SynchThese guidelines explain how to submit a Freedom of Information Request (FOIR) to Synch, and how we handle one. FOIRs give our community a structured way to ask for information, so that Synch stays transparent and accountable. Requests are prepared and released by the Office of Internal Affairs together with the Office of the Managing Director (OMD).
What we can and can't release, and how redactions work, is set out in our Confidential Information Policy. How we handle personal data is explained in our Privacy Policy and GDPR Notice.
1. Our approach
Synch is an unregistered, volunteer-run online community. At the time these guidelines were written, Synch is not legally required to disclose its decisions, deliberations or internal records. We offer FOIRs in good faith, because we'd rather be open than not:
- You can contact us about anything, at any time, by opening a ticket in our Discord server (discord.gg/NvbG77QZSP). Many questions can be answered there without a formal request.
- You can make a formal FOIR by opening an Leadership Ticket.
Your own personal data is different. If you want a copy of the personal data we hold about you, that's a subject access request under our GDPR Notice, not a FOIR. It's your right, not something we grant at our discretion, and we answer it within one month.
2. Who can make a request
Anyone can make a FOIR, whether or not they're a member of staff or of our servers.
3. What you can request
- Explanations of specific moderation decisions, without revealing anyone else's personal information.
- Information about our policies and procedures, and how and why they were made.
- Records of decisions, such as summaries of meetings, motions and votes, subject to the limits below.
- Details of promotions and demotions, where the Office of Internal Affairs and the OMD decide this is necessary.
- Other information about how our servers and services are run, as decided by the Office of Internal Affairs and the OMD.
4. What may be withheld or redacted
Our Confidential Information Policy sorts everything we hold into four levels: Public, Internal, Confidential and Restricted. Anything that isn't Public may be withheld or redacted, in particular:
- Personal information about anyone other than you, such as usernames, IP addresses or private messages.
- The identity of anyone who reported someone, was a witness, raised a concern or asked an anonymous question.
- Information that could compromise the security or integrity of our servers or services, including how our moderation tools work.
- Information about ongoing investigations, appeals or moderation cases, as decided by the Office of Internal Affairs.
- Information shared with us in confidence by a partner community or by Discord.
- Information that Leadership, the Office of the MD or the Executive has classed as Restricted for a legitimate reason, such as how individuals voted.
5. Possible outcomes
Every FOIR gets one of these outcomes. Different parts of the same request can get different outcomes, and we'll tell you which applies to each part.
| Outcome | What it means |
|---|---|
| Granted in full | You receive everything you asked for. |
| Granted in part | You receive some of what you asked for. We tell you which parts are withheld and why. |
| Granted with redactions | You receive the information with specific parts blacked out, each marked with the reason. |
| Summary provided | Instead of the original record, you receive an accurate written summary of it. |
| Refused | Nothing can be released. We tell you why wherever we can do so without revealing what's being protected. |
| Not held | We don't have the information you asked for. |
We redact rather than refuse whenever we reasonably can.
6. How redactions work
- Redactions are made on a copy of the record. The original is never changed.
- Each removed part is replaced with a visible marker giving the reason, for example
[REDACTED: R1]. We never hide that something was redacted. - We remove as little as possible: a name rather than a whole message, a message rather than a whole transcript.
- Information about you is never redacted to protect your own privacy from you.
| Code | Reason for the redaction |
|---|---|
| R1 | Personal information about someone other than you |
| R2 | The identity of a reporter, witness, whistleblower or anonymous question-asker |
| R3 | Security information |
| R4 | An ongoing investigation, appeal or moderation case |
| R5 | Information shared with us in confidence by a third party |
| R6 | Restricted information withheld by Leadership, the Office of the MD or the Executive for a legitimate reason |
| R7 | Unrelated to your request |
7. How to submit a request
- Open an Leadership Ticket in our Discord server (discord.gg/NvbG77QZSP) and paste in the template below.
- Be as specific as you can: which decision, record or period you mean.
- Keep your request respectful and professional.
Please don't make FOIRs, or argue about their outcome, in public channels. Requests made there won't be processed, and staff will ask you to open a ticket instead.
8. FOIR template
Copy this into your ticket and fill in the parts in [brackets].
Freedom of Information Request (FOIR)
To: Synch Office of Internal Affairs and Office of the Managing Director
Date: [date of submission]
I am submitting this request for information under Synch's Freedom of Information Request procedure. I am requesting the following information:
[Clearly and specifically state the information you are requesting. Be as detailed as possible.]
[If applicable, explain why you are requesting it and how the information will be used.]
I understand that some information may be withheld or redacted. I ask that you provide as much information as possible within those restrictions.
I would appreciate a response within [a reasonable timeframe, for example 72 hours or one week]. If more time is needed, I ask for an acknowledgement and an estimated date for a response.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
[Your Discord username]
9. How requests are handled
- The Office of Internal Affairs and the Office of the Managing Director prepare every response together, and both agree it before it is released. The Office of Internal Affairs may ask other staff to help.
- We acknowledge your request within 24 hours.
- We respond within three days to one week, with the outcome for each part of your request, the information released, and the reason code for anything withheld or redacted.
- If your request is unclear, we'll ask you to clarify it in your ticket.
- If a release would include information about another person, they may be told about the request and given a reasonable chance to object before anything is released.
- Very broad requests may be narrowed with your agreement, or answered with a summary.
10. Asking for a review
If you disagree with the outcome, you can ask once, in the same ticket within 7 days, for the decision to be reviewed by a member of the Office of Internal Affairs who wasn't involved in it. The review's outcome is final.
11. Changes to these guidelines
The Office of Internal Affairs and the Office of the Managing Director may change these guidelines when needed. Changes may not always be announced in our servers, but every version is kept in this page's history.