Proposal: WCA Guidelines for Mobile Phones usage in Waiting area and Scrambling area

[abunickabhi]

https://forum.worldcubeassociation....age-in-waiting-area-and-scrambling-area/46375

The WCA Regulations and Guidelines clearly state validity of competition, puzzles, camera, organizer’s action, venue, solving station, competitor’s action, delegate’s action, etc.

2i4 1 states how the mobile phone should be used in the competing area.

I would want guidelines on phone usage in Waiting area and Scrambling area.

For example,

Waiting area:

1. The competitor is not allowed to unlock phone and use chat messaging apps or notepad (scramble secrecy)
2. The competitor should not take calls unless all of their solves for the round are finished.
3. The competitor is allowed to keep the phone with them and should turn off all cell phone notifications while competing to avoid disturbing the competition.

Scrambling area:

1. Scrambler should not interact with phone under any circumstance.
2. Opening the camera app on the phone is prohibited for everyone inside the well-defined scrambling zone. This includes runners, delegates (unless they want to see scramble set passwords) and scramblers.
3. The scrambling laptop must have Wi-Fi disabled and all ports disconnected. If there is a requirement of using internet at the scrambling area, a different laptop can be used on which the scrambles are not copied.

Disclaimers:

• I do not want to increase the difficulty in enforcing fair-play at WCA competitions.
• The rules that I wrote are just an example, do not take these rules literally and start a discussion on them.
• Interaction with other electronic devices in waiting and scrambling area should also follow the same rules.

 

[arbivara]

One way would be going chess like (or golf like) and ban mobiles all together. That (and some of your proposals' texts), however, would very much limit interesting iniciatives like TimeBase. Anyway, silent non-vibrating mode is a must
EDIT note: obviously, smartwatches must be treated as mobiles

 

[1x1 wr holder!]

What about just available handouts for anyone who wants one? It’d be hard to enforce what people are viewing on their phones and I think it’s just easier to say “no phones”. this Is a good topic as I could see myself being someone who wants to be up to date with the regulations for my event.

 

[abunickabhi]

Why are mobile devices banned in the game of golf?

 

[arbivara]

Why are mobile devices banned in the game of golf?

Actually, I'm not 100% sure if they stil are (haven't been watching much lately). But they were because of many previous occasions of a cell ringing just when a golfer was about to swing. In most golf clubs you were required to surrender your cell on entrance (at least during comps)

 

[Clock_Enthusiast]

I have the perfect competition venue for preventing such forms of cheating.

 

[abunickabhi]

Actually, I'm not 100% sure if they stil are (haven't been watching much lately). But they were because of many previous occasions of a cell ringing just when a golfer was about to swing. In most golf clubs you were required to surrender your cell on entrance (at least during comps)

I see, I do not see any form of cheating here tbh