MediaWiki:Forum-policies-and-faq

Before contributing to the Sonic News Network Forums, please keep in mind a few best practices for conduct:

Primary rules
As with the rest of the site, the forums has its own rules and guidelines. All of the main site and chat policies remain in effect on the chat, including:
 * Practice open-mindedness and assume good faith
 * Be nice
 * Don't feed the trolls
 * No personal attacks
 * Listen to what the administrators or moderators tell you to do.

In a social setting, these key guidelines are even more important.

Other rules
While you are on chat or on the forums, you must follow all of the rules on this page. These include:


 * If an administrator or moderator warns you to stop doing something, then listen at immediate notice.
 * Do not disrespect or backtalk to an administrator or moderator as this may lead to further conflict and could potentially result in punishment (a ban).
 * If you feel that an administrator or moderator is unfairly warning you, then contact a different administrator about the situation.


 * No personal attacks. No accusations, insults, or threats.
 * As a rule of thumb, if you do not have anything nice to say, then do not say it at all.


 * Act appropriately on controversial topics (e.g., religion, politics).
 * If you do discuss controversial topics, do so in a polite and respectful manner. Do not berate someone for their opinions.
 * If you know you might state something that could cause controversy, then try to keep to yourself. This includes but is not limited to stating personal affiliations and beliefs.
 * When requested to drop the subject, do so immediately.


 * Keep the chat appropriate. Deliberately avoid discussing sexual or profane topics.
 * Inappropriate topics include, but are not limited to: sex, drugs, excessive violence, and vulgar language.
 * If a link you are posting contains foul language or material in the lines of that, please add in a warning before sharing it. However, the following topics cannot be linked even with an warning:
 * Pornography of any graphic nudity.
 * Extreme violence and gore. Minor violence and bloodshed will be acceptable.
 * Criminal activity.
 * Links containing discrimination towards any party.


 * Speak in English. This is an English wiki, and thus English will be the only language used to communicate.


 * Do not use the forum for role-playing. Roleplaying restricts the ambiance and conversation flow. If you would like to role-play, take it elsewhere or use the private message feature at the chatroom.
 * Role-playing is defined as the acting out or performance of a particular role or participating in a role-play game. Refrain from role-playing in a sense that starts an issue on the chat
 * Do not steal the identify of another user.
 * Do not pretend you are another user, and do not speak for another user. This can be considered sockpuppeting, which is a major offense against the wiki's policies.


 * No spamming, which is defined as excessive posting of the same message multiple times, or posting numerous messages of gibberish with no legitimate meaning. This can also include links, repeating the same word numerous times, as this prevents users from reading other messages. Spamming is considered a nuisance and will not be tolerated after notice.
 * Do not use uppercase excessively. This indicates a rude gesture of language. As a rule of thumb, four lines is the limit, though this is up to moderator discretion.
 * Do not use emoticons excessively.
 * Do not post ASCII artwork. This is an example of what ASCII artwork looks like.


 * Refrain from giving away personal information or pester to ask other users into revealing personal details about themselves.
 * This includes information such as phone numbers, your home address or sensitive contact information.
 * However, it is acceptable to reveal certain aspects of yourself at as long as you are aware of the risk you're taking and are comfortable in doing do. (i.e your name or what city you live in).
 * Foul and profane language is forbidden to use. Mild profanity (damn, crap, piss, hell) may be tolerated so long as it's used sporadically and is not directed at another user.
 * This also includes any words that plays a role in human sexual activity, or declared otherwise.
 * If you feel the need to use vulgar language, please censor the word using symbols (!@#$*).


 * Do not use the forum for advertising. If you want to share links with the community, make sure it accepts all things listed on the policy. The forum is not a media dumping ground.
 * Do not advertise other wikis.


 * The forum is not an emotional dumping ground. If you're having emotional problems outside of the internet, do not use the forum to vent. If you do share real life troubles, keep in mind you may be asked to change topic if it becomes disruptive, meaning it could break the mood and make people feel uncomfortable.
 * Occasionally discussing unfortunate events or asking for advice on something (relationship, argument with a friend, etc.) should be allowed, so long as it isn't brought up to be disruptive. Serious issues that should be brought to a counselor (self-harm, major depression, abuse, etc.) should be forbidden.


 * Do not bring off-site discussion to be enforced by the wiki administrators.
 * To elaborate, please do not bring any off-site issue onto wiki grounds for enforcement, even if it's between existing SNN or Wikia users. This could mean bring an conflict off-site of SNN, or using off-site conflict for enforcement here, more specifically the RfUR. (Anything outside this wiki, not Wikia entirely, is declared off-site.)


 * Lastly, Do not enforce these rules. This is commonly referred to as "mini-modding". Administrators and forum moderators are appointed for a reason. They are able to identify when the rules are being broken and know how to respond. Enforcing the rules yourself can result in confusion and miscommunication to moderators and administrators.
 * If you a feel a user who is breaking rules is going unnoticed, message a moderator or administrator. Do not take the matter into your own hands.
 * If there are no moderators or administrators on chat and a user is breaking the rules, contact one immediately, and provide screenshots of the user committing the act.

Forum FAQ
How do I stay on top of discussions I'm interested in?
 * With a Wikia user account, you can follow specific conversations and then receive notification messages (either on-site or via email) when a discussion has more activity. Be sure to sign up for a Wikia account if you don't already have one.

What are Kudos?
 * If you find a particular discussion or reply interesting, well thought out, or amusing you can show direct appreciation by giving it Kudos. They can be helpful in voting situations, too.

What are Topics?
 * Topics allow you to link a forum discussion with a wiki article. It's another way to keep Forums organized and to help people find interesting discussions. For example, a Forum thread tagged with "Lord Voldemort" will appear at the bottom of the "Lord Voldemort" article.