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Code of Conduct

Pledge

As members, contributors, and leaders of Data Science Kitchen (DSK), we commit to making our community a harassment-free environment for everyone—regardless of age, body size, disability (visible or invisible), ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, experience level, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, caste, color, religion, or sexual identity and orientation. We promise to engage in a manner that fosters an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community. This Code of Conduct outlines what we expect from all participants in our community and the consequences of unacceptable behavior. We encourage everyone in DSK to help create a safe and positive experience for all.

Community Principles

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

  • Show Empathy and Kindness: We aim higher than merely avoiding harm; we actively treat others as we would like to be treated, seeking the best outcomes for all, not just ourselves.
  • Respect Differing Opinions: Disagreements are natural, but they are never an excuse for poor behavior. Even when frustrated, we must avoid personal attacks. A community where people feel unsafe or threatened is not productive. Members should treat each other, and those outside the community, with respect.
  • Address Mistakes Constructively: We acknowledge our mistakes and approach others' errors with respect. Solving problems together is part of our community ethos. It’s up to us to seek help when needed and offer it when asked.
  • Communicate Openly: Whenever possible, we opt for public channels over private messages to allow others to learn from and join in the conversation. Explain your methods and actions in clear, simple terms, and strive to make data science accessible to everyone.
  • Prioritize Simplicity and Sustainability: Choose solutions that are understandable, maintainable, and sustainable. Aim for simplicity—strive for the best solution, not the most complicated one.
  • Learn with Humility: No one knows everything. Respect those who are earlier in their learning journey, and remain humble enough to learn from others. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem basic.
  • Value Open Source: Consider open-source options when choosing technology. Share your learnings with the community, no matter what tools you use, and make your work at DSK accessible to the broader public.

Unacceptable Behavior

Respect is key within and beyond our community. As a group of professionals, we expect everyone to act accordingly. The following behaviors are not tolerated:

  • Violence and Threats: Violence, threats of violence, or violent language directed at another person.
  • Discriminatory Language: Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or any other discriminatory jokes or language.
  • Explicit Content: Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material.
  • Doxing: Posting or threatening to post someone’s personal information without their consent.
  • Personal Insults: Especially those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability.
  • Inappropriate Photography or Recording: Always obtain consent before taking photos or recordings.
  • Unwanted Sexual Attention: This includes inappropriate comments, touching, groping, or unwelcome sexual advances.
  • Intimidation or Stalking: Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following, whether online or in person.
  • Encouraging Unacceptable Behavior: Advocating for or encouraging any of the above behaviors.
  • Disrupting Events: Sustained disruption of community events, including talks and presentations.

Confidentiality

Some DSK activities require confidentiality to protect the work of ideators and contributors before publication and to maintain the integrity of double-blind reviews. Here’s how we balance transparency and confidentiality:

  • Confidential Communication: When discussing ideas in private settings, whether in chats, small groups, private channels, or calls, don’t share others’ ideas or work without their explicit consent. This also applies to written communication such as paper drafts or unpublished code stored in restricted-access spaces.
  • Public Communication: At events and in communication channels open to the general public, assume there is no confidentiality. Share only what you are comfortable with others copying or modifying. If you find someone’s work valuable, feel free to share it, but always give proper credit to the originator, just as you would when citing published papers.

Reporting

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please notify a community leader immediately at info@data-science-kitchen.de. All reports will be reviewed and investigated promptly, with a commitment to respecting the privacy and security of the reporter.

Consequences

Community leaders will determine the consequences of violations based on this Code of Conduct:

  • Correction: A private, written warning explaining the violation and why it was inappropriate. A public apology may also be requested.
  • Warning: A formal warning with specific consequences for further violations. This may include a period of no interaction with those involved, including in community spaces and external channels like social media. Continued violations may lead to a permanent exclusion from the community.
  • Exclusion: Permanent removal from the community, including all communication channels and events.

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all DSK community spaces and extends to anyone representing the community in public spaces. This includes using an official email address, posting from official social media accounts, or acting as a representative at any online or offline event.

Credit and License

This Code of Conduct was inspired by and parts of it were taken and modified from the Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct, the Citizen Code of Conduct, and the ML Collective Code of Conduct.