The code of conduct summarizes the rules that members and guests of the Beginning Node (BN) platform should comply with when attending to an event or meetup, providing content, and commenting; it also outlines behaviors that are unacceptable and must be avoided. Committed to including everyone and being an inspiration for everyone, we expect all members to comply with the written rules of conduct stated here. Members who are found not to comply with the Code of Conduct may be prevented from using the BN platform.

As members of the BN, please follow the rules below:

Always be sincere, respectful and patient.

Be accepting towards everybody and every different idea. We strive to be a community that welcomes and supports people from different backgrounds and identities. This approach requires you to be respectful of people of every race, ethnicity, culture, citizenship, color, migration status, social and economic class, educational level, gender, sexual preference, gender identity and expression, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.

Be very careful when providing content. Your work and the content you provide will be used by other people, and you will benefit from the work of others. In this environment of mutual trust, the content you create and conclusions you reach will affect other users, so consider the consequences of providing content or making a judgement.

Cite your sources. Thought and science are cumulative, progressive processes. All academic studies, printed or otherwise, or published online are guides for us. Take advantage of it all. In doing so, do not forget to give credit to original sources. We are a community that believes that ideas and information are the greatest treasure of the new world; be very careful to respect intellectual property.

Try to understand why you think differently. There are always disputes in social relations, and in technical and scientific discussions. This is a community that understands the scientific thought process, the importance of thesis and antithesis for achieving synthesis, and the fecundity of colliding ideas. To achieve synthesis, it is important that we resolve our disagreements constructively. Remember we are different; like every new block added to the ledger chain, each unit is single and unique. The power of the BN platform derives from the variety and diverse backgrounds of its members. People can have very different perspectives of any issue. Not being able to understand someone’s viewpoint does not mean they are wrong. Do not forget that people can make mistakes and that blaming each other will not contribute anything. Instead, help to solve the problem at hand and focus on learning from your mistakes.

Choose your words carefully. BN is a community of equally invaluable professionals, so behave professionally. Be kind to each other. Do not humiliate or mock other people. Harassment and other discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated.

Again, remember to preserve mutual respect. We will not agree on everything, but disagreement is not an excuse for behaving badly. We may all experience some frustration, but we must not allow this frustration to turn into a personal attack. It is important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive community.

Diversity Statement

We encourage everyone to participate and aim to build a community that belongs to everyone and that benefits everyone. Although we may sometimes fail, we strive to be as fair and equitable as possible. When a participant makes a mistake, we expect that person to admit their mistake and assume responsibility for it. If someone is harmed or upset, we are committed to listening to that person carefully and respectfully and to making our best effort to redress the wrong.

We want to make it clear that we fully respect diversity of age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, language, culture, political and religious beliefs, profession, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and ability, and will never overlook discriminatory behavior towards any participant based on the attributes listed above.

Reporting Issues

If you are subjected to or witness unacceptable behavior or if you have any concerns in this regard, please notify us by e-mail (basliyoruz@baslangicnoktasi.org) / or by post to the following address: Türkiye Bilişim Vakfı Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mahallesi, Ali Paşa Değirmeni Sk. No:3, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul. We will review all  complaints very carefully. Please do not forget to include the name of the person or account you wish to complain about and try to provide any information that may be useful.

After preparing a report on your complaint, we will have a representative contact you, look into your case with you, and decide how best to respond. If the harasser is someone from the BN team, your complaint will be handled by a different member of our team. To prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation, we will respect all requests for confidentiality and make every effort to ensure it remains so.