Community Guidelines
Community Guidelines (Updated: February 24th, 2010)
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Circumstance has dictated that as a rapidly growing community we have come to the point where there needs to be a line drawn in the sand in regards to what is acceptable and not acceptable on our public forums. Don't read into this as babysitting or some method of fascist censorship. They all relate to how we interact with each other, others outside of our club and ultimately how we are perceived by those outside our immediate paddling community.
We've already been actively moderating things since the conception of this forum but something more formal has become necessitated - mainly so there is no singling out or playing favourites.
I'm going to keep this fairly short and simple and I hope that everyone who comes here regularly will read this thread and post that you have indeed read and understood (if not agreed with) it. These are just the hard and fast guidelines that will be enforced while a more formal document is written and brought forth.
- Harris
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Trolling
Wikipedia: In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion
Not going to put too much else into it besides the above description.
It will be a moderator's call to judge when someone crosses the line.
* First offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Second offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Third offense: Deletion of post and warning, possible suspension
* Further offenses: Suspension and possible banning of account
Personal Attacks and Slander
I would say within our club there number many of the most sarcastic, sadistic, bitter and cynical men/women I have ever met. We all know who we are. For the most part we enjoy torturing each other (think teasing, not machines of malice) online and in person - this is because it is in our nature.
However - not everyone enjoys being part of the 'games'. We do not see too much other than playful banter on the forum, but it has to be understood that attacking someone personally (including malicious slander) - will not be tolerated.
If you feel victimized or that someone has crossed the line - please PM myself (Harris), Hawkeye, BillW or Kevin M. You will have confidentiality in this matter.
* First offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Second offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Third offense: Deletion of post and suspension of account
* Further offenses: Banning of account
Multiple and Fake Accounts
Multiple and fake accounts have always been the bane of internet forums. The main use of multiple accounts is to: 'troll', personally attack others and circumvent suspensions and bans.
Since we are not just an online community (in the sense that we see each other in person regularly as part of the club) - allowing complete anonymity gives a person the ability to avoid any sense of appropriateness and accountability in their actions towards other REAL people that exist in the REAL world.
If you are posting an event, you will be posting it under your own forum identity - not creating an event specific account. This is to help discourage the idea of 'shared' accounts.
In the next forum iteration we will actively be taking steps to further our identity management model to help eliminate this completely.
* First offense: Immediate deletion of fake account(s)
** OR: Merging of fake account into 'real' account (posts included)
* Second offense: Deletion of fake account(s) and post(s), account suspension
* Third offense: Banning of account
* If account is of someone already banned: other measures will be taken
Note: There always is the essence of mystery shrouding some of the more incendiary fake accounts. It is my hope that more than likely they will be filtered by the first two guidelines. Meanwhile, evidence will be gathered towards the identity of the poster and taken from there. In other words, if you think using a proxy is going to give you carte blanche - you are wrong - you will just be banned permanently until you can provide proof of identity.
Retail, Commercial Sales Advertising and Soliciting
This guideline is to keep our public forum clear of advertising.
Our reasoning for this measure is partially in conjunction with our new web sponsorship model. This will make such things as advertising possible, but not within the context of the forum. Once things are firmed up, it will be posted and promoted through the main page.
If you have any questions or concerns about what this constitutes, please PM myself (Harris), Hawkeye, BillW or Kevin M before posting.
* First offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Second offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Third offense: Deletion of post and suspension of account
* Further offenses: Banning of account
Exceptions, False accusations, etc
As stated initially, these are the hard and fast community guidelines until a more formal document is released and posted.
Exceptions such as an account banned after a stolen password results in spam, false accusations regarding multiple accounts etc will be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Enforcement
Guidelines will be enforced by forum moderators as well as through community policing.
As a member of the forum you need to be aware of these guidelines, but also have every right to have your voice heard if you feel that they aren't being followed or are being too liberally applied.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated: February 24th, 2010
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circumstance has dictated that as a rapidly growing community we have come to the point where there needs to be a line drawn in the sand in regards to what is acceptable and not acceptable on our public forums. Don't read into this as babysitting or some method of fascist censorship. They all relate to how we interact with each other, others outside of our club and ultimately how we are perceived by those outside our immediate paddling community.
We've already been actively moderating things since the conception of this forum but something more formal has become necessitated - mainly so there is no singling out or playing favourites.
I'm going to keep this fairly short and simple and I hope that everyone who comes here regularly will read this thread and post that you have indeed read and understood (if not agreed with) it. These are just the hard and fast guidelines that will be enforced while a more formal document is written and brought forth.
- Harris
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trolling
Wikipedia: In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion
Not going to put too much else into it besides the above description.
It will be a moderator's call to judge when someone crosses the line.
* First offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Second offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Third offense: Deletion of post and warning, possible suspension
* Further offenses: Suspension and possible banning of account
Personal Attacks and Slander
I would say within our club there number many of the most sarcastic, sadistic, bitter and cynical men/women I have ever met. We all know who we are. For the most part we enjoy torturing each other (think teasing, not machines of malice) online and in person - this is because it is in our nature.
However - not everyone enjoys being part of the 'games'. We do not see too much other than playful banter on the forum, but it has to be understood that attacking someone personally (including malicious slander) - will not be tolerated.
If you feel victimized or that someone has crossed the line - please PM myself (Harris), Hawkeye, BillW or Kevin M. You will have confidentiality in this matter.
* First offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Second offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Third offense: Deletion of post and suspension of account
* Further offenses: Banning of account
Multiple and Fake Accounts
Multiple and fake accounts have always been the bane of internet forums. The main use of multiple accounts is to: 'troll', personally attack others and circumvent suspensions and bans.
Since we are not just an online community (in the sense that we see each other in person regularly as part of the club) - allowing complete anonymity gives a person the ability to avoid any sense of appropriateness and accountability in their actions towards other REAL people that exist in the REAL world.
If you are posting an event, you will be posting it under your own forum identity - not creating an event specific account. This is to help discourage the idea of 'shared' accounts.
In the next forum iteration we will actively be taking steps to further our identity management model to help eliminate this completely.
* First offense: Immediate deletion of fake account(s)
** OR: Merging of fake account into 'real' account (posts included)
* Second offense: Deletion of fake account(s) and post(s), account suspension
* Third offense: Banning of account
* If account is of someone already banned: other measures will be taken
Note: There always is the essence of mystery shrouding some of the more incendiary fake accounts. It is my hope that more than likely they will be filtered by the first two guidelines. Meanwhile, evidence will be gathered towards the identity of the poster and taken from there. In other words, if you think using a proxy is going to give you carte blanche - you are wrong - you will just be banned permanently until you can provide proof of identity.
Retail, Commercial Sales Advertising and Soliciting
This guideline is to keep our public forum clear of advertising.
Our reasoning for this measure is partially in conjunction with our new web sponsorship model. This will make such things as advertising possible, but not within the context of the forum. Once things are firmed up, it will be posted and promoted through the main page.
If you have any questions or concerns about what this constitutes, please PM myself (Harris), Hawkeye, BillW or Kevin M before posting.
* First offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Second offense: Deletion of post, warning
* Third offense: Deletion of post and suspension of account
* Further offenses: Banning of account
Exceptions, False accusations, etc
As stated initially, these are the hard and fast community guidelines until a more formal document is released and posted.
Exceptions such as an account banned after a stolen password results in spam, false accusations regarding multiple accounts etc will be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Enforcement
Guidelines will be enforced by forum moderators as well as through community policing.
As a member of the forum you need to be aware of these guidelines, but also have every right to have your voice heard if you feel that they aren't being followed or are being too liberally applied.
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Updated: February 24th, 2010
