Forum Rules

[Admin]

Dating Forum Rules

Q. Do I have to register to use the forum?

A. You can enter as a guest and read posts, but you must register before you can post or answer a post that's already there. Registering is quick, simple, and free. Please join us.

Q. Is this a moderated forum?

A. Normally, no, although we do have two moderators that patrol the forums for trolls, answer questions and provide advice. They are Sandy and Marshall Bullock. There is also the Guide to Dating, who blogs and writes about dating-related topics over on the left side of this page, and who also has moderator priviledges. Her name is Bonny Albo.
Q. Are there any types of posts that are prohibited here?
A. Yes.

* Spam. Spam/commercial posts will be deleted. Please do not post to sell something or involve anyone in a money-making proposition either in the post itself or your signature line.
* Personal Attacks. Personal attacks will be deleted, and the person posting the attack will be given a warning. If they attack another member again, they will be banned from the forum.
* Religion and politics. In order to accommodate people frequenting this forum from many different cultures and religions, discussions that focus on religion and/or politics are discouraged. This is not to say that you cannot discuss either in the context of dating and relationships, but rather as discussions in and of themselves.


Q. May I promote my product or Web site here?

A. No. About.com Dating is a commercial site which is free to all of us because of paid sponsors. If we allow you to advertise your site or product for free, it's not fair to those who do pay to advertise on this site. Signatures and posts with commercial ventures will be promptly removed.


Q. Are there any "rules of behavior" at this forum?
A. Yes.

* No Profanity. This forum is accessible to people of all ages and sensitivities. If the word cannot be said on public broadcast television under FCC rules, then it can't be used in the Dating Forum.
* No Flames. It's ok to disagree with someone's idea, but it's not alright to attack them personally. No name-calling or personal attacks will be tolerated. Remember that there are real people on the receiving end of your posts, so please be considerate.
* No Threats or Violence. Messages that advocate or admit to violence towards others will be removed from the forum and may be reported to law enforcement agencies.

Users who are disruptive may have their posting privileges revoked at the Guide's discretion.


Q. Who decides whether a forum rule has been broken?

A. The site Guide, along with the forum hosts.

Q. What happens if I break a rule?

A. Typically, the Guide or one of the forum hosts will edit or the post in question. When warranted, posting privileges will be restricted or even terminated.

The forum rules and their enforcement is not a subject for debate. The guidelines in place are felt to be in the best interests of all posters, and conducive to keeping a peaceful and constructive atmosphere on the board.


Q. Who will be answering the questions I post at the Forum?

A. Questions may be answered by anyone accessing the board. This is a place where people help each other by sharing experiences, tips, as well as lending support and friendship.

Q. Can I get medical advice here?

A. No. For specific medical questions, always refer to your doctor.


Q. Can I link to other Web sites?
A. You may provide links to other sites if the information there is relevant to the discussion at hand. We also allow links to online news articles, for the purpose of informing forum members about issues relating to dating and relationships. Please don't copy and paste the entire article into your post, however. Copy a portion and provide a link to the rest of the article. This avoids any possible problems with copyright infringement.