TOS Violations and Moderator Responses

[Captain Ewok 1,899]

By request (and in all fairness) below you will find a few examples of how a moderator may respond to a reported problem. You will also find below that an explanation to how we respond to different TOS violations. This certainly should not be seen as limiting, and will vary case to case.

Please note. Moderators do not police the board. They are complaint driven and will only be notified of a problem if you report it. Once reported the following may apply:

A thread may be locked if:

A topic goes way over the hill and has lost focus and a hopeless argument ensues. In this case please take the argument to another means of communication off this board or use PMs to discuss your personal issues. Do not create the same topic again.

Or

If a thread has truly ended and then becomes WAY off topic. It is suggested that members create a new topic to continue a discussion. It is confusing when a normal thread gets off topic by 4-5 pages!

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A post may be edited / removed to remove bad content if:

A person personally attacks another member by using profane language, verbal threats, or other forms of derogatory comments directly at a specific member. This is referring to blatantly derogatory and antagonizing threats, not one made in jest.

Or

If a post involves a person is discussing issues that may cross the line and violate the TOS. Common sense mainly to avoid this.

Or

A post places severe liability on another member, themselves, or the site.

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A person may receive a one or more day suspension if:

Again, a person personally attacks another member by using profane language, verbal threats, or other forms of derogatory comments directly at a specific member. This is referring to blatantly derogatory and antagonizing threats, not one made in jest. In this case judgment may be necessary including looking at if this is a trend or just a single event that will likely not occur again.

Or

If a person repeatedly disregards requests by a moderator to curb certain behavior that is destructive to the community.

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A person may be banned for:

A severe or repeated violation of the TOS. This will be on a case by case evaluation of what occurred.

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Unofficial VJ TOS Violations and Punishment General Reference Guide (key violations):

1) Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.

2) Post Content intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a broad demographic or group of people identified by a unifying trait or characteristic (discrimination). For instance, racist or sexist content may be considered hate speech.

3) Publish, Post, upload, distribute or disseminate or offer to do the same any inappropriate, defamatory, infringing, obscene, or unlawful material, information, or in general, Content.

4) Post any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary right of any party (the "Rights"), unless you are the owner of the Rights or have the permission of the owner to Post or transmit Content.

5) Post any files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer.

6) Advertise or offer to sell any goods or services for any commercial purpose, other than in areas of the Service that are intended for such uses.

7) Advertise or offer to sell any services or products on the Forums without the written permission of VisaJourney.com.

8) Post so called SPAM.

9) Conduct or forward surveys, contests, pyramid schemes or chain letters, other than in areas of the Service intended for such uses.

10) Download any file Posted by another user that you know, or reasonably should know, that cannot be legally distributed in such manner.

11) Impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is Posted.

12) Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Forums.

13) Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.

14) Post any information obtained or originally transmitted in confidence or with the implied belief that the message was to be kept in confidence without the express permission of the original author of the communication. Additionally any direct communication (with the exception of publicly viewable Posts on the discussion forums) between administrators or moderators and a member are strictly prohibited from being Posted to the discussion forums or retransmitted in any way.

15) Start a Topic duplicating a previous Topic or portion of a Topic that was determined to be a violation of the Terms of Service by a Moderator or Administrator.

16) Use any robot, spider, site search/retrieval application, or other device to retrieve or index any portion of the Service or collect information about users for any unauthorized purpose

17) Submit Content that falsely expresses or implies that such Content is sponsored or endorsed by Visajourney.com.

18) Create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses.

19) Condone or instruct, either directly or indirectly, others on how to commit fraudulent or illegal immigration activities in any way, shape, manner or method.

Suspension Length for above offenses:

Edited May 28, 2010 by Captain Ewok
updated rules

[Sheriff Uling 3]

I see all these life sentences. Can they apply for parole, get off on good behavior, perform community service, or something? Hehehehe!!!

[Captain Ewok 1,899]

There are always exceptions for good behavior and circumstances...

[Fandango 1,439]

I'm thrown by the original date on this thread...did we have organizers Jan 06?

[Marilyn. 340]

I'm thrown by the original date on this thread...did we have organizers Jan 06?

the titles were added a few months ago but the organizers have been around since April 2006

Ewok must have edited his original post, after the fact...

Edited June 23, 2007 by MarilynP

[eric&gen 0]

No such thing as TOS on here lol.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I am wondering what would happen to a poster that knowingly continues to post intentions/actions leading to breaking US immigration law, after repeated warnings from both the membership and the VJ moderating team to desist. Furthermore; why is it that posters are allowed to post "advise" on how to circumvent immigration law after being reported more and more?

I can joke like the best on the OT forum; but I take immigration advise quite seriously. People knowingly giving wrong advise that could lead to someone screwing up their own immigration process and even getting involved -through said bad advise- in criminal or otherwise illicit activity is a concern of mine.

If this is upfront and uppity; so be it. I would HATE for even one couple trying to navigate the immigration maze to get a shovel up the youknowwhat because of wrong advise.

[lgg 2]

Word....

I am wondering what would happen to a poster that knowingly continues to post intentions/actions leading to breaking US immigration law, after repeated warnings from both the membership and the VJ moderating team to desist. Furthermore; why is it that posters are allowed to post "advise" on how to circumvent immigration law after being reported more and more?

I can joke like the best on the OT forum; but I take immigration advise quite seriously. People knowingly giving wrong advise that could lead to someone screwing up their own immigration process and even getting involved -through said bad advise- in criminal or otherwise illicit activity is a concern of mine.

If this is upfront and uppity; so be it. I would HATE for even one couple trying to navigate the immigration maze to get a shovel up the youknowwhat because of wrong advise.

[Captain Ewok 1,899]

Updated first post.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I am wondering what would happen to a poster that knowingly continues to post intentions/actions leading to breaking US immigration law, after repeated warnings from both the membership and the VJ moderating team to desist. Furthermore; why is it that posters are allowed to post "advise" on how to circumvent immigration law after being reported more and more?

I can joke like the best on the OT forum; but I take immigration advise quite seriously. People knowingly giving wrong advise that could lead to someone screwing up their own immigration process and even getting involved -through said bad advise- in criminal or otherwise illicit activity is a concern of mine.

If this is upfront and uppity; so be it. I would HATE for even one couple trying to navigate the immigration maze to get a shovel up the youknowwhat because of wrong advise.

You mean to continually support illegal immigration? Oh, the mods support it whole-heatedly.

[Captain Ewok 1,899]

John that is not the case. The moderation nor I support anything illegal. What the moderators and I have to do though is follow the Terms of Service which includes sections that talk about attacking groups of people or others based on their beliefs or stature in society. I find nothing wrong with people having issues with immigration policy or law (and civilly/politely voicing that), but we can not have VJ become a haven where people simply attack others.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Some one direct me to the area governing thread locking or deletion at the OPs request. We see a fair amount of this from several repeat offenders. It generally falls into two categories; 1) OP asks questions about how to push the edge of the immigration process - but probably not break the law (i.e. how can I leave my USC spouse and still get AOS, etc. done), or 2) OP asks repeatedly goofy questions, doesn't like some of the answers, gets the thread closed, then starts another related thread, and later gets it closed.

When I ask mods why the topics are closed, I am told simply OPs request, although we are repeadly warned to stick to immigration related comments regardless of how goofy the situation is. If we comply, the thread is closed anyway.

What gives?

[Captain Ewok 1,899]

I am not sure if it's in the terms of service (not everything is since not everything is a term by which you agree to use the service). That said,it is a long standing policy that a member may ask for their thread to be closed. I am sure there are cases where it could be abused (and if so let us know) but in general we think that a member should be able to close their own thread regarding their concern(s).

[Brad and Vika 129]

I am not sure if it's in the terms of service (not everything is since not everything is a term by which you agree to use the service). That said,it is a long standing policy that a member may ask for their thread to be closed. I am sure there are cases where it could be abused (and if so let us know) but in general we think that a member should be able to close their own thread regarding their concern(s).

It seems to me that a member can abuse this, and some have. How many threads closed equals too many. It just seems crazy that you can work through an endless amount of questions and hypos, then the member decides he/she is done with the subject - and the thread closes, only to reopen in a related thread soon after. Lots of threads by mcat891 are good examples of this. If the purpose of VJ is to spread information, some of those threads should be open today, if only to illustrate how NOT to approach the process. And mods simply ignoring questions about this is not acceptable.

[Brad and Vika 129]

It seems to me that a member can abuse this, and some have. How many threads closed equals too many. It just seems crazy that you can work through an endless amount of questions and hypos, then the member decides he/she is done with the subject - and the thread closes, only to reopen in a related thread soon after. Lots of threads by mcat891 are good examples of this. If the purpose of VJ is to spread information, some of those threads should be open today, if only to illustrate how NOT to approach the process. And mods simply ignoring questions about this is not acceptable.

This is an example of what I mean. Ewok clearly asked for examples. I think I gave a set, and was totally ignored.