Clarification from the Society Seneschal re: doxxing
To all Kingdom Seneschals,
I want to reiterate a statement my predecessor issued a few years ago on the issue of doxxing any SCA participant. I want to alert all of the SCA Crowns and officers (Kingdom and local group officers) that Doxxing (i.e. the posting or distribution of personal private information like SSNs, Tax Returns, Drivers License numbers, and other information no other person is privileged to possess is DOXXING. The use or dissemination of any information, private or public, including but not limited to address, phone numbers, and employment information about any individual(s) is a violation of the SCA Code of Conduct and the SCA Bullying and Harassment Policy. Doxxing is also against the law in a number of jurisdictions. Furthermore, Doxxing may likewise be actionable as an Invasion of Privacy which may result in a civil suit and monetary damages. Please convey to all of your officers at both the Kingdom and local group level that anyone of the SCA found to be Doxxing or engaged in Bullying and Harassment via the use of personal information intended to harass, annoy, alarm, or harm the employment status of another person is subject to termination from their office as well as being subjected to sanction by the SCA. I am instructing all Kingdom Seneschals and their deputies to obtain screenshots of instances of Doxxing or the advocating of Doxxing by any participant as this cannot be tolerated and offenders are subject to being sanctioned for this behavior.
Everyone needs to contemplate the consequences of their actions. I know that there is a lot of anger and frustration over recent events. However, as officers and members of the SCA, we must act in accordance with the very foundations of this organization: courtesy, honor, chivalry and respect.
We are all held to the standards of the Society. If there are allegations that any member took part in doxing or Bullying and Harassment, that behavior will be reviewed for possible sanction against those participants. Officers have a responsibility to be leaders–to be part of a solution and not part of the problem, even when the fog of division, discord and blame makes it hard to see what is truly important to us all. All persons in the SCA should be treated fairly by Society Officers and Kingdom Leadership with the equal application of our rules to everyone without regard to friendship or affiliation.
It is times like these when we need to pull together, rally around what is good about our Society and lead by example. Even when the world appears bereft of courtesy, honor, chivalry, and respect, we need to be an example of these virtues. I hope that this clears up the intent and scope of the policy. It is a serious problem in the SCA and we intend to likewise, address it with serious solutions.
Respectfully,
Mike Watkins
Society Seneschal