Originally Posted by
SanDiego1K
We have a small team working on a rewrite of the FyerTalk guidelines. The signature policy is being examined for the reasons that you give. Input is welcome.
My general input on signatures:
- No referral links to sites where the referrer receives an incentive of some sort for each new referral as we usually have congas for those in S.P.A.M., and if we don't the person should start one
- No "PM me for a referral to XYZ" as again, we usually have congas for those in S.P.A.M. or the person should start one
- No "vist my blog for XYZ," be it various offers for points, miles, cheap hotels, cheap airfare, whatever.
- No advertising for bars, pubs, hotels, restaurants, airlines, pet stores, grocery stores, clothing stores, etc., to mean no commercial advertisements at all.
IMO, referrals should be done in S.P.A.M., in conga fashion. Should one not participate in the conga, they should not be allowed to list their referral in their signature, potentially earning several referrals, when those who play by the rules in S.P.A.M. can only earn one referral. Same concept for the "PM for me a referral," that is very popular, when there is a conga for those sites in S.P.A.M.
I would think that those who were concerned about people "gaming" their post counts by using OMNI games should support a change like that, since currently, many people are "gaming" the referrals.
You might want to read the thread
here for additional discussion about referral links in signatures.
Originally Posted by
SanDiego1K
We have a team of two or three mods each year who serve as our signature committee. This way, we ensure consistency in the guidelines for the signatures - though, of course, there are always tricky ones. The same people look at handles when requested to do so. We recently had a handle reported that was NSFW. Fortunately, we've got UrbanDictionary to refer to for some of us not familiar with current terms, sexual and otherwise. I blush now and again.
Signatures are handled very much on an exception basis. A mod will notice a sig while reading FT and will report it. Or a member will get in touch and ask us to review something and we do.
It might be helpful to know which mods are on the signature committee each year, so that those who have concerns about a signature can send a PM to them. I realize that we can send a PM to you, but If those who were on the signature committee were listed on the "view forum leaders" link, a PM could be sent to all at once, rather than sending it to you, and you taking the time to forward it.
I doubt many members are aware that there is such a committee, and that rather than RBP'ing something due to a signature, they can contact the committee concerning it, as sending an RBP may or may not actually be communicated to the proper people.