#janitor

Recently we introduced a new requirement for 4chan’s volunteer moderators and janitors, which is that they sign a volunteer agreement that puts in writing a number of things that have always been true, namely that:

1. Moderating 4chan is a volunteer position and not a real “job” in any sense of the word (yes, they truly do it >for free), however we expect volunteers to conduct themselves in a professional manner and in accordance with the moderation guidelines and training we provide.
2. Volunteers are expected to hold in confidence any and all private information they come into contact with, especially regarding our users, and they are not to use or disseminate that information except to perform their volunteer duties.

In addition to signing this formal agreement, we now require proof of identity from all volunteers, present and future. Why? So we can enforce the agreement should it be violated (ie. user information being misused, leaks, etc) and establish a liability barrier in between the company and its volunteers.

Most large websites with analogous volunteer roles use similar agreements, and we were long overdue for one of our own. You can find a full copy of the agreement below (note this will be mandatory as of our next janitor drive):

4chan, LLC
Volunteer Moderator Agreement

The following are the agreed-upon terms pursuant to which you will be volunteering with 4chan, LLC (“4chan”) as a Volunteer Moderator:

1. Duties. This is a volunteer position. As a Volunteer Moderator, you will monitor user-posted content on 4chan’s website at 4chan.org, including its subdomains and associated domains and any message boards contained thereon (collectively, the “Website”), and (a) report, edit, and/or remove user-posted content that is in violation of the Rules posted at https://www.4chan.org/rules (“Prohibited Content”) and (b) block users from accessing the Website for posting Prohibited Content (collectively, the “Moderation Duties”). You will perform the Moderation Duties in accordance with this letter agreement and any instructions and guidelines for Volunteer Moderators provided by 4chan to you from time-to-time. By entering into this letter agreement and performing the Moderation Duties, you represent and warrant that (x) you have no contractual commitments or other legal obligations that would prohibit your activities in connection with 4chan, (y) you will perform the Moderation Duties in a good and professional manner, and (z) you have full power, right and authority to enter into this letter agreement.

2. Relationship; No Compensation. You understand and agree that this is an unpaid, volunteer position and not an employment relationship. This position is for no specific period of time and will be “at will,” meaning that either you or 4chan may terminate your position and the service relationship at any time and for any reason, with or without cause. Although you must perform the Moderation Duties in accordance with all terms and conditions contained in this letter agreement, or as otherwise provided by 4chan to you, 4chan does not require any specific time commitment for this position (i.e. it is not “full time” or “part time”), and the amount of time you spend performing the Moderation Duties is solely at your own discretion. You acknowledge and agree that 4chan will not pay you any wages or other compensation (including without limitation any equity or ownership share in 4chan) at any time, now or in the future, under any circumstances, for performing the Moderation Duties, and you will not be eligible to participate in any 4chan company-sponsored benefits. Any contrary representations that may have been made to you are superseded by this letter agreement. 4chan may terminate your position and the service relationship with or without notice to you.

3. Identity Verification. Your service with 4chan is contingent upon your providing legal proof of your identity and your representation hereunder that you are authorized to work for 4chan. Prior to starting the Moderation Duties, you must provide 4chan with a copy of a government-issued identification document (e.g. a passport or driver’s license) in a form reasonably acceptable to 4chan. You represent and warrant that all information you provide regarding your identity and ability to perform the Moderation Duties, including but not limited to any form of identification you provide, is valid, accurate and up-to-date. You acknowledge that providing 4chan with any false or inaccurate information regarding your identity is both a breach of this contract and a punishable offense under law.

4. Proprietary Information. You acknowledge that in the course of performing the Moderation Duties, you may encounter or otherwise gain access to certain Proprietary Information of 4chan, and you agree to hold in confidence and not disclose to any third parties in any manner or medium whatsoever or, except in performing the Moderation Duties, use any Proprietary Information. “Proprietary Information” means all financial, business, legal and technical information of 4chan or any of its affiliates, suppliers, customers, users, contractors, owners, and employees (including without limitation information about user-posted content, personally identifiable information pertaining to users (such as but not limited to IP addresses, location, and cookie data), team member identities or nicknames (including without limitation other moderators, and regardless of whether such identities or nicknames are real-life or virtual), chat logs, orientation materials, legal or regulatory affairs, operations, marketing, transactions, inventions, processes, materials, data, know-how and ideas, whether tangible or intangible, and including all copies and other derivatives thereof), that is previously, presently or subsequently disclosed by or for 4chan to you or which is otherwise made available to you or which you learn in the course of performing the Moderation Duties. For the avoidance of doubt, this letter agreement, its terms, and its existence shall constitute 4chan’s Proprietary Information. Upon termination or as otherwise requested by 4chan, you will promptly return to 4chan all items and copies containing or embodying Proprietary Information.

5. Survival. Your obligations under Sections 4, 5 and 6 of this letter agreement shall survive any termination or expiration of this letter agreement.

6. Miscellaneous. This letter agreement constitutes the entire agreement, and supersedes all prior negotiations, understandings or agreements (oral or written), between the parties concerning the subject matter hereof. No change, consent or waiver to this letter agreement will be effective unless in writing and signed by the party against which enforcement is sought. The failure of 4chan to enforce its rights under this letter agreement at any time for any period shall not be construed as a waiver of such rights. Unless expressly provided otherwise, each right and remedy in this letter agreement is in addition to any other right or remedy, at law or in equity, and the exercise of one right or remedy will not be deemed a waiver of any other right or remedy. In the event that any provision of this letter agreement shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that letter agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable. This letter agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, USA without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof. Exclusive jurisdiction and venue for any action arising under this letter agreement is in the federal and state courts located in New York City, and both parties hereby consent to such jurisdiction and venue for this purpose. Any notice hereunder will be effective upon receipt and shall be given in writing, in English and delivered to the other party in a manner indicated by 4chan.

As for any future leaks that may inevitably occur—frankly, I look forward to them. I’ve been amused by past leaks because they usually show just how mundane and even-keeled 4chan’s moderation team is.

I don’t communicate this nearly often enough, but I am deeply grateful to our team of dedicated volunteers. Thank you.

—moot

sentientcitizen:

bellybuttonblue:

Here’s the opposite story, though. With apologies because I don’t have the book in front of me, so I may get some details wrong, but I read this “Irena’s Children“ by Tilar J. Mazzeo.

Irena lived in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation, and dedicated her life to rescuing Jewish children from the Ghetto, and her story is complicated in a lot of ways but - well, this story isn’t actually about Irena, per se.

It’s about a bus driver.

It’s about a day when she’s traveling across town by bus with a very young Jewish child, and partway to their destination the child looks up and asks a question - in Yiddish. and the whole bus goes quiet, because everyone knows what that means. And Irena thinks, okay, we’re going to die here today.

And she’s running through her options - all of them bad - and suddenly the bus stops, and the bus driver announces that there’s been a mechanical failure and the bus needs to return to the depot immediately. Everyone off, please.

And she stands and goes to get off the bus and the driver says - not you two. Sit down. So she sits down as everyone else leaves, because, well, what else is she going to do? the options are all still bad, at this point.

and when the bus is empty the bus driver says,

“Where do you need to go?”

And then he drives them as close to their destination as he can, and lets them off, and drives away. And Irena lives, and the kid lives, and they never cross paths again.

So a janitor got three people killed, and a bus driver saved two lives - not to mention all the other lives indirectly saved because Irena was able to continue her work.

I think about that almost every day now, to be honest.

We can’t all be Irena. I couldn’t be Irena. She was in a unique place with very specific skills and connections that let her do what she did. I am just one mentally ill librarian. I can’t be her. But - I can be the bus driver. Or I could be the janitor. Because it doesn’t matter what your job is. It doesn’t matter who you are. In a world like this, every single one of us has the opportunity to do massive harm or massive good. We can save lives or end them.

And that’s scary. but it’s also very comforting? at least for me. Because at the end of the day it means this: no matter of how small and helpless and unimportant you feel, you’re never powerless in the face of great evil.

You can choose to be the bus driver.