[RFC 177](Pre RFC) Overhaul of CoC and Moderation Practices

rfcs/0177-coc-moderation.md

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+---
+feature: Coc & Moderation Overhaul
+start-date: 2024-04-30
+author: poscat
+co-authors: (find a buddy later to help out with the RFC)
+shepherd-team: (names, to be nominated and accepted by RFC steering committee)
+shepherd-leader: (name to be appointed by RFC steering committee)
+related-issues: https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/pull/175 https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/pull/114 https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/pull/176
+---
+
+# Summary
+[summary]: #summary
+
+This PR proposes a complete overhaul of the current Code of Conduct and moderation policies and practices
+in the NixOS community. The goal is to make the Code of Conduct actionable and clear (i.e. with as little room for
+arbitrary interpretation as possible) and make moderation practices more transparent, traceable to the CoC and
+accountable.
+
+The spirit of this RFC is that of a modern legal system: the CoC corresponds to the law/rule, the moderators
+corresponds to the judge and the moderation actions corresponds to the court.
+
+# Motivation
+[motivation]: #motivation
+
+Currently the Code of Conduct is very vague and open to interpretation. (TBA)
+
+Moderation actions on the official Discourse is opaque. Moderation in general is arbitrary, in the sense that there's
+significant room of personal opinion when deciding what is and isn't acceptable behavior, and they are not backed by
+the CoC. (TBA)
+
+In light of the recent events, there's also significant doubt of the moderation team coming from the community.
+[^1][^2]
+
+(TBA)
+
+# Detailed design
+[design]: #detailed-design
+
+Design criterions for the CoC:
+
+1. Actionable: The CoC should make clear what are the
+associated punishment for the violation.
+2. Clear: The CoC should be as clear as possible. It should be
+markedly clear where human interpretation is allowed (and to what
+degree) and where it is not.
+3. Democratic: The CoC should reflect the concensus of the community
+
+Rules for moderation:
+1. Transparent: moderation actions should be visible to anyone
+2. Traceable: moderation actions need to be justified by particular
+clauses in the CoC
+3. Accountable: abuse of moderation power should have associated punishment
+
+(TBA)
+
+# Drawbacks
+[drawbacks]: #drawbacks
+
+More bureaucracy. (TBA)
+
+
+# Future work
+[future]: #future-work
+
+(TBA)
+
+[^1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/NixOS/comments/1cfv8vo/moderation_nogo_zones/
+[^2]: https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/pull/175