GAAM Good — Be Original. Do Good.

Last updated October 16, 2026.

Why we have this code

This code is how GAAM Good keeps every event welcoming, safe, and worth showing up to, for attendees, for each other, and for the community we're building.

It applies to every VolunStar, vendor, artist, host, performer, and helper working a GAAM Good event or Cause, including a vendor's booth staff and the friends who help them set up. It covers load-in to load-out, our Discord and group chats, and any contact with someone you met through GAAM, online or off. If you represent GAAM Good, it follows you.

Nobody can write a rule for every situation. When something here feels fuzzy, ask your Event Lead. When something feels wrong, say something. We would always rather hear about a maybe than miss a real problem.

Event Lead means the GAAM Good manager running your event or shift. They are your first stop for questions and reports.

Our values, as behavior

Be Original. Do Good. is a promise about how we treat people, not just a tagline. Here is what each value looks like when you're working an event.

Positivity and inclusion. Everyone belongs here: every age, skill level, background, body, identity, and budget. Nobody has to prove they're a "real" fan to be welcome.
Youth in the arts. Many of our artists and attendees are kids. We protect them, encourage them, and never use our position around them for our own benefit.
Unity. Games, art, and music bring different people together. We hold that space, keep competition friendly, and don't tear people down to win a point.
STEAM advocacy. Share what you know. Be patient with beginners, and make learning feel like a power-up, not a quiz.
Consent. People decide what happens with their bodies, time, attention, photos, and contact info. Silence is not a yes.
Honesty. Say real things, count real money, and own mistakes quickly.
Accountability. This code applies to everyone, including founders, chairs, Event Leads, and our biggest sponsors and vendors.

Respect, inclusion, and harassment

Harassment of any kind is not tolerated, and impact matters more than intent. Harassment is any unwelcome behavior that makes someone feel unsafe, demeaned, or unwelcome, whether or not you meant it that way. "It was a joke" doesn't change how it landed.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

Deliberately misgendering, mis-naming, or outing someone
Unwelcome flirting, or remarks about someone's body or costume
Gatekeeping ("fake fan," "fake gamer"), mocking someone's skill or taste, or hazing newcomers
Intimidation, threats, following, or blocking someone's path
Continuing to contact or target someone, in person or online, after they've shown they don't want it
Retaliating against anyone who reports a concern

Power changes the rules. If you lead or oversee other people (Event Leads, chairs, vendors with VolunStar helpers), don't pursue a romantic or sexual relationship with someone you oversee, and never use your position to pressure anyone. Anyone can say no to a lead without losing their spot.

You are protected too. VolunStars and vendors are not punching bags. If an attendee, vendor, or teammate harasses or abuses you, step away and tell an Event Lead. We will back you, and nobody expects you to stay friendly with someone who is being unsafe.

If you see it, say something. Step in only if it's safe to, and always tell an Event Lead afterward.

Boundaries and consent in person

A no is a no, and so is silence, a short answer, a change of subject, or someone stepping away. People shouldn't have to explain, argue, or say no twice. Treat any of those as your cue to stop and give them space.

Ask before touching. Hugs, high-fives, a hand on a shoulder, adjusting a wig, costume, or prop: ask first, and accept the answer.
Cosplay is not consent. A costume is never an invitation to touch, comment on someone's body, or photograph them without asking.
Ask once. If you want someone's number, socials, or a date, ask one time, lightly. Anything other than an enthusiastic yes means drop it for good, including later that day.
Read the room. Short replies, no questions back, looking away, or "I should get back to my booth" all mean the conversation is over.
Let people leave. Don't block exits, hover at a table, wait by cars, or follow anyone to load-out or the parking lot.
Don't assume. Use the name and pronouns people give you, and don't guess at anyone's gender, age, relationships, or background.

The star changes the math. Attendees and vendors often feel they can't turn down someone who looks official. While you're on shift, you're there to help, not to meet people, so don't ask attendees out. Keep personal asks for off-shift time, and even then, one ask.

Online conduct: DMs, social media, and follow-ups

Meeting someone at a GAAM event does not open a door to their DMs, and no reply is a reply. Everything in the in-person section applies online, where it is easier to push and harder to notice you're pushing.

The one-message rule. If you reach out to someone you met through GAAM and they don't answer, that's your answer. Don't send a follow-up, a "just checking in," a nudge, or a second platform's version of the same message. One unanswered message is an introduction. A second is pressure. A third is harassment.

Signs to disengage. Treat any of these as a clear signal to stop, without needing to be told:

No reply, or replies that are slow, short, or never ask anything back
A changed subject, an "I'm busy," or a polite excuse
A muted, unfollowed, restricted, or blocked account
An "I'd rather not," "please stop," or anything like it, said in any form

After a no or a block. Respond once with "Understood" if you respond at all, then stop. A block is final. Don't make a new account, ask mutual friends to pass messages, comment on or react to everything they post, or turn up where you know they'll be.

Other online rules

No sexual messages, unsolicited photos, or "rating" people, ever.
Don't use registration lists, volunteer sign-ups, vendor applications, ticket data, or Discord member lists to contact anyone about anything outside GAAM business.
Adults on our team don't have private one-on-one conversations with minors (see "Kids and all-ages spaces"). Use group channels or include a parent or guardian.
No fake accounts, impersonation, or AI-made or edited images of real people without their clear permission.
Keep Discord and group chats on-topic and inclusive. Our code applies there exactly as it does at the event.
Don't screenshot private messages to shame someone, dogpile, or post someone's personal information. If someone crossed a line, report it and let us handle it.
If you have a conflict with someone on the team, tell an Event Lead so shifts can be arranged. Don't take it online or into the booth next door.

Photos, video, livestreams, and content

GAAM events are full of cameras, and everyone in the frame gets a say. These rules apply to VolunStar photographers, vendors, and anyone on our team using a phone. Credentialed official media follow the "Official event media standards" below instead.

Ask first for close-ups. Wide crowd shots at a posted-notice event are fine. Portraits and close-ups of a person, especially cosplayers, need a quick ask. If they say no or hesitate, move on.
Honor takedowns fast. If someone asks you to remove or untag a photo or video of them, do it promptly and don't argue.
No suggestive framing. No upskirt or down-shirt angles, no zooming in on bodies, and no photos in restrooms, changing areas, or anywhere people expect privacy.
Be careful with kids. Don't post identifiable photos of minors without a parent or guardian's okay, and never message a child about a photo.
Tell people when you stream. If you're live on camera, say so and keep the lens away from people who haven't agreed.
Respect other vendors. Ask before filming a booth, its products, or its staff.
No AI misuse. Don't run photos of real people through AI tools to alter their bodies or clothing, and don't generate images, voices, or videos of real attendees or team members without their clear permission.
Credit and context. Credit photographers and artists, and don't post anything that shows someone's location in real time without their say-so.

Official event media standards

Credentialed official media get more freedom than anyone else with a camera, because attendees agree to be captured when they come in and telling the story of GAAM is the job. That freedom comes with professional duties.

Who this covers. Official media means photographers, videographers, livestreamers, and content creators who hold a GAAM Good media credential and have signed the Official Media Agreement. Everyone else, including VolunStars with phones, vendors, and attendees, follows the "Photos, video, livestreams, and content" rules above. The Media Lead is the GAAM Good manager who credentials and directs official media. If there isn't one, that's the Event Lead.

Why you have this freedom. Our ticket and entry terms tell every attendee that GAAM Good and its designated media will photograph, film, and record the event, and that the results can be used for promotion. Attendees don't review or approve shots in advance. Your credential shows you're one of our designated media.

What you can do without asking

Photograph and film attendees, cosplayers, artists, vendors, performers, and crowds in any public event space, including close-ups and candids.
Work in credentialed areas such as the stage, pit, and backstage, as the Event Lead allows.
Use pro gear attendees can't: flash, lighting, long lenses, tripods, gimbals, and mics, as long as it never blocks aisles, exits, or sightlines. Drones need written approval from the Media Lead and the venue.
Direct a quick pose, step someone into better light, and interview people on the floor. They have to agree to talk, but you don't need a release form.
Make your own creative calls on what to shoot, keep, and cut.
Publish on GAAM Good and ILoveGAAM channels and in partner, sponsor, and press materials without attendee sign-off.

The professional floor. These don't change because you're credentialed.

Private spaces are off limits: restrooms, changing areas, first aid, medical, quiet and nursing rooms, and any zone the venue or an Event Lead marks no-photo.
No sexualized framing. No upskirt or down-shirt angles and no lingering on bodies. Cosplay is not consent to touch or to body-focused shots.
Not people at their worst. Don't shoot or publish someone who is injured, in medical distress, intoxicated, or being harassed. Put the camera down and get an Event Lead.
Kids. Under our entry terms a parent or guardian consents on a minor's behalf, so you can photograph and film kids like anyone else, including candids and portraits. For an on-camera interview with a minor, make sure a parent or guardian is nearby. Never publish a minor's name or personal details, message a minor, or shoot one-on-one out of sight of others.
Courtesy over rights. If someone says "no thanks" to a portrait or close-up, honor it and move on without making them explain. They can still appear in wide crowd shots.
Safety requests are honored. If anyone says they're being stalked or harassed, or have another safety reason not to be pictured, don't argue. Tell the Media Lead and flag the frames, and we will pull them. Attendees can also raise this at hello@GAAMGood.com.
Don't obstruct. Never block sightlines, aisles, exits, or safety staff. If security or an Event Lead asks you to move, move right away.
Honest images. Light retouching is fine. Don't alter bodies or clothing, stage misleading scenes, or use AI to generate people or crowds.

Contact and conduct with subjects

Your credential is for work, not for meeting people. "Boundaries and consent in person" and "Online conduct" still apply, including the one-message rule.
Don't track down subjects to message them. Point anyone who wants a copy or credit to the Media Lead.
Never use attendee photos, tags, or lists for personal contact.
Be clear-headed on duty, with no alcohol or other substances.
If you capture an incident, protect people first. Give footage to an Event Lead if asked, and don't delete it or post it.

Content, credit, and delivery

Rights. GAAM Good gets a perpetual, worldwide license to use your work from our events in any media. You keep your copyright and may use the work in your portfolio with credit.
Personal commercial use (selling prints of identifiable people, ads for other brands, stock) needs written approval from GAAM Good, because attendee terms cover GAAM Good and its designees, not you personally.
Credit. We credit official photographers by name wherever we can.
Embargo. Don't post event content to your own channels before GAAM Good's first post unless the Media Lead okays it.
Delivery. Deliver your selects within 7 days to the shared ILoveGAAM Drive folder, organized as YEAR / EVENT (YYYY-MM-DD) / Photographer / {Album, Cosplay, Crowd, Art, Gaming, Venue, Setup-BTS, Web}, with a web-size export under 2400 px in the Web folder.
Pulling frames. If the Media Lead asks you to remove or hold back an image, do it.

Credentialing

Wear your credential in view, sign the Official Media Agreement before the event, and check in and out with the Media Lead.
Tell the Media Lead about conflicts, such as being a vendor at the same event or knowing a subject personally.
A credential can be pulled on the spot for a violation, and content can be removed.

Notice we post at entry and put in ticket terms. "By entering, you agree to be photographed, filmed, and recorded by GAAM Good and its designated media, and that images and recordings may be used by GAAM Good and its partners for promotion in any media. If you have a safety concern about being pictured, tell an Event Lead or email hello@GAAMGood.com. A parent or guardian buying a ticket for a minor agrees on the minor's behalf."

Kids and all-ages spaces

GAAM events are all-ages, so everything we say, show, sell, and share has to work for a room that includes kids. Kids come to us to be creative and feel safe, and we protect that.

Keep it all-ages. Language, jokes, merch, and conversation stay appropriate for kids, including in your booth and in event chats.
Stay visible. Don't be alone with a child out of sight of others. Keep interactions in open areas and bring in another adult when you can.
No private contact with minors. Don't ask a child for their socials or number, DM them, give them personal gifts, or invite them anywhere. Talk to parents or guardians, or use group channels.
Lost or upset child. Stay with them in a visible spot and get an Event Lead. Never take a child out of the venue or hand them to someone who hasn't been confirmed as their guardian.
No adult items for minors. No alcohol, vapes, or 18+ products offered, sold, or shown to anyone underage. Adult items stay covered or out of sight at all-ages events.
Encourage, don't tear down. Young artists are brave to share their work. Critique gently, praise specifically.
Any concern about a child's safety goes to an Event Lead immediately. If a child is in danger, call 911 first.

Alcohol, substances, and safety

If you're on shift, you're clear-headed, and everyone gets home safe.

Clear-headed on shift. No alcohol, cannabis, or other substances before or during a shift or booth day. Once you're drinking, you're off the clock and out of the star.
Dry means dry. At Dry Drink + Draw and other alcohol-free events, that applies to the whole team and every vendor.
Never pressure anyone to drink or use anything, and never serve or share with minors.
Follow the venue. Know the exits, follow venue rules and Event Lead instructions, and don't block aisles, doors, or emergency routes.
Props are props. No real weapons, no functional projectile props, and anything an Event Lead says is too much stays at the door.
Look out for each other. Use a buddy for load-out, especially at night, and tell someone if you're leaving early or feeling unwell.
Emergencies: call 911 first, then an Event Lead. Report every injury, even small ones.

Honesty, money, gifts, and conflicts of interest

We tell the community exactly where the money goes, so everyone on the team handles it, and talks about it, with care.

Donations belong to the Cause. Toys, cash, raffle entries, and supplies are counted accurately and handled by two people when possible. Never take or borrow any of it.
Use real numbers. Only quote figures you got from an Event Lead or GAAM Good materials. Don't guess at totals, goals, or how funds are used.
No side hustles on shift. Don't recruit attendees to your own business, sales team, or investment, and don't collect money in GAAM Good's name without approval.
Disclose conflicts. If you're related to, dating, or in business with a vendor, artist, or sponsor you're helping place, judge, or work with, tell an Event Lead first.
Gifts. Small thank-you tokens are fine. Anything that could look like buying influence (booth placement, a judging result, a sponsor perk) gets reported to an Event Lead.
Keep private things private. Attendee information, incident reports, vendor finances, and anyone's personal story stay inside the people who need to know.

Vendor standards

Vendors are the nerdy small businesses that make our events what they are. Everything above applies to you and your booth staff, plus these:

You're responsible for your booth. Anyone helping at your table, including friends, family, and hired help, has read this code and follows it. You answer for their conduct.
Sell honestly. Post prices clearly, no surprise fees, and no pressure sales. Never sell counterfeit or bootleg goods, and be upfront about what is licensed and what is fan-made, following the event's fan-art guidelines.
No following customers. Let people browse. Don't trail attendees, block their path, or ask for contact info as a condition of a sale.
Contact only for their order. Don't add attendees to a mailing list or message them on socials unless they opted in or it's about something they bought.
Keep it all-ages. Adult or 18+ items stay covered or out of sight at all-ages events, and anything an Event Lead flags gets pulled.
Be a good neighbor. Keep to your space, keep aisles clear for wheelchairs and strollers, and don't disparage other vendors to attendees or online.
Treat VolunStars as teammates. They are not personal assistants or booth sitters. Direct requests for help through an Event Lead.
Escalate, don't fight. If a customer dispute or conflict is heating up, call an Event Lead instead of handling it yourself.
Honor the agreement. Follow load-in and load-out times, and the vendor terms you signed. Our model is financially inclusive: free for attendees and refundable for vendors under the event's posted terms, and we expect you to deal fairly in return.

Representing GAAM Good

When you wear the star, or tag us, or say you're with GAAM, people hear GAAM Good.

You speak for yourself, not for us. Share your own views as your own. Send press, sponsor, and official questions to hello@GAAMGood.com or an Event Lead.
No gatekeeping and no toxic talk. At casual events, play to include. At tournaments, be a good sport, win or lose.
Keep complaints in the right place. Don't air attendee, vendor, or team issues on social media. Report them so we can fix them.
Off the clock still counts. Harassing or targeting someone from the GAAM community, online or in person, is a code violation even if it happens away from an event.

How to report a concern

If something feels off, tell an Event Lead. You don't need proof, you don't need to be the one it happened to, and you don't need to be sure it counts. A maybe is worth a conversation.

Where to report

At an event: any Event Lead, in person. Your Event Lead is your manager for that day.
After an event, or if you'd rather write it down: hello@GAAMGood.com.
If the concern involves your Event Lead, go to any other lead or chair, or email the President directly.
If anyone is in danger, call 911 first, then an Event Lead.

What to include, if you can: what happened, when and where, who was involved, and anyone who saw it. Save screenshots and messages, but don't reply to the person.

Things worth reporting include a harassing comment, someone who won't stop after a no, messages that keep coming after an unanswered DM, unwanted touching, a photo taken or posted without consent, a vendor or VolunStar pressuring anyone, a concern about a child, unsafe conditions, and money or donation problems. Tell us how you'd like it handled too, whether that's a conversation, different shifts, or just a record.

What happens next

We acknowledge it within 48 hours, and at the event we'll respond right away.
We make people safe first. That may mean separating people, moving shifts, or asking someone to leave.
We listen to everyone involved and keep written notes.
We decide on a response based on what happened and what the code says.
We follow up with you about what we can share, and check back later to see how things are going.

Privacy. We share details only with the few people who need them to respond. We can't promise complete secrecy in every case, since safety or legal duties sometimes require sharing, and we'll tell you if that happens.

No retaliation. Punishing someone for reporting in good faith is its own violation, even if the report turns out to be a misunderstanding. You are welcome to go to law enforcement too, and we will support you if you do.

If you're an Event Lead and someone reports to you

Listen, thank them, and take it seriously. Don't question whether it "really" happened.
Don't investigate alone or confront the other person solo. Make the situation safe, then escalate to a chair or the President the same day.
Write down what you were told, in the person's own words.
Ask what they need now, and don't promise outcomes you can't deliver.

Consequences and acknowledgment

The response fits what happened. Options include a coaching conversation, a written warning, a changed shift or booth location, removal from an event, suspension, and permanent removal from our VolunStar and vendor rosters with an event ban. Serious conduct, such as threats, sexual misconduct, anything involving a minor, or theft, can skip straight to removal, and may be reported to law enforcement.

An Event Lead can remove someone from an event on the spot for safety. Longer-term decisions are made by a chair or the President. If you disagree with a decision, you can ask for a review by someone who wasn't involved, within 7 days.

We review this code every year and update it as new problems show up. Ideas are welcome at hello@GAAMGood.com.

Acknowledgment. By working with GAAM Good as a VolunStar or vendor, I confirm that I've read this code, I'll follow it, I understand how to report a concern, and I understand that breaking it can end my time with GAAM Good.

Code of Conduct