Convention Staff
Part of our Creator / Fan Relationships series
As online platforms grow and change, the potential relationships between creators and fans do as well. This is part of our series on best practices for navigating these relationships. (Catch up on the previous parts)
Create, maintain, widely share, and enforce a comprehensive code of conduct.
This is essential. By clearly outlining what behavior is inappropriate and how that line will be enforced, you empower your organization and community to effectively respond to any issues that arise.
An Uplift representative can review your code of conduct or incident response plan and provide specific suggestions for improvement so it is clear, promotes safety, and is specific to your convention environment. We can advise you as you create easily understandable and comprehensive policies, as well as concrete strategies for sharing these important policies with your attendees. Unsure who a survivor should talk to immediately following an incident, or how to respond empathetically and fairly? We’re here to help! See conresources.org or email contactus@uplifttogether.org to learn more.
Prevent issues by proactively educating your featured creators.
Internet celebrity is a brave new world and people don’t innately know how to handle the increased attention and idealization that comes with it. Particularly if your convention is making a conscious effort to bring certain creators into the spotlight, it is responsible to ensure that those folks understand what constitutes appropriate behavior.
If you have bundles of swag for featured creators, including written materials on this topic can be effective. Also consider sharing the Code of Conduct, and emphasizing the portions on boundaries and the steps taken if there is misconduct.
Uplift staff can provide trainings and other consulting work to your organization on this topic. We believe strongly in the need for widespread implementation of these types of trainings, and can work with you to ensure the cost fits within your budget. See conresources.org or email contactus@uplifttogether.org to learn more.
Prevent issues by proactively training your staff and volunteers to be proactive bystanders.
Official volunteers and staff are in a position of power at a con and can make an impact when they step in, especially when done consistently. Bystander intervention is a key tool to creating a safer event, and is extremely powerful when everyone is involved in building an inclusive, safe culture. Doing so enables con organizers to send powerful messages about what is acceptable and expected behavior in your community.
Uplift staff can help con staff and volunteers develop the awareness, skills, and courage needed to intervene in a situation when another individual needs help. See conresources.org or email contactus@uplifttogether.org to learn more.
Take allegations of misconduct seriously.
If somebody is speaking out about the harmful behavior of a prominent creator, they are doing so at risk to themselves. Consistently, there is a huge backlash from fans towards anyone who comes forward against their favorite creator. Those coming forward are subject to hurtful messages, bullying, and even doxxing — on top of the stigma all survivors of assault or abuse face as they are blamed for their own trauma. This, out of the gate, makes it less likely that allegations of misconduct are false.
Additionally, when it comes to sexual assault, the best data concludes that only 2% — 8% of all reported rapes and sexual assaults are false accusations, which is similar to other crimes. Keep in mind, this is reported assaults, not all of them. Sexual assault is the most underreported crime in the United States, so that distinction is a big deal.
If you create and maintain a comprehensive code of conduct, you will have concrete steps you can take to ensure these difficult situations are handled empathetically and fairly.
As online communities evolve and your events evolve, stay vigilant to adapt to the changing atmosphere. Continue regular trainings and reevaluate your policies and procedures on a regular basis and when issues come to light. For example, when your event expands to include additional cities, changes to being a virtual event, or grows 10x, it is important to check in on your code of conduct and incident responds plan and adapt accordingly. The more prepared you are in advance, the better your organization can respond in the moment.
Thanks for reading through our series. More resources and next steps can be found on our website.
Read the rest of the series:
part 1: Creator/Fan Relationships,
part 2: Creator responsibility, part 3: Fans of Well-Known Creators, and
part 4: Staff at a Creator Network
