How we agree to be together
Hylo is a shared space. Like any shared space, it works because the people in it agree on a few things: how to treat each other, what to do when something goes wrong, and what kind of community we’re building together. These are our values, our agreements, and our code of conduct. They apply to everyone — including us.
Our values
These values guide how we build Hylo and how we ask everyone on the platform to show up. They’re not aspirational slogans — they’re working principles we hold ourselves to and invite you to hold us to as well.
Stewardship
We treat Hylo — and the communities, data, and relationships on it — as shared resources to be cared for, not owned or exploited. We build for the long term, not for quick returns.
- Hylo’s development is guided by its purpose, not profit. We will never sell user data or optimize for addictive engagement.
- We are building toward a governance structure where the people who use Hylo have real authority over how it’s run.
- We communicate openly and honestly with our users about decisions that affect them.
Co-Creation
Hylo is built in partnership with the communities that use it. We listen first, design together, and make what we build available to everyone on the platform.
- Every major feature is designed through participatory processes with real groups working on real problems.
- Our code is open source. We use open standards and protocols wherever possible so Hylo can work alongside other tools.
- Before building something new, we look for existing solutions that already work and integrate them.
Wellbeing
Technology shapes behavior. Hylo is designed to support the health of its members and their communities — not to capture attention, generate anxiety, or optimize for engagement at the expense of people’s time and peace of mind.
- We design for meaningful interaction, not compulsive use. No dark patterns, no infinite scroll, no manufactured urgency.
- We take responsibility for the impact our technology has on the people and communities using it.
- We treat the people on Hylo as whole human beings, not “users” to be optimized.
Justice
Coordination infrastructure is never neutral. It either concentrates power or distributes it. We build Hylo to support equity, repair harm, and reduce structural injustice — in how the platform works, in who has voice, and in what kinds of organizing it makes possible.
- We build inclusive and accessible digital spaces. We follow Design Justice principles.
- We learn from Indigenous knowledge systems and historically marginalized communities, with respect and accountability, not extraction.
- We work toward equitable compensation and recognition among everyone who builds and maintains Hylo.
Adaptation
We expect to get things wrong and learn from it. Hylo is a living system — we build in feedback loops, listen to what isn’t working, and evolve in response to real use rather than rigid plans.
- We incorporate feedback from communities into every phase of our design process.
- We move at the speed of trust — making sure there’s always time for care, relationship, and doing things well.
- We hold Hylo as something that grows and changes. Governance, features, and practices are all subject to revision when they need to be.
Agency
People and groups should control their own experience, their own data, and their own participation. Hylo doesn’t use opaque algorithms, doesn’t harvest attention, and doesn’t lock communities in.
- No black-box algorithms. You control your notifications, your feed, and what you see.
- We never share personal data without informed consent.
- We work to make Hylo usable across ability, language, culture, and bandwidth — because agency requires access.
When you join Hylo, here’s what we agree on.
These aren’t terms buried in a legal document. They’re a simple social contract between you and everyone else on the platform. By using Hylo, you’re agreeing to these four things:
Code of conduct
This code of conduct applies everywhere on Hylo — in groups, in direct messages, in the public commons. Group stewards may add their own agreements on top of these, but these are the baseline.
How to be a good community member
None of this is mandatory (except treating people with respect). But these are the kinds of behaviors that make Hylo communities thrive:
Take care of each other
- Post requests when you need help. Post offers when you can give it.
- Reach out to someone who might be struggling — a check-in goes a long way.
- Communicate the way you would in person: kind, direct, and constructive.
- Take breaks from screens. Move your body. This platform is a tool, not a destination.
Build together
- Start or join a project in service to your group’s goals.
- Comment on others’ posts — build on their ideas rather than just scrolling past.
- Co-host an event. Organize a meetup. Move things into the real world when you can.
- Connect your group with other aligned groups on Hylo for cross-group collaboration.
Govern well
- Follow through on commitments you make to your group.
- Participate in proposals and decisions when they affect you.
- If you see something that isn’t working, name it constructively. Suggest a better approach.
- If your group’s purpose or agreements need to evolve, help make that happen through legitimate process.
Help Hylo grow
- Report bugs through the Feedback & Support menu.
- Join the Building Hylo group and share ideas for the platform.
- Contribute code, design, research, or writing if you’re able.
- Consider supporting Hylo financially — every contribution stays in the project.
What is not allowed on Hylo
These rules apply everywhere on the platform. If you see content that violates them, flag it immediately. Group stewards and Hylo platform stewards will respond.
Harassment and abuse
- No threats, intimidation, pressure, stalking, or unwanted attention — public or private.
- No characterizing or mocking people based on inherent traits: race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or medical condition.
- No inciting, threatening, or glorifying violence against any person or group.
- No promoting or encouraging suicide or self-harm.
Privacy violations
- No publishing someone’s private information (address, contact details, photos) without their explicit consent.
- No sharing intimate images or videos of someone without their consent.
- No threatening to expose private information.
Manipulation and deception
- No impersonating individuals, groups, or organizations.
- No using Hylo to manipulate elections or civic processes, suppress participation, or spread deliberate misinformation about how to participate.
- No artificial amplification, spam, or platform manipulation.
- No accessing other people’s accounts or data without authorization.
Illegal activity
- No facilitating illegal transactions or promoting illegal activities.
- Zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation of any kind.
- No violating copyright or trademark.
Spam and promotion
- No advertising, promotion, or link-dropping without a genuine invitation for others to participate.
- No cross-posting promotional content into groups or the public commons without adding real value.
Additional guidelines for public posts
Hylo has a public stream and a Group Explorer where anyone can discover communities and conversations. To keep this space useful and collaborative, public posts should include a genuine invitation for others to participate. This space is for cross-pollination, not promotion.
“I’m hosting a permaculture workshop — what topics are you most interested in learning about?”
“Here’s an article I found about watershed governance. What do you think about this approach?”
“I’m offering a legal clinic for cooperatives. Can you share this with co-ops in your community?”
“Rereve Health Family Healthcare is a patient-focused medical facility. Call now!”
“Taxi service to Prague! Taxi service to Berlin!”
[Video title] [Video link] [Hashtags] [No other commentary]
What happens when agreements are broken
We believe in graduated response — matching the consequence to the severity and pattern of the behavior. The goal is always to repair harm and restore trust, not to punish. But some behaviors require removal to protect the community.
In groups, stewards are responsible for enforcing the code of conduct within their space. For the public commons and platform-level issues, Hylo’s platform stewards handle enforcement. Anyone can flag content that violates these agreements, and all reports are reviewed promptly.
This enforcement structure is adapted from the Contributor Covenant, version 2.1.
If you experience or witness a violation, flag the content directly on the platform. You can also reach Hylo’s stewardship team at [email protected].
These agreements are a living document. As Hylo grows and the communities on it evolve, so will these commitments. If you think something here should change, tell us — or better yet, start a discussion in the Building Hylo group.