# Polkadot chat channels code of conduct
In order to keep the Polkadot community chat warm, welcoming, and on topic we demand that all participants read and adhere to the following code of conduct.
1. No personal attacks, gossipping or muck-spreading. This includes provoking individuals, threats of violence or vulgar remarks towards individuals. Depending on the nature of the offense this may result in a warning or ban.
2. Remain on-topic, our channels have a specific context and the topics should remain relative to the channel. Channels should not be used to draw attention to alternative Relay chains.
3. Baseless / fake representations of groups is not tolerated in any circumstance within the chatroom and once identified will result in an auto-ban.
4. This is a room for informal and inclusive conversation. It is not an opportunity to call out for a specific individual to answer arbitrary questions. Questions that are made directly to a room member not already in direct conversation with the asker will not be tolerated.
5. No ranting, trolling, concern-trolling or otherwise incendiary and/or negative comments and narratives. Keep it constructive and positive.
6. No talk of markets, price or "investment". Banned terms: "ICO" & "investors".
8. No advertising or promotion. It is fine to make release announcements with details of features (and indeed actively encouraged for projects which have been supported by the network treasury). However these must be **strictly informational** and not promotional in any way:
- Announcement should generally be **text-only** with emojis kept to a bare minimum. Exceptions may be made where crucial information can only be expressed via image or video (e.g. to show off a major feature).
- **No calls to action** beyond a simple URL (e.g. no retweet requests).
- No more than one message per 14-days (except for critical security updates).
- No overtly promotional activities such as giveaways or airdrops should be announced.
- No partnership announcements or other information not immediately describing a product delivery.
- Exceptions should be checked with one of the moderators in PM first to ensure the post doesn't get deleted.
## Consequences for not following the chatroom rules
The rules are few, simple and are generally recogisable as common decency. All participants are expected to uphold them.
Participants engaging in behavior which violates these rules will be banned by the moderators of this room. At entirely the moderators' discretion, a lesser action (such as warning the indidual in question) may be taken. Participants, however, should not count on the good grace of the moderators. In particular, where moderators deem it likely that a single individual is using multiple chat monikers in order to repeatedly break the CoC, bans without warning may be given.
## Reporting of offenses
If you believe there is someone in the channel that is obviously breaking these rules please DM one of the moderators and they‘ll be glad to review.