Comments on: Your obligation is to keep your members safe http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/ Community Building Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:04:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Should children be allowed to join online communities? | Online Communities | Build an Online Community http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-15053 Should children be allowed to join online communities? | Online Communities | Build an Online Community Fri, 30 May 2008 16:29:05 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-15053 [...] online communities have a duty to keep their members as safe as possible. It doesn’t matter if a site is only for people over the age of 50; it should still [...] [...] online communities have a duty to keep their members as safe as possible. It doesn’t matter if a site is only for people over the age of 50; it should still [...]

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-12737 Martin Reed - Blog Author Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:47:41 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-12737 <strong>Michelle</strong> - I really do believe it is a good idea to ensure you have clear and prominent safety advice on a community website. You are right that there are a few crazy people out there - the least we should do as responsible community developers is try and educate our members by offering them safety advice. Michelle – I really do believe it is a good idea to ensure you have clear and prominent safety advice on a community website. You are right that there are a few crazy people out there – the least we should do as responsible community developers is try and educate our members by offering them safety advice.

]]> By: Michelle from the Coulee Region http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-12657 Michelle from the Coulee Region Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:01:41 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-12657 This is something I've been worried about myself. I've been online for so long and have my real name in so many places that I don't have a chance of being anonymous. I do my best to always treat people online like I would to their face and so usually get along with everyone. But you never know when you'll run into a crazy. I definitely advise people on my site to be careful since it's a local community site. More likely that crazy will be local to you. Right now it's kinda buried in my TOS. After reading this, I've decided to put warnings in more prominent places. Thanks, Michelle This is something I’ve been worried about myself. I’ve been online for so long and have my real name in so many places that I don’t have a chance of being anonymous. I do my best to always treat people online like I would to their face and so usually get along with everyone. But you never know when you’ll run into a crazy.

I definitely advise people on my site to be careful since it’s a local community site. More likely that crazy will be local to you. Right now it’s kinda buried in my TOS. After reading this, I’ve decided to put warnings in more prominent places.

Thanks,

Michelle

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10851 Martin Reed - Blog Author Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:43:44 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10851 <strong>Smiley</strong> - No surprises, there! Just ensure your members understand you don't want them to spam other sites - it'll hardly give your site a good reputation! Smiley – No surprises, there! Just ensure your members understand you don’t want them to spam other sites – it’ll hardly give your site a good reputation!

]]> By: Smiley http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10647 Smiley Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:20:45 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10647 Oh it was another site threatening me on behalf of a user I have no official affiliation with. But they don't even have a TOS. Anyway, I had a bit of a go at them in my reply to them, explaining I can't control users in other sites and pointed out they don't even have a TOS.. they've backed down! Oh it was another site threatening me on behalf of a user I have no official affiliation with. But they don’t even have a TOS. Anyway, I had a bit of a go at them in my reply to them, explaining I can’t control users in other sites and pointed out they don’t even have a TOS.. they’ve backed down!

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10634 Martin Reed - Blog Author Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:07:38 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10634 <strong>Smiley</strong> - If a user doesn't know that you do not allow advertising without permission on your site, it would be difficult for you to pursue or even justify the threat of legal action. Draw up some terms and publish them publicly so users know what is, and what is not, acceptable on your site! Smiley – If a user doesn’t know that you do not allow advertising without permission on your site, it would be difficult for you to pursue or even justify the threat of legal action. Draw up some terms and publish them publicly so users know what is, and what is not, acceptable on your site!

]]> By: Smiley http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10387 Smiley Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:55:22 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10387 Well, good move. Maybe several months down the line I can request that linkage again, huh, now I've differentiated?? And you lucky bugger, my software cost me MORE. It's flash, it's still user-friendly and simple etc. I just wanted to provide something different than other new sites. I know you were loyal to Chat-Forum for a long time, so they should have listened to your concerns, surely? I think you made the right choice moving. Anyway, off for that curry now! I shall post on your latest article once I return. Oh, before I go.. if you do not have a TOS that is public, then technically, you cannot threaten "legal action" if someone "advertises" on your site, right? (long story, one of my regulars have gotten me into trouble with another site.. lol) Well, good move. Maybe several months down the line I can request that linkage again, huh, now I’ve differentiated??

And you lucky bugger, my software cost me MORE. It’s flash, it’s still user-friendly and simple etc. I just wanted to provide something different than other new sites.

I know you were loyal to Chat-Forum for a long time, so they should have listened to your concerns, surely? I think you made the right choice moving.

Anyway, off for that curry now! I shall post on your latest article once I return.

Oh, before I go.. if you do not have a TOS that is public, then technically, you cannot threaten “legal action” if someone “advertises” on your site, right? (long story, one of my regulars have gotten me into trouble with another site.. lol)

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10371 Martin Reed - Blog Author Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:54:21 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10371 <strong>Smiley</strong> - The <a href="http://www.justchat.co.uk/boards/viewtopic.php?t=14899">reason we changed</a> is no secret - I really didn't like the new version of the Chat-Forum software, and the company didn't seem to care about my concerns or opinions - even though I was running a beta test with them. Chat-Forum was also very limiting when it came to customisation and admin features. The new software is pretty similar in terms of its user interface, so it shouldn't confuse our visitors. At the same time, we have software which costs us less, is more flexible and offers more features. Smiley – The reason we changed is no secret – I really didn’t like the new version of the Chat-Forum software, and the company didn’t seem to care about my concerns or opinions – even though I was running a beta test with them.

Chat-Forum was also very limiting when it came to customisation and admin features. The new software is pretty similar in terms of its user interface, so it shouldn’t confuse our visitors. At the same time, we have software which costs us less, is more flexible and offers more features.

]]> By: Smiley http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10218 Smiley Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:45:53 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10218 Ha ha ha, yes, I see you've switched from Chat Forum, too. Good move I think. Do you mind if I ask why you changed, or is that a secret? I changed because it just doesn't have anything 'new' to offer from a new site. My site just wasn't getting anywhere with it, the forums took off, and I was receiving visitors in the Chat Forum all the time, but none were staying, they mainly sat in the forum list. After moving servers, I had to convince my old regulars to come back, so showed them I was making a bigger effort to attract new visitors. It's still not packed, far from it, but new people tend to stay much longer now as they enter the chat room straight away and have regulars to chat to and, hopefully, convert them into regulars themselves! I think it's very important to remind people not to give out personal information, I reckon 20 minutes is about right for public broadcasts. It's amazing how many communities I've browsed along my travels lately (research) to find NO public attempts to advise their visitors. Ha ha ha, yes, I see you’ve switched from Chat Forum, too. Good move I think. Do you mind if I ask why you changed, or is that a secret?

I changed because it just doesn’t have anything ‘new’ to offer from a new site. My site just wasn’t getting anywhere with it, the forums took off, and I was receiving visitors in the Chat Forum all the time, but none were staying, they mainly sat in the forum list.

After moving servers, I had to convince my old regulars to come back, so showed them I was making a bigger effort to attract new visitors.

It’s still not packed, far from it, but new people tend to stay much longer now as they enter the chat room straight away and have regulars to chat to and, hopefully, convert them into regulars themselves!

I think it’s very important to remind people not to give out personal information, I reckon 20 minutes is about right for public broadcasts.

It’s amazing how many communities I’ve browsed along my travels lately (research) to find NO public attempts to advise their visitors.

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10192 Martin Reed - Blog Author Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:51:17 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/your-obligation-is-to-keep-your-members-safe/#comment-10192 <strong>Smiley</strong> - Great minds think alike; I have already set a public broadcast to warn people never to reveal personal information online. Oh, and I even have it set to 20 minutes as well! Smiley – Great minds think alike; I have already set a public broadcast to warn people never to reveal personal information online. Oh, and I even have it set to 20 minutes as well!

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