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Updated to reflect the unique nature of the all-digital GDC Summer happening this week, the Code of Conduct serves as our strict line in the sand of what will not be tolerated. Please read it!
August 3, 2020
3 Min Read
With GDC’s first ever fully virtual event starting tomorrow, today seems like a good time to remind everyone about GDC’s Code of Conduct. We may not all be gathering in person this week, but that doesn’t mean you have free rein to forget your manners and humanity.
As I sit here to write this, I’ve been reflecting on societal conversations occurring on the global stage, and how GDC fits into it all. As an organization, we’ve long strived to create a safe community of belonging for all developers. GDC Summer is no exception, and the Code of Conduct serves as our strict line in the sand of what will not be tolerated. It has been updated a bit to reflect the online nature of the event, so I urge you to familiarize yourself with its details.
My expectations for everyone attending this week (attendees, sponsors, staff, moderators, press, vendors, etc.) are this:
Conversations must adhere to the GDC Code of Conduct.
Be thoughtful and constructive. Every comment should be thought-out and truly add something to the discussion. In live chat, constructive can mean ‘fun,’ but not harmful toward the other attendees. Stay on topic. This can get a bit fluid as a conversation that starts on one topic evolves into related tangents, but there are limits.
Keep things respectful, and do not tolerate bigotry. That means no hateful speech, ethnic slurs, ad hominem personal attacks, or comments on people’s appearances. Excessive use of profanity or vulgarity, especially in referring to fellow developers or commenters, is prohibited. This includes, but not limited to, racial slurs, homophobia & transphobia, and sexism.
Don’t post irrelevant links. This includes commercial spam, links to offensive material, and purely self-promotional links that don't apply to the conversation.
Be thoughtful about networking and meeting requests. Don’t spam your fellow developers. Make sure your ask is clear and provides value to the other person. Don’t use it as a dating tool – this is a professional event and should be treated as such.
As we all know too well, bad actors find the anonymity of online forums to be an easy way to express inappropriate sentiments they might otherwise not under the social pressure of an in-person function. Know that this will not be tolerated. GDC staff will be monitoring all functions throughout the week but we encourage you to report anything that seems amiss. You can file reports to the “Help Desk” button on the event homepage, or for more delicate matter, you can email me directly.
It has been a labor of love to bring GDC Summer to you all this year (15 months, a pandemic, forced WFH under less-than-normal conditions, intense social and political climates, 3 event iterations and producing something we’ve never done before… but who’s counting?!). We hope it can serve as a moment of learning, networking, celebration and positivity in the midst of a lot of uncertainty. Let’s keep it classy out there, folks.
- Katie Stern, GDC GM
For more details on GDC Summer, scheduled to take place virtually August 4th through the 6th, visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.
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