Viewing topic: Forum rules - bobs needs a hand

Guys, I'm up to my eyeballs with work right now, so I hope you can help me with this. I need to update the site terms, or make separate rules for the forum, but there just aren't enough hours in the day. I'd like your ideas (in a numbered list) for rules that we should agree to.

I hope this helps Bobs12.

Community Standards

Follow the guidelines below, and you’ll have a great time in our Community. Communicate clearly, stay on topic, show respect and civility for your fellow members, and you will be part of why VisaRus Message Boards are the best on the Internet. Here are a few rules of thumb:

Posting privileges
Express yourself -- and have fun doing it. Just make sure you stay within these standards. Inappropriate posts are subject to removal. Continued violation of these standards may result in a loss of posting privileges on our Message Boards.

Post removal
Message Board posts and discussions that may be removed without notification include those containing 1) explicit, crude or graphic descriptions or accounts of sexual acts; 2) messages or materials which depict graphic or gratuitous violence; and 3) messages which condone, encourage or call for acts of violence against an individual or group. Messages containing member information may also be removed.

Hyperlinks
We allow appropriate, on-topic hyperlinks in our Message Board posts as long as they are in the context of the given conversation and include the article or press release they reference. URLs should be in the following format: http://www.hyperlink.com. Posts which include only copied articles and/or press releases may be removed without notification.

Mild vulgarity
Mild vulgarity and expletives of an exclamatory nature are permitted, provided that the vulgarity is not directed at another member.

Disruption
Message Board posts designed to inflame or disrupt ongoing discussions, veer conversations off-topic or that contain offensive language may be removed, along with other posts in that thread. Bashing of individuals, companies, organizations or entities may also be subject to removal.

Masked obscene, abusive or hateful language
Even if masked by symbols or other characters, obscene language and derogatory verbiage, macros or images are inappropriate and not permitted in our communities, especially when directed at another member. You may not target another member or group to threaten harm, harass or cause distress or embarrassment.

Personal or business information
We love getting to know our board visitors, but for safety’s sake, please be cautious about posting personal or business information such as address or phone number -- yours or others’ -- on Message Boards. Divulging the content of private e-mail on Message Boards is also not advisable.

Advice and opinion
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Advertising and solicitation
Posts that include any kind of advertising, solicitation or promotion are not permitted, except in areas specifically designated for those purposes. We do not allow promotion of content or merchandise infringing upon another's copyright or trademark, or advertisement of commercial goods or auction items. Chain letters, pyramid schemes and business advertisements are not permitted and may be removed without notification. You may not solicit for money, clothing, reward or affiliate programs, either commercial or nonprofit. Adoption solicitations or offers are also subject to immediate removal. We do allow links to your business Web site in your post or signature line, but we don't allow posts that solicit other members to click on those links to view products, services, employment offers or business opportunities.

Community Standards and Terms of Use enforcement
VisaRus has the right to enforce these Community Standards in its sole discretion. We may not prescreen member-generated content, but we reserve the right to remove, without notification, content that does not comply with VisaRus’s Terms of Use or Community Standards. VisaRus reserves the right to make changes to these standards or VisaRus Terms of Use at any time and we encourage our members to check this document periodically for changes.

Personal ads
Posts that appear to be created for the purpose of dating or intimate encounters are not appropriate. All other posts of this kind may be removed.

That's pretty comprehensive!

I'd add a couple more bits that are more to do with security:

1) Never enter email addresses into forum posts. If essential, use (a) to replace the 'at' symbol. This keeps spambots away from the site (we haven't had a visit from spambots since last summer) and ensures your privacy.

2) Never give away any of your account information, and never tell anyone except admins (admin(a)visarus.co.uk, robert(a)visarus.co.uk) the email address you used to sign up. Never give anyone your password - admins will never ask for it.

3) Posting job vacancies (except charitable volunteering positions) is prohibited. This helps us keep school representatives from abusing our forum.

4) Using private messaging to make job offers to users not advertising as jobseekers (section coming in May) is prohibited. Sending job offers to users advertising as private teachers is also prohibited.


Any more thoughts anyone?