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[kban1]

SIMPLE RULES FOR THE DG

1.
We believe in freedom of speech and will not interfere with most discussions unless things deteriorate to a point where instead of cricket/other relevant topic being discussed, individuals are discussed. We recognize that certain threads like “God Speak” are enjoyed by all members of the community and these will stay as they are.

--Words such as damn, hell are acceptable but “f**k” are not. Please express your anger in a civil way without using abusive language.
--Do not personally attack other members, their parents or families.
--Do not make degrading comments about any region, state, community – we are a diverse population. Such comments tend to be viewed as an affront on the whole collective as well as the individual.
--The name of a person, place, region is a proper noun. Acceptable usage of proper nouns is that they must be spelled correctly. Spelling errors are understandable and acceptable, but if you continue to misspell proper nouns despite corrections or explanations provided by others, then it is liable to be interpreted by some as recalcitrance or malice. This offends people – please be cognizant of this.
--Do not engage in name calling or attributing characteristics to users. We understand that some of it is done in jest but anything mean-spirited in that nature is not acceptable.

If you find yourself typing a comment that incorporates one or more of the above – STOP. Take a breather, take some time off the DG. Calm down and express your thoughts in a civil manner. 


2.
Threads should be posted in appropriate boards.

If you do believe it is something that will benefit the entire community, feel free to post them on the general discussion. After a few days they will be moved to an appropriate folder by the DG mods and admins.


3.
Do not create unnecessary threads. Do not spam the board and try to start five threads about the same topic

Please realize that many viewers view the topics and at different times during the day. Most viewers tend not to look beyond the first page due to various reasons including time constraints. When starting a new topic, please browse through the first 2 pages to make sure that the topic or a related topic has not been covered before. If it has, then it makes sense to post your views / articles in that thread rather than creating a new thread. Of course some related topics may be important enough to warrant a new thread –the bottomline is please use your discretion. The creation of multiple threads on the same topic is bothersome and actually dissipates discussion rather than encouraging it.


4.   
Do not post risqué /graphic violence pictures on the general discussion. Under no circumstances are pornographic images to be posted anywhere on this board.

All such pictures should be put in “ETC” category. If you feel a picture has particular reference to the topic being discussed, please provide a note on the general discussion board that you have posted a picture in ETC category. Also, please label the thread where such pictures are posted with a comment that indicates to users that this should not be viewed in a professional environment.


5.   
Do not leave random messages in middle of the thread asking the moderators to take notice.

We don’t all read every thread. If there’s a problem, report it. We will discuss it and act upon it. This will take time. Do NOT start threads asking for a public hearing.

We shall not harass people openly, unless they’ve committed some grievous crime against someone. For most punishments, an informal warning will be issued followed by two official warnings. After this, a ban will be issued – the lengths will be determined based on the gravity of the offense.


6.
The Administrators and Moderators of the forum will, at their discretion, move threads that they believe have deteriorated to a point where their presence (even when locked) will only add to tension and result in angry responses from all parties concerned.

 
7.
The Applause/Smite feature is for fun. Do not abuse it. Do not indulge in serial smiting.

Suggestion -- Please do not allow it to substitute for discussion. Use it for posts that deserve really deserve commendation or condemnation.




This page will be updated from time-to-time make sure to read it.

[kban1]

Over the recent past there has been a proliferation of personal snipes and abuses - member against member.

In almost each case, it is not an isolated instance, its a recurring habit which manifests itself in different threads over and over again.

Even when certain members have nothing to add to the discussion, they pop in the threads if only to take a personal pot shot at someone else who has posted (someone they have a grouse against).

And its an ongoing sniper's battle. 1 person posts, he is attacked by someone. Then the first person's buddy joins in, which in turn, brings the 2nd person's buddy into the attacking mode. Pretty soon, the issue escalates in terms of member involvement, tone, tenor and language.

Diffusing such issues become a headache and impossible because it is one layer over the other, timeline wise. Because A says B started it. B points to an earlier post by A and A points to both B & C. Its an ever widening circle through time -- and a vicious cycle.

All this while, it impedes discussion, turns other people off, and creates problems not needed.

In the past as mods, we have tried to be patient, hoping that the combined years of adulthood will weigh over juvenile tendencies. As has been apparent, it does not work.


So from this point onwards, we shall change our policy to ACTIVE & STRINGENT MODERATION:

Mods don’t care what was said by whom in the past, who started the fight and who didn't - THE PAST IS NOT PROLOGUE.

1) DISCUSS ISSUES, DO NOT GET PERSONAL

2) NO MORE FIGHTS, ABUSES, PERSONAL REFERENCES, NO DEROGATORY REGIONAL / COMMUNAL/ RELIGIOUS / CASTEIST REFERENCES, NO NAME CALLING, NO BAITING, NO SNIPING

3) IF YOU ARE AGGRIEVED, REPORT A POST, OR SEND A PM TO THE MODS. DO NOT RETALIATE / RESPOND IN ANY FORM. ABSOLUTELY NO REFERENCE TO ISSUES ON PUBLIC THREADS -- THIS IS NOT A CIRCUS, YOU ARE NOT A RINGMASTER.

YOU CONTRAVENE ANY OF THE ABOVE, RISK A BAN. YOU REPEAT OFFENCES, YOU RISK A PERMANENT BAN

Effective Wednesday, May 23, 2007 5:30AM CST USA. Member co operation is requested.

[kban1]

Dear All:

One of the objectives of our change in rules (dated May 23, 2007) was to guide the DG into an atmosphere conducive to more meaningful discussion of issues and away from issues that detract from good discussion – such issues being bickering, fighting among members, personal attacks, discussing the poster vs the post, direct & indirect personal / regional references, baiting, sniping, mocking, comments designed to keep old rivalries alive or settle old grudges.

To a large extent, the stringent and active moderation has been effective in switching the focus back to discussing issues, specifically cricket related issues –the original reason we got together in the first place.

However, it seems that in our enunciation of the new guidelines, we did not specifically include all possible modes of expression. Specifically speaking, the privilege allowed to members to customize their profile.

We (the mods) have noticed, and it has also been brought to our notice that certain members (a relatively small number) have customized their profiles in such a way that the spirit of the rules are being breached – in essence sniping, baiting, mocking, settling personal grudges, keeping old rivalries alive, making direct & indirect personal / regional references are being continued via proxy, the instrument of choice being the customization features available under the profile options.

So, we are specifically mentioning this (because to some, everything has to be spelled out) to one and all.

1)   Your profile options (including personal signature) fall within the purview of the DG rules.
2)   Such options should not contain phrases / terms / words / sentences / quotes / expressions that can be construed as: 

•   direct & indirect personal / regional references
•   baiting
•   sniping
•   mocking
•   being designed to keep old rivalries alive
•   being designed to settle old grudges.
•   personal attacks

In the first round, we (the mods) shall not mention the names of the people whose signatures have been found to be unacceptable. There are only a few, and instead of making a public issue, we shall remove the said signatures. If you find that your signature has been removed, please understand that it is not a system glitch. It is a mod action based on the principles laid out above. If you have any questions, PM the mods.

Please do not change your signatures back to what they were before or try to adopt another signature which violates the principles enunciated above. Basically all the DG rules apply to personal profile features (including signatures).

Going forward, if we see signatures that we deem to be objectionable (to be decided in keeping with the principles noted above), then we shall request members to remove them. Once communicated, compliance is mandatory.

If we see members complying but then adopting a signature which violates the basic principles outlined above and communicated to the member originally, it will be deemed as a deliberate attempt to do what has been deemed unacceptable, and therefore deemed as non-compliance.

Failure to comply is actionable. Action can range from the mods changing the signature / profile feature to disabling the feature for the member concerned (or disabling it for all members if individual disabling is not allowed by the Software) to issuing warnings / bans.

These are rules, and they are not negotiable.

It is unfortunate that such stringent measures have to be adopted but it is obvious to us after almost 2 years, that some people will not accept the responsibility incumbent with adulthood unless it is enforced.

Any questions, please PM the mods.

---
The CV Mod Team

[CricketvoiceMods]

Dear DG members,

In the recent past there has been a lot of noise and activity around moderator actions and after talking to many long-term members, we feel that the DG experience of the members would be enhanced if we bring out more transparency to the moderation process.  With that in mind, the moderators are implementing the following

   
1.  An official moderator id called cricketvoicemods.

With immediate effect:

+   All official communication shall be issued from this id.  This includes communication about rules, warnings / bans etc. 
+   all moderation related PMs and/or reporting should be sent to this id.  Please make sure that all communication to mods is addressed to this id – this includes questions, PMs related to moderation etc.  Please do not PM the individual mod ids with issues related to site moderation – please use this id instead.
+   Moderators posting with their individual ids are posting on the DG as individual members of the DG – not as moderators (unless specifically mentioned – in rare instances where time is of the utmost concern).

2.  An official website email: cricketvoice@yahoo. com. 

With immediate effect:

+   All email communication from moderators will be sent from this website email id.
+   Please direct emails to this address going forward rather than the individual emails of moderators.


3.  When reporting a topic, please hit the report to the moderator button.  Mods will look at the report and take action / respond. 

+   Please allow 72 hours for actions to be taken (it might well be earlier).  Please keep in mind that mods are volunteers and not working full time. 
+   Please note that not all issues may be deemed actionable in mod judgment - if some issue has not been responded to / no action has been taken, that means that the mods looked at it and decided that it was not actionable.  Alternative steps such as a private communication with the person concerned may have been taken to ensure non recurrence
+   If you feel that the issue is important or if you wish to seek clarification, please wait for 72 hours before emailing / PM’ing the mods at the above mentioned email / id. 


4.  We are establishing the following approach to moderation.  Much of it has been in practice, but this is being enunciated as follows

+   When complaints are made, moderators will get together and evaluate the complaints. 
+   Action will be taken depending on the seriousness and gravity of the offense and issues such as repeat offence / offender. 
+   Please do not make public comments on moderation related issues.  This is automatically actionable.  If you feel strongly, please PM / email the mods to get a clearer perspective rather than discuss in public.
+   in general a reminder or a warning can be issued by any moderator, although in most cases more than one moderator is usually involved in the decision making process.
+   A ban can only be issued if at least 3 moderators are present (quorum) and a majority of the moderators agree.  Usually more than 3 are present but 3 constitutes a quorum


5.  Wrt to moving of posts / splitting of threads, we shall not be moving posts unless someone appears to have violated the rules that could be categorized as candidate for moderator action:
+   Only posts that are moved are those talking about mod actions and those that involve direct or indirect abuse
+   The only other time a thread may be split up is because the topic of the discussion has been completely overshadowed – in which case the thread will be split into a cricketing section and a non cricketing / humor section

A   for example a cricketing discussion thread of 80 posts has only 10 posts of cricket and 70 posts of social problems in India
B   or another example – a thread has been completely taken over by humor / banter / vernacular usage.


6.  In response to requests for transparency of mod actions, a log of moderation actions wrt to bans will be posted on a locked thread .  This thread will be visible to all members with > 75 posts.

An Illustrative Post will be as follows
Member : <xyz>
Action taken : <1 day ban>
Reason : <abusive language>
Duration : From ddmmyy to ddmmyy


We hope with this approach, we will enhance the DG experience of everyone here and take us back to the fun and vibrant place that it was a few months ago.  We are sincerely looking forward to the cooperation of all the members and would appreciate any suggestions to improve and/or fine tune this approach.

Looking forward to a great DG experience with you all,
---
CV Mod team

[kban1]

General posting standards for the General Discussion Board

Please make sure you are not posting suggestive or slightly risque pictures / photos on the main discussion threads since a lot of people access the main discussion boards from work or other professional settings.

Posting of such pics / photos should either be in the Etc board or in a separate thread (on the main discussion board) that you create  with an explicit warning in the header such as "Please do not view from work" or "to be viewed in private only".

Posting such pics / photos within a normal thread without anything to warn the unsuspecting reader has caused considerable embarrasment to a few readers who have opened those in a professional setting.

if the post appears commensurate to a discussion on the thread, please post in a separate thread with the above mentioned warning and then mention in the discussion thread that a picture has been posted for those who are interested in a new thread.

I would request everyone to please be considerate of the issues / concerns others face.