How Scenius protects the integrity of civic research

Scenius runs research that institutions rely on for real decisions. That reliance depends on how contributions are made, not just what they say. These guidelines describe the shared commitments that make participation on Scenius credible.

They apply to everyone: contributors, project owners, sponsoring organizations, and platform admins.

Contribute in good faith

Contribute what you actually think, drawn from your own experience, perspective, or expertise. Don’t submit contributions on behalf of others without disclosure, and don’t coordinate participation to inflate a position.

Contribute to the research, not around it

Contributions should engage the question the research is asking. Off-topic content, promotional content, or self-promotion is out of scope. Scenius is a research surface, not a discussion board.

Attribute what you build on

When you build on someone else’s contribution, reference it. When you challenge one, do so directly. Every contribution is a record — the ability to trace how thinking developed matters for the findings that follow.

Disagree substantively, not personally

Disagreement is productive; hostility is not. Engage with the claim, not the contributor. Contributions that target people rather than ideas — harassment, personal attacks, targeted hostility — will be removed.

Don’t misrepresent your context

When your role or expertise is relevant to a contribution — e.g. you’re contributing as an employee of an organization with a stake in the outcome — say so. Undisclosed conflicts of interest undermine findings.

Respect the project’s scope

Each project has a defined research question and contribution modes (submit, build on, evaluate, challenge, etc.). Contribute within the modes the project supports. If a project is scoped to specific participants, participate through the request-to-join path rather than working around it.

For project owners

• Configure participation, visibility, and attribution deliberately. Contributors see them before they participate.
• Moderate against these guidelines — not against viewpoint. Removal is logged.
• Review findings honestly. Don’t publish claims the participation doesn’t support.

For sponsoring organizations

• Set scope through Advisory intake, then step back.
• Don’t author findings or curate contributions.
• Accept published findings, even when they aren’t what you hoped for.

Enforcement

Enforcement is proportional and visible. Removal is logged; contributors are told what was removed and why. Repeated or severe violations may result in account restrictions.

If you believe a moderation decision was wrong, contact the platform admins via Contact.