Post by Admin on Feb 3, 2017 9:43:46 GMT -6
Viking Horn – Forum Rules – Full version
1. Freedom of Speech - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
At Vikinghorn we see freedom of speech as the right to communicate ideas. With this right comes the responsibility to choose your words carefully and respect the rights of others. Common sense dictates the difference between one expressing themselves and one who is disruptive. If you are focused on contributing to the community, you will not have to be concerned with being a disruption. Disruptive behavior, such as personal attacks, can lead to temporary or permanent revocation of posting privileges.
2. Spamming - What constitutes spamming can be, but is not limited to, "A message (typically an advertisement) sent indiscriminately to a wide set of discussion lists [forums] or newsgroups." Also, any message or series of messages promoting a product, site or service made by a member who does not demonstrate the intention and willingness to participate in the normal discourse of the DPMB can be considered spamming. Spamming and/or spam bots will not be tolerated and can result in immediate banning of the spammer.
3. Baiting/Flaming/Trolling - To bait someone in a general sense is to make a comment with a purposeful intent to coerce some form of response from the individual. In some cases this device can be a useful tool of debate, eliciting responses to highlight a point or reveal an underlying truth concerning someone’s argument. However, in other cases the intent of the bait is less focused on debating. “Flamebaiting” is making statements intended to cause an angry or emotional response/flame from the person. Another form of baiting is known as “derailing” or “thread-jacking”. This is deliberate act of making statements or with an aim of diverting the topic of a thread significantly from its main focus. These negative forms of baiting constitute a rules violation that can potentially lead to a suspension of posting privileges.
"Originally, flame meant to carry forth in a passionate manner in the spirit of honorable debate. Flames most often involved the use of flowery language and flaming well was an art form. More recently flame has come to refer to any kind of derogatory comment or inflammatory image. In a forum with sensitive topics such as this, derogatory flaming is bound to happen. Common sense will prevail, yet this is not an invitation to flame. e.g. "You stupid *****ing moron," is completely unacceptable and could lead to a suspension of posting privileges.
Trolling is a diversionary tactic of those who “deliberately exploit tendencies of human nature or of an online community to upset people” or those “who post inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages” to disrupt normal on-topic discussions. Ignorance, bias, and genuine dissent are not trolling, though at times they may appear similar due to the disingenuous nature of some trolls. Trolling is not allowed and can potentially lead to the suspension of posting privileges.
4. Don't Be A Jerk (DBAJ) - This simply means what it sounds like. This includes but is not necessarily limited to passive aggressive posts or agitating posts containing no constructive content. Moderators will know it when they see it.
5. Multiple Posts - Of the same subject may be consolidated or deleted at Moderator discretion.
6. Moderators - Moderators are the key to the success of any board. They are expected to live up to a higher standard and as such we expect you to treat them with a higher standard. Any rule broken against a Moderator could result in a temporary suspension of posting privileges. Publicly disrespectful behavior from a member toward a Moderator regarding Moderator actions or decisions may also result in a summary suspension of that member's posting privileges.
Please note that the moderating team is under no obligation to read every post. Occasionally, inappropriate posts will slip by unnoticed by the mods. If you see one of these posts, please report it immediately by using the "report post" button.
6a. Moderator Actions - If there are any concerns over Moderator actions, the only way to officially address them is with a private message (PM) to another Moderator. Your feedback and concerns are very valuable to the success of this board. Each and every PM will be read and investigated. However, until specifically told by a Moderator of a reversal, the Moderator action is considered official.
Publicly disrespectful and/or negative behavior from a member regarding a Moderator's capacity as a Mod, the Moderator Team in general, or Moderator actions may not occur on any open areas of the website. Violations of any of the above guidelines is termed Insubordination and may result in a summary suspension or termination of that member's posting privileges.
7. Screen names and Avatars – Moderators will request offensive names and avatars be removed by the user. If the offending name or avatar is not removed promptly, moderators will remove it themselves which may lead to the suspension of posting privileges.
8. Copyrighted Material - All material posted from copyrighted material MUST contain a link to the original work.
Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 107 US CODE: Title 17,107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
If a source is not available online, is not free to the public (Lexis/Nexis, books, academic papers, etc), or requires registration to be accessed, then a comprehensive citation will suffice. Keep in mind that your position may be weakened if the original source is not easily accessible.
8a. Fair-Use - A limitation of two (2) medium-sized paragraphs per thread is allowed for the quoting and display of any external "same-source" material. Same-source material is considered to be material borrowed from the same author, the same internet article, the same web page, the same web site, or the same publication. Please do not exceed this limitation, nor attempt to bypass this limitation via consecutive/subsequent/plagiarized thread postings. Proper format is to Copy & Paste a maximum of two medium-sized paragraphs of same-source material and offer a link to the material source page for further reading. Moderator discretion shall prevail here.
9. Advertisements - Advertisements in posts will be considered spam and deleted.
10. Illegal attachments - Any attachment that is illegal to own or trade will be promptly removed and you will be banned.
11. Multiple and Proxy Accounts - Multiple accounts of the same user (sock puppets) are forbidden. Proxy accounts (specifically utilizing a third party to post) will not be tolerated. Further, sharing of an account/password with other members and non-members alike is prohibited. At the discretion of the Moderator, these issues may result in infractions and/or banishment against all accounts.
**If you are having issues with your account, please contact us by using this form before creating another.
12. Privacy and Harassment - Posting personal email addresses, full names, places of employment, and phone numbers (etc.) for any purpose will not be tolerated. This is a breach of privacy, and you could lose your posting privileges permanently. The posting of PMs sent to you from another poster are considered private and can also not be posted. If this is done, the post will be deleted and further consequences may occur.
Harassing a poster inside or outside of Vikinghorn (unsolicited) will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to:
- continuing to send unsolicited PMs after being asked to stop
- calling them at home or work
- attempts to hack into their personal e-mail
- attempts to hack into a personal website or account
- sending anything through the mail/UPS/Fed-Ex, etc...
This is a breach of privacy. You will lose your posting privileges permanently.
13. Signatures - Signatures that are used to bait or attack another user or break any other forum rule could result in moderator action.
14. Disciplinary Action - Users that break any rules causing disruption to the board may be issued a Warning, either in the thread where the offense took place in or via a Private Message (PM) - sometimes both. Repeated violations of the rules can also result in a temporary or permanent revocation of posting privileges. Temporary suspension of posting privileges will typically range in duration from 24 to 48 hours. If the conduct is increasingly problematic or severely detrimental to the board, the account will be banned and posting privileges revoked permanently. This is at the sole discretion of the Moderator. You may submit an appeal by contacting another Mod.
15. Hate Messages - Hate Messages delivered via threads, posts, signatures, or PM's are forbidden. The Moderator Team defines a hate message as a comment using one of the following in an extreme manner:
A) The support for or a call for violence.
B) The suggestion of removal of essential civil liberties.
C) Claims of severe dehumanization.
D) Claims of illegal behavior across the entire group.
16. Pornography / Nudity / Graphic Images - Instances of clear and purposeful sexual or lewd nudity, or sexual acts, should not be posted or linked to anywhere on the site. Instances of extreme images, such as severe violence or grave injury, should not be posted anywhere on the site, and can only be linked to when directly relevant to a currently discussed story and a clear warning of the contents violent nature is given. Posting or linking to either of these types of images could result in suspension or ban.
Other instances of sexually suggestive imagery, non-sexual nudity, or graphic content may be removed if deemed too far outside of good taste and/or is not directly related to the discussion at hand. Threads started with a topic focusing on such imagery will be closed. Repeated instances of an individual posting such images can result in action that could lead to suspension of a user’s account.
17. Slurs - Slurs delivered in an offensive manner via threads, posts, signatures, or PM's are forbidden. The Moderator Team defines a slur as a known and highly "charged" term directed at any group or individual.
18. PM's from mods must be answered with a follow up PM. 24 hours will be given for a response, if no response is offered or if the response is posted on the forum the post will be removed and you will be placed into the cooler until you respond to the PM with a PM.
1. Freedom of Speech - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
At Vikinghorn we see freedom of speech as the right to communicate ideas. With this right comes the responsibility to choose your words carefully and respect the rights of others. Common sense dictates the difference between one expressing themselves and one who is disruptive. If you are focused on contributing to the community, you will not have to be concerned with being a disruption. Disruptive behavior, such as personal attacks, can lead to temporary or permanent revocation of posting privileges.
2. Spamming - What constitutes spamming can be, but is not limited to, "A message (typically an advertisement) sent indiscriminately to a wide set of discussion lists [forums] or newsgroups." Also, any message or series of messages promoting a product, site or service made by a member who does not demonstrate the intention and willingness to participate in the normal discourse of the DPMB can be considered spamming. Spamming and/or spam bots will not be tolerated and can result in immediate banning of the spammer.
3. Baiting/Flaming/Trolling - To bait someone in a general sense is to make a comment with a purposeful intent to coerce some form of response from the individual. In some cases this device can be a useful tool of debate, eliciting responses to highlight a point or reveal an underlying truth concerning someone’s argument. However, in other cases the intent of the bait is less focused on debating. “Flamebaiting” is making statements intended to cause an angry or emotional response/flame from the person. Another form of baiting is known as “derailing” or “thread-jacking”. This is deliberate act of making statements or with an aim of diverting the topic of a thread significantly from its main focus. These negative forms of baiting constitute a rules violation that can potentially lead to a suspension of posting privileges.
"Originally, flame meant to carry forth in a passionate manner in the spirit of honorable debate. Flames most often involved the use of flowery language and flaming well was an art form. More recently flame has come to refer to any kind of derogatory comment or inflammatory image. In a forum with sensitive topics such as this, derogatory flaming is bound to happen. Common sense will prevail, yet this is not an invitation to flame. e.g. "You stupid *****ing moron," is completely unacceptable and could lead to a suspension of posting privileges.
Trolling is a diversionary tactic of those who “deliberately exploit tendencies of human nature or of an online community to upset people” or those “who post inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages” to disrupt normal on-topic discussions. Ignorance, bias, and genuine dissent are not trolling, though at times they may appear similar due to the disingenuous nature of some trolls. Trolling is not allowed and can potentially lead to the suspension of posting privileges.
4. Don't Be A Jerk (DBAJ) - This simply means what it sounds like. This includes but is not necessarily limited to passive aggressive posts or agitating posts containing no constructive content. Moderators will know it when they see it.
5. Multiple Posts - Of the same subject may be consolidated or deleted at Moderator discretion.
6. Moderators - Moderators are the key to the success of any board. They are expected to live up to a higher standard and as such we expect you to treat them with a higher standard. Any rule broken against a Moderator could result in a temporary suspension of posting privileges. Publicly disrespectful behavior from a member toward a Moderator regarding Moderator actions or decisions may also result in a summary suspension of that member's posting privileges.
Please note that the moderating team is under no obligation to read every post. Occasionally, inappropriate posts will slip by unnoticed by the mods. If you see one of these posts, please report it immediately by using the "report post" button.
6a. Moderator Actions - If there are any concerns over Moderator actions, the only way to officially address them is with a private message (PM) to another Moderator. Your feedback and concerns are very valuable to the success of this board. Each and every PM will be read and investigated. However, until specifically told by a Moderator of a reversal, the Moderator action is considered official.
Publicly disrespectful and/or negative behavior from a member regarding a Moderator's capacity as a Mod, the Moderator Team in general, or Moderator actions may not occur on any open areas of the website. Violations of any of the above guidelines is termed Insubordination and may result in a summary suspension or termination of that member's posting privileges.
7. Screen names and Avatars – Moderators will request offensive names and avatars be removed by the user. If the offending name or avatar is not removed promptly, moderators will remove it themselves which may lead to the suspension of posting privileges.
8. Copyrighted Material - All material posted from copyrighted material MUST contain a link to the original work.
Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 107 US CODE: Title 17,107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
If a source is not available online, is not free to the public (Lexis/Nexis, books, academic papers, etc), or requires registration to be accessed, then a comprehensive citation will suffice. Keep in mind that your position may be weakened if the original source is not easily accessible.
8a. Fair-Use - A limitation of two (2) medium-sized paragraphs per thread is allowed for the quoting and display of any external "same-source" material. Same-source material is considered to be material borrowed from the same author, the same internet article, the same web page, the same web site, or the same publication. Please do not exceed this limitation, nor attempt to bypass this limitation via consecutive/subsequent/plagiarized thread postings. Proper format is to Copy & Paste a maximum of two medium-sized paragraphs of same-source material and offer a link to the material source page for further reading. Moderator discretion shall prevail here.
9. Advertisements - Advertisements in posts will be considered spam and deleted.
10. Illegal attachments - Any attachment that is illegal to own or trade will be promptly removed and you will be banned.
11. Multiple and Proxy Accounts - Multiple accounts of the same user (sock puppets) are forbidden. Proxy accounts (specifically utilizing a third party to post) will not be tolerated. Further, sharing of an account/password with other members and non-members alike is prohibited. At the discretion of the Moderator, these issues may result in infractions and/or banishment against all accounts.
**If you are having issues with your account, please contact us by using this form before creating another.
12. Privacy and Harassment - Posting personal email addresses, full names, places of employment, and phone numbers (etc.) for any purpose will not be tolerated. This is a breach of privacy, and you could lose your posting privileges permanently. The posting of PMs sent to you from another poster are considered private and can also not be posted. If this is done, the post will be deleted and further consequences may occur.
Harassing a poster inside or outside of Vikinghorn (unsolicited) will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to:
- continuing to send unsolicited PMs after being asked to stop
- calling them at home or work
- attempts to hack into their personal e-mail
- attempts to hack into a personal website or account
- sending anything through the mail/UPS/Fed-Ex, etc...
This is a breach of privacy. You will lose your posting privileges permanently.
13. Signatures - Signatures that are used to bait or attack another user or break any other forum rule could result in moderator action.
14. Disciplinary Action - Users that break any rules causing disruption to the board may be issued a Warning, either in the thread where the offense took place in or via a Private Message (PM) - sometimes both. Repeated violations of the rules can also result in a temporary or permanent revocation of posting privileges. Temporary suspension of posting privileges will typically range in duration from 24 to 48 hours. If the conduct is increasingly problematic or severely detrimental to the board, the account will be banned and posting privileges revoked permanently. This is at the sole discretion of the Moderator. You may submit an appeal by contacting another Mod.
Not all disciplinary actions will be public. Furthermore, Moderators are not obligated to notify general membership of whether a particular member has received a warning or suspension. Nor are Moderators obligated to discuss any disciplinary actions taken against a member with any other member.
15. Hate Messages - Hate Messages delivered via threads, posts, signatures, or PM's are forbidden. The Moderator Team defines a hate message as a comment using one of the following in an extreme manner:
A) The support for or a call for violence.
B) The suggestion of removal of essential civil liberties.
C) Claims of severe dehumanization.
D) Claims of illegal behavior across the entire group.
16. Pornography / Nudity / Graphic Images - Instances of clear and purposeful sexual or lewd nudity, or sexual acts, should not be posted or linked to anywhere on the site. Instances of extreme images, such as severe violence or grave injury, should not be posted anywhere on the site, and can only be linked to when directly relevant to a currently discussed story and a clear warning of the contents violent nature is given. Posting or linking to either of these types of images could result in suspension or ban.
Other instances of sexually suggestive imagery, non-sexual nudity, or graphic content may be removed if deemed too far outside of good taste and/or is not directly related to the discussion at hand. Threads started with a topic focusing on such imagery will be closed. Repeated instances of an individual posting such images can result in action that could lead to suspension of a user’s account.
17. Slurs - Slurs delivered in an offensive manner via threads, posts, signatures, or PM's are forbidden. The Moderator Team defines a slur as a known and highly "charged" term directed at any group or individual.
18. PM's from mods must be answered with a follow up PM. 24 hours will be given for a response, if no response is offered or if the response is posted on the forum the post will be removed and you will be placed into the cooler until you respond to the PM with a PM.
