Code of Conduct

Our Commitment

Sohjo Hacks is dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable, and harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, age, religion, or technical experience level.

We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. All attendees, sponsors, partners, mentors, judges, volunteers, and organizers are required to agree with this Code of Conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the event.

Expected Behavior

All participants are expected to:

• Be respectful and inclusive. Treat everyone with respect. Participate while acknowledging that everyone deserves to be here and every idea deserves consideration.
• Be considerate. Your work will be used by other people, and you in turn will depend on the work of others. Any decision you take will affect users and colleagues, so take those consequences into account.
• Be collaborative. Hackathons thrive on collaboration. Work with others in good faith, share knowledge, and support fellow participants.
• Be mindful of your surroundings and fellow participants. Alert organizers if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct.
• Respect the venue. The Educa Building at UEF is hosting us. Treat the space, equipment, and facilities with care.
• Be professional. Remember that this event connects students, company representatives, and industry professionals. Behave in a way that reflects well on yourself and the community.

Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable:

• Offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or technical experience
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Harassing photography or recording without consent
• Sustained disruption of talks, workshops, or other event activities
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Unwelcome sexual attention or advances
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior
• Making derogatory comments about someone's code, project, or approach
• Discriminatory jokes and language
• Sharing sexual images or inappropriate material
• Threats of violence or professional harm

Photography and Recording Policy

• Participants must be given a reasonable opportunity to opt out of being photographed or recorded
• Ask before taking photos of individuals or their workstations
• Photography in restrooms, sleeping areas, or private spaces is strictly prohibited
• Respect requests to delete photos or recordings

Sponsor and Partner Conduct

Sponsors and partners are also subject to this anti-harassment policy. In particular:

• Sponsors should not use sexualized images, activities, or promotional material
• Sponsor and company representatives should not create a sexualized or hostile environment
• Sponsors are expected to engage respectfully with all participants regardless of background

Fair Play

In addition to conduct standards, all participants must adhere to the competition rules:

• Submit original work as defined in the Rules for Participation
• Maintain accessible timestamps in code repositories
• Present demos that accurately reflect the submitted source code
• Respect intellectual property—both your own and others'

Cheating, plagiarism, or misrepresentation will result in disqualification from the competition.

Reporting

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact an organizer immediately.

How to report:

1. In person: Find any organizer (identifiable by staff badges) or approach the registration/help desk
2. Email: potekhin.work@gmail.com

What happens when you report:

• Organizers will listen to your account and take it seriously
• You can remain anonymous if you prefer
• Organizers can help you contact venue security, local law enforcement, or provide escorts
• Organizers will take appropriate action to address the situation

All reports will be handled with discretion. The identity of reporters will be protected.

Enforcement

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including:

• A verbal warning
• Expulsion from the event without refund or prize eligibility
• Prohibition from future Sohjo Hacks events
• Reporting to appropriate authorities or institutions

The response will be proportionate to the severity and nature of the violation.

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all Sohjo Hacks spaces, including:

• The hackathon venue (Educa Building, UEF)
• All associated workshops, talks, and presentations
• Social events and informal gatherings
• Online communications (Discord, Slack, email, social media)
• One-on-one interactions related to the event

The code applies from the moment you check in until you leave the event, and extends to online interactions before and after the in-person component.

Questions

If you have questions about this Code of Conduct or need clarification, please reach out to the organizers before or during the event.

Attribution

This Code of Conduct is based on resources from:

• The Hack Code of Conduct
• Hackathon Code of Conduct by dragonai
• Contributor Covenant