What constitutes bribery by a community manager or board member?

Bribery in the context of community management or board governance specifically refers to the act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting something of value to influence the actions of another party in their official capacity. Therefore, when considering what constitutes bribery by a community manager or board member, the core defining characteristic is the direct involvement of payment intended to secure a specific favor or influence a vote.

This aligns specifically with the notion that bribery is fundamentally about the exchange of value for an action that benefits the giver, which can severely compromise the integrity of community governance and decision-making processes.

While the other options touch on relevant concepts—such as the classification of bribery as a misdemeanor or payments that might be viewed as acceptable under certain agreements—these do not define the act of bribery itself in the way that an explicit payment for a specific favor or vote does. Thus, the defining act of bribery unequivocally focuses on the transaction that seeks to influence decision-making for personal gain.