UK JornoHub Forum Guidelines & Community Standards

Why We Have Community Standards

Journalism thrives on robust debate, healthy scepticism, and the free exchange of ideas. But a forum without rules quickly becomes unusable. Our guidelines are designed to protect the quality of discussion while preserving the open, collegial spirit that makes UK JornoHub valuable. Every member — regardless of their outlet, beat, or experience level — deserves a space where they can ask questions, share insights, and seek advice without fear of harassment or ridicule.

These standards apply to all forum areas, including public threads, private messages sent through the platform, and any content shared in our community spaces. By participating, you agree to abide by these rules. Violations may result in warnings, temporary suspensions, or permanent bans, depending on severity.

Respectful Discussion and Professional Conduct

Disagreement is welcome — personal attacks are not. When engaging with other members, keep the following principles in mind:

• Critique ideas, not people. Challenge arguments on their merits. Avoid ad hominem attacks, name-calling, or belittling language directed at fellow members.
• Assume good faith. Most questions and comments come from a genuine place. Before assuming the worst, consider that tone can be difficult to convey in text.
• Stay on topic. Keep posts relevant to the thread subject. Off-topic tangents dilute valuable discussions and make threads harder to follow.
• No discrimination. Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory language will result in immediate moderation action, regardless of context.
• Respect experience levels. Everyone starts somewhere. Dismissing questions as “basic” or mocking newer journalists discourages participation and weakens the community.

Source Protection in Forum Posts

Source protection is a cornerstone of ethical journalism, and it extends to how you discuss your work on this forum. Careless forum posts can compromise confidential sources, endanger individuals, or undermine ongoing investigations. We take this extremely seriously.

• Never identify confidential sources in forum posts, even obliquely. Avoid sharing details that could lead to identification, such as specific job titles combined with organisations, unusual personal details, or the precise nature of leaked documents.
• Anonymise case studies. If you are seeking advice about a sensitive story, change identifying details. State clearly that you have anonymised the scenario.
• Do not speculate about others' sources. If another journalist shares a story or asks for advice, do not attempt to guess or reveal their sources in the thread.
• Consider operational security. Remember that forum posts may be discoverable. If discussing anything that could have legal implications, consider whether the forum is the right venue. For sensitive matters, reach out to trusted colleagues privately using encrypted channels.

Strict No-Doxxing Policy

Doxxing — the act of publicly revealing someone's private personal information without their consent — is absolutely prohibited on UK JornoHub. This includes but is not limited to:

• Home addresses, personal phone numbers, or private email addresses
• Information about family members, partners, or children
• Financial information or employment details shared in confidence
• Photographs taken in private settings without consent
• Any information intended to facilitate harassment, intimidation, or unwanted contact

Reporting Abuse and Problematic Content

If you encounter content that violates these guidelines, please report it promptly. Our moderation team reviews reports within 24 hours during the working week. Here is how to report effectively:

• Use the report button. Every post and comment has a report option. Select the most relevant category and provide a brief explanation of why you are reporting.
• Provide context. If the issue involves a pattern of behaviour rather than a single post, include links to other relevant threads or messages.
• Do not engage publicly with trolls. Responding to provocative content gives it visibility and encourages further disruption. Report it and move on.
• Emergency situations. If you believe someone is in immediate danger, contact the police directly on 999. Then report the content to our moderation team so we can take platform action.

We will never reveal the identity of a reporter to the person being reported. All reports are treated confidentially and handled according to our escalation procedures.

The Role of Moderators

Our moderators are experienced UK journalists who volunteer their time to maintain forum quality. Their responsibilities include:

• Reviewing reported content and taking appropriate action
• Issuing warnings, temporary suspensions, or permanent bans where necessary
• Locking or archiving threads that have run their course or become unproductive
• Pinning important announcements, resources, and high-quality discussions
• Facilitating introductions and encouraging constructive participation from new members

Moderator decisions can be appealed by contacting the moderation team directly. Appeals are reviewed by a different moderator to ensure fairness. Moderators are held to the same community standards as all other members — if you believe a moderator has acted improperly, you can report this through our dedicated escalation channel.

Content Standards and Legal Considerations

As journalists, we understand the law better than most online communities. Even so, it is worth restating that all forum posts must comply with UK law, including:

• Contempt of court: Do not post material that could prejudice active proceedings. If in doubt, review our contempt of court guide.
• Defamation: Forum posts are publications. Avoid making unsubstantiated allegations that could expose you or the platform to defamation claims.
• Data protection: Sharing personal data in forum posts is subject to UK GDPR requirements.
• Copyright: Do not reproduce entire articles, reports, or documents. Link to source material or quote brief extracts with attribution.

Getting the Most From the Forum

The forum works best when members contribute generously. Here are some ways to make the most of your membership:

• Share your expertise — answer questions in your specialist area
• Post job leads, freelance opportunities, and commission calls
• Recommend useful resources, tools, and networking events
• Celebrate colleagues' achievements and award nominations
• Flag relevant scholarships and bursaries for early-career journalists

Further Resources

• UK Journalism Ethics Codes — NUJ and IPSO guidance on professional standards
• NUJ Code of Conduct Explained — The professional standards underpinning our guidelines
• Resources Library — Tools, templates, and reference materials
• Contact Us — Reach the moderation team directly