How to deal with an abusive member on a Smart Connect℠

Not all members are pleasant while attending an Alignable Event. Sometimes, differences of opinion and frustration can taint communications, and escalate from reasonable distress to abuse. It could be as small as name calling or escalate to a full out fight. Either way there is a defined line between abuse and a difference of opinion.

If a member swears at another participant, threatens, demeans or insults another participant, harasses or conducts any form of hate speech which is not limited to racism, sexism, homophobia, etc, they are being abusive. This type of behavior is not tolerated at Alignable. This document is to outline the steps and procedures for dealing with this type of situation when on a Smart ConnectSM.

Procedure:

1. Stay calm. Take a few breaths before you respond back if you need.

2. Tell victim that they can report the other as “abusive” using this airtable link https://airtable.com/shrcGSaKewl3PyLmi

   1. “To flag the account so that our network security team can investigate the account, please fill out this form. While it will ask for your information as well, we will not share your information with the person or business being reported.”

3. Host of the event needs to email the abuser to warn them of their behavior. If the host is not comfortable, reach out to the group leader or group moderator.

   1. Email to Warn Member Regarding Abusive Behavior

      Dear [Member Name],

      I am writing to you regarding your behavior on our Smart ConnectSM platform. We have received reports from other participants that you have been [**enter complaints here ** 'such as using abusive language, making threats, and engaging in hate speech’.] This type of behavior is not acceptable in any circumstance and goes against our community guidelines.

      We take such complaints very seriously, and as a result, we would like to remind you that we have a zero-tolerance policy for abusive behavior or harassment on our platform. We expect all event participants to treat each other with respect and courtesy at all times. As such, we are issuing you a warning regarding your behavior, and we expect that you will refrain from engaging in any further abusive behavior moving forward.

      Please note that if you continue to engage in this type of behavior, we will have no choice but to escalate the matter to our Trust & Safety Manager, who may take appropriate action, which can include temporary or permanent suspension of your account.

      We encourage you to review our code of conduct, community guidelines and familiarize yourself with our expectations for behavior on our platform. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.

      Sincerely,

      [Your Name]

4. If the reply comes back as abusive, you should also fill out the abuse form https://airtable.com/shrcGSaKewl3PyLmi for Trust & Safety to review and take action against the member.