Dividing the ToS into two sections - ToS and The Rules

**~~removeduser_487563287433~~** · July 07, 2008, 03:52 AM

The first thing we can do to review the ToS is one we can pull off with no effort yet probably have some extremely good effects. Essentially we divide the present ToS into two - the ToS and The Rules. The ToS will contain the legalities, and The Rules will contain the rules by which the forum is governed. Pretty self-explanatory really. So, in a very drafty drafty draft version, it would look like this:

The ToS
Total War Center provides the services to you, the visitor, based on its Terms of Service outlined here. When using the services provided by TWC, you are subject to these posted terms. Usage of the services on this site indicates acceptance of these terms. The TOS may be changed at any time and without direct notice to individual visitors, so it is recommended that you check back with this page at any time you have questions or concerns.
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You agree that while using the TWCenter message boards, you may be exposed to content that is offensive or objectionable, and that you will in no way hold TWCenter nor its sponsors or affiliates liable in any way, shape, or form for any harm or loss that may come to you or others as a result of viewing this content. TWCenter is not responsible for screening content before it is posted, although an offensive language filter is installed on the system that will reject certain posts that may contain certain words deemed offensive or used most often in an offensive way.
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Because of this rule, it is highly recommended that board users do not share their accounts with others, nor share their computers used to access the site with others, as the actions of some other person could easily directly impact all known shared message board accounts.
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You are required to abide by the rules of TWCenter

and....

The Rules
You agree that you will not use any aspect of this service, including the wiki and private messages, to perform the following actions:

1.
Signature Size Violation (1 point)

Members may not use signatures where the total size in bytes of all signature images combined is more than 250 KB.
2.
Off-topic Posting (1 or 2 points)

Topicality is expected and will be enforced on all forums, so take the extra time to post on the proper forum. Examples of off-topic posting include, but are not limited to:
* Threads that are not related to the topic of the forum in question, or that contain no material that can reasonably be discussed
* Posts that are not related to the topic of the thread in question, or that contain no material that can reasonably be discussed
* Re-posting threads that you know have already been posted elsewhere
* In the Discussion and Debate forums, statements about other members, whether implicit or explicit, are off-topic. Statements that disrupt the discussion, regardless of intent, will be singled out in particular.
* Unsolicited advertisement for any website, product, service, or facility not first approved by TWC staff

You can advertise websites, products, etc. in your signature, avatar, or other profile fields, as long as you post productively and don't just try to get exposure for your advertisements. Recommendation of websites, products, or other resources are also allowed if relevant to legitimate discussions.
3.
Censor Bypassing (1 or 2 points)

Attempting to bypass the censor by misspelling, inserting spaces or symbols, transposing letters, using look-alike symbols, or any other method is not allowed. For example, if "gris" is a banned word:
* Not allowed: g-r-i-s, gr*s, g***, 9|-1$, girs, gryeeeas, grizznizz, **** (rhymes with "bris")
* Allowed: ****, ****ed, ****ing, g'ed, g-word

Prohibited words may not be used in images or videos embedded in posts. If external websites use prohibited words, you can link to them only if you post a warning alongside the link.
4.
Hard-to-Read Posts (1 or 2 points)

Posts that disrupt the message boards for other users, intentional or not, are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited, to:
* Conducting conversations in foreign languages, outside designated forums
* Posting excessively in capital letters, leet speak, or other hard-to-read writing styles
* Using misleading topic titles
* Consecutive posting. (I.e., double posts, triple posts)
5.
Insulting Others (3 or 6 points)

Posts clearly insulting other board members, individually or as a group, directly or indirectly, are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Name-calling ("You're an idiot", "You moron")
* Direct insults ("Screw you")
* Offensive orders ("Go kill yourself")
* Using threatening, harassing, defamatory, hate-speech, or libelous language
* Using race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, handicap, nationality, or gender as a means of insult, either directly or implied
* Insinuations ("Are you stupid or something?") or insults towards family ("Your mom...")

Instead, members should criticize the post, not the poster. SEGA, the Creative Assembly, and related bodies are considered board members for this purpose, since some of them are. You can still criticize their games without insulting them personally.
6.
Obscene Content (3 or 6 points)

Patently offensive content is not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Providing images or videos displaying genitals or exposed breasts except in a serious and non-titillating context
* Providing images or videos of sexual intercourse (implicit or explicit), excessive gore, or other patently obscene material
* Providing verbal descriptions or details about any sexual act or sexual organs

If external websites use reasonably (not excessively) obscene content, such as mild nudity or reasonable levels of gore, you can link to them if you post a warning alongside the link. Likewise, embedded material that is not overly obscene can be provided if thread viewers must actively click a button to see it (e.g., spoiler boxes or embedded YouTube videos), and it is accompanied by a warning.
7.
Using Modders' Work Without Permission (3 or 6 points)

Using or distributing part or all of any Total War modification without permission is prohibited.
8.
Evading a Suspension (3 or 6 points)

Users whose right to post on the forums has been suspended or revoked must not create additional accounts to evade the ban. In addition to the normal penalties for warnings, the user's ban may be extended, and the additional account they made will be banned indefinitely.
9.
Impersonation (4 points)

Falsely claiming to be another specific message board member or other known individual is not allowed. Neither is falsely claiming to be a moderator, administrator, Creative Assembly employee, or other authority figure. Moderators may use discretion in enforcing this against impersonations that are clearly not serious and so unlikely to fool anyone.
10.
Promoting Illegal Activities (4 or 8 points)

Posts that incite others to violate the law are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, asking for or providing:
* Illegal copies of copyrighted software (ROMs, Warez)
* Methods of circumventing copyright protection (Cracks, CD Keys, mod chips)
* Illegal copies of copyrighted music (MP3s), movies, videos, or any other type of media (including in Mods)
* Copies of original Total War game files
* Methods of cheating in online games
11.
Harassment or Invasion of Privacy (4 or 8 points)

Continual harassing behavior directed towards a certain individual or group with the intent of creating an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment on the boards, with or without use of explicit or implicit threats is prohibited. Posting private information without permission is also prohibited.
12.
Other

Any other activity that is clearly detrimental to the flow of conversation and normal activities of the boards and its users may also be deleted, and responsible users may be penalized at the discretion of the Chief of Moderation.

Terms Violations (part 3)

Infractions of the terms of service are tracked using the infraction system, which allows moderators to record incidents in a reliable and centralized fashion. All such records of infractions are viewable in the user's profile to moderating staff and the user in question, but no one else.
Note

Notes are given when the actions of a member require staff to officially contact them. They are simply a record of that contact and do not contribute toward a member's warning level. They are recorded both to let other moderators know that the user has been informed of the particular rule, and to give the user a record of all contacts with moderators they have had.
Warning

Warnings are given when a member commits an offense (other than a very mild one) when the member should already know the rule in question, such as if a moderator has previously discussed that type of offense with them. Warnings expire after three months and contribute toward a member's warning level. How many levels an offense is worth can be found in the Member Conduct section in (parentheses). Whether to give the first or second number, if applicable, is up to moderator discretion.
Warning Levels

Warning levels are penalized as follows:
4 Can neither give nor receive reputation
8 Suspension for 1 day and no custom title or invisible mode
12 Suspension for 3 days and cannot use avatar/signature/profile picture
16 Suspension for 7 days and placement in probation

Penalties (other than suspensions and bans) last until the warning level is reduced below the specified penalty. Time during which a user is banned may not counted toward the expiration of warning levels.
Privacy Policy Statement
Definitions

"Visitor" refers to any person who is not a registered member of this site who is viewing it using a web browser.

"Member" refers any person who is a registered member of this site.
Policy

This is the web site of Total War Center.

You may contact us at http://www.twcenter.net/forums/sendmessage.php.

Other than in logs and other generally temporary media, which are kept private, TWC does not record any information on its servers regarding visitors that has not been deliberately submitted to it. IP and e-mail addresses used by members may be stored indefinitely for record-keeping purposes. Cookies are used to track the activities of members on the forum only, to permit features such as "last activity" in the member profile. Members may hide this information from those who are not TWC staff by setting this option in their user control panel. In this case, staff will treat the information as confidential. TWC does not use any device to track activities on other sites.

For purposes of validation, registered members of our forum are required to provide a valid email address. This email may be accessed by moderators of the forum, and if a user enables e-mail from other users, his or her e-mail address may become viewable by members of the public. TWC will never disclose your email address to third parties, and use by moderating staff is for the enforcement of the Terms of Service only.

TWC does not send unsolicited bulk e-mail. Bulk e-mails are only sent to users who have explicitly requested them in their settings. To disable e-mail from TWC, edit your forum settings and/or your wiki preferences. Even if you do this, moderators or administrators may send personalized, non-bulk e-mails to you for purposes related to the running of the site.

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If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact or us using the following URL: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/sendmessage.php.

This site is in full compliance with the terms of COPPA. In furtherance of this, those visitors under the age of 13, wishing to become registered members of the site must get permission from an appropriate parent or guardian, and provide proof of this by completing this form. Failure to comply will result in the removal of your account, and the deletion of any details held by us about you.

Notwithstanding all of the above, TWC is a non-commercial site staffed fully by volunteers. It is not possible for us to rigorously brief all staff members on the full details of our privacy policy, and we do not have the means to seriously penalize staff members for breach of this policy. Furthermore, many staff members may be under the minimum age necessary to make legally binding agreements in their jurisdictions. TWC does not employ lawyers and cannot guarantee that the policy presented here is realistically enforceable in all cases. While we will not intentionally violate this policy as a matter of course and will take steps to discourage its violation, it should be viewed as advisory and non-binding. We cannot be held responsible for violation of this policy.
TWC's Probation System (part 4)

If a user is a repeat offender he may enter in the probationary system. This is decided in one of two ways: (1) A members warning level reaches 16. (2) A member is enrolled by the Chief of Moderation following consultation with the moderating team. Any member of the moderating Staff can propose users for entry into this system.
How it works

* If a user is in the System every warning results in a suspension.
* The length of the suspension is decided by the Head of Moderation after consultation with the moderating team and it should not be shorter than a month.
* Subsequent suspensions during the probation period will increase in length.
* The length of probation period is decided by the Head of Moderation in consultation with the moderating team and should usually be no shorter than three months; the period restarts at the end of each suspension.
* The user in question is made fully aware of the rules and function of the system.
* Warnings acquired while on probation will result in a suspension and an upgrade to the next highest stage of probation (see below).

The Stages

* Stage One probation consists of a three month term with a one month suspension for any warnings acquired during that term.
* Stage Two probation consists of a six month term with a two month suspension for any warnings acquired during that term.
* Stage Three probation consists of a twelve month term with a four month suspension for any warnings acquired during that term.

And what about the "permaban"?

The permaban is reserved for cases of spambots and posting porn.

This example isn't precisely what I intend for it to look like but that's a matter for later.

Now, why?

Well mostly I am focusing this on the benefit of new members and for clarity. It may sound odd at first to us TWC addicts but people simply often do not know what the ToS is. Secondly because people do not read the ToS but they do read the rules. By dividing the legalities from the every day rules of the site (making sure that it is a legality to obey said rules) you have kept the boring but necessary stuff refrenced and you have simplified and collected the rules for easier use.

Empire:TW is soon to become more and more visible and we will soon have more and more members. A nice simple THE RULES thread leaves little room for confusion.

**Garbarsardar** · July 07, 2008, 04:52 AM

Nice. I also think that we should move the whole "Privacy policy" section in the ToS so the rules are shorter:

The Rules
You agree that you will not use any aspect of this service, including the wiki and private messages, to perform the following actions:

1.
Signature Size Violation (1 point)

Members may not use signatures where the total size in bytes of all signature images combined is more than 250 KB.
2.
Off-topic Posting (1 or 2 points)

Topicality is expected and will be enforced on all forums, so take the extra time to post on the proper forum. Examples of off-topic posting include, but are not limited to:
* Threads that are not related to the topic of the forum in question, or that contain no material that can reasonably be discussed
* Posts that are not related to the topic of the thread in question, or that contain no material that can reasonably be discussed
* Re-posting threads that you know have already been posted elsewhere
* In the Discussion and Debate forums, statements about other members, whether implicit or explicit, are off-topic. Statements that disrupt the discussion, regardless of intent, will be singled out in particular.
* Unsolicited advertisement for any website, product, service, or facility not first approved by TWC staff

You can advertise websites, products, etc. in your signature, avatar, or other profile fields, as long as you post productively and don't just try to get exposure for your advertisements. Recommendation of websites, products, or other resources are also allowed if relevant to legitimate discussions.
3.
Censor Bypassing (1 or 2 points)

Attempting to bypass the censor by misspelling, inserting spaces or symbols, transposing letters, using look-alike symbols, or any other method is not allowed. For example, if "gris" is a banned word:
* Not allowed: g-r-i-s, gr*s, g***, 9|-1$, girs, gryeeeas, grizznizz, **** (rhymes with "bris")
* Allowed: ****, ****ed, ****ing, g'ed, g-word

Prohibited words may not be used in images or videos embedded in posts. If external websites use prohibited words, you can link to them only if you post a warning alongside the link.
4.
Hard-to-Read Posts (1 or 2 points)

Posts that disrupt the message boards for other users, intentional or not, are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited, to:
* Conducting conversations in foreign languages, outside designated forums
* Posting excessively in capital letters, leet speak, or other hard-to-read writing styles
* Using misleading topic titles
* Consecutive posting. (I.e., double posts, triple posts)
5.
Insulting Others (3 or 6 points)

Posts clearly insulting other board members, individually or as a group, directly or indirectly, are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Name-calling ("You're an idiot", "You moron")
* Direct insults ("Screw you")
* Offensive orders ("Go kill yourself")
* Using threatening, harassing, defamatory, hate-speech, or libelous language
* Using race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, handicap, nationality, or gender as a means of insult, either directly or implied
* Insinuations ("Are you stupid or something?") or insults towards family ("Your mom...")

Instead, members should criticize the post, not the poster. SEGA, the Creative Assembly, and related bodies are considered board members for this purpose, since some of them are. You can still criticize their games without insulting them personally.
6.
Obscene Content (3 or 6 points)

Patently offensive content is not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Providing images or videos displaying genitals or exposed breasts except in a serious and non-titillating context
* Providing images or videos of sexual intercourse (implicit or explicit), excessive gore, or other patently obscene material
* Providing verbal descriptions or details about any sexual act or sexual organs

If external websites use reasonably (not excessively) obscene content, such as mild nudity or reasonable levels of gore, you can link to them if you post a warning alongside the link. Likewise, embedded material that is not overly obscene can be provided if thread viewers must actively click a button to see it (e.g., spoiler boxes or embedded YouTube videos), and it is accompanied by a warning.
7.
Using Modders' Work Without Permission (3 or 6 points)

Using or distributing part or all of any Total War modification without permission is prohibited.
8.
Evading a Suspension (3 or 6 points)

Users whose right to post on the forums has been suspended or revoked must not create additional accounts to evade the ban. In addition to the normal penalties for warnings, the user's ban may be extended, and the additional account they made will be banned indefinitely.
9.
Impersonation (4 points)

Falsely claiming to be another specific message board member or other known individual is not allowed. Neither is falsely claiming to be a moderator, administrator, Creative Assembly employee, or other authority figure. Moderators may use discretion in enforcing this against impersonations that are clearly not serious and so unlikely to fool anyone.
10.
Promoting Illegal Activities (4 or 8 points)

Posts that incite others to violate the law are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, asking for or providing:
* Illegal copies of copyrighted software (ROMs, Warez)
* Methods of circumventing copyright protection (Cracks, CD Keys, mod chips)
* Illegal copies of copyrighted music (MP3s), movies, videos, or any other type of media (including in Mods)
* Copies of original Total War game files
* Methods of cheating in online games
11.
Harassment or Invasion of Privacy (4 or 8 points)

Continual harassing behavior directed towards a certain individual or group with the intent of creating an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment on the boards, with or without use of explicit or implicit threats is prohibited. Posting private information without permission is also prohibited.
12.
Other

Any other activity that is clearly detrimental to the flow of conversation and normal activities of the boards and its users may also be deleted, and responsible users may be penalized at the discretion of the Chief of Moderation.

Terms Violations (part 3)

Infractions of the terms of service are tracked using the infraction system, which allows moderators to record incidents in a reliable and centralized fashion. All such records of infractions are viewable in the user's profile to moderating staff and the user in question, but no one else.
Note

Notes are given when the actions of a member require staff to officially contact them. They are simply a record of that contact and do not contribute toward a member's warning level. They are recorded both to let other moderators know that the user has been informed of the particular rule, and to give the user a record of all contacts with moderators they have had.
Warning

Warnings are given when a member commits an offense (other than a very mild one) when the member should already know the rule in question, such as if a moderator has previously discussed that type of offense with them. Warnings expire after three months and contribute toward a member's warning level. How many levels an offense is worth can be found in the Member Conduct section in (parentheses). Whether to give the first or second number, if applicable, is up to moderator discretion.
Warning Levels

Warning levels are penalized as follows:
4 Can neither give nor receive reputation
8 Suspension for 1 day and no custom title or invisible mode
12 Suspension for 3 days and cannot use avatar/signature/profile picture
16 Suspension for 7 days and placement in probation

Penalties (other than suspensions and bans) last until the warning level is reduced below the specified penalty. Time during which a user is banned may not counted toward the expiration of warning levels.

TWC's Probation System (part 4)

If a user is a repeat offender he may enter in the probationary system. This is decided in one of two ways: (1) A members warning level reaches 16. (2) A member is enrolled by the Chief of Moderation following consultation with the moderating team. Any member of the moderating Staff can propose users for entry into this system.
How it works

* If a user is in the System every warning results in a suspension.
* The length of the suspension is decided by the Head of Moderation after consultation with the moderating team and it should not be shorter than a month.
* Subsequent suspensions during the probation period will increase in length.
* The length of probation period is decided by the Head of Moderation in consultation with the moderating team and should usually be no shorter than three months; the period restarts at the end of each suspension.
* The user in question is made fully aware of the rules and function of the system.
* Warnings acquired while on probation will result in a suspension and an upgrade to the next highest stage of probation (see below).

The Stages

* Stage One probation consists of a three month term with a one month suspension for any warnings acquired during that term.
* Stage Two probation consists of a six month term with a two month suspension for any warnings acquired during that term.
* Stage Three probation consists of a twelve month term with a four month suspension for any warnings acquired during that term.

And what about the "permaban"?

The permaban is reserved for cases of spambots and posting porn.

**~~removeduser_487563287433~~** · July 07, 2008, 07:11 AM

I agree. Hopefully with some clever rewriting we can make the rules even shorter still, but that is a matter for another thread.

**pannonian** · July 07, 2008, 07:17 AM

A note about the probation system. It was changed in late December, and now works as thus (c&ping from the Den).

Probationary System

Any member of the moderating Staff can propose users for entry into this system at any time based on their infraction history. It is then decided upon by both the head of moderation and the moderation team.

How it works:

Once a user is placed on suspension any infraction can be reffered to the probation thread and can result in a suspension period of one month which can be extended if it is deemed necessary by the Chief of Moderation.

The length of probation period is decided by the Head of Moderation in consultation with the moderating team and should usually be no shorter than three months; at the end of each probationary period the user is discussed and may have their term extended.

The user in question is made fully aware of the rules and function of the system.

The main differences in practice is that there is only one stage of probation, and the default probation penalty is one month, with any more at the discretion of the CoM or the senior moderators. This was to address what we felt was an unnecessary complexity in the old system, and to allow for discretionary suspensions or waiving of suspensions.

I leave it to the Speaker to decide whether this belongs in this thread, or whether it should be split into another thread for discussion.