Expression

Your opinions can never be the reason for any reprimand or censorship against you.

Free Expression will always be defended in Cabal, as a priority, even against outside forces.
Free Expression is hard to define, but the following points should make Cabal's position clearer:

  • Emotional offence is never a sufficient reason to censor anything.
  • Your mode of communication can be expression in and of itself (eg. offensive words/wording).
  • The seriousness of a statement shouldn't be a factor in deciding whether to censor it, except when assessing the potential for real-life danger.
  • Material which has a good chance of being dangerous in real life, or which is the result of serious crimes, or is intended as real-life intimidation, might be censored even if it is expression. This includes non-consenting sexual exploitation, viruses, blatant scams, credible threats, and some other common crimes.
  • Some areas (channels) are limited to a certain category of content. If material which doesn't match this requirement is posted, it may be removed, but this doesn't necessarily imply the material can't be posted elsewhere.
  • Some areas (channels) are curated. This is always explicitly stated. In these areas, treated as privileged platforms, your expression is not completely free, just like publishing in an art gallery, or writing a corporate communication.
  • There must always be at least one area of Cabal which has zero curation (the public square). If that area allows spamming, an additional area must be provided which doesn't (also the public square). This additional area may also disallow NSFW material.
  • In non-curated areas, your tone can never be the reason for any reprimand or censorship.
  • Free Expression benefits everyone, but the reason it needs to exist is not for those with popular opinions, it is for those with unpopular opinions. The defence of their expression should be even more intently ensured.
  • An environment of implicit or explicit disadvantage for merely expressing or holding certain opinions is unacceptable and must be broken, returning to a genuine free marketplace of ideas. This may except opinions which are widely physically repulsive, or cause or require danger, especially to children.
  • Users who have violated rules and are imprisoned may have their Free Expression reduced. There should always be somewhere they can appeal, wherein the general standards described on this page apply.
  • Attempting to evade reprimand for obvious rule violations by using an overly-literal interpretation of any of these points should not be expected to succeed.