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Abusive/Offensive
We will not tolerate repeated abuse by insults or other offensive behaviour. Please keep swearing in the course of conversation down to a minimum as the room is open to all ages and many parents prefer their children not be exposed to swearing. Never swear at someone else - this is offensive. | | For offensive behaviour, chatters and admin should politely ask the person to refrain. If they continue, admins may warn twice then kick from room. For very abusive behaviour of any kind, admin may kick straight away to minimise trouble for room. |
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| Discrimination
No sexist, racist, homophobic, etc language will be tolerated. This includes seriously degrading someone because of their race, religion, age or any other characteristic. | | Admin or chatters please tell the person that you object to what they're saying. If they continue, admins may warn, then kick.
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| Your Safety
The chat room is a public forum. Never give out your full name, address, telephone number, school name, or any other information that could actually identify you. If you want to meet up with someone you met online, check their reputation with the Admins and, if you're under 18, definitely tell your parents first. Always take someone with you and meet in a public place. For more information on online safety, read our Online Safety Rules. | | Admins are there to help keep you safe in the room. If you ever feel uncomfortable for any reason, or don't know what to do, talk to an Admin or email us at chathelp @ friendship.com.au.
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Private Messages
Some people find being addressed directly in private offensive. Please ask in public before privating anyone in the chat. If you're being privated, please try and have some tolerance, as the person may not know they're being offensive. | | For privating that is unwanted, admin and chatters please first ask politely that privating be stopped. If it continues and increases, admin may warn twice then kick from room in necessary circumstances. |
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Let's (Not) Talk About Sex
'The Friendship Page Chat' means no sexual advances towards chatters, in public or private. Hint: if you're solely looking for cybersex, try another room. Friendly jokes and banter in the main chat are of course fine. However, as our room is for all ages, please keep the public chat clean by not making direcent reference to sexual themes! | | If admin or chatters find sexual jokes offensive, or sexual advances are being made, please tell the person politely to stop it. If graphic sexual chatting or advances continue, admin may warn then kick from room. In serious circumstances, Admin Managers may place you on a lifetime ban. |
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Mystery Man
We've all been guilty at one time or another from joining under a different nick than the one we usually use. Please stick to your one usual name, as this makes for less confusion. Please don't come in as two different people at the same time. Like in "real life", it's nicest to stick to the one personality!! Please make sure the name you choose is appropriate for a friendship room containing children (eg is not offensive or sexual).
We now have special icons for those sharing an IP/networking. Please contact chat help to let Admins know you will be networking.
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| The admins will know if you're using two names, as they can access IP addresses (your unique internet address).
If admins find you as two personalities at once, they will politely ask you in private to exit one of them. If you use one or both of the personalities to be in any way offensive, they can warn then kick you. |
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Sounds & Smilies
Please do not abuse the ability to use sounds and graphic smilies in the room - ie, don't repeat sounds unnecessarily. More information in Chat Help. | | If you abuse the ability to use sounds, you may be warned or kicked and banned by an admin. |
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Honesty
Please do not lie about yourself or your life circumstances. Of course, you can keep whatever information you would like private, but we advise you not to lie to other chatters. Those making up something about their health, life or circumstances are always found out eventually. As in real life, treat your online friends as you'd want to be treated yourself. | | If you lie about your health or trick chatters into believing something significant about your life that isn't true, you may be banned by an Admin Manager. In serious circumstances, you may be placed on a lifetime ban. |
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Other Conduct
Joining with intent to disrupt the room Re-joining after being warned or kicked and repeating same behaviour Joining with graphic abusive or sexual nick Joining with your name containing an email address or web address
Spamming by pasting website addresses or other advertisments | | Admins and chatters must in some cases rely on their discretion. Admins have the power to ban straight away anyone who engages in this behaviour, though it is always the policy to ask nicely before taking action. Please use the admins, and tell them if a chatter is bothering you. :) |
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Language
While we welcome chatters from all over the world, having multiple languages spoken at once can be confusing. So please have conversations only in English in our main room, or of course you can use private chat in any language. We also offer a translator feature – contact chat help or speak with any Admin to learn more. | | Admins will gently remind you, but if you are deliberately making the room difficult for others they make take further action. |
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Access to Logs
All the admins do not have access to the log transcript, either public or private. So don't be worried that they can see what you're saying, because they can't. Only Admin Managers can access logs. | | Admin Managers Debs, village_idiot and Mr_Spock, and The Friendship Page Manager Berri, can access the logs, but will do so in cases of a serious disturbance in the room. This enables evidence of the situation to be provided to help resolve disputes, and the public portion of the log may be circulated to involved admins. |
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Enforcing Conduct & Complaints
Admins: The primary purpose of the admins - as well as being friendly faces - is to enforce these rules. Thus, please try to comply with their requests: they exist to help you! Regulars: If no admin is present, we love regular chatters to help us enforce the rules. Please politely warn the user, direct them to the conduct page, contact an admin if you can or send us a report to Debs at Chat Help, (incl. name, time and incident).
When admins are present, please try to leave it to them to do their job, as confusion may otherwise result - thanks! :) | | If you have a problem with the way an admin or chatter is enforcing the rules, please do not attack them in public. Instead, talk to them in a private window. If this does not resolve the issue, please email a complaint to Chat Help, including their name, time and incident. These will be investigated impartially and confidentially by Debs. |
