7 Cups Behavior Reporting Process & Tracking - Updated Version
All,
The post below outlines an updated behavior reporting process! We had originally launched this in 2016 and we are now updating it and re-emphasizing it as we move forward. Our objective to streamline the process and keep you well informed. Not many people struggle with a number of behavior points, but for people that do, we want to ensure that you can take steps to improve your behavior and be part of the community.
We are figuring out the best ways to manage unhelpful & un-supportive behaviors on 7 Cups. Once you have reviewed the entire post, please ask any questions or share your constructive thoughts.
This process is designed to provide you an opportunity to improve. We do not have any intentions to punish anyone but we do need to keep people accountable for their behavior. It is your community and how you behave, impacts it as well. Our purpose is to provide a better help & support and compassionate environment to all.
We all want to be part of a community that fosters high warmth and high expectations. It is the best way to lead a community because everyone deserves support and compassion.
Growing a plant, for example, requires a lot of effort, care, and the right treatment. Not every plant growth is similar but the basic process is somewhat the same. Suitable environment, the right proportion of soil, water, sunlight. Knowing the right conditions is significant for a seed to grow into a beautiful plant.
Similarly for a community:
If you have high warmth but low expectations, then structure or its culture is low.
If you have low warmth and high expectations, then it has a structure, but limited reliability and safety.
If you have low warmth and low expectations, then neither has a structure nor culture.
If you have high warmth and high expectations, it has structure and reliability and safety.
So here we are focused on providing both so that the community can have increased trust, support, culture, safety, and compassion.
A few points to keep in mind when reading the below:
- We believe in second chances. We know and understand no one is perfect and can improve. But, we need to understand when you have an opportunity to improve, you strive to improve and show that you improved. Value the opportunities you have.
- We believe in inclusivity. We welcome all constructive feedback. Because we are also not perfect and striving to improve. Feedback is a two-way process. Ensure to provide feedback in a compassionate, constructive, and respectful manner.
- We believe in accountability. Everyone is responsible and accountable for their actions. Because action has a reaction and impacts someone. We are in a community setup, so how you act impacts community activities. If you are supportive, the activities flow in a positive way. If you act unsupportive, the activity flow gets interrupted.
- We believe transparency is helpful. As a community member, it is your right to know what is happening with the reports and how it gets processed. So, we want to provide better transparency in our actions in this system. However, there are also natural limitations too. We will not be able to share or disclose in detail with the community at large things that are happening on an individual basis. Because a wise person said, Praise in public, criticize in private. We want to give everyone a second chance to improve and feel encouraged to improve.
The below behavior rating system has been specifically designed to meet the community's needs. We considered all inputs and tried to include all that was feasible to add. As you review this post, please remember this is a work in progress and always be updated as per the community's needs.
Please share all constructive feedback, inputs, and ideas on what is missing or what does not make sense and what can be done.
Introduction
The aim of this guide is to provide information and to help you understand how the Behavioral Points System would work.
What is the Behavioral Rating System?
It is a process we would be used to assign points based on the infractions they did in the community at a point in time. Every time, they commit a violation, they will be getting points assigned and informed through email so they know what violations they did, and what points assigned to them for the violations. So they can have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes they made and improve. But if they do not improve and they cross the threshold, they will face consequences.
This is modeled after other point systems like having a driving license in the US. If a person drives in a safe and smart manner (they are a good member), then they will receive no points. If they drive through stop signs, then they get a point. If they drive dangerously, then they get more points. If a person accrues enough points, then they are required to go to driving school. If they still do not improve then they can lose their license and no longer drive.
It is a systematic process where all reports will be included for a user.
How does it work?
- The system will be applicable to both listeners and members.
- Each behavior report or flagged forum thread will be evaluated using the below point criteria. Points are cumulative.
- Each point expires 6 months after it was earned.
- If no reports within three months from the date of action, an 80% reduction in the points. Note: One can be able to apply for a leadership role. This includes Mentor roles, teen star, group mod, peer support, and project agent roles.
- If zero reports within a month from the date of action, 40% reduction in the behavior score.
Applicability of the system:
The process will be applicable moving forward. It won't consider past reports. Except for the reports which are severe. It will be up to the Community Management Teams' decision for those reports.
How reports are filed?
Reports filed via specific behavior reports:
The incoming report will be reviewed by the concerned team. It will be reviewed for accuracy and if one of the below behaviors is identified the following actions will be taken:
The authority sends a warning message to the reported user letting them know about the report. If the user would like to provide their side of the story, they will be invited to do that.
Point(s) will be assigned if the user assumes responsibility for the action and agrees that it happened. The authority will let the user know the point has been assigned.
If the user does not accept responsibility for the behavior and the evidence that the behavior did occur is clear, point(s) will be assigned.
It is requested of all reporters that they submit relevant screenshots to prove their accusations for a user.
All points will be tallied and tracked on the community management team's backend panel. Dates will be logged to monitor the timing.
Please click here for more information on how to provide constructive feedback.
You can learn more about triangulation here
Learn more about rumors spreading here.
Learn what open communication is here.
Important Notes: �
All the behaviors identified above are common behavior identified in the specific areas. Though, if the same behavior is found in other parts of the community as well, the points and consequences will be applicable.
Zero Points Behavior. They are applicable for the first instance only. If the behavior continues, the points will be assigned according to the severity of the reported behavior.
Except for a few specific behaviors that are subjected only to listeners. All other behaviors are subject to both listeners and members of the community.
Adult Teen Listeners- In case of violations, the badge and access will be removed instantly.
Below you will find the corresponding consequences of the above behaviors.
Red Flag Offenses: �
Forum Spam - If you are repeatedly spamming the forums with inappropriate content or advertisements you or your account may be removed
Post inappropriate or graphic pictures, your account will be removed
Sexting and/or repeatedly sexting (after a given warning not to) will result in account removal
Underage or in the wrong age community (you must be 15 to be a listener & 13 to be a member)
Red Flag Consequences: Immediate removal from 7 Cups community
Protocol on Getting Support from a community leader:
If you are having a problem, you may approach a community leader for support on how to manage that situation. However, please refrain from telling them specific details. As a general rule when communicating with community leaders: we should avoid using names and specific details about a person or a given situation. For example, if you are having a conflict with another listener. You could go to the community leader and say I am struggling with a difficult situation. Could you give me some tips on how to use conflict resolution? In this example, no specific details are mentioned, but you are still able to ask for help as you work through a difficult situation.
Footnote:
The protocols are similar to earlier ones and shared from the previous update with few changes.
Updated the constructive feedback point in accordance with the new forum guideline on Sep 23, 2020 - Hope
Link here to Heather's clarification post on BPS https://www.7cups.com/forum/SiteUpdates_100/HsHangout_1970/SomeclarificationonLLReports_230570/
Guidelines with better view available in the Community Guidelines page, Click here
[edited by MistyMagic to remove scripts and add in H's post 30 Oct 2020]
@ASilentObserver
Thank you. The level of detailed thought in this update demonstrates an incredible amount of time, energy and effort spent towards making 7cups a more positive experience for us all. The driving license analogy was spot on and easy to understand. It's very encouraging that you've kept the doors open to communication from everyone as you iron out the kinks in this new approach. I hope it works exactly as intended and helps everyone feel safe and comfortable within a supportive space.
All the best!
Behavior Reporting Process & Tracking - I read this and cringe.
@endearingLion70 My first thought was that it sounds like something out of an Orwellian future.
I agree@cloudySummer
Thank you for the revision and invitation for feedback. My grain of input, may have little value or relevance. In either case, I may need more clarification about how are legitimately truthful concerns distinguished from illegitimate - purposely harmful concerns. For example, when a Member claims a concern about a Listener (or vise-versa,) when the claim is actually a fabrication to be harmful, by circumventing direct intentional hate by using an appearance as a legitimate concern. Is this possible? Additionally, who decides what is a legitimate concern and how is it investigated to arrive at that conclusion. Even driving records can have illegitimate marks removed as unlawful as well when contested. While it states that there are opportunities to remedy concerns for Listeners and Members, there may be areas that are confidential without disclosure of the details of the concern, rendering a less effective remedy for it. (Just a convoluted thought that may or may not have any relevance.)
@ASilentObserver
Thank you for this post, but I am surprised at the number of rules and all the complicated point system. I would have liked to see other improvements, such as:
a) Censorship applying to foreign languages (I use three here). Certain words spelled out in another language can be read as a dirty word in English when there is no intention to do so. For instance, the word "r e t a r d" in French only means "latedness", but it gets the *** instead. Wishing "Bon appétit" to someone who is going to break off to go eat becomes similar to a vulgar word for women's breasts and so on. Shower is "d o u c h e" in French.
B) Diacritics that are used in foreign languages are all jumbled by 7cups ASCII language. If 7cups truly wanted to be international, it ought to be less US-centric. Accented wovels (French and Spanish), apostrophes, a cedilla under the C, for instance, are constantly replaced by some combination of symbols and letters, which makes reeading difficult.
If anyone knows where I can direct these questions, I would be very thankful.
Thank you.
@Fradiga You can report these bugs in the Help Center: Submit a request
a) 7 Cups' attempts at censorship are consistently unhelpful, it seems to me. I suggest admitting that censorship has been a failed experiment, and abandoning it.
b) 7 Cups uses UTF-8, not ASCII, and I only see UTF-8 errors in a very few places myself. When reporting one of these errors, I think you would have to be specific about the device and the software you are using.
Charlie
@ASilentObserver
I don't know if we're allowed to give suggestions but if I could give one it would be to be a little more lenient on censoring because I get censored for things that aren't meant to be mean or harmful in anyway yet I have to bare the consequences. I hope you will consider this. Thank you.
@DansLeVide Suggestions are usually allowed, but they are very rarely acted on, in my experience.
Yes, we all get censored for things that aren't meant to be mean or harmful. Somewhere 7 Cups says about itself, "We work hard to build a culture of trust", but that hard work hasn't yet resulted in trusting us when we express our own thoughts and feelings.
Charlie
@RarelyCharlie
I cannot agree more! Responders can be in trouble for a innocent sentence taken out of context. I have finally been told by another responder that I can send emails to community@7cups.com and I did (on another issue) a couple of days ago and so far only received an automatic answer.
@ASilentObserver
Good to see reports are reviewed more efficiently! But I would like more pointers.
1. What would be average response time for a report? Time of report being raised and action being taken?
2. Not quite sure how being vague with leadership on chats would be helpful. What difference that makes from raising a report in forms than talking in person.
I raise report forms it doesn't allow me to put the picture with finer detail. Those limited words are not enough when describing multiple violations. When the situation is dire and no changes taken place after reporting and talking to com mods, thats when I talk to leadership, only when the abuse or harrassment in rooms is severe , gets repeated on daily basis and no resolution is made. In such situations one would like to explain in detail how worse the behavior was , which cannot be done in a report. So whats wrong with going into specifics in pms . Its an emotional support site afterall, peoples concerns need to heard.
Also such messages get ignored for weeks and months, i think no response is one of main reasons, many people dont raise reports even when they see unsupportive behaviors. Because they take a lot of time and effort to submit these reports with evidence, when they feel unheard or no action being taken they stop doing it.
I also understand leadership has lot of responsibilities that may prevent them from responding, so is it possible to create a dedicated team to listen and provide support regarding the reports? Just like there is one safety patrol to verify listerners behavior. Or atleast a community DM account to post these concerns.
Thanks.
@ASilentObserver I have been given points for being suicidal, however I looked through the reasons that I could be given points and no where did I see anything about that. I am a little confused. Could you help me out?
@Nerdygirl16 I am doing better now, but I am still curious and would like to understand.
@ASilentObserver Is there some way or something in the works to keep out the repeat offenders? The ones that return even after they are banned?
@mytwistedsoul I had a thought about the points and a concern about how they're kept track of. It's my understanding that if you get points you get an email informing you. The problem is, I never get emails from 7Cups. Even though it's marked in the settings to receive such. The only time an email is received is if the password is forgotten. Is this a common problem or is there something that can be done on this end to remedy?
@mytwistedsoul That happens to me on my member account, but my listener account is OK. I reported the problem once, a long time ago, but it was never fixed.
You can try reporting it in the Help Center: Submit a request
Charlie
@RarelyCharlie Thank you very much for your reply. I will submit the form and see what happens. I also bookmarked it as well in case I need to use it again. Fingers crossed!
Great idea!
Is it hard to get l accout back if you made a careless. Mistake ?
I was filling out form and internet was acting up. Next thing new I was panicking and type I. Wrong b date on the form.
I did not realize that I did the mistake until I could not get back on the accout.
I would not done that mistake if I was not have panicked?