terms of use question

[lparker]

" Recruiting other members via private message, posts, chat, blog or email to your site or other sites will result in banning."

As I read this, I read recruiting as "Come to this site and sign up".

I don't read this sentence as "You can't post the URL of a web site if asked for it."

Also, why wasn't I banned for posting the Motherearthnews.com site and saying that anyone could buy the back issues on cd and dvd for $40?

I think that line needs clarification as to exactly what "recruiting" means.

Lee

[Sara Noel]

Your post was also recruiting, but we have networked with Mother Earth News in the past and approve of them being posted here.
Each member is notified when in violation.

[Sara Noel]

For clarification purposes....You might have missed part of what you're referring to in your post. I say that because you are only referring to one part of the situation.

But here's an example...

Member says..this place is dead (insert any other word(s) such as boring, so and so plays favorites, too clique-y, so and so grates my nerves, etc) and carries on and on implying that people are ignoring them (or insert other words such as so and so is on their case, there's a witch hunt, etc) and then says well...I'm off to XYZ site which is cool and just like FV.

The above example is against two rules in our terms of service. It's recruiting and casting members and the site in a negative light.

Here's another:

In an email, chat, blog or message, a member says...

Dear A, B, C, D and E, I'm tired of the rules at FV, I'm going to xyz site, you should too! See you there!

Here's another:

I just started a frugal site or blog, come join us!

I can go on and on listing every possible way, so there isn't going to be a long list in our terms of service of all the ways recruiting could possibly occur. Most people are aware of what recruiting is and don't do it. Those that might unintentionally do it and those that intentionally do it, will receive notification if there's a violation.

We try to be as consistent as possible with following through with rule enforcement. There are situations where things are handled slightly differently, but that is also stated in our terms of service.

Normally, we handle these in private messages or emails. But there are occasional times that we don't.

Hope this helps with clarification.

While many might not agree with the rules, they have been made after years of running this community and cover 99% of the situations that might arise and keep this community running as we want it to.

History has shown that whenever we loosen the rules...people take advantage of the situation. We try not to be so rigid with things, but at the same time, we have recently been working harder on enforcement because we are preparing for another spurt of growth.

We are in the middle of changing a few things on the forums and some people won't like that either. But change and rules are absolutely necessary. Of course the execution won't be perfect every time and for that all I can say is we are always working with the best of intentions.

[lparker]

Thanks Sara,
That helps a lot, but you guys must have fun defining the gray areas "Should this link stay or not?"

[Greebo]

Thanks Sara,
That helps a lot, but you guys must have fun defining the gray areas "Should this link stay or not?"

If the administrators tried to identify every possible situation and write hard and fast rules concerning them, the rules would be longer than the combined post totals on this site.

The best rules are simple, brief, and leave the moderators room to execute their own reasonable judgment.

OF course, then they go and make me a moderator. I have Judgment - but it isn't necessarily REASONABLE

[lparker]

Yup, that's a choice they'll live to regret

[Greebo]

Yup, that's a choice they'll live to regret

Clearly not enough. I keep TRYING to get fired...

[zakity]

Ooops. Sorry... I have told a few people about a twins board that I am on. I only did it because it was nice to have some where to ask questions about twins. It is so different parenting two rather than one.

[Greebo]

Ooops. Sorry... I have told a few people about a twins board that I am on. I only did it because it was nice to have some where to ask questions about twins. It is so different parenting two rather than one.

Oh, well, that's it then. You're banned. Get out!

[mek42]

Is this just for competitor sites? What about linking to industry-specific forums with job listings for folks who are expressing an interest in finding work in that area?