FEDPA Ontological Cataloging & Metadata Policy v1.0

This policy establishes the canonical public framework governing ontological cataloging and metadata representation within the Freemasonry Ethnosphere Digital Preservation Archive (FEDPA). It defines how FEDPA determines the meaning, scope, and limits of its cataloging practices, including what is explicitly asserted, what is deliberately not asserted, and how preserved objects, curatorial records, and external sources are distinguished. The policy formalizes principles of ontological responsibility, deliberate omission, controlled identifier scope, and restricted use of relationships, with particular attention to preventing false inference, institutional misattribution, and automated semantic overreach. It clarifies the scope of FEDPA DOIs, distinguishes references from ontological relations, and establishes a controlled typology of record types. This document is intended as a stable, citable public policy. It complements FEDPA’s curatorial and ethical policies and does not address eligibility, access restriction, or sensitivity review. Preservation and description under this policy do not imply endorsement of the views, doctrines, or claims expressed in curated materials. FEDPA operates within a non-doctrinal, non-initiatory, and non-operational institutional framework.