This document governs all Cabal activities: the Fight Dystopia forum (fightdystopia.net), Signal chats, IRL meetups, and other Cabal-owned venues online or off.
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Online consent, privacy, equity, and liberty: These are foundational. Every interaction should reflect them.
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Curiosity and high-signal discussion: We discuss ethical technology, digital rights, AI safety, open source, surveillance research, and the human side of tech.
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Kindness, support, and respect: Operate with solidarity and value diverse perspectives.
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Protecting the underserved: Cabal's mission is driving technology to better protect those canonically underserved by it.
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Garden party, not a debate club: Collaborative, not adversarial. Share and learn, don't "win" arguments.
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Reject engagement farming: No inflammatory content to provoke reactions. No optimization for votes or attention.
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Invitation means accountability: Every member was invited by an existing member. Your inviter vouches for you; you vouch for those you invite. Ban records are tracked against inviters.
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Transparent governance: All moderator actions (bans, suspensions, content removals, tag changes) are logged publicly.
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Members hold members accountable: We expect people to call out insensitive behavior directly in chat or DM. This is an act of solidarity, not aggression. Short-term suspensions (24-72 hours) may be issued for persistent insensitivity after warning.
All forum and Signal chat communications are confidential. Do not share content, messages, or user data outside without explicit consent from everyone involved.
Do not scrape, bulk-download, or copy private discussions to share elsewhere. Violations may result in immediate removal from the community.
Respect each member’s privacy, including the fact of their membership. Only individuals themselves may share their affiliation outside the group. In public or external contexts, real usernames are replaced by tripcodes. Never reveal another member’s identity, username, or any personal details beyond our community without their clear, explicit consent.
- Link posts should point to substantive, relevant content. Strip tracking parameters (the site does this automatically, but be mindful of what you share).
- Text posts should contribute meaningfully: ask genuine questions, share knowledge, or start worthwhile discussions.
- Comments should add to the conversation. Avoid low-effort replies, personal attacks, or pile-ons.
Invitations are earned through clout (on-site reputation gained from upvotes and engagement). Do not share invite links publicly or sell access. Each invitation goes through a 24-hour review period before acceptance. You are responsible for the people you invite.
If you see something that violates these rules or makes you uncomfortable:
- Use the report buttons on posts, users, and communities.
- Submit an anonymous report via the tipline.
- Email tipline@fightdystopia.net semi-anonymously.
Prefer direct accountability first: if someone is being insensitive, call them out directly in chat or DM. This is the preferred and encouraged first step—members should not feel hesitation about holding each other accountable toward kindness and respect. Only escalate to moderators when direct accountability fails or when behavior is severe.
All reports are reviewed by the Safety Council and treated confidentially. Tipline reports use browser-derived tripcodes so moderators can correlate reports without knowing who filed them.
- Read this Articles of Agreement.
- Read the About page to understand history and norms.
- Read the Help page to learn how the site works.
- Fill out your profile and settings: add contact details, PGP key, and SSH key.
- Post an introduction so others can get to know you.
- Join the Signal chats for real-time conversation.
Be thoughtful. Be kind. Protect each other's privacy. Share things worth reading. Keep the trust chain strong. If something feels wrong, report it. This community exists because every member chose to make it worth being part of.