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What are the general guidelines regarding posting etiquette?

These guidelines will surely benefit you as well as other members. Remember,you are what you post.

Good Posting Habits:

Put things in Perspective -- If a post is made that appears to cross the line, remember that it's transient - in a week the words will have disappeared into the past and will be forgotten, unless you are the one that keeps it alive.

Don't take things personally -- We generally don't know each other and aren't communicating face to face. As a result, misunderstandings and confusion can easily occur. If someone appears to attack your ideas or opinion, don't take it the wrong way. Agree to disagree and move on.

Be Tolerant -- Respect the beliefs and opinions of others.

Use humor or poke fun at yourself to help defuse situations -- Avoiding the use of bitterness or ridicule will make you feel better while putting fellow posters firmly on your side. Humor is a powerful weapon so use it with caution and kindness.

Keep it friendly -- Any posts that come across as a put-down may be deleted. This is meant to be a fun, constructive learning experience for all involved.


What language, specifically, is prohibited?


While we could say that it's anything that would have caused your mother to wash your mouth out with soap, there is a very fine line between intent and the words themselves. There is no public list of prohibited words; if you believe a word is questionable, don't use it. If you find a questionable message in any of the forums, please contact us and we will determine whether the message meets our objective of offering a friendly and flame-free community for frequent flyers. Messages that we deem inappropriate will be deleted. Obviously, using alternate spellings of filtered words or even profanity in other languages, to try and bypass any profanity-filters, is not acceptable either.

Is there a formal discipline policy for members who don't follow the rules?


Yes there is. Any member whose behavior causes disruption in the forums, either because of the tone and language of their posts or their attitude toward other members, may lose their posting privileges for one week. Members who become disruptive a second time are issued a one-month timeout. A third strike results in a permanent withdrawal of the offending member's posting privileges.


There may be occasions when a member's posting privileges are permanently withdrawn before committing three strikes. Such decisions would be handled on a case-by-case basis, and will not be made lightly. It is hoped that any member receiving the first warning never has to be reminded again to stay on topic and not to engage in disruptive behavior.


http://www.flyertalk.com/faqstext.shtml#faq_03_06


Celebrate and Respect Our Diversity

One of the most compelling aspects of the FlyerTalk community is that we come from all walks of life and all parts of the world. We are as diverse in our makeup as we are alike in our passion for frequent flyer programs. Because we all bring a unique perspective to the forum, our collective experience is broadened, and we gain insights that otherwise might have alluded us.

Our diversity, however, also demands that we make a concerted effort to be respectful of other members of the community. Due to the inherent constraints of the Internet, humor, sarcasm and verses of slang can be easily misinterpreted - especially when crossing cultural boundaries.

When posting a message, pay extra care to how it might be interpreted. And when you come across a post that offends you, please re-read it with an eye towards giving the poster the benefit of the doubt.


Actions That Will Compel FlyerTalk Intervention

Inappropriate Posts
Off topic Posts
Off topic posts take two general forms:

Posts within a discussion thread that detract from the topic being discussed.
Topic-starting posts that are placed in an inappropriate forum. When determining in which forum to place a topic-starting post, pay close attention to the forum description.
We reserve the right to relocate or remove off-topic posts.

Personal attacks

We invite and encourage a healthy exchange of opinions. If you disagree with an opinion or idea expressed by another member, by all means, challenge the opinion or idea - not the person. Personal attacks on individuals, insults and "flaming" will not be tolerated and will be removed. You may challenge others' points of view and opinions, but do so respectfully and thoughtfully.

Do not retaliate or respond in any way to a personal attack that you perceive to be directed at yourself or another FlyerTalk member. All to often, when an initial attack is levied, others join the fray and instead of becoming part of the solution, they become part of the problem. If you feel that you have been the recipient of a personal attack, contact a TalkAssist volunteer immediately.

Also, please keep in mind that shouting online (typing in all capital letters LIKE THIS) is considered by some to be rude and difficult to read.

Offensive Language/Material

Any posts containing communications that are knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, obscene, profane, threatening, harassing, offensive, vulgar, abusive, hateful or bashing -- especially those aimed at sexual orientation, gender, race, color, religious views, national origin, or disability - will not be tolerated and will be removed. Individuals who do not abide by these rules are subject to having their FlyerTalk account permanently deleted.

Posts that contain explicit, obscene or vulgar images, or links to such images, will be removed without notice and accounts subject to deletion! Remember, posting to FlyerTalk is a privilege, not a right.

http://www.flyertalk.com/helpfr.shtml

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Hope this helps!

-Mark