Scope
In addition to the confidentiality of internal personnel information, as covered under the Code of Conduct, all volunteers of the Fanlore committee, including inter-committee liaisons with access to committee communication spaces, are expected to agree and adhere to the below confidentiality policy.
This policy applies during an individual’s service as a member of Fanlore and will continue to bind that individual after their service with Fanlore has ended.
Context
Fanlore volunteers, in the course of their regular duties, are often contacted by individuals seeking to remove fans’ personally identifying information from the wiki, which can be redacted following Fanlore’s identity protection guidelines. Other requests and complaints from Fanlore users and gardeners may also contain other personal information about fans.
Confidential data
Members of Fanlore are expected to uphold the highest standards of confidentiality. Under no circumstances may a Fanlore volunteer disclose to anyone outside the committee:
- the names, emails, contact information, message data, fannish identity, information from which a fan’s legal identity could be tied to their fannish identity, or information from which a fan’s identity could be directly identified or identified through combination with other available information (collectively, “Personal Data“) involved in any Fanlore request.
- specific content redacted from Fanlore articles following the wiki’s guidelines (“Redacted Content“).
Fanlore volunteers may only disclose Personal Data in aggregate and non-identifiable form (for example, statistics regarding how many inquiries were received about the same topic), save when required by law (for example, pursuant to a valid subpoena), always assisted by the OTW Legal team.
Discussion of Confidential Data
Members of Fanlore must avoid discussing Personal Data or Redacted Content in any OTW space that can be accessed by anyone not directly involved in the matter under discussion, including Slack rooms (unless locked), mailing lists, the internal wiki, Basecamp and other open OTW communication tools.
Fanlore committee members may not discuss Personal Data or Redacted Content in their own public or private spaces or elsewhere outside the OTW. This includes communication with friends outside the OTW, in protected spaces outside the OTW and in anonymous spaces.
Direct Contact
Members of Fanlore must discuss a topic with other volunteers before engaging with fans on behalf of the committee, and should not engage on an individual basis with fans regarding Fanlore with respect to their enquiry or complaint on any platforms, even if the fan in question has released the contents of their exchange(s) publicly, or contacted volunteers individually on social media or on Fanlore.
Breach of Policy
Failing to uphold these terms while serving in the OTW will be addressed under the Constructive Corrective Action Procedure, and may result in warning, suspension or direct termination, depending on the severity of the misconduct, to be decided by the Fanlore chair(s) (in consultation with other affected committee chair(s), if applicable) and Volunteers & Recruiting.
If a Fanlore volunteer receives a request for information which would breach this policy, they should refer that request on to the Fanlore chair(s).
Agreement Records
Agreement to this policy will be registered with Volunteers & Recruiting. All Fanlore volunteers must agree to this policy within a month of joining the committee, or before accepting any tasks which might be covered under this policy, whichever is sooner.