am I able to hold myself in good faith, trusting that others’ experiences are legitimate?
    • Am I in a position to critically learn from the thoughts and experiences of others? 
    • Do I have the energy to not take things personally?
    • Do I have the energy and resources needed to stand up for myself?
    • If I can’t take time during the conference, do I have a plan or support in place for catching-up on rest after the conference?
  • Appropriate speech & behavior: While methods of self-care are individual, our efforts to build norms toward an equitable environment are social. ACM’s policy against discrimination and harassment represent the baseline for appropriate and prohibited behavior. But the multiplied effects of our daily interactions happen in the space between our ability to enforce this legal policy and our generalized ideals. It is important to remember that many forms of harassment and unacceptable behavior can occur when there is no deliberate intention to offend. However, the ACM reserves the right to take action on any act it deems as inappropriate as each interaction contributes to what the “CHI PLAY space” feels like. You can choose to work through the following questions to reflect on how you may contribute to making space for yourself and others to be heard:   
    • Am I making space for others and accommodating their experiences or backgrounds?
    • Have I taken care of myself to avoid being reactive?
    • Have I reminded myself that my experiences and knowledge are valid, earned, and worth being heard?
    • Am I being humble and not assuming expertise?
    • Am I watching how much space/time/dialogue I’m taking-up, and who might be excluded or silenced as a result?
    • Am I giving those around me the opportunity and time to be heard?
    • Do I feel comfortable taking the space I need in order to be heard?
    • Am I making assumptions about other people’s gender identity, pronouns, background, ethnicity, values, abilities, or beliefs?
  • Harassment & Intervention: What constitutes harassment is defined from the viewpoint of the target. Harassment can be about territoriality (driving people out of a profession or situation), impressing others at the expense of someone else, actions to elevate yourself above someone else by diminishing them, or insulting a group of people on some basis of their identity. Harassment can be predatory (getting a thrill out of doing something shocking, and the charge comes from the person’s reaction to that). It can be resistance testing, where a harasser starts with a joke or comment, then keeps escalating to see how far they push an interaction. Harassment can even be unintended and occur with no deliberate intention to offend but still create an unsafe and toxic environment for the target of harassment. Ultimately, harassment is related to power: who has it, who wants it, and how it’s obtained/maintained or transferred. 
    • Harassment and/or discrimination can be deliberate or unintentional. We ask that everyone act in good faith, however harassment (and discrimination) often occurs alongside the best of intentions. What matters is whether others consent (to your words and actions) and if those words and actions are respectful in nature and reception. Whether consent and respect are behind your words is determined by your audience.  
    • In any case, harassment and discrimination are immensely harmful: to the target, to the perpetrator, to the social group, and to the organization in general. Attendees are encouraged to file a report should they experience harassment or discrimination during their time at the CHI PLAY conference. Doing so not only helps keep everyone accountable, they are a way to identify recurring issues or problematic individuals, so that we can improve not only in the moment, but over time. You may file a report by the procedures listed below. You do not have to be the target of harassment to file a report.  However, it is good practice to connect with the target of the harassment to ensure their personal safety and autonomy throughout the process. Due to conflicts of interest or potential discomfort with reporting to one party or another, there are four separate systems to which you may file a report. Your reports will be kept confidential.
  • Reporting Harassment: You are encouraged to report any/all experiences of harassment/discrimination, even if someone has already filed a report. If you were witness to the event or overheard the event described to you, we encourage you to report it so long as you have obtained consent from the target. When reporting, always include the five W’s [who, what, where, when, why]. If you experience harassment  there are multiple resources you may use to report on the incident.  
    • To file an online report with the ACM, go here: https://services.acm.org/harass/harass.cfm  
    • To file a report with our Inclusion & Accessibility Chairs, email here: a11y@chiplay.acm.org
    • Need to contact a specific chair or organizer? Check: https://chiplay.acm.org/2022/organizers/
    • To file a report with our General Chairs: gc@chiplay.acm.org 
    • To ask questions before using the report filing form linked above, or to file a grievance if you believe the policy has been applied in an inequitable way, contact: advocate@acm.org. 
    • SIGCHI CARES exists to serve as a resource for those who experience discrimination and/or harassment around our professional events. CARES supports such individuals by allowing them to work with established members of the SIGCHI community, who are approachable and willing to listen and help navigate the SIGCHI and ACM reporting and accountability process.
  • After you file a report, the follow-up mechanisms vary depending on which channel was used. Contacting a conference chair (the General Chairs or Inclusion Chairs) will result in a follow-up at the contact information provided. The ACM has their own mechanisms for processing reports and so we encourage you to read their form thoroughly to know what to expect. 
  • Note that this Policy Against Harassment at ACM Activities is not intended to limit open discussion of the merits of particular work or issues presented at ACM events. It applies only to behaviour at ACM events and activities.
  • On Being a Good Bystander: Because harassment often involves power dynamics (e.g. who can speak, who is heard), many instances of harassment or discrimination go unreported. This can be because targets don’t know who to tell, there’s no formal policy or response to instances when they are known, or individuals fear retaliation (labelling, impacts on career advancement, etc). Some SVs, chairs, and attendees are trained and informed in proper methods of bystander intervention. They will be around all the conference platforms and intervene where needed, but should you feel like acting against discriminatory material, consider the following:
    • Have I assessed the seriousness of the situation? Often, if a situation is particularly traumatic for a target of harassment, they will be eerily calm and speak in a very calm voice. They may have an over the top reaction, indicating this may have triggered them based on something that has happened in the past. In either case, their response indicates that the severity is probably pretty bad. 
    • Am I safe? Assess the situation, how much it could escalate, and mentally prepare yourself for things to get worse before they get better. Remember: do not intervene if you do not feel safe to do so. 
    • Do I have support around me? Can I call on others in the area to help if needed?
    • What can I do to make the target feel safe? Bystander interventions should almost always direct themselves at the target, ensuring their safety rather than escalating a situation with a harasser.
    • If I’m intervening, have I asked the target what they need? Always ask, never tell. Listen before offering advice or solutions. Take as much time as you need to hear what the target needs to tell you. If they pause, let them collect themselves, let them get over their fight or flight response, give them time to talk before you talk about what could happen next. When someone is harassed, their autonomy has been reduced. Do what you can to put power and control back in their hands. Make it their decision what happens next (e.g. “What would you like to happen next?” “What can I do to help?” “Would you like to report this?”) 
    • Do I know the process for reporting and does the target want to file a report at a later time? 
    • Have I noted down the details to file a report myself? Remember: who, what, where, when, why. .

FOR PRESENTERS

If you’re presenting, check-in with yourself while preparing your public work, the evening before presenting, and directly before you present. Public engagement creates anxiety for us all, and it can be difficult to remain collected in these anxious states. Take moments for yourself to breathe and de-escalate between your presentation and any Q&As or between poster attendees. Reset and remind yourself: your voice is wanted here. Regularly ask yourself the following:

  • Have I checked off all of the self-care questions above?
  • Have I done what I can to feel confident and secure in my knowledge (you’re already here, your paper already accepted and approved by professionals!)?
  • Have I run through my presentation and checked for any errors, technical issues, or trouble spots?
  • Have I mentally prepared myself for the worst-case scenarios (questions, criticisms, errors) knowing even if they happen I’ll be fine and life goes on?
  • Does any of my content contain images, phrases, slang, or references to people or situations that are sensitive in nature (to people of various genders, abilities, ethnicities, religious affiliations, cultures, ages, education levels, economic or political grouping), and that could be interpreted as offensive or unnecessary to communicating my main message?
  • Do I make any jokes at the expense of a person or people that might offend others?
    • If yes to either of the above, is this necessary?
      • If necessary, then is this potentially upsetting content framed properly?
      • Do I provide a content warning for potentially upsetting or emotionally-loaded content?
      • Do I know the demographics of my audience?

FOR SESSION CHAIRS

  • Correspond with your session chairs and presenters via email prior to the conference. This is a good opportunity to remind them of their presentation date and time, as well as their length of time. 
    • Think of yourself as a mini-advocate for your authors’ work
    • Request a copy of their work to familiarize yourself with their presentation. This will also allow you to prepare questions in advance
    • Ask if they have questions they would like you to ask to highlight a particular aspects of their work
    • Inform presenters that they should arrive approximately 15 minutes prior to session start for a short introduction and to assure that there are no technical issues.
    • Ask if there is anything they would like highlighted or omitted in their introduction
    • Ask for and memorize their pronouns and the correct pronunciation of their name that they provide to you.
    • Ask if they have any questions about the content of their material, its suitability, if they have any special needs, or general questions.
  • You should arrive early to your session prior to its going live.
    • Double-check with presenters on the pronunciation of their name, institution, place of birth, and any other introductory material.

GUIDELINES FOR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A Land Acknowledgement is traditionally a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of a colonized land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.  It is a way for people to insert an awareness of Indigenous presence and land rights in everyday life. It is a subtle way to recognize the history of colonialism and a need for change in settler colonial societies. 

  • Helpful Tips: Please reflect on the following tips and questions and  incorporate them when constructing your own land acknowledgments. 
    • Do your research! Put in the time necessary to research the following topics:
      • The Indigenous people to whom the land belongs.
      • The history of the land and any related treaties and agreements colonial and pre-colonial.
      • Names of living Indigenous people from these communities. If you’re presenting on behalf of your work in a certain field, highlight Indigenous people who currently work in that field.
      • Indigenous place names and language.
      • Correct pronunciation for the names of the Tribes, places, and individuals that you’re including.
      • Utilize the whose land app to see what land you are on right now. See: https://www.whose.land/en/ and https://native-land.ca/
    • Examine the present day relationships between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous communities within your particular location. Take the time to reflect on how you see yourself in this relationship. For Non-Indigenous people, ask yourself how you are benefiting from living on this land that is a traditional territory of Indigenous persons
    • Use appropriate language. Don’t sugarcoat the past. Use terms like genocide, ethnic cleansing, stolen land, and forced removal to reflect actions taken by colonizers.
    • Use past, present, and future tenses. Indigenous people are still here, and they’re thriving. Don’t treat them as a relic of the past.
    • Don’t be grim. Land acknowledgments should function as living celebrations of Indigenous communities. Ask yourself questions like, “How am I leaving Indigenous people in a stronger, more empowered place because of this land acknowledgment?” Focus on the positivity of who Indigenous people are today.
  • Examples: Here are various samples you can use to craft your own acknowledgements feel free to make alterations as needed. 
    • “Buried deeply are the first tracks – those of Indigenous people who have and continue to exist on this land since time immemorial – in other words – time before we can imagine time. Since those first tracks were made, there were many other tracks of those who walked at various times– overlapping – layers upon layers. Now all of our tracks lie on what was and still is First Nations Territories. Whether we chose to acknowledge it or not, we now exist in relationship to each other and to this land. A land that has and still does exist first and foremost in relationship to Indigenous people. To be in good relationship with one another requires a critical conscious awareness and acknowledgement of whose traditional lands we are now on as well as the historical and contemporary realities of those relationships”. -Sandra Styres
    • “By acknowledging the Land, we show humility and appreciation for the magnanimity of the peoples on whose Indigenous Land we have come to reside. Such acknowledgement expresses a readiness to receive the teachings of the Land/Mother Earth, to understand our connected histories and struggles as well as to think about our collective implications and responsibilities. As a traditional Elder, the Acknowledgment is significant for asking for, and affirming the spiritual and emotional guidance of our Ancestors and Elders. The current relevance lies in how we use knowledge responsibly to pursue a politics of futurity.” -George J. Sefa Dei
    • “To acknowledge this land on which we stand is to acknowledge truth. To acknowledge truth is to acknowledge connection and disconnection. To acknowledge connection and disconnection is to acknowledge the Nations who care for our mother. To acknowledge our mother is to acknowledge truth. To acknowledge truth is to acknowledge that truth is at the forefront of the conversation.” -Monique Aura, Oneida Nation
  • Useful Links: Here are various samples you can use to craft your own acknowledgements feel free to make alterations as needed. 
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