Post by Nightmare on Nov 15, 2016 1:57:38 GMT -5
As you all know, Zero Virus Forums already has a list of rules that must be followed across all sections of the forum. You can read those here.
That being said, because of the sensitive nature of this board, we're going to be moderating it more heavily, and with that comes a number of additional rules and guidelines to assure everyone has a good time. Some of you may or may not remember but this is the third attempt Zero Virus has made at having a Controversial Board. Twice before it had to be shut down because of an inability to hold a civilized discussion without degrading into all out war. Given the number of hot button topics in the media as of late, as well as Zero Virus' humbler and more mature community, we've decided to give this another try. I expect everyone will be somewhere between excited and indifferent to this decision and pray we won't need to do much in terms of moderating this section.
With that being said, here are the rules for the Controversial Board:
As previously stated, all of Zero Virus' other rules still apply here, but these are extra guidelines to ensure everyone gets along. I and the rest of the staff thank you for your co-operation and your realization that as always, this board is a privilege that we've proven we're not afraid to take away.
That being said, because of the sensitive nature of this board, we're going to be moderating it more heavily, and with that comes a number of additional rules and guidelines to assure everyone has a good time. Some of you may or may not remember but this is the third attempt Zero Virus has made at having a Controversial Board. Twice before it had to be shut down because of an inability to hold a civilized discussion without degrading into all out war. Given the number of hot button topics in the media as of late, as well as Zero Virus' humbler and more mature community, we've decided to give this another try. I expect everyone will be somewhere between excited and indifferent to this decision and pray we won't need to do much in terms of moderating this section.
With that being said, here are the rules for the Controversial Board:
- Make Your Posts Meaningful. Consider this an extension of the usual "No spamming" rule. This means no stupid, pointless, or annoying messages like "cool" or "hi". But it also means you must actually contribute to the discussion in any given thread. Don't post things like "I agree" or "I'm glad somebody finally said this" or "This is a bad post" or anything of the like. If you wish to agree or disagree with something somebody said, go ahead and do so, but explain why as well.
- Do Not Double Post. This is a rule that applies to the whole forum, but it especially applies to the Controversial Board because there is no feasible reason for it. If you have something else to add after having posted, please modify your previous post.
- Do Not Repost Content. Any topics you make or posts you make in them should be your own words and your own thoughts. You're free to link to news articles and discuss them in the Controversial Board, but do not just copy/paste a CNN article into a topic on ZV (even if you cite the source!) If you do post an article, refer to the rule about meaningful posts and include your own thoughts or analysis on the topic discussed in the article.
- Absolutely No Flaming Or Witch-Hunting. This is very important for the survival of this board. By virtue of this board's controversial nature, we'll be discussing a lot of hot-button topics (politics, civil rights, war, other social and geo-political issues.) And because of that, you're very likely to find someone saying something you disagree with (or even find fundamentally wrong.) But bear in mind Zero Virus has a lot of members from a lot of different parts of the world, and cultural differences may contribute to the disagreements we may have on certain issues. I urge everyone to go into any topic with an open mind and the assumption that the poster feels the way they do for a good reason and not a negative reason. If you believe someone's post is hateful or intentionally inflammatory, please feel free to either write a Staff Member or ask the poster for clarification of their point.
- Keep Discussion On-Topic and Focused On The Issues. This means do not stray off on a tangent within a topic. Sometimes another particular issue may be relevant to the discussion at hand and it's okay to bring them up if that's the case, but don't say turn a discussion on the economy into a discussion about climate change: Instead, make another topic. Furthermore, the second half of this rule ties into the previous rule: If you take issue with something the poster has said, keep your rebuttal focused on their argument or point-of-view, rather than the poster themselves. Nobody's points or topics should be aimed as personal attacks or critiques of those involved in the discussion.
- Please Refrain From Using Strong Language. I understand that discussing controversial topics can often get heated or even personal at times, but the keys to a civil and intelligent discussion are a level head and respectful language. If you ever feel yourself getting so hyped up that you can't maintain either of those things, please take a break rather than posting an emotionally charged message in the heat of the moment.
- Do Not Post Pornographic or Sexually-Explicit Material. This includes posting external links as well. The subject may come up in a controversial topic, but Zero Virus is still a PG-13 forum. Use common sense. Images or links to websites depicting images of sexual content will be removed and the poster will be punished at the discretion of the staff.
- Keep News Articles And Other Sources Safe And Credible. That isn't to say you can't discuss a topic or article posted on some strange fringe news site, but please do not link to websites that may be harmful to the reader (full of viruses or popup ads) or easily discredited. If an image or article appears too absurd to be real, it in fact probably isn't real. Do some research before posting if you have doubts about the authenticity of something you are about to post (exceptions include discussion about misleading images or articles, of course.)
- For God's Sake, Have Fun. This is rule number one for life and the most important rule on Zero Virus as a whole but especially the Controversial Board. This section is made for intelligent and civilized discussion. If you're not having fun, don't read the topics or post in them, it's as simple as that. There's plenty more ZV to explore that may not agitate you so much. Remember to above all, have fun.
As previously stated, all of Zero Virus' other rules still apply here, but these are extra guidelines to ensure everyone gets along. I and the rest of the staff thank you for your co-operation and your realization that as always, this board is a privilege that we've proven we're not afraid to take away.
