Community Rules Updated

[Chimpie]

From time to time the Community Leadership team reviews the rules in place to make sure they are up to date and protect the forum as a whole. We feel that as the site/forum evolves, so should its rules and policies.

We have spent the last few days updating them and I wanted to take a moment and share what changes and updates have taken place.

• Changed 'guidelines' to 'rules' where appropriate
• Changed 'members' to 'participants' where appropriate
• Reordered opening paragraphs to emphasize "Be Polite"
• Reordered list of Community Rules
• Changed wording on contact information
• Added 'affiliate' to list of forbidden links
• Added the report icon to the reporting section
• Removed 'offensive' from "We reserve the right to remove or edit offensive posts without notice
• Added Fair Use Principle
• Added statement regarding posting graphic images

You may read over the rules by clicking on the green Community Rules link found at the top of every page.

This is a living document and minor changes may be needed. It is the responsibility of every participant to periodically read over the rules to see if there are any changes.

If you have any questions I'll be more than happy to address them below.

Chimpie
Community Leader

 

[JPINFV]

I (un)fortunately, can not claim credit for this round of updates...

 

[Chimpie]

I (un)fortunately, can not claim credit for this round of updates...

And we appreciate that.

 

[abckidsmom]

I (un)fortunately, can not claim credit for this round of updates...

It was me, I confess.

 

[Chimpie]

Let's just stick to questions and answers here please.

 

[Hockey]

Forbidden links? Like...

 

[ffemt8978]

Forbidden links? Like...

It is this rule that was changed to include affiliate in the forbidden links.

Participants may not use the forum to direct others to any pages which they have commercial interests in; these include commission, affiliate or referral hyperlinks.

 

[Chimpie]

Forbidden links? Like...

The rule in question states:

Participants may not use the forum to direct others to any pages which they have commercial interests in; these include commission, affiliate or referral hyperlinks.

For example, you found a product on Amazon that you want people to check out, and instead of providing just a link to the product, you provide a link to the product that includes an affiliate code, so if someone clicks on that link and buys that item or something else on Amazon, you get a commission for it.

That would be a no-no.

 

[JJR512]

It might be a good idea, then, to update the wording of that particular rule so that not only are direct links (with referral or affiliate codes) prohibited, but indirect links are also prohibited.

For example, tinyurl links. Technically a tinyurl link itself wouldn't be a link that includes a referral or affiliate code, because all the tinyurl link does it take you to tinyurl.com and only then do you get redirected to your final destination, which may include a referral or affiliate code.

So adding something about indirectly linking to a page with a referral or affiliate code, or perhaps just stating that any link at all that ultimately leads to a referral or affiliate code...something along those lines.

 

[Chimpie]

Nice suggestion Justin. I'll rewrite it in a little bit.

 

[mycrofft]

So it isn't like the famous "Pirate's Code" then?

(As in "It isn't a law, so much as more of a set of guidelines...arrrrgh"). This is the law so everyone gets the most out of it.

They are clear, and if someone has to take more than ten seconds to think about it, it's probably wrong...if they ever bother to think.

Good work.

 

[Chimpie]

Just wanted to comment that I added the word 'close' to "We reserve the right to close, remove or edit posts without notice."

 

[Chimpie]

Rephrased the following:

We have the ability to remove objectionable content and we will make every effort to do so, within a reasonable time frame, if we determine that removal is necessary. You agree that you will not use this site to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise in violation of any law.

to...

You agree that you will not use this site to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise in violation of any law. We have the ability to remove objectionable content and we will make every effort to do so, within a reasonable time frame, if we determine that removal is necessary.