Community Guidelines

Spark is an online application designed to facilitate connections and collaborations within the Burning Man community. Spark provides a place for groups or individuals to post a listing for skill sets and resources they need, or have to offer. Spark provides a secure place to make connections with other participants to foster collaboration in efforts related to theme camps, art projects, mutant vehicles, and other Burning Man and Black Rock City-related projects.

The goal of these guidelines is to help foster a strong, supportive community.

Philosophy

  • Spark exists to support the Burning Man community.
  • Everyone is capable of contributing positively to the community.

Expected behavior

  • Before posting, consider the 10 Principles.
  • The purpose of Spark is to connect Burners with skills or resources to offer with other Burners in need of skills or resources. Please keep this intended use in mind when posting listings.
  • Illegal activities are prohibited.
  • In line with the Principle of Decommodification, Spark is a no-commerce zone. 
    • Advertising items for sale will not be tolerated. 
    • Gifting and sharing of skills and resources are encouraged. 
    • You may not offer tickets for sale or ask to buy tickets. Please use other forums for these activities, and always keep our tips for avoiding fraud when buying third-party tickets in mind. 
    • We will not approve posts that violate our guidelines on PAYticipation and paying people. Offering Burning Man tickets or other resources as a substitute for your direct participation (for example, offering a ticket to someone who will drive your RV to playa) is not acceptable. Neither is offering your services on the playa for a ticket that serves as a proxy for payment (for example, offering to work a certain number of hours at a camp in exchange for a ticket)
    • Please communicate financial or transaction details in private messages between interested parties. 
    • Please report to spark-administrators@burningman.org if someone is attempting to rent or sell a resource for profit, as opposed to sharing a cost equitably. Participants are not permitted to engage in commercial activities in Black Rock City.
    • Fundraising and event promotions for on-playa art, mutant vehicles, and theme camps are not allowed on Spark.
  • Your listings are a reflection of you. Be careful in how you present yourself.
  • We encourage you to represent yourself as you are known in everyday life and on the playa. Multiple identities are prohibited.
  • Be kind: remember that there is a thinking, feeling human being behind every username.

Unwelcome behavior

It is the goal of the Spark administrators to moderate posts, if needed, in a fair and even-handed manner. In most situations, efforts to mediate the issues surrounding complaints will be attempted before action is taken against violators.

Upon investigation of a complaint, or personal observation of violation of the expected behaviors, Spark administrators may take any of the following actions, without limitation, as deemed appropriate in their sole discretion:

  • Inappropriate listings may be deleted, moved, or redirected to a more appropriate location.
  • Any personal attack against another Spark user may result in the immediate deactivation of the account. 
  • Listings intended for commercial gain are subject to immediate deletion, may be reported to Placement, Outside Services (OSS), or other departments as appropriate, and could affect the standing of the camp(s) involved.
  • Multiple violations will result in the loss of posting privileges.
  • Continued or extreme violations, as determined in Burning Man Project’s sole discretion, will result in account deactivation.

Privacy and Terms of Service

Your use of Spark is governed by the Burning Man Project Privacy Policy and the Spark Terms of Service Agreement.