CivicsWatch General Guidelines

[Greg Bernhardt]

In an effort to maintain the integrity of this site and to provide a comfortable environment for people to communicate, we ask that you please follow these Guidelines when posting on this site. These guidelines are global and apply to every area of this site. Mentors may choose to enact specific guidelines for individual forums, which are to be taken as an extension to the global guidelines when posting and visiting that specific forum. These specific guidelines are usually sticky topics placed at the top of the specific forum.

Application and interpretation of these Guidelines are subject to the discretion of the CivicsWatch moderators. Posts that violate these Guidelines are routinely removed.

We reserve the right to close the accounts of persistent violators of these Rules of Conduct at any time and without warning.

All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of CivicsWatch nor its developers will be held responsible for the content of any message. If you have a legal matter or complaint, please contact us directly.

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide a place for people of all demographics to discuss politics and problem solve ways to protect liberal democracy around the world.

General Posting Guidelines:

• When posting a new topic, please select the forum that best relates to the subject matter of your topic. If you are unsure, contact a moderator, the admin.
• A thread must invite good faith discussion. It is either asking a question or requesting perspective / debate on a stated position. Pure rant threads must be placed in the Rant Hall.
• Language:
  All posts must be in English. Posts in other languages will be deleted. Pay reasonable attention to written English communication standards. This includes the use of proper grammatical structure, punctuation, capitalization, spacing, and spelling. In particular, "I" is capitalized, there's a space after (but not before) a comma, a period, and other punctuation. Multiple exclamation marks are also discouraged. SMS messaging shorthand ("text-message-speak"), such as using "u" for "you", "pls" for "please", or "wanna" for "want to" is not acceptable.
• Multiple Posting:
  Posting the same topic across multiple forums or multiple threads is considered spamming and is not allowed. (No cross-posting.)
• Thread hijacks and off-topic posts:
  Do not hijack an existing thread with off-topic comments or questions--start a new thread. Any off-topic posts will be deleted or moved to an appropriate forum per administrator or moderator discretion.
• Reopening Locked Thread:
  Do not re-post comments from a locked thread without the explicit permission of a mentor.
• Reposting deleted content:
  If something you have posted has been removed by a moderator, do not re-post it without explicit permission.
• Bumping
  Do not "bump" one of your threads to the top of a forum's thread list by posting a basically empty message to it, until at least 24 hours have passed since the latest post in the thread; and then do it only once per thread.
• Fonts:
  When posting a new topic do not use the CAPS lock (all-CAPS), bold, oversized, non-standard, or brightly colored fonts, or any combination thereof. They are hard to read and are considered yelling. When replying to an existing topic, it is fine to use CAPS or bold to highlight main points.
• Replying to a Post:
  When replying to a post, please use the correct button! If you wish to quote a previous post in your reply, use the "Quote" button; if you do not, use the "New Reply" button. Do not use the "Report" button to reply to a post; this sends a message to the Mentors (moderators) and is normally used only to report spam or other posts that you think violate the Guidelines.
• Quoting a Post:
  When you quote from a post, please delete large sections that are not directly relevant to your response, to make reading easier, but do not distort the original poster's meaning in the process. You may add colors or change the font of words or phrases for emphasis, provided that you state explicitly that you have done so. Other forms of purposeful misquoting are dishonest and are not permitted.

General Content Guidelines:

• Please clearly state what you wish to discuss. In general, one should attempt to flesh out questions and arguments adequately enough that readers will have a good understanding of the issue. Core post content should be typed out and not solely contained in an image, PDF, or other attachment. (Exceptions at moderator discretion.) Use images for supporting figures.
• Personal Information:
  Refrain from disclosing personal information about yourself or third parties, information such as hometown, real name, and email address... The staff may edit out such information if posted. Also, do not post personal communications, such as emails or conversations, with third parties. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
• Acceptable Sources:
  Generally, discussion topics should be attributed to and traceable to high quality reputable sources. See section below for specific guidelines.
• ChatGPT and AI-generated text
  • Posting AI-generated text without explicit attribution is categorically disallowed and will lead to a warning and an eventual permanent ban with continued use.
  • Answering a political thread with AI-generated text, even with attribution, is not allowed. AI-generated text apps like ChatGPT are not valid sources.
  • Threads about the technology and cultural impact behind AI like ChatGPT are allowed
  • Usage of AI-generated text output in entertainment threads in General Discussion with attribution is allowed.
• Language and Attitude:
  The foul, hateful or hostile language will not be tolerated on CivicsWatch. This includes profanity, obscenity, or obvious indecent language; direct personal attacks or insults; snide remarks or phrases that appear to be an attempt to "put down" another member; and other indirect attacks on a member's character or motives.
  
  Please treat all members with respect, even if you do not agree with them. If you feel that you have been attacked, and the moderators or mentors have not yet gotten around to doing something about it, please report it using the "Report" button. If you choose to post a response, address only the substantive content, constructively, and ignore any personal remarks.
  
  It is better to walk away from a possible confrontation and come back later with constructive arguments.
• Attachments and Links:
  Images, material, or links to images and or material depicting hateful, pornographic, violent, abusive, insulting, or threatening in nature are not permitted. This includes GIFs or cartoons. Satirical political memes and cartoons will be permitted at the discretion of moderators.
• Religious Discussion:
  Discussions that assert the a priori truth or falsity of religious dogmas and belief systems, or value judgments stemming from such religious belief systems, will not be tolerated. As a rule of thumb, some topics about religion might be permissible if they are discussed in such a way to remain neutral on the truth of, or value judgments stemming from religious belief systems. However, it is essential to use good judgment whenever discussing religious matters to ensure that the discussion does not degenerate into a messy dispute. If in doubt, err on the side of caution.
  
  Because of the complexity and ambiguity of this subject matter, there are no hard and fast moderation rules that apply to all possible cases. Ultimately, it is up to the administrators and mentors to decide what is appropriate and what is not on a case-by-case basis. Discuss religious matters at your own risk: Administrators and mentors retain the right to lock or delete any religious thread or post at any time without warning or explanation. All administrator and mentor actions taken about religious discussions will be final and will not be up for dispute.
  
  Religious proselytizing is strictly prohibited! PF is not the place to promote or discuss particular religious dogma.
• Conspiracy Theories & Closed Topics:
  Discussion of political conspiracy theories and certain perennial pseudoscience topics that have been "debunked" beyond any reasonable doubt are not allowed anywhere on the site.
• Illegal & Dangerous Activities:
  Explicit "how to" discussions of illegal and/or dangerous activities, or posts advocating such activities, are prohibited; such as: how to make explosives, manufacture crack, steal software, hack into the CIA, ...
• Legal and Health Implications:
  CivicsWatch reserves the right to remove and block discussion where there is the plausibility that discussion may lead to litigation or affect one's health.
• Copyright Violations:
  Copyright infringement is illegal. CivicsWatch will adhere to the law to the best of its ability. Never post an article in its entirety. When posting copyrighted material, please use small sections or link to the article. When posting copyrighted material please give credit to the author in your post.
  
  Solicitations for copyrighted materials of any form will not be permitted. Posting links to unauthorized downloads of copyrighted material will not be permitted. Advertisements of locations where copyrighted materials may be obtained will not be permitted.
• Soliciting:
  Soliciting or offering financial payment for any reason is strictly prohibited. Asking for interviews or members to join a group, cause, or website is also prohibited.
• Advertising & Spam:
  Advertising for personal gain of any kind is not permitted in any forum. Commercial spam will result in an immediate ban. Posting first party website links will be permitted occasionally, but will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Reputable Sources

1. Established Reputation – The source should have a track record of journalistic integrity, fact-checking, and editorial oversight.
2. Fact-Based Reporting – News should be based on verifiable facts, not speculation or opinions disguised as news.
3. Transparency – Reputable sources disclose their funding, editorial policies, and journalistic standards.
4. Minimal Bias – While all outlets have some bias, reputable sources strive for balance and fairness.
5. Corrections & Accountability – They acknowledge and correct mistakes publicly.
6. Primary vs. Secondary Sources – Encourage linking directly to primary sources (government reports, peer-reviewed studies) when possible.

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(These sources generally follow high journalistic standards, though biases may vary.)

• Mainstream News Organizations
  • The Associated Press (AP)
  • Reuters
  • BBC News
  • The New York Times
  • The Washington Post
  • The Guardian
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • NPR
  • The Economist
  • Bloomberg
• Fact-Checking & Research-Based Outlets
  • ProPublica
  • FactCheck.org
  • PolitiFact
  • Snopes
  • The Conversation (articles written by scholars)
• Peer-Reviewed & Government Sources
  • NASA, CDC, WHO, UN reports, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

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• Highly Partisan or Propaganda Outlets
  • Breitbart, InfoWars, Gateway Pundit (Far-right)
  • Occupy Democrats, Palmer Report (Far-left)
• Conspiracy & Misinformation Websites
  • Natural News, The Epoch Times, Before It's News
• Clickbait-Heavy, Sensationalist Outlets
  • Daily Mail, The Sun, The National Enquirer
• Anonymous or Dubious Blogs & Social Media
  • Random Substack posts, Facebook or X (Twitter) threads, YouTube commentary without fact-checking

Comparative INTL sources are acceptable if they have an English translation version available.

Moderating and Disciplinary Actions

• The CivicsWatch y is moderated by volunteers on a regular basis and we ask that you please respect their efforts.
• Reporting Violations:
  If you witness a posting that violates these guidelines, please click the "Report" button, which can be found at the bottom left of the post. This will send a message to the Mentors and Admin, who will take action as they deem appropriate. CivicsWatch cannot guarantee that any action will be taken as a result of your request. Please refer to this Disclaimer page from time to time for any updates CivicsWatch may make to it.
• Contacting Moderators:
  When contacting the owner or a specific moderator, please make use of our Private Message system or email us. Do not post a topic in a forum regarding your situation.
  
  If you have a question or comment about how a specific thread or post has been moderated, please use the "Report" button. If you have more general questions or comments about CivicsWatch' moderation policies, it may also be appropriate to start a thread in the Feedback & Announcement forum. Please refrain from posting questions or comments about CivicsWatch' moderation policies and actions in any other forum.
• Disciplinary Action:
  A member may be issued either a notice or an infraction if deemed warranted by an admin or mentor (usually from guideline non-compliance). Infractions range from 1 to 10 "points", depending on the severity of the violation; notices carry no points. If a member accrues 8 or more infraction points, he or she will be automatically banned from CivicsWatch for 10 days. If a member receives any infraction after having returned from a temporary ban, that member will then be banned permanently. Obvious, incorrigible spamming or trouble-making will be met with a permanent ban.
• Appealing an Infraction:
  If you feel an infraction is undeserved, you may click the "Report" button on the infraction notice and explain why you do not feel the infraction was deserved. This will bring the issue before the rest of the Mentors who will discuss the matter internally and respond appropriately, which may include an action or message which is not visible to you. The Mentor's decisions are final. Hostility, insults, or other rule violations in the Report may result in additional infractions.

Miscellaneous

• All messages express the views of the author, not necessarily the views of the forum owners. Members grant CivicsWatch non-exclusive rights for the content they post. The owners and mentors of CivicsWatch reserve the right to remove, edit, move, or close any thread for any reason. This is a manual process, however, so please realize that we may not be able to remove or edit particular messages immediately. This policy goes for member profile information as well.
• Deleting Accounts:
  Please contact us. We adhere to GDPR laws.
• Deleting Posts:
  Normally, we remove or edit posts only if they violate these Guidelines. You should consider your posts and threads as permanently available for everyone's benefit. If you want us to make an exception (e.g. a question that has not yet received any responses, or a post that contains personal identifying information), you may use the Report button on the post to request action.
• Multiple Accounts:
  We allow only one account/username per person. Multiple accounts are not allowed (no sockpuppets). Similarly, only one person may use each account/username. Do not share accounts.
• Site Advertising:
  Google Ads are used throughout the website as a means to generate revenue. Please do not abuse the ads and only click on them if you are genuinely interested. CivicsWatch does not support or endorse any of the Google Ads. We encourage members to report crackpot ads to a staff member.
• Conversations (PMs):
  If exclusively personal contact is needed, use the Conversation system. The administrator reserves the right to, and can, view all Conversation messages.
• Use of this Forum and your comments are not a right. It is a privilege granted to you by CivicsWatch under the terms of this agreement and can be revoked at any time without warning.
• In accordance with the privilege of using this Forum granted to you by CivicsWatch, we request that you abide by the terms and conditions of our Rules of Conduct when using the Forum. We reserve the right to change the Rules of Conduct at any time.