Editors Policy

Introduction

This policy provides guidelines for creating and editing content on Citizens Draft. Our platform hosts three types of bills (Historic, Current, and Future), each with specific standards and editing capabilities. These guidelines ensure that all content maintains quality, accuracy, and neutrality.

Bill Types and Editing Permissions

Historic Bills

• Represent legislation that has already been passed into law
• Only the creator can edit Historic bills to maintain accuracy
• Content should faithfully represent the actual legislation without bias
• Include proper citations and references to official sources

Current Bills

• Represent legislation currently being debated in legislative bodies
• Only the creator can edit Current bills to maintain accuracy
• Content should accurately reflect the actual pending legislation
• Updates should be made promptly when the official bill changes

Future Bills

• Community-created legislative proposals
• Creators can enable public editing to receive community input
• Even with public editing enabled, creators maintain control over which suggestions to accept
• Content should be clear, constructive, and focused on addressing real issues

Content Neutrality

As a contributor on Citizens Draft, your primary responsibility is to maintain neutrality and objectivity. Avoid using promotional language, marketing tactics, or persuasive rhetoric that could influence readers' opinions. Present information factually and allow readers to form their own conclusions.

Collaborative Drafting Guidelines

When suggesting changes to Future bills with public editing enabled:

• Focus on improving clarity, accuracy, and effectiveness
• Provide constructive feedback that helps strengthen the proposal
• Respect the original creator's intent and vision
• Avoid making changes that fundamentally alter the bill's purpose
• Consider practical implementation when suggesting modifications

Prohibited Content

• Marketing or promotional content
• Malicious or harmful content
• Personally identifiable information without consent
• Inflammatory or biased language
• Copyrighted material without proper attribution
• Content that promotes discrimination or hate speech
• Deliberately misleading information about legislation
• Content that violates our terms of service

Content Guidelines

• Use clear, simple language that is accessible to all readers
• Focus on facts and verifiable information
• Include sources and references where appropriate
• Maintain a professional and respectful tone
• Structure content logically with appropriate headings and sections
• Consider diverse perspectives and potential impacts

Voting System Interaction

When creating or editing bills, be mindful of how your content will interact with our voting system:

• Clearly articulate the bill's purpose to help voters make informed decisions
• Consider feedback from "Needs Changes" votes when revising Future bills
• For Historic and Current bills, ensure accuracy to enable meaningful voting
• Structure content to facilitate constructive feedback

Best Practices

Before submitting content, ask yourself:

• Is this information presented objectively?
• Have I avoided using persuasive or marketing language?
• Are all sources properly cited?
• Is the content accessible and clear to all readers?
• Does this contribute to informed civic discussion?
• Have I considered diverse perspectives and potential impacts?

Enforcement

Content that violates these guidelines will be removed. Repeated violations may result in the suspension of editing privileges. If you're unsure about specific content, please contact our moderation team at moderators@citizensdraft.com.