One Small Step Agreements

Participation Agreement

In order to participate in a conversation, as part of our One Small Step initiative, you must agree to—and abide by—the terms set forth below.

1. Account.  You must create an account with StoryCorps’ Online Archive (if you don’t already have one) and agree to our Terms of Use.
2. Sharing of Information.  Certain parts of the information you provided through the One Small Step Questionnaire may be shared by StoryCorps with your conversation partner (as described in the questionnaire).  Your information, and the contents of your conversation, are subject to and will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
3. Be Respectful.  Be respectful of your conversation partner.  Differences of opinion are worth exploring, but please keep the discussion constructive and civil.  You may discuss race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, medical condition or other sensitive topics in an appropriate manner, but please do not disparage or attack others on any of those categories. Do not bully or harass your conversation partner. 
4. Right to Stop.  If you are uncomfortable with the course of the conversation and no longer wish to continue, you are free to stop the conversation.  You can do so at any time by pressing the “Stop Record” button or simply close out of the current window.
5. Monitoring.  StoryCorps may (but is not required to) monitor some, or all, of your conversation.  If StoryCorps is monitoring your conversation, it will not announce when it is doing so.  StoryCorps may suspend or terminate any conversation at its sole discretion.
6. Privacy Settings.  Each partner to the conversation will have the right to “claim” the conversation and exert some control over the privacy settings for the conversation.  The default setting for all recordings is “Public.”  If either partner selects “Private,” the “Private” setting will control.  Both partners may view the recording of the conversation and may share a private link with others (even if the conversation has been marked “Private”).
7. Deletion of Recording.  Either partner may ask StoryCorps to remove their interview from the Online Archive. After publication, StoryCorps may have shared that interview with partner organizations, but that will no longer happen once the interview is removed. Both participants may receive one more courtesy copy of the interview upon removal.

Ownership.  StoryCorps will record the conversation and own all rights to the recording of the conversation (including without limitation any copyrights).  You will continue to own all rights to your personal information and story, and any photos you choose to share (“Participant Materials”), but grant StoryCorps an irrevocable, perpetual, and royalty free license to use all Participant Materials (in whole or in part) in connection with StoryCorps’ copy of the conversation and anything StoryCorps derives from the conversation.

Conversation Agreement

These conversation agreements are to ensure respectful and constructive dialogue between participants. By establishing clear guidelines and agreements, our goal is to  create a comfortable space where different opinions can be shared and minds are never forced to be made up. Once users have agreed to abide by these ground rules, they can proceed with meaningful discussions that promote understanding and trust. 

1. Refrain from using any harmful or derogatory language. 
2. Share response time equally.
3. Don’t interrupt each other. 
4. Don’t make assumptions about your conversation partner or their beliefs. 
5. Speak for yourself and about your own experiences. (You do not represent an entire political party or group of people.)
6. Please respect each other’s differences, do not try to persuade each other. 

As a reminder, you are agreeing to the interview being owned by StoryCorps. You will have the ability to change the privacy of the interview once it’s published.