# Policies

## Did you notice Harm ?

"Therefore if there are any shows that are on the site which you feel [harm HPR](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2022-June/004492.html), first see if a [response episode](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2021-September/004250.html) is sufficient to address the grievance. If not then please bring it to the attention of the janitors at hpr, and we will see if the concerns are grounded based on the same criteria as if the show was been posted today."

## We don't tolerate Harassment, Trolling

Hacker Public Radio is dedicated to sharing knowledge in a welcoming community that offers positive feedback and encourages respectful debate.

[Harassment on HPR](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2019-December/003804.html)

## Free speech and general conduct

We place trust in the people of the community to do the right thing. 
It is always first and foremost the responsibility of the host themselves to think how their words would impact on others in the community. 

If you are thinking about adding an explicit tag, means you should add the tag.

While [Swearing](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2012-April/000640.html) is allowed, remember JWP's Granny is listening.
If you do, then always use the explicit tag, and don't go out of your way to be belligerent.

We follow the principle that inside the shows, free speech applies. 
As with [Shouting_fire_in_a_crowded_theater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shouting_fire_in_a_crowded_theater), but there are exceptions. 
We do not post hate speech, copyright music, etc.

If you think it's going to be excessive then, please put a warning at the beginning of the show.
Something like - "Sorry I went off on a bit of a rant in this one, 
so if you're listening to this in a public place it might be best to put in headphones or listen later". 
If there are complaints we have [policies](https://repo.anhonesthost.net/HPR/hpr_documentation/src/branch/main/policies.md) to deal with it. 

Outside the podcast audio, eg shownotes, tags, feeds etc we still expect the host to do the right thing.
In cases where they don't the janitors can and do intervene.
We follow the [Parental Advisory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parental_Advisory) approach, 
akin to the covers on the cd's in the shops.
Listen to "[hpr2210 :: On Freedom of Speech and Censorship](https://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr2210/index.html)" for more information.
There is no point in having a warning on the intro of the show if the shownotes, title,
and text to speech intro already contain the offending phrases. 

This of course extends to anywhere where we have an "official HPR" presence, chatrooms, mastodon, email, conferences etc

The policy is that within your own show the freedom of expression is upheld.

## Schedule Guidelines

You must have your show recorded before you reserve a slot.

You must only post a show every two weeks.

[Changes to scheduling guidelines](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2025-September/004922.html)

## Community News

The Community News presenters may exercise discretion in what they read out and refer the audience to the skipped content.

[HPR Community News Comment Summaries](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2025-July/004873.html)

## Janitors

They are the people who work in the background to make sure the shows come out every day.

## Auditors

The Auditors role is to observe and report if necessary that the Janitors are been faithful in their communication.

[Auditors on HPR](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2025-September/004908.html)

[Permission to move out a show](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2022-March/004419.html)

## Permission to move out a show

[Permission to move out a show](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2022-March/004410.html)

Janitors can move shows on host permission as normal, but will always ask the mail list where the host cannot or will not move their show.

[The janitors](https://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr4566/index.html#comment_4594) *really* do not like to move shows around once they are posted.

Before a show is posted, it's ID is more or less the key you get when you upload, once it's posted the unique id is the hpr episode number.

Moving the primary key leads to a mess with the synchronization of files between the HPR site, the Internet Archive, and the HPR CCDN.

We've had to do it in the past, so I'm again speaking from experience. 
We moved a show from a host which happened to be part 2 and it would have gotten aired before the part 1. 
This meant we had 4 shows to move. 
So we will never move a show without getting permission from the Host, and if they do not get back to us, or we feel that it's important enough, the mail list.

Moving shows breaks some RSS readers that *only* look at the enclosure/@url element. If that remains the same, then they have no reason to download it again. So anyone who has already downloaded *any* of the moved shows will not download them again. Which basically breaks the future feed entirely.

Moving a show can easily spiral into a lot of work. We will and have done it on occasion, but if it's urgent enough, you should reserve a slot.

## HPR is not a podcast platform

[Is HPR a podcast or podcast hosting platform ?](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2022-August/004615.html)

There seems to be a clear desire to keep HPR as a podcast and not transition to a podcast hosting platform. What I came to realize was that the HPR setup could be adapted to become a podcast hosting platform with minor changes. For example, were we to not release the main feed, remove the HPR branding, and provide each show their own schedule, then each hosted podcast (now HPR series) would be their own entity. However it's not something that the community, janitors, or the HPR patrons are enthusiastic about implementing.

## Not everything that "could be of interest to hackers" is allowed.

[Rejecting a show on the grounds that it is "using HPR as a means to push a particular product or view"](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2025-July/004883.html)


## We promote other Creative Commons Works

On dropping the Non Commercial License: [HPR: RFC Changing show to CC-BY-SA](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2011-June/000384.html)

Supporting [Various Creative Commons Works](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2013-April/001216.html), that allows people to to submit (a single) interesting/important creative commons works on a given topic to the queue. It should be prefixed with a short introduction as to why we should be interested, then submit it under your own name to the queue. 

### [Policy Change: removal of non free CC-BY-NC license](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2025-March/004853.html)

### [Policy Change: Clarification that contributions are CC BY-SA 4.0 unless otherwise stated](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2024-October/004791.html)

### [Policy Change: Should we reject a show with copyrighted fair use clips in it ?](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2019-May/003673.html)

- From [Kevin O'Brien](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2019-May/003683.html): "Fair Use is not, in the U.S., a right recognized by any statute. It is best understood as "the right to hire a lawyer"."
- From [stankdawg](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2019-May/003692.html): "Sorry. Not worth the risk. I appreciate the contribution and do not want to discourage the submissions.  But it is too dangerous.  And for the record... no one else can voluntarily accept responsibility. It falls back to me as site owner no matter what."
- From [Ken Fallon](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2019-May/003695.html): Remember that our policy is also a commitment to anyone using our feed. I know there are downstream projects like college radio, workplaces, shops etc that are using our feed. They would not need to buy a public music license, for feeds [that] contains *only* Creative Commons content.

## Search Page

[Boo, Hiss, a google search on top of the HPR webpage!](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2013-March/001145.html)

Why we do search like we do.

## Site Security stays with the Site admin

[Implemented a deny list on HPR](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2013-March/001112.html)

Attacks to our site get blocked, no discussion required.

## Avoiding background music

[Bed Music](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2012-November/000877.html)

It can be distracting so avoid if possible.

## What is a Syndicated show ?

[Syndicated shows](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2011-January/000214.html)

If a show is posted elsewhere prior to been posted to HPR then it would be considered to be a syndicated show.

## When to wind down HPR

[HPR RIP ?](https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2010-September/000109.html)

After a period of intermittent posting, the community decided to continue posting HPR shows.
