[RRC - XX] DAO Code of Conduct

Abstract:

This proposal introduces a Code of Conduct for RARI DAO delegates and community members to ensure a respectful and productive governance environment. It outlines expectations for delegate behavior and engagement policies, enforced by market forces and moderators respectively, and details consequences for violations.

Motivation:

Implementing this Code of Conduct will help establish a respectful and professional environment within the RARI DAO. It ensures that both delegates and community members engage in meaningful and constructive discussions, aligning with the broader mission of decentralization and community-driven governance.

Rationale:

The proposed Code of Conduct aligns with the mission of RARI DAO by promoting transparent, respectful, and informed decision-making. The expectations for delegates encourage professionalism, accountability, and empathy, which reflect the values of a decentralized autonomous organization focused on the collective good. The engagement policies aim to maintain a healthy community discourse, contributing to the long-term sustainability of the DAO.

Key Terms:

  • Delegation market: A system where token holders delegate their voting power to trusted individuals, who act as their representatives within the DAO.
  • Conflicts of interest: Situations where personal interests may compromise the impartiality of a delegate’s decisions.

Specifications:

The Code of Conduct consists of two facets and will be enforced by their own mechanisms:

Delegate Expectations (Enforced by the delegation market)

These are ‘should’ statements which are enforceable by the delegation free market but not directly by any elected or unelected committee. All delegates should abide by these expectations. If a delegate does not abide by these expectations, their delegators should consider re-delegating to a delegate who does abide by them.

  • Be informed about the broader crypto ecosystem.
  • Act and vote based on what they believe best serves the interests of the DAO.
  • Review proposals professionally without bias and abstain if unable to do so.
  • Provide constructive, well-researched feedback, avoid personal attacks, unsubstantiated claims, and use designated channels for discussions.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible and reduce the impact of these when it’s not possible to avoid them.
  • Disclose potential conflicts of interest whenever possible.
  • Do not vote for their own candidacy in an election. In cases such as multiple-choice voting, delegates may vote for themselves as long as they also vote for at least one other candidate.
  • Be respectful of diverse options and demonstrate empathy towards other delegates or community members.

Policies for Engagement (Enforced by moderators)

Using the Forum (Discourse), Discord, and Telegram.

  • Treat everyone with respect, avoiding discrimination, harassment, and inappropriate language or behavior, especially in tough conversations.
  • Contribute meaningfully to discussions by adding value, providing constructive critiques, and offering evidence for claims.
  • Use designated channels for discussions, avoiding social media or public spaces for contentious topics.
  • Uphold civility, common sense, and a positive attitude in all interactions.
  • Stay safe from scams and phishing attempts, protect your private keys, and report suspicious activities to safeguard the community.

To report a Policies of Engagement violation by any user one may flag the violation using tools provided by the platform on which it has occurred. These should be handled by moderators of various platforms in cooperation with the Foundation. If a delegate does not abide by the rules above, they will:

  • Receive a warning, in minor cases.
  • Receive a suspension for one month in severe cases.
  • After that, a delegate may receive a six-month suspension for repeated violations.
  • If a delegate continues to violate the above rules they may face permanent suspension from the DAO.

Steps to Implement:

  1. Gather feedback from the community
  2. Modify proposal if needed (based on feedback)
  3. Post onchain for voting

Overall Cost:

There are no direct costs associated with the implementation of this proposal

6 Likes

Question how would a DAO enforce a suspension? Kicking people from a discord server is easy, but would they still be able to vote? Would the DAO be able to block someone from voting? Do we just shun them till they go away?

4 Likes

Thanks for the question @Firefly808

The engagement policies do not cover voting participation since there is currently no sybil resistant way to censor an individual or org from participating in onchain voting. The best we can do is prevent someone from spreading inappropriate content while engaging in public discourse.

5 Likes

I will support this proposal. I can put it on tally once Delegate Launchpad 3 launches and I have a few more votes again, if it hasn’t been put up on tally already by then.

3 Likes

Thanks for the proposal! Definitely an important topic.

For context, is this a deliverable of the governance working group or your initiative? I feel like a shared code of conduct should be a community effort.

Maybe we could have a shared document to comment and add suggestions?

Yes. The GWG maintains public communication and public weekly calls on discord which everyone is welcome to attend and give feedback when these topics are being discussed. Here is the working document https://www.notion.so/rari-foundation/Code-of-Conduct-a08304ffd8b94d33b66a6f998130d090

1 Like

This is a wonderful proposal!
A well-structured delegate program can significantly enhance a DAO’s governance, engagement, and efficiency. By setting standards for behavior, this code of conduct will help to protect the RARI DAO’s reputation and avoid negative publicity.

1 Like

I will be voting in favour of this and I’m happy to see the GWG putting out some of the foundational DAO docs.

2 Likes

As a member of the Governance Working Group StableLab is in favor of this proposal.

3 Likes

Thanks for clarifying, appreciate the effort of the working group. I requested access to the notion.
I agree with @Firefly808 that the part about “suspension from the DAO” might not be accurate, rather from the forum or discord. Maybe you could adapt that.

Also the part “Do not vote for their own candidacy in an election”, does it mean that delegates can vote for themselves if it’s a group of people, or only if there is multiple-choice voting?

1 Like