Your Input on New Rules

[Jason]

The team and I have rewritten the rules to make them clearer about responsibilities and simpler to enforce. You will note the content below is in paragraph—not list—form, which will reduce some of the subjectivity as well as illuminate this site's overarching objectives.

I would like to gather input on this revision from you, and I may make some additional changes.

Please note that this is not a debate thread. As such, I am limiting each member to one reply in this thread that addresses only my post and not the posts of other members.

Now, what say you? :)

Overview

At Volconvo we value intelligent debate on important topics while upholding a friendly and respectful environment. These values are indispensable to a well-functioning discussion forum and are the essential standards for our staff and members.

Healthy debate

Members come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, and will undoubtedly encounter a similarly wide scope of opinions at Volconvo. Topic starters must present viable subjects for discussion with the expectation that respondents may disagree with their views. Members are encouraged to freely express their positions regarding the topics at hand but are not permitted to insult site members publicly or privately. Our staff will help protect the personal integrity of all registered users.

Please remember that miscommunications can often occur in online settings. Assess your and others' postings accordingly.

Site disruptions

Attempts to disrupt the normal activities of our forums are not permitted. These include, but are not limited to, pushing threads severely off topic, disregarding site staff, registering multiple usernames and advertising. Users may not harass other members or staff.

Moderator rights

The moderating team is selected at the discretion of the owner of Volconvo. Although their main roles are to foster discussion and keep topics on track, moderators also handle disputes and enforce the site rules. Moderators may modify or delete content in violation of these rules as well as issue infraction points to registered users. Accumulation of enough infraction points may result in a member's automatic ban.

Dispute procedures

Members may report material which they believe violates our rules by clicking the report button beside the offending content. Members may also challenge the actions of moderators using the report feature or—in extreme cases—contacting the owner of Volconvo. Members may not, however, discuss management or moderation issues in the public forums. Please keep in mind that exaggerated reports will diminish the staff's ability to respond appropriately to real problems, and excessive reporting may be deemed a disruption.

Owner rights

The owner of this website serves as an administrator and the final decision-maker on all matters. His authority is not constrained by these rules, although his primary concern is the overall interest of this website and its members.

Jurisdiction and amendment

These rules can and will be implemented site-wide throughout our forums, blogs and messaging systems. These rules are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the site owner, although members will be notified of any modifications.

[tinybear]

"Members may also challenge the actions of moderators using the report feature or—in extreme cases—contacting the owner of Volconvo."

What is the procedure for lodging a challenge and who decides whether the challenge is upheld or dismissed and is the decision final?

[shawmutt]

Under "Moderator Rights":

...as well as issue infraction points to registered users. Accumulation of enough infraction points may result in a member's automatic ban.

A link to the point system thread would be nice somewhere in there. Other than that it looks good.

[Cruella]

You use the report function, as stated, TB. Moderators see and can discuss all reported posts and PMs. Jason, also as stated, will have the final say in extreme cases.

Please remember this is not a debate thread.

[Praxius]

Overview

At Volconvo we value intelligent debate on important topics while upholding a friendly and respectful environment. These values are indispensable to a well-functioning discussion forum and are the essential standards for our staff and members.

No issue....

Healthy debate

Members come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, and will undoubtedly encounter a similarly wide scope of opinions at Volconvo. Topic starters must present viable subjects for discussion with the expectation that respondents may disagree with their views. Members are encouraged to freely express their positions regarding the topics at hand but are not permitted to insult site members publicly or privately. Our staff will help protect the personal integrity of all registered users.

What about members who continually single out another member they disagree/don't like with and/or only post comments for the sake of disagreement towards one particular member, while ignoring all other members and sometimes the topic at hand?

Obviously this should be frowned upon, however what is the official stance for the records and punishment for such action?

Please remember that miscommunications can often occur in online settings. Assess your and others' postings accordingly.

No issue....

Site disruptions

Attempts to disrupt the normal activities of our forums are not permitted. These include, but are not limited to, pushing threads severely off topic, disregarding site staff, registering multiple usernames and advertising. Users may not harass other members or staff.

I take it the above I mentioned would fall under this?

Moderator rights

The moderating team is selected at the discretion of the owner of Volconvo. Although their main roles are to foster discussion and keep topics on track, moderators also handle disputes and enforce the site rules. Moderators may modify or delete content in violation of these rules as well as issue infraction points to registered users. Accumulation of enough infraction points may result in a member's automatic ban.

No issue.....

Dispute procedures

Members may report material which they believe violates our rules by clicking the report button beside the offending content. Members may also challenge the actions of moderators using the report feature or—in extreme cases—contacting the owner of Volconvo. Members may not, however, discuss management or moderation issues in the public forums. Please keep in mind that exaggerated reports will diminish the staff's ability to respond appropriately to real problems, and excessive reporting may be deemed a disruption.

Thus, I take it that those who continually abuse the report system could end up with infractions or other forms of punishment?

Owner rights

The owner of this website serves as an administrator and the final decision-maker on all matters. His authority is not constrained by these rules, although his primary concern is the overall interest of this website and its members.

No issue.....

Jurisdiction and amendment

These rules can and will be implemented site-wide throughout our forums, blogs and messaging systems. These rules are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the site owner, although members will be notified of any modifications.

No issue, except that this would have to be one of the shortest and vauge lists of rules I've come across.

• What are your views towards enforcing laws? Based on the fact that members come from various parts of the world, different laws and restrictions apply on various material, actions, etc. Since it is almost impossible to enforce every law in the world from every country, would observation of law be mainly focused on UK or US? (ie: most members seem to be from the US, while much of the operation appears to be from the UK)

• You commented on advertisements, but what about general spam, chain letters, etc.? If there's no mention, then some people will assume it's ok or use it as some loophole.

• Although I am pretty sure I know the position of the administration in these forums, what is the official stance on offensive usernames?

• Official stance on Private Messages? How far does this actually go? If both members who were PM'ing each other agree to make their messages public or a thread, is that permitted or is there a zero tolerance towards any information given about Private Messages?

• What if a member decides that they don't want to publically state something about a topic towards a member's comments and PM's their comments so that they still get to voice their view to that person, while still not publically appearing as a "Bad Guy" since nobody get's to see what they said? Would that be a form of Harassment and/or trolling? This has occured to me a few times in the last couple of months and because that information was sent private, I could not publically address their comments as they related to the topic at hand and didn't seem to be all that fair, debate-wise.

• When you request a member not to PM you, sometimes continually, but they still seem to want to have the last say in everything and continually PM you against your wishes, what is the official stance towards this form of Harassment?

• What is the offical stance towards members taking your posts, opinions or other forms of comments to other forums or other web sites to further harass, bully or deface you in other places? And vice versa, what if they brought information from other forums/sites to here?

I think that's about it for now..... I am just curious on a few things that don't seem to have been addressed in this first post.

Thanks

[tinybear]

Not much input on the new rules, I notice.

[Maryjane]

Jason's house, Jason's rules. If I don't like them or can't abide by them, I'm free to leave at any time. That's all I have to say on the subject.

[Athena]

"Members may also challenge the actions of moderators using the report feature or—in extreme cases—contacting the owner of Volconvo."

What is the procedure for lodging a challenge and who decides whether the challenge is upheld or dismissed and is the decision final?

This is perhaps the most important question. I thought I was making valuable contributions, but then read the definition of trolling, and finally got why I have been accused of trolling. That hurts a lot, to see myself as a troll instead of someone making a valuable contributions. Who makes these decisions is very important. The judgment depends on the person's personality and the assumptions this person makes.

The US was a great experiment and I would like to try that experiment with an on line community and see if there is some merit to the ideas, or discover why I am so wrong. A trail by jury of peers, was one of the most important features of the great experiment.

[Jason]

I will clarify what happens when you challenge in the final rules.

[Diogenes]

I think you should do whatever you want, this isn't a democracy, nor is it a member-run establishment...

we operate two forums, one is member-run and one isn't...one the members decide the other they don't...

ultimately this is your forum, therefore you decide...I don't see why you even ask for input. All you're doing is sending mixed signals.

Or are you seriously suggesting ( like in our member-run forum ) that if the members here decide against a decision you've made that you will defer to the members?

That is the ONLY time you should even consider what the members have to say, is when you want to defer to them.

Otherwise it's just a lot of hot air, smoke and mirrors. I know someone will come along and say something to the effect ' input is good '...wrong...input is ONLY good if it has impact.

eg. on our member-run forum there were times that I was over-ruled by the membership...and had to defer to them...even when it was against what I wanted... that is not the case here.

Input has to have impact or it becomes useless...this is your site...you make the decisions...and whatever decisions you make we either accept or move on. That's the way it should be in this kind of forum.

[Jason]

Diogenes, I appreciate your opinion but your assertion that input is meaningless unless it's always accepted is simply not true.

Perhaps some members find a particular part of the rules confusing and would like clarification. Perhaps a member has a great suggestion to incorporate in the rules. Perhaps someone wants to propose we change the official position on a particular matter. These are all opportunities for the members to influence the rules here at Volconvo.

I never said I would give members the final say, but I'm certainly open to gathering their thoughts before making the last edits and setting these rules in stone.

[SoylentGreen]

Can i ask about the star rating that i can see on the homosexual marriage thread. Is that important in any sense of the word? how does it work and who does it and why?