Photo credit: Leslie the Pony Lion and Amy. Photo © Sara Muskulus

Confidentiality and Privacy Policy

The FirePony Creative Society Conduct Committee handles sensitive information involving participant safety, interpersonal conflict, misconduct concerns, and community wellbeing.

Protecting participant privacy and maintaining responsible information practices are essential to maintaining trust in the conduct process.

This policy outlines how confidentiality and sensitive information are handled within Conduct Committee processes.

Commitment to Privacy

The Conduct Committee makes reasonable efforts to:

Protect participant privacy
Limit unnecessary disclosure of sensitive information
Restrict access to information to those with a legitimate operational need to know
Handle reports respectfully and professionally
Reduce unnecessary sharing of identifying details

This applies to reporters, witnesses, respondents, volunteers, and other individuals involved in conduct-related processes.

Limits of Confidentiality

Absolute confidentiality or anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

In some situations, information may need to be shared in limited ways to:

Assess participant safety concerns
Conduct investigations
Implement interim safety measures
Enforce participation restrictions
Coordinate event operations
Comply with legal obligations
Respond to emergencies involving serious risk of harm

The Conduct Committee attempts to limit disclosure to only what is reasonably necessary for operational or safety purposes.

Confidential Information

Confidential information may include:

Incident reports
Names or identifying details of involved participants
Witness statements
Investigation materials
Committee deliberations
Safety concerns
Contact information
Supporting documentation or evidence

Confidential information may exist in written, verbal, electronic, photographic, or recorded form.

Access to Information

Access to conduct-related information is limited to individuals with legitimate operational responsibilities, which may include:

Conduct Committee members
Assigned investigators or case leads
Designated Board liaisons
Event leadership or safety personnel when operationally necessary
Emergency responders or legal authorities when required

Not all committee members or organizational volunteers automatically receive access to all information.

Confidentiality Expectations for Conduct Committee Members

Conduct Committee members are expected to:

Maintain confidentiality regarding reports and investigations
Avoid discussing active cases outside approved processes
Avoid sharing confidential information casually or socially
Avoid public discussion of committee deliberations
Respect recusal and conflict-of-interest procedures
Follow organizational documentation and digital security practices

Committee members may be removed from committee service for violations of confidentiality expectations.

Emergencies and Safety Exceptions

Confidential information may be disclosed when reasonably necessary to address:

Immediate threats to participant safety
Serious risk of bodily harm
Emergency medical situations
Mandatory reporting obligations under applicable law

When possible, disclosures should be limited to the minimum information necessary to address the situation safely.

Recordkeeping and Information Security

Conduct-related records are organizational documents and are maintained according to committee procedures and organizational recordkeeping practices.

The organization takes reasonable steps to:

Restrict access to sensitive records
Maintain secure storage systems
Reduce unnecessary duplication of sensitive information
Limit long-term retention of unnecessary records

Retaliation and Misuse of Information

Retaliation, intimidation, harassment, or misuse of confidential information related to conduct processes is prohibited.

This includes:

Sharing private information to target participants
Attempting to intimidate reporters or witnesses
Publicly disclosing confidential details without authorization
Encouraging others to harass involved individuals

Such conduct may result in additional restrictions or sanctions.

Acknowledgment

All Conduct Committee members are required to review and acknowledge confidentiality expectations prior to participating in conduct-related work.

Additional confidentiality agreements, training requirements, or procedural expectations may apply to committee members and organizational leadership.