PoliciesPermalink
BSides Orlando believes in transparent policies regarding expectations of our board, staff, volunteers, speakers, sponsors, and attendees. Specifically, by being abundantly clear about the intentions of how we operate and how we expect those we interact with to behave, we believe we will create a more inclusive, open, and inviting environment.
Below are the current policies BSides Orlando uses to guide the organization.
Code of ConductPermalink
Our Code of Conduct is the core principle that must be followed by anyone that attendees. This includes the Board of Directors, Attendees, and everyone in between.
Ethics AgreementPermalink
Our Ethics Agreement takes our Code of Conduct and extends it beyond BSides Orlando events for Board Members, Staff, and others that regularly work with BSides Orlando. It’s important to us that even when we are working, playing, and operating outside the confines of BSides Orlando events those that represent the events and conference behave in a that makes the entire community a more open and inclusive environment.
Call for Papers ReviewPermalink
Our Call for Papers and Review Process is a blind process that encourages new voices and looks to improve merit based selection based on the overall quality of materials submitted for review. This process includes the engagement of a diverse and talented review board. We also use a unique ~80/20 split. Approximately 80% of talks are selected through our blind CFP process. The other 20% is selected by the BSides Orlando Board and Staff. This helps ensure the majority of talks are blind selection, while there is still the opportunity to present well known speakers with interesting topics that would benefit the conference after the blind review is complete.
Reporting IncidentsPermalink
We are very proud of our conference, team, and what we’ve built at BSides Orlando. However, in any organization with a large enough attendance there is the opportunity for the unfortunate, unwarranted, and unwanted to arise. To that end BSides Orlando has established procedures to report incidents that may be a violation of our Code of Conduct, Ethics Agreements, or impact the safety and well being of attendees.
COVID InformationPermalink
BSides Orlando remains mindful of COVID-19 and its ongoing impact, and we want everyone to feel as comfortable as possible while attending. We encourage all participants to stay up to date with vaccinations and boosters, and to consider taking a rapid test before arriving, especially if they’ve recently been exposed or are feeling uncertain. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or congestion, we ask that you err on the side of caution and prioritize your health and the health of others.
Masking is optional but fully supported, particularly in crowded spaces or during peak sessions. High-quality masks like N95, or KN95 provide added protection for those who prefer it, and we welcome anyone who chooses to mask at any time. We trust attendees to make the choices that suit their comfort level while being mindful of the shared nature of the event.
Thank you for helping us maintain a respectful, inclusive environment where everyone can focus on learning, connecting, and enjoying the BSides Orlando experience.
We may revisit this policy based on changing information. In case of changes to this policy, the published policy with the latest date is controlling.
For more information on masking, please see the links below:
[1] https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2110117118
[3] https://ehs.msu.edu/_assets/docs/don-doff-n95.pdf
[4] https://cybersect.substack.com/p/face-masks-for-defcon
This information on this page is a lightly modified version of BSides Las Vegas COVID Information page as displayed on July 21, 2023.