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Defederation and Removal Policy

StatusPolicy Document
Date2025-01-27

Executive Summary​

This document defines FAIR's comprehensive policy for removing participants, content, and services from the federation. Defederation is a serious action that affects ecosystem trust and must be conducted with transparency, due process, and clear justification.

Principles​

  • Transparency: All removal decisions must be publicly documented with clear rationale
  • Due Process: Participants must have opportunity to respond and appeal before removal
  • Proportionality: Actions must be proportional to the severity of violations
  • Accountability: All decisions must be traceable to specific policy violations
  • Recovery Path: Clear requirements for reinstatement must be provided

Removal Categories​

1. Content-Level Removal (Packages, Themes, Plugins)​

Immediate Removal Criteria:

  • Confirmed malware or malicious code
  • Critical security vulnerabilities with active exploitation
  • Copyright violations with valid takedown requests
  • Illegal content as defined by applicable law

Graduated Removal Process:

  • Warning Level: Minor policy violations, security concerns
  • Suspension Level: Repeated violations, moderate security issues
  • Removal Level: Persistent violations, serious security issues

Required Documentation:

  • Specific violation description
  • Evidence supporting the decision
  • Date and time of removal
  • Contact information for appeals
  • Reinstatement requirements

2. Repository-Level Removal​

Immediate Defederation Criteria:

  • Persistent failure to respond to security incidents
  • Repeated hosting of malicious content
  • Failure to maintain required contact information
  • Non-compliance with GDPR/CRA requirements
  • Refusal to integrate with Ozone moderation system

Graduated Defederation Process:

  • Warning (7 days): First policy violation, technical issues
  • Suspension (30 days): Repeated violations, failure to remediate
  • Defederation (permanent): Persistent non-compliance, security risks

Required Documentation:

  • Detailed violation report
  • Timeline of incidents and responses
  • Communication attempts with operators
  • Remediation requirements
  • Appeal process information

3. Aggregator-Level Removal​

Immediate Defederation Criteria:

  • Failure to maintain moderation standards
  • Persistent listing of defederated repositories
  • Non-compliance with federation API requirements
  • Refusal to implement required security measures

Graduated Process:

  • Warning (14 days): Policy violations, technical issues
  • Suspension (60 days): Repeated violations, failure to remediate
  • Defederation (permanent): Persistent non-compliance

Defederation Procedures​

Pre-Defederation Process​

  1. Violation Identification

    • Automated detection through monitoring systems
    • Community reports via threshold escalation
    • Security incident reports
    • Policy compliance audits

  2. Investigation Phase

    • Evidence collection and verification
    • Operator notification and response period
    • Technical assessment by Security Working Group
    • Policy review by Vetting Working Group

  3. Warning and Remediation Period

    • Formal warning with specific violations
    • Clear remediation requirements
    • Timeline for compliance (typically 7-30 days)
    • Support and guidance offered

  4. Final Assessment

    • Evaluation of remediation efforts
    • Risk assessment for continued federation
    • Recommendation for action

Defederation Decision Process​

  1. Working Group Review

    • Security Working Group: Technical and security assessment
    • Vetting Working Group: Policy compliance evaluation
    • Compliance Working Group: Regulatory requirement verification

  2. Decision Making

    • Consensus required among relevant working groups
    • Documentation of decision rationale
    • Timeline for implementation
    • Communication plan

  3. Implementation

    • Immediate removal from discovery services
    • Notification to all federation participants
    • Public documentation of decision
    • Appeal process initiation

Post-Defederation Actions​

Immediate Actions​

  • Remove from all FAIR discovery services
  • Notify connected aggregators and repositories
  • Update public defederation registry
  • Preserve evidence and documentation

Ongoing Monitoring​

  • Track attempts to re-enter federation
  • Monitor for related security incidents
  • Document any new violations
  • Maintain appeal process availability

Reinstatement Process​

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Demonstrated remediation of violations
  • Implementation of required security measures
  • Compliance with all federation policies
  • Successful security audit
  • Payment of any required fees or penalties

Reinstatement Process:

  • Formal application with evidence of compliance
  • Technical review by Security Working Group
  • Policy review by Vetting Working Group
  • Trial period with enhanced monitoring
  • Full reinstatement upon successful completion

Appeals and Dispute Resolution​

Appeal Rights​

  • All defederation decisions are appealable
  • 60-day window for appeal submission
  • Independent Appeals Working Group review
  • Right to present additional evidence
  • Right to representation

Appeal Process​

  1. Submission: Formal appeal with supporting documentation
  2. Review: Independent working group assessment
  3. Hearing: Opportunity for oral presentation
  4. Decision: Written decision with clear reasoning
  5. Implementation: Immediate effect of appeal decision

Transparency and Reporting​

Public Documentation​

  • All defederation decisions publicly documented
  • Quarterly defederation reports published
  • Annual policy effectiveness review
  • Community feedback integration

Internal Reporting​

  • Monthly working group reports
  • Incident trend analysis
  • Policy effectiveness metrics
  • Resource allocation recommendations

Emergency Procedures​

Critical Security Incidents​

Immediate Action Required:

  • Zero-day vulnerabilities with active exploitation
  • Confirmed supply chain attacks
  • Large-scale security breaches
  • Regulatory compliance failures

Emergency Process:

  • Immediate suspension by Security Working Group
  • Notification to all federation participants
  • Public security advisory within 24 hours
  • Formal review within 72 hours

Natural Disasters and Infrastructure Failures​

  • Temporary suspension during recovery
  • Support and assistance offered
  • Gradual reinstatement upon recovery
  • Enhanced monitoring during transition

Regulatory Compliance​

  • All actions must comply with applicable law
  • GDPR requirements for data handling
  • CRA requirements for security measures
  • Local jurisdiction considerations
  • Good faith immunity for policy enforcement
  • Documentation requirements for legal defense
  • Insurance coverage for legal actions
  • Professional legal review for complex cases

Implementation Timeline​

Phase 1 (Immediate)​

  • Policy communication and training
  • Working group formation
  • Monitoring system implementation

Phase 2 (30 days)​

  • Automated violation detection
  • Warning system implementation
  • Appeal process establishment

Phase 3 (90 days)​

  • Full defederation capability
  • Performance metrics implementation
  • Policy refinement based on experience

Contact and Support​

TBD

This policy is subject to regular review and updates based on community feedback and evolving requirements. All changes require public comment periods and working group approval.