Code of Conduct

Our Pledge

We as members, contributors, and leaders pledge to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, visible or invisible disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community.

Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to a positive environment for our community include:

• Demonstrating empathy and kindness toward other people
• Being respectful of differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences
• Giving and gracefully accepting constructive feedback
• Accepting responsibility and apologizing to those affected by our mistakes, and learning from the experience
• Focusing on what is best not just for us as individuals, but for the overall community
• Using welcoming and inclusive language
• Being patient with newcomers and those learning
• Providing constructive guidance and mentorship
• Celebrating the achievements of others
• Sharing knowledge and expertise generously

Examples of unacceptable behavior include:

• The use of sexualized language or imagery, and sexual attention or advances of any kind
• Trolling, insulting or derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
• Public or private harassment
• Publishing others' private information, such as a physical or email address, without their explicit permission
• Spamming, excessive self-promotion, or off-topic discussions
• Dismissing or attacking requests for diversity and inclusion
• Engaging in discriminatory jokes or language
• Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting

Community Guidelines

Technical Discussions

• Stay on topic: Keep discussions relevant to the Nephoran Intent Operator project and related telecommunications/AI technologies
• Be constructive: Focus on solutions and improvements rather than just identifying problems
• Share knowledge: Help others learn by explaining concepts and sharing resources
• Ask questions: No question is too basic - we all started as beginners
• Admit mistakes: Everyone makes errors; acknowledging them helps us all learn

Collaboration Principles

• Assume good intentions: Give others the benefit of the doubt in their contributions and communications
• Be inclusive: Ensure your language and actions welcome all community members
• Value diverse perspectives: Different backgrounds and experiences strengthen our project
• Practice active listening: Seek to understand before seeking to be understood
• Credit others: Acknowledge the contributions and ideas of community members

Professional Conduct

• Maintain professionalism: Remember that this is a professional community with global reach
• Respect time zones: Be patient with response times across different geographic regions
• Use appropriate channels: Use the right communication channels for different types of discussions
• Protect privacy: Respect others' privacy and don't share personal information without consent
• Follow legal guidelines: Ensure all contributions comply with relevant laws and licenses

Community Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all community spaces managed by the Nephoran Intent Operator project, including:

• GitHub repositories (issues, pull requests, discussions, wikis)
• Community Slack channels and direct messages
• Mailing lists and forums
• Social media accounts and posts
• Conference presentations and meetups
• Virtual and in-person events
• Any other forums created by the project team which the community uses for communication

This Code of Conduct also applies when an individual is officially representing the community in public spaces. Examples of representing our community include using an official project email address, posting via an official social media account, or acting as an appointed representative at an online or offline event.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community. We especially welcome and encourage participation by:

• All skill levels: From beginners to experts in telecommunications, Kubernetes, and AI/ML
• All backgrounds: People from different geographic, cultural, and professional backgrounds
• All roles: Developers, operators, researchers, students, and business professionals
• All perspectives: Different viewpoints on technology, implementation, and community direction

Accessibility

We strive to make our community accessible to everyone:

• Documentation: We provide clear, well-structured documentation with multiple formats when possible
• Communication: We use inclusive language and provide context for technical discussions
• Events: We consider accessibility needs when planning community events
• Tools: We choose tools and platforms that support accessibility features

Language and Communication

• English as primary language: While English is our primary language, we welcome non-native speakers and encourage patience with language barriers
• Clear communication: Write clearly and provide context for your contributions
• Avoid jargon: Explain technical terms and acronyms, especially for newcomers
• Be patient: Allow time for translation and understanding across language barriers

Leadership and Governance

Community Leadership

Community leadership is earned through consistent, positive contributions to the project. Leaders are expected to:

• Model exemplary behavior according to this Code of Conduct
• Make fair and transparent decisions
• Listen to and represent the broader community
• Mentor new contributors and maintainers
• Maintain the technical and social health of the project

Decision Making

• Technical decisions: Made based on merit, technical soundness, and community benefit
• Community decisions: Made with input from community members and consideration of diverse perspectives
• Transparency: Decision-making processes and rationales are documented and shared
• Appeals process: Community members can appeal decisions through established channels

Enforcement Responsibilities

Community leaders and maintainers are responsible for clarifying and enforcing our standards of acceptable behavior and will take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any behavior that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

Community leaders have the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, commits, code, wiki edits, issues, and other contributions that are not aligned to this Code of Conduct, and will communicate reasons for moderation decisions when appropriate.

Reporting and Response

Reporting Guidelines

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, please report it using one of these methods:

For general conduct issues:

• Email: conduct@nephoran-project.org
• GitHub: Use the private "Report content" feature
• Slack: Direct message to any maintainer or use /report command

For security-related issues:

• Email: security@nephoran-project.org (for security vulnerabilities in conduct reporting systems)

For urgent issues:

• Contact multiple maintainers directly if immediate action is needed

What to Include in Reports

When reporting incidents, please include:

• Your contact information (so we can get in touch with you)
• Names (usernames, real names, or pseudonyms) of any individuals involved
• When and where the incident occurred (please be as specific as possible)
• Your account of what occurred (if there is a publicly available record, please include a link)
• Any additional context that may be helpful
• Whether you believe this incident is ongoing

Response Process

Reports will be handled by our Code of Conduct team following this process:

1. Acknowledgment (within 48 hours): We will acknowledge receipt of your report
2. Investigation (within 1 week): We will review the incident and gather additional information if needed
3. Decision (within 2 weeks): We will make a decision about appropriate consequences
4. Communication (within 24 hours of decision): We will communicate the decision to relevant parties
5. Follow-up (as needed): We will monitor the situation and take additional action if necessary

Confidentiality

All reports will be handled with discretion and confidentiality. We will not publicly name harassment victims or reporters without their consent. Details of the incident will only be shared with individuals directly involved in the investigation and resolution.

Enforcement Actions

Community leaders may take any action they deem appropriate in response to violations, including but not limited to:

Warning

A private, written warning providing clarity around the nature of the violation and an explanation of why the behavior was inappropriate.

Temporary Restriction

A temporary ban from interacting in community spaces for a specified period of time. This includes avoiding interactions in all project spaces as well as external channels like social media.

Permanent Ban

A permanent ban from any sort of public interaction within the project community. This is typically reserved for serious violations or repeated offenses.

Additional Actions

• Removal from leadership positions
• Removal of commit access
• Deletion of problematic content
• Requirement for public or private apology
• Mandatory participation in conflict resolution or mediation
• Required training or education on specific topics

Appeals Process

If you believe you have been wrongly accused of violating this Code of Conduct, you may appeal the decision:

1. Submit an appeal within 30 days to appeals@nephoran-project.org
2. Include relevant information about why you believe the decision was incorrect
3. Review by appeals committee consisting of community members not involved in the original decision
4. Final decision communicated within 30 days of appeal submission

Appeals are handled confidentially and decisions are final.

Restorative Justice

We believe in restorative rather than purely punitive approaches to community issues. Our goals are to:

• Educate: Help community members understand the impact of their actions
• Repair: Address harm done to individuals and the community
• Prevent: Reduce the likelihood of similar incidents in the future
• Restore: Reintegrate individuals into the community when appropriate

Community Support

For Those Who Experience Harassment

• You are not alone: The community leadership and many community members are here to support you
• It's not your fault: Harassment is never the responsibility of the person experiencing it
• Your safety matters: We prioritize your wellbeing over any other consideration
• You have options: You can choose how much or how little to engage in the resolution process

For Those Who Witness Harassment

• Speak up safely: If you feel safe doing so, intervene or redirect the conversation
• Document the incident: Keep records of what happened in case a report is needed
• Report it: Even if the target doesn't want to report, you can still report what you witnessed
• Support the affected person: Check in with them and offer your support

Resources and Support

• Community mentorship: Connect with experienced community members
• Technical support: Get help with project-related questions
• Conflict resolution: Mediation services for community disputes
• External resources: Information about professional support services

Continuous Improvement

This Code of Conduct is a living document that evolves with our community. We regularly:

• Review effectiveness: Assess how well the code serves our community
• Gather feedback: Solicit input from community members on improvements
• Update guidelines: Modify the code based on lessons learned and community growth
• Train leaders: Ensure community leaders understand and can effectively implement the code

Acknowledgments

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant, version 2.1, and incorporates elements from the Django Code of Conduct and Python Community Code of Conduct.

We thank these communities for their work in creating inclusive, welcoming environments for contributors.

Questions and Feedback

If you have questions about this Code of Conduct or suggestions for improvement:

• General questions: community@nephoran-project.org
• Suggestions: Open an issue in our repository or post in GitHub Discussions
• Private concerns: conduct@nephoran-project.org

Contact Information

Code of Conduct Team:

• conduct@nephoran-project.org

Project Leadership:

• maintainers@nephoran-project.org

Security Issues:

• security@nephoran-project.org

General Community:

• community@nephoran-project.org

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Version 1.0 | Effective Date: January 2024
Last Updated: January 2024

By participating in the Nephoran Intent Operator community, you agree to abide by this Code of Conduct. Thank you for helping us create a welcoming, inclusive, and productive community for everyone!