Permanent ground rule for sansiromilano.com

2.1 Care for shared spaces (physical and digital)

Every place – street, square, classroom, stadium, digital forum, page, comment, record, timeline – is a shared space. Whoever uses it is responsible for it. The rule is: leave the place at least in the condition in which it was found, preferably tidier.

In the digital context this means: verified and structured content; a clear and permanent distinction between facts and interpretations; no informational clutter; declared and verifiable sources; consistent updates over time; orderly archiving of what is no longer current.

In the physical context of the neighbourhood this means: systematic documentary attention to spaces that deteriorate; documentation of collective care practices; orderly tracking of changes that affect liveability.

2.2 Individual responsibility towards the collective

Everyone is responsible for what they produce (text, photograph, comment, report, post, record, update). The “cleaning up” of what one has generated is not delegated to others. Care is a daily practice, not an extraordinary gesture.

This principle applies both to content produced directly by the site and to external contributions. Whoever intervenes in a sensitive context (safety, decay, living together, major events, memory) takes on a greater responsibility for accuracy, respect and clarity.

2.3 Do not cause discomfort or disturbance

Every message and every piece of content must avoid causing discomfort to other users, residents, the people involved or the community. Discomfort can come from: factual inaccuracy; unsupported generalisations; an aggressive, dismissive or provocative tone; spreading unverified information; content that fuels conflict without documentary contribution; omissions or simplifications that distort the reality of the neighbourhood.

The rule does not impose silence. It requires weighing the impact of what is written or published and preferring, where possible, clarity and respect to controversy for its own sake.

2.4 Special attention to environments that get dirty

Some contexts get dirty more easily than others. Among them: discussions about safety; urban decay and maintenance of public spaces; major events (concerts, matches, demonstrations); changes to the area and building sites; living together between residents and visitors; the neighbourhood’s memory and identity; conflicts over the use of spaces.

In these areas the rule of order, clarity, accuracy and respect is even stricter. The site treats these topics with the same systematic care with which toilets, classrooms or stadiums are treated: they are not avoided, but looked after with particular attention because they are places of heavy traffic and potential disorder.

2.5 Safety and mutual respect as conditions of order

Safety (physical, in the neighbourhood, and digital, in interactions) and mutual respect are not additional elements. They are preconditions of order. An unsafe or disrespectful environment is, by definition, a disorderly and unliveable one.

Every piece of content that touches on safety must be: accurate; not alarmist; oriented towards documentation and collective responsibility; not exploited for division or controversy.

Mutual respect applies to residents, visitors, users of the site, people mentioned in the content and anyone who interacts with the neighbourhood or the site.

Full version

At the top of this page.

Medium version, in How we work

The ground rule of sansiromilano.com is care for shared spaces. Every context is left tidier than it was found. Particular attention is paid to the environments and topics that get dirty easily. Safety and mutual respect are conditions of order, not additions.

Short version, in the footer

Ground rule: care for shared spaces, mutual respect and safety. Every context is left tidier than it was found.

For contributions, in The community

Every contribution must respect the site’s ground rule: accuracy, order, mutual respect and attention to environments that get dirty easily. Content that is inaccurate, offensive, alarmist and unverified, or that causes unnecessary discomfort, will not be published. Whoever sends a contribution is responsible for its accuracy and its impact.

4.1 The site’s messages and communications

• Every text must be clear, verified, structured and respectful.
• Unsupported generalisations, aggressive tones and informational clutter are avoided.
• When dealing with safety, decay or major events, verifiable data, multiple sources and a clear distinction between facts and interpretations are preferred.
• The principle of collective responsibility is recalled, when appropriate and discreetly.
• Mechanical repetition of the rule is avoided; it is preferred that it shows in the style and care of the content.

4.2 Editorial contexts

Records, timelines, sources, press reviews, photo archives.

• An orderly and consistent structure in all sections.
• Declared and verifiable sources.
• Particular care in documenting environments subject to decay or change.
• Regular updates so that information does not “get dirty” over time.
• A permanent distinction between historical documents, current data and interpretations.
• Orderly archiving of material that is no longer current, without arbitrary deletion.

4.3 Contributions and community

• Contributions follow the principle “leave the context tidier”.
• Content that causes discomfort, compromises safety or violates mutual respect is dealt with promptly.
• Responsible, documented reporting is encouraged.
• A respectful tone is kept in corrections too.

4.4 Safety

• Content on neighbourhood safety: accurate, not alarmist, oriented towards documentation and collective responsibility.
• Exploitation and division are avoided.
• Clarity about what is verified and what is still under discussion is preferred.
• Where possible, the practices of care and collective responsibility already present in the neighbourhood are documented.

4.5 Major events and spaces of heavy traffic

• Orderly documentation of what happens before, during and after events.
• Particular attention to the state of public spaces and to cleaning and restoration practices.
• Avoid generalisations about the behaviour of entire categories of people.
• Documentation is preferred to judgement.

4.6 Continuous spread of the rule

The rule is not an isolated text. It is recalled in the site’s footer, on this page, in the guidelines for contributions, in editorial notes when sensitive topics are dealt with, in internal briefings for those who produce content and in any external communications about the site.

Mechanical repetition is avoided. The rule shows in style, selection, verification and management, not only in explicit text.

Before publishing a piece of content

• Are the facts verified and the sources declared?
• Is the distinction between facts and interpretations clear?
• Is the text orderly and free of informational clutter?
• Does the content avoid causing unnecessary discomfort?
• If it deals with sensitive topics (safety, decay, events, living together), has particular attention been paid?
• Does the content help leave the context tidier?
• Is it respectful towards the people and communities involved?

Periodically

At least at every major update cycle or at the end of the year.

• Check whether existing content still respects the rule.
• Correct or archive content that over time has become disorderly, inaccurate or a source of discomfort.
• Keep track of the most relevant editorial decisions on sensitive topics.