Universeller Verhaltenskodex

Warum wir einen Universellen Verhaltenskodex haben

Wir glauben, dass es wichtig ist, so vielen Menschen wie möglich zu ermöglichen, sich an den Wikimedia-Projekten und -Räumen zu beteiligen, um unsere Vision von einer Welt zu verwirklichen, in der jede und jeder die Summe allen menschlichen Wissens teilen kann. Wir glauben daran, dass unsere Gemeinschaften von Mitwirkenden so vielseitig, inklusiv und offen wie möglich sein sollten. Wir wollen, dass diese Gemeinschaften positive, sichere und gesunde Umgebungen für alle bieten, die daran teilhaben (und teilhaben wollen). Wir verpflichten uns, dafür zu sorgen, dass dies so bleibt, indem wir diesen Verhaltenskodex annehmen und ihn bei Bedarf anpassen. Auch möchten wir unsere Projekte vor denjenigen schützen, die Inhalte beschädigen oder entstellen wollen.

Entsprechend der Wikimedia-Mission werden alle, die sich an Wikimedia-Projekten oder -Räumen beteiligen:

mithelfen, eine Welt zu schaffen, in der jede Person ungehindert an der Summe des Wissens teilhaben kann,
Teil einer globalen Gemeinschaft sein, die Einseitigkeit und Vorurteile vermeidet, und
Genauigkeit und Nachweisbarkeit bei ihrer gesamten Arbeit anstreben.

Dieser Universelle Verhaltenskodex (UV) definiert ein Mindestmaß an Regeln für erwartetes und unakzeptierbares Verhalten. Er gilt für alle, die online oder offline in den Wikimedia-Projekten und -Räumen mitwirken und zu ihnen beitragen. Dies schließt neue und erfahrene Mitwirkende, Funktionstragende in den Projekten, Veranstaltungsorganisierende und -teilnehmende, Angestellte und Vorstandsmitglieder angeschlossener Organisationen und der Wikimedia Foundation ein. Er gilt in allen Wikimedia-Projekten, technischen Räumen, Präsenz- und virtuellen Veranstaltungen sowie in folgenden Fällen:

privatem, öffentlichem und halböffentlichem Umgang
Diskussionen von Meinungsverschiedenheiten und Solidaritätsbekundungen unter Gemeinschaftsmitgliedern
Gegenständen technischer Entwicklung
Aspekte inhaltlicher Mitwirkung
Fällen der Vertretung angeschlossener Organisationen oder von Gemeinschaften gegenüber externen Partnern.

1 – Einleitung

The Universal Code of Conduct provides a baseline of behaviour for collaboration on Wikimedia projects worldwide. Communities may add to this to develop policies that take account of local and cultural context, while maintaining the criteria listed here as a minimum standard.

The Universal Code of Conduct applies equally to all Wikimedians without any exceptions. Actions that contradict the Universal Code of Conduct can result in sanctions. These may be imposed by designated functionaries (as appropriate in their local context) and/or by the Wikimedia Foundation as the legal owner of the platforms.

2 – Expected behaviour

Every Wikimedian, whether they are a new or experienced editor, a community functionary, an affiliate or Wikimedia Foundation board member or employee, is responsible for their own behaviour.

In all Wikimedia projects, spaces and events, behaviour will be founded in respect, civility, collegiality, solidarity and good citizenship. This applies to all contributors and participants in their interaction with all contributors and participants, without expectations based on age, mental or physical disabilities, physical appearance, national, religious, ethnic and cultural background, caste, social class, language fluency, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex or career field. Nor will we make exceptions based on standing, skills or accomplishments in the Wikimedia projects or movement.

2.1 – Mutual respect

We expect all Wikimedians to show respect for others. In communicating with people, whether in online or offline Wikimedia environments, we will treat each other with mutual respect.

This includes but is not limited to:

Practice empathy. Listen and try to understand what Wikimedians of different backgrounds want to tell you. Be ready to challenge and adapt your own understanding, expectations and behaviour as a Wikimedian.
Assume good faith, and engage in constructive edits; your contributions should improve the quality of the project or work. Provide and receive feedback kindly and in good faith. Criticism should be delivered in a sensitive and constructive manner. All Wikimedians should assume unless evidence otherwise exists that others are here to collaboratively improve the projects, but this should not be used to justify statements with a harmful impact.
Respect the way that contributors name and describe themselves. People may use specific terms to describe themselves. As a sign of respect, use these terms when communicating with or about these people, where linguistically or technically feasible. Examples include:
- Ethnic groups may use a specific name to describe themselves, rather than the name historically used by others;
- People may have names that use letters, sounds, or words from their language which may be unfamiliar to you;
- People who identify with a certain sexual orientation or gender identity using distinct names or pronouns;
- People having a particular physical or mental disability may use particular terms to describe themselves
During in-person meetings, we will be welcoming to everyone and we will be mindful and respectful of each others’ preferences, boundaries, sensibilities, traditions and requirements.

2.2 – Civility, collegiality, mutual support and good citizenship

We strive towards the following behaviours:

Civility is politeness in behaviour and speech amongst people, including strangers.
Collegiality is the friendly support that people engaged in a common effort extend to each other.
Mutual support and good citizenship means taking active responsibility for ensuring that the Wikimedia projects are productive, pleasant and safe spaces, and contribute to the Wikimedia mission.

This includes but is not limited to:

Mentorship and coaching: Helping newcomers to find their way and acquire essential skills.
Looking out for fellow contributors: Lend them a hand when they need support, and speak up for them when they are treated in a way that falls short of expected behaviour as per the Universal Code of Conduct.
Recognize and credit the work done by contributors: Thank them for their help and work. Appreciate their efforts and give credit where it is due.

3 – Unacceptable behaviour

The Universal Code of Conduct aims to help community members identify situations of bad behaviour. The following behaviours are considered unacceptable within the Wikimedia movement:

3.1 – Harassment

This includes any behaviour intended primarily to intimidate, outrage or upset a person, or any behaviour where this would reasonably be considered the most likely main outcome. Behaviour can be considered harassment if it is beyond what a reasonable person would be expected to tolerate in a global, intercultural environment. Harassment often takes the form of emotional abuse, especially towards people who are in a vulnerable position, and may include contacting workplaces or friends and family members in an effort to intimidate or embarrass. In some cases, behaviour that would not rise to the level of harassment in a single case can become harassment through repetition. Harassment includes but is not limited to:

Insults: This includes name calling, using slurs or stereotypes, and any attacks based on personal characteristics. Insults may refer to perceived characteristics like intelligence, appearance, ethnicity, race, religion (or lack thereof), culture, caste, sexual orientation, gender, sex, disability, age, nationality, political affiliation, or other characteristics. In some cases, repeated mockery, sarcasm, or aggression constitute insults collectively, even if individual statements would not.
Sexual harassment: Sexual attention or advances of any kind towards others where the person knows or reasonably should know that the attention is unwelcome or in situations where consent cannot be communicated.
Threats: Explicitly or implicitly suggesting the possibility of physical violence, unfair embarrassment, unfair and unjustified reputational harm, or intimidation by suggesting gratuitous legal action to win an argument or force someone to behave the way you want.
Encouraging harm to others: This includes encouraging someone else to commit self-harm or suicide as well as encouraging someone to conduct violent attacks on a third party.
Disclosure of personal data (Doxing): sharing other contributors' private information, such as name, place of employment, physical or email address without their explicit consent either on the Wikimedia projects or elsewhere, or sharing information concerning their Wikimedia activity outside the projects.
Hounding: following a person across the project(s) and repeatedly critiquing their work mainly with the intent to upset or discourage them. If problems are continuing after efforts to communicate and educate, communities may need to address them through established community processes.
Trolling: Deliberately disrupting conversations or posting in bad-faith to intentionally provoke.

3.2 – Abuse of power, privilege, or influence

Abuse occurs when someone in a real or perceived position of power, privilege, or influence engages in disrespectful, cruel, and/or violent behaviour towards other people. In Wikimedia environments, it may take the form of verbal or psychological abuse and may overlap with harassment.

Abuse of office by functionaries, officials and staff: use of authority, knowledge, or resources at the disposal of designated functionaries, as well as officials and staff of the Wikimedia Foundation or Wikimedia affiliates, to intimidate or threaten others.
Abuse of seniority and connections: Using one's position and reputation to intimidate others. We expect people with significant experience and connections in the movement to behave with special care because hostile comments from them may carry an unintended backlash. People with community authority have a particular privilege to be viewed as reliable and should not abuse this to attack others who disagree with them.
Psychological manipulation: Maliciously causing someone to doubt their own perceptions, senses, or understanding with the objective to win an argument or force someone to behave the way you want.

3.3 – Content vandalism and abuse of the projects

Deliberately introducing biased, false, inaccurate or inappropriate content, or hindering, impeding or otherwise hampering the creation (and/or maintenance) of content. This includes but is not limited to:

The repeated arbitrary or unmotivated removal of any content without appropriate discussion or providing explanation
Systematically manipulating content to favour specific interpretations of facts or points of view (also by means of unfaithful or deliberately false rendering of sources and altering the correct way of composing editorial content)
Hate speech in any form, or discriminatory language aimed at vilifying, humiliating, inciting hatred against individuals or groups on the basis of who they are or their personal beliefs
The use of symbols, images, categories, tags or other kinds of content that are intimidating or harmful to others outside of the context of encyclopedic, informational use. This includes imposing schemes on content intended to marginalize or ostracize.