Pacific Sami Searvi (PSS) organizes, manages, and supports in person gatherings as well as social media channels, chatrooms, and other online environments for the benefit of its members. It is our intention to learn from each other through sharing our experiences and knowledge.  As we know many of the diaspora are still searching for their roots, we desire to create a place where members are welcome and feel safe to share.

In order to maintain an environment that is safe and welcoming for everyone in our community, we have developed the following standards for our members and any guests attending our gatherings or participating in conversation on our platforms. The following behaviors will not be tolerated in any form:

1. Racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise prejudiced behavior. Any form of hate speech is unacceptable. This includes both clear and masked language.

2. Disrespecting the names, identities, and pronouns that other members state belong to them.

3. Buying or selling things within our gatherings or online spaces (unless you are a verified vendor for an event).

4. Sharing or posting any material which is knowingly false, inaccurate, harmful, threatening, harassing, or an invasion of a person's privacy.

5. Distribution of other’s personal information without their expressed permission (including, but not limited to emails, phone numbers, etc).

6. Vulgar behavior or discussion.

7. Yelling at, name calling, insulting, or belittling other individuals.

8. Threats or acts of violence, stalking, or doxxing.

9. Harassment: Harassment takes many forms, and is not necessarily limited to the type of language used, but the intent. Repeatedly targeting a specific person with harassment can lead to more severe action. The idea behind this is to prevent any individual from consistently being uncomfortable in forums or at gatherings.

10. Spamming or trolling: this includes creating posts or discussions that cause unrest and disturbances in forums or discussion, such as picking fights, making off topic comments that ruin the thread, and insulting other posters.

11. Circumventing a suspension or ban. This includes posting on another account and having someone post on your behalf.

Anyone in breach of these standards can be removed from PSS gatherings or platforms without warning by a majority of the Board of Directors, though often a warning will be issued before the Board resorts to such measures. Posts, comments, and other such actions that violate these standards may be subject to removal upon the agreement of 2 or more members of the communications committee (with the exception of blatant and egregious violations, which may be removed by individual moderators), though screenshots will be retained by the organization for reference. Note that the guidelines are not exhaustive, and may not address all manner of offensive behavior. As such, the forum moderators and event organizers shall have full discretion to address any behavior that they feel is inappropriate. Your access to these forums and gatherings are a “privilege,” and not a “right.” PSS reserves the right to suspend your access to these forums and gatherings at any time for reasons that include, but are not necessarily limited to, your failure to abide by these guidelines.

Disclaimers

• YOU remain personally responsible for the content of your messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Pacific Sami Searvi (“PSS”) and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).

• We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message, and are not responsible for the contents of any message. The messages express the views of the author of the message, not necessarily the views of PSS or any entity associated with PSS. 

• Although the PSS does not and cannot review all of the messages posted and is not responsible for the content of messages posted by forum members, we reserve the right to delete any posted message for any reason whatsoever.

• You hereby consent to PSS disclosing information we hold about you to any proper prosecuting or investigating authority in the event of a complaint or legal action arising from any message/comment posted by you in a PSS Forum.

• This policy is not language-restrictive. Language that falls under this policy will always be subject to the repercussions listed, whether it is inappropriate in English or any other language.

• This policy applies to all forums, platforms, pages, and gatherings that are under the management of PSS. At this time, our online spaces are: Pacific Sami Searvi Facebook Page, Pacific Sami Searvi Members Facebook group, Pacific Sami Searvi Instagram Page, and Pacific Sami Searvi’s website. 

• PSS reserves the right to amend these Rules at any time.