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New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:58 am
by Howard Mass
RealGM Users,

This is one of two threads we have set up where users can ask questions about the new General NBA Forum Policy that will take effect on Tuesday September 4 at 12:01 AM.

Please ask any questions that you may have and myself along with The General NBA Forum Moderators will answer them.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:58 am
by Howard Mass
The main points of the new policy are as follows with NO EXCEPTIONS

1st Violation= Warning
2nd Violation= Read-Only Access To General NBA Forum
3rd Violation= Complete General NBA Forum Ban

All violations will also come with a 12-hour Suspension so the user can cool down and be informed of the violation before posting further.

Everyone will start with Zero General NBA Forum warnings on September 4 and warnings will not count as a warning for any other forums.

Note:

- RealGM Three-day and Seven-Day Suspensions and Full Bans could apply depending on how many warnings a user has or how severe the violation was.

- The Following Violations will immediately result in Read-Only Access or a Complete General NBA Forum Ban

Racist, Insensitive and inappropriate Remarks
Personal Attacking A User(s) or Moderator(s)
Excessively Violating Forum Rules

Other Reforms To Improve The Forum

New User Waiting Period Restriction (Read-Only Access) Extended from 30 to 100 Days

Users who use Gifs or Pictures to bait users or derail discussion will be warned and could lose the right to post Pics and Gifs on the forum.

No Provoking Signatures or Avatars- If a user insists on having one that does this and does not want to take it down, Moderators have the right to request to have you get Read-Only Access.

Revokation of Ability To Start Threads- Users must look to see if there is already a thread for a particular topic before starting one. In cases of a breaking story and multiples threads are made within a few mins, that will be excused. Moderators have the right to lock those topics with a link to the appropriate thread to post in if there are multiple topics on the subject or ones that belong on another forum.

Should a thread be locked and a user ignore A Moderator's action and make a new one, they will lose their priviledge to start threads on the General NBA Forum and be given a warning. If users ignore the warnings, openly complains about it on the forum instead of in private or call out Moderators, they automatically get at least a read-only ban.

Users who lose the ability to start threads will be able to appeal to have this reinstated just like they would appeal a Read-Only Ban.

How Read-Only Access Works

When a user gets Read-Only access, it means they can only read topics on the General NBA Forum and cannot post

In order for a user to regain full access, they will have to write a PM request to Howard Mass which will be reviewed by a committee that will consist of Howard Mass and some General NBA Forum Moderators.

In the request, the user must prove that they understand the violation they committed and explain how they plan to conduct themselves on the forum if given back full access.

Note: If any user with Read-Only Access gets another user to post their thoughts on any thread. That user will automatically get a full General NBA Forum ban and the user who assisted will receive a warning or Read-Only Access themselves depending on where they are on the three-strike scale.

It is possible that we will ask you follow up questions.

Myself and The Committee would then vote on the request. All requests will be decided on within 60 days.

If a majority approve, the user will be given back full access with the understanding the next warning is a full General NBA Forum Board Ban.

If a request is denied, the user will be able to appeal again in 60 days provided they have no other violations during this period anywhere on RealGM. If they do, the appeal date will be 60 days since the last violation occured outside of 60 days.

Other Notes

Many times users complain that they got in trouble while someone else did not. Myself and The General NBA Moderators put in a lot of effort to give everyone equal justice but sometimes we do not get everyone or the user has less warnings and is not eligible for a suspension. We handle discipline privately and will not comment on what the other user(s) got.

If you have an issue use the report function, don't insult the poster, don't complain to a mod when you get a warning for insulting a poster, just report it and we will deal with it.

Each user needs to only worry about their own actions.

Users who currently are Board Banned from our General NBA Forum have the right to reply and request read-only access but their appeal dates to attempt to regain full access are the same as before.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:13 am
by RIPskaterdude
Hi Howard!

Who's in the committee? Can I be in the committee? :P

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:55 am
by Howard Mass
Skaterdude,

That will remain confidential and only General NBA Forum Moderators are eligible.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 5:49 pm
by EB2
Hello, I'm new here and I like these rules for the site. The only problem I have is that it's going to be a long time to post in the general NBA forums and I really want to post there :( . Why did the policy go from 30 days to 100. Also new users can't post pics or links, but they can post youtube videos. Why is that? thanks in advance for answering my questions. :D

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 8:17 am
by Howard Mass
The Beas Knees,

I am not completely sure if the new user restriction will scale back access for current users.

I'll check up on that for you.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sat Sep 1, 2012 9:41 pm
by EB2
Howard Mass wrote:The Beas Knees,

I am not completely sure if the new user restriction will scale back access for current users.

I'll check up on that for you.


That's cool, but can you answer this for me.

Also new users can't post pics or links, but they can post youtube videos. Why is that

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sat Sep 1, 2012 9:58 pm
by Howard Mass
The Beas Knees,

The other restriction lasts for about 15 days I believe.

It is to prevent spam. We might look into a restriction for Youtube videos down the line.

Please let me know if that answers your question.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sat Sep 1, 2012 11:37 pm
by EB2
Howard Mass wrote:The Beas Knees,

The other restriction lasts for about 15 days I believe.

It is to prevent spam. We might look into a restriction for Youtube videos down the line.

Please let me know if that answers your question.

It just seems weird is all. Thanks for answering my questions too.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sun Sep 2, 2012 2:58 am
by Howard Mass
Not a problem.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Tue Sep 4, 2012 8:06 pm
by jeff1624
I have a question. If by the 2nd violation you're only able to read and not post... then how is it possible to get a 3rd violation?

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Tue Sep 4, 2012 11:51 pm
by Howard Mass
jeff1624,

When a user gets a second violation, there is an appeals process as detailed in the policy.

If the user is let back and they commit another violation, it's a full ban.

Please let me know if this answers your question.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Fri Sep 7, 2012 7:55 pm
by EB2
So I have to wait 79 days to post even though I signed up here before September 4th. That stinks. Is there anyway you can change it so I can post in 9 days please. And once again Thanks in advance :D .

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sat Sep 8, 2012 8:02 am
by Howard Mass
The Beas Knees,

This cannot be done.

You will be able to post in late-November.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:36 pm
by 420
Sup guys, I'm wondering why I can't post in the Gen NBA forum after I was able to post there before. It says "New Users have to wait 28 days before posting."

Is this a new rule that took affect yesterday or today?

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 10:10 pm
by Howard Mass
420,

It's addressed in this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1204582

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:50 am
by 420
Thanks, Howard Mass.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 4:01 pm
by Howard Mass
Not a problem.

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:04 pm
by henryJSB
Hi, I was just wondering if there was anywhere else for me to post whilst I can't post in the General NBA Talk section? Does the same restriction apply to the other sports forums? Thanks in advance for the response!

Re: New General NBA Forum Policy Questions Thread

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:20 pm
by Howard Mass
henryJSB,

It is addressed here.

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1227738