Policy 3: Our Code of Ethics

Tue Apr 28, 2026 3:04 am

TOSOW GAMING COMMUNITY

CODE OF ETHICS & COMMUNITY STANDARDS

Effective: 2026 May | Applies to All Members

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PREAMBLE
TOSOW (The Origins of Special Operation Warfare) is a gaming community built on the pillars of honor, camaraderie, and competitive spirit. This Code of Ethics exists to protect every member's right to a safe, fun, and respectful environment. By participating in TOSOW, you agree to uphold these standards at all times — in-game, on our forums, in voice chats, and across all affiliated platforms.

SECTION 1 — RESPECT & CONDUCT
[1.1] Treat all members, guests, allies, and opponents with dignity and respect at all times.
[1.2] Harassment, bullying, threats, hate speech, or personal attacks of any kind are strictly forbidden.
[1.3] Discriminatory language or behavior based on race, gender, nationality, religion, sexuality, disability, or age will not be tolerated.
[1.4] Healthy debate and constructive criticism are welcome — personal insults are not. Attack ideas, never people.
[1.5] Excessive toxicity, rage-quitting, or unsportsmanlike behavior reflects poorly on the community and will be addressed accordingly.
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SECTION 2 — FAIR PLAY & INTEGRITY
[2.1] Cheating, hacking, exploiting bugs, or using unauthorized third-party software is absolutely prohibited.
[2.2] Boosting, win-trading, account sharing, or any form of rank manipulation is a violation of fair play.
[2.3] Members are expected to compete with honor — gloating excessively or taunting opponents is discouraged.
[2.4] Report known cheaters or rule-breakers to leadership — do not attempt to handle disputes with retaliation.
[2.5] Sandbagging or intentionally underperforming to gain unfair advantages is considered a breach of integrity.
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SECTION 3 — COMMUNICATION STANDARDS
[3.1] Keep all chat, voice, and forum communication clean and appropriate for a general audience unless in designated adult channels.
[3.2] Excessive profanity, spamming, flooding, or posting off-topic content is not permitted.
[3.3] No sharing of NSFW, graphic, or disturbing content in public channels without explicit admin permission.
[3.4] Misinformation, rumors, or drama-baiting aimed at dividing the community is prohibited.
[3.5] English is the primary language in public channels. Translation assistance for non-English speakers is encouraged.
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SECTION 4 — TEAMWORK & COMMUNITY SPIRIT
[4.1] Members are encouraged to support, mentor, and uplift fellow TOSOW members — especially newcomers.
[4.2] Cliques, exclusionary behavior, or deliberately isolating members from community activities is forbidden.
[4.3] Actively participate in community events, tournaments, and discussions to strengthen the guild.
[4.4] If you lead a squad or team, do so with fairness — no favoritism or power-tripping.
[4.5] Celebrate wins together and recover from losses together — unity defines TOSOW.
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SECTION 5 — PRIVACY & SECURITY
[5.1] Never share another member's personal information (real name, address, phone number, etc.) without their consent. Doxxing is a permanent ban offense.
[5.2] Do not record, stream, or screenshot private conversations without the consent of all parties involved.
[5.3] Phishing, social engineering, or attempting to access another member's accounts is grounds for immediate removal.
[5.4] Protect community server access credentials — do not share invite links beyond your authorization level.
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SECTION 6 — LEADERSHIP & AUTHORITY
[6.1] Leadership decisions must be made transparently, fairly, and in the best interest of the entire community.
[6.2] Leaders must not abuse rank or privileges to settle personal scores or benefit themselves unfairly.
[6.3] Members have the right to respectfully appeal leadership decisions through the official grievance process.
[6.4] Leaders are held to a higher standard — misconduct by leadership will be met with equal or greater consequence.
[6.5] Leadership positions are earned through merit, service, and integrity — not through seniority alone.
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SECTION 7 — ENFORCEMENT & CONSEQUENCES
Violations of this Code of Ethics may result in the following actions, at the discretion of TOSOW leadership:
[Tier 1 — Verbal Warning] Minor first-time infractions. Offense logged on record.
[Tier 2 — Official Written Warning] Repeated minor or single moderate offenses. Formal notice issued.
[Tier 3 — Temporary Suspension] Serious or repeated violations. Removal from all community spaces for a defined period.
[Tier 4 — Permanent Ban] Severe or unrepentant misconduct, cheating, doxxing, or threats. No appeal period.
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SECTION 8 — REPORTING & GRIEVANCE PROCESS
[8.1] All reports must be submitted privately to a designated TOSOW moderator or through the official report channel.
[8.2] Reports must include evidence where possible (screenshots, recordings, timestamps).
[8.3] False reports made in bad faith to target innocent members will themselves be treated as violations.
[8.4] Whistleblowers and reporters will be protected from retaliation — retaliation is itself a punishable offense.
[8.5] All grievances will be reviewed by at least two leadership members and resolved within 72 hours when possible.
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THE TOSOW MEMBER'S OATH

"I, as a member of the TOSOW Gaming Community, pledge to uphold this Code of Ethics in letter and in spirit. I will compete with honor, communicate with respect, protect my fellow members, and carry the TOSOW name with pride. I understand that my actions reflect on this community, and I accept responsibility for them. So it is sworn — so it shall be upheld."

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