We believe in a world that is better than the world that exists today. The status quo is unacceptable; we can do better. You’re here to find ways we can create positive change and address global challenges, starting right here in our local community.
We lead with kindness and seek to understand each other, not prove each other wrong. Empathy is a critical skill for participating in Forward.
We follow all laws and take care of each other. Whenever possible, complete Actions with friends. Be smart about where, when, and how you participate. Under the umbrella of safety, we include not only the physical but also the emotional safety of all members, particularly people of color, women, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA individuals and others from marginalized communities.
We believe in science. Our goal is to find answers using reliable, vetted information. Whenever possible, examine the funding sources of the information you share and include references.
We celebrate creativity, unique approaches to problem solving, and out-of-the-box thinking.
In detail:
We’re here to talk about ideas, not the people behind them.
We’ll delete: personal attacks directed at anyone; all forms of discrimination (or posts that could be interpreted as such); posts we believe exist only to provoke or mislead; posts identifying or sharing the personal information of another person (including children) without their consent; and comments that are commercial or repeatedly shared external links.
Treat people with the respect you’d like to receive. Admit when you’re wrong. You’ll come across opinions you disagree with. That doesn’t make them invalid.
Keep comments relevant to the post and replies relevant to the initiating comment. We reserve the right to delete off-topic comments to keep threads on track.
For example: in an post about the policy response to climate change, comments about the science of climate change will be considered off topic.
Explain why you disagree or agree with something. Your reasoning is as important as your opinion.
“This article sucks”
will be deleted.
“I disagree with this article. Here’s why…”
won’t be.
“You’re an idiot”
will be deleted.
“Have you considered…”
won’t be.
Back up your ideas with evidence and fact where possible. If you’re claiming something as scientific fact, try to provide credible references. Ask any questions you have for the author or your fellow commenters.
Aim to add a new idea to each approach rather than repeating what’s already been said. Move on if things get stuck.
We’ll distinguish between constructive comments and smear campaigns. We’ll remove any deliberate attempts to misinform, distort facts or misrepresent the opinions of others.
Don’t post anything that may put us in legal jeopardy – nothing defamatory, nothing in breach of copyright.
Take responsibility for the quality of the conversations you participate in; only reply to things you consider worth your attention.
Report posts you think violate these standards. Tell people when they post something you appreciate and press the ‘Recommend’ button on their post.
We reserve the right to remove comments that breach these standards and lock accounts of commenters who breach them repeatedly. We take a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination.
Replies to comments that have been deleted may themselves be deleted, either to remove the thread or because they don’t make sense out of context. Comments may be closed if these standards aren’t met.