The Smile Channel has a code of conduct that applies to all members. This article summarizes the key points.
The core principles
1. Be the kind of member you’d want to meet
Treat other members with the basic respect you’d want yourself. This is the platform’s default posture.
2. Disagree respectfully
The community spans many viewpoints, beliefs, and backgrounds. Disagreement is welcome. Disagreement that becomes personal attack is not. Address ideas, not people.
3. No harassment, hate speech, or threats
Zero tolerance. This includes targeted harassment of individuals, hate speech aimed at groups based on identity (race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, etc.), and threats of any kind.
4. No fraud, deception, or impersonation
Don’t claim credentials you don’t have. Don’t impersonate other members or non-members. Don’t fake reviews. Don’t engage in affiliate scheme manipulation.
5. Respect intellectual property
Don’t post content that violates copyright. Don’t claim authorship of work that isn’t yours. Cite when you reference others’ work.
6. Keep adult content off the platform
The Smile Channel is a professional platform. Sexual or graphically violent content isn’t appropriate here. Books or work that touch difficult themes are welcome (memoir, mental health, etc.) — but the platform itself isn’t for adult content.
7. Don’t manipulate the platform mechanics
This includes coordinating mass review campaigns, gaming the affiliate system through fake signups, creating multiple accounts, or otherwise gaming community surfaces (Connector Board, Reader Leaderboard).
Most violations result in a warning and a chance to correct course. Repeated or severe violations result in suspension or ban. Bans are rare but they do happen for clear, sustained violations.
The professional norms
Beyond the strict rules, there are softer professional norms:
- Show up to events you’ve committed to
- Respond to messages from the team in reasonable timeframes
- Update your profile if your status changes significantly
- Don’t ghost mid-collaboration
The full code of conduct
The platform’s full code of conduct lives at thesmilechannel.com/code-of-conduct/. It’s the canonical version — this article is a summary. If there’s ever a conflict between this summary and the full code, the full code wins.
Reporting violations
If you witness a violation, see the “Reporting inappropriate content or behavior” article in this category.