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Message Board Rules

Reporting/Ignoring disruptive posters + Rules/Recommendations

How do I report a post to the site moderators?

If you see a message board post or thread that you would like to bring to the attention of the moderators, it is important to use the "Report" tool. This will make it easy for the site administrators and moderators to quickly find which post is being reported and why. Underneath the original post in a thread (to report the entire thread) or in an individual reply, you have an option to click "Report."

Click Report will bring up a window that allows you to give a reason for why this post needs the attention of the site administrators and moderators.

How do I ignore a user?

By clicking on any user's name or avatar in a post that they've made, a pop-up window will appear showing several options. One of those options, on the far right, is Ignore

If you click Ignore that user will be added to your list of Ignored users. You can manage the list of users that you've ignored by clicking on your username in the top right hand corner and clicking People You Ignore.

Political and Religious - Topics or posts are no longer allowed on any BamaInsider message board. This includes any topic or current event that can lead to a political or religious discussion.

If you see a post that you believe is breaking this rule or needs to be brought to the attention of the moderators please click on the "Report" tab on the offending post (see above). You can also email the Moderators at Support@BamaInsider.com.

General Rules for all message boards

1. No profanity, racist or sexist comments. This includes using abbreviations (WTF, WTH, STFU, GTFO and any other like these) or changing a letter of a swear word such that the word(s) are still interpreted by most as profane. Don't do it. This rule includes "linking to" sites that contain profanity, racist or sexist material. If the site might offend somebody because it contains swear words or is racially of sexually insensitive, then don't link there.

2. No pornographic or obscene material of any kind. Any user posting pornographic pictures, or links to such material will be blacklisted. This includes materials within a signature file or avatar.

3. No attacking or insulting other posters or a group of posters. If you feel the need to harass another poster, don't do it. The basic rule of thumb is if you would not say it to their face or if you would and it would then start trouble, expect to be banned.

What is considered attacking/insulting other posters?

* Bringing up their name in posts that they did not start or were not involved in, just to get a reaction from them.

* Consistently responding to their posts and responding with no merit other than to belittle them. (You don't have to respond to a post you disagree with or a topic you dislike.)

* Referring to them as a "moron", "retard", "idiot", etc. Calling a poster's post "idiotic" is the same thing. Don't do it.

* In short, making a poster a target.

4. Do not post unsubstantiated negative rumors about players, coaches, etc. If you have a link to a news story or a source you can name, it's fine to discuss it on the boards. But if you have heard something 'from a friend of a friend,' and do not name your source then this is not the website to post negative innuendo and rumor. Those posts will be removed and you will be banned.

5. No linking or citing fan blogs. Links or citing fan blogs is not permitted. These home grown blogs are not accountable to anyone since they are generally not credentialed. As a result, some spread rumors that are often unfounded or have no foundation in fact. Some of these fans blogs pull information from legitimate media outlets and co-opt the content as their own and do not properly attribute the original source. This rule does not include blogs associated with legitimate news outlets, web sites or newspapers that are credentialed. Links to those blogs are permitted. BamaInsider has the ultimate say on what is considered a legitimate media outlet that can be linked or referred to as a news source on the boards.

6. Same rule extends to social media. Links or citing to Twitter or Facebook entries of people that that hold themselves out media, or work for a premium Alabama website, are also not permitted (basically the same rule we have for fan blogs and competing premium websites). This rule does not include Tweets or Facebook entries of people associated with legitimate news outlets. If you see a Tweet or Facebook entry from a fan, fan blog or another premium Alabama website you feel needs to be addressed on BamaInsider.com, please bring it to our attention via email. Links to student athlete Tweets or Facebook entries are permitted as long as they are sports related (no links to a player tweeting about his date last night). BamaInsider has the ultimate say on what is considered a legitimate media outlet that can be linked or referred to as a news source on the boards.

7. No repetitive negative posting. What makes a repetitive post? If you come to the forum and consistently say the exact same thing about the exact same topic day in and day out, that is being repetitive. Be sure to understand that no one is saying that you cannot be critical. But this site will not be overrun by the same people coming on the site day after day saying the same negative things.

8. No trolling/flaming. If a poster comes onto the board with the intent to stir up trouble, and continues to post nothing but flames or engages in no substantive discussion, the poster's posts will be deleted and the poster will be banned at the monitor's discretion.

9. No attacks on players or coaches. Criticism is allowed, and encouraged as long as it is done in respectful way. But that does NOT mean you have free rein to bash or alienate a player or coach with your comments. If you disagree with how they played or the effort they put forward, please voice your opinion and state why you hold that opinion. If it's something you would not say to their faces, then don't post it. Please remember players, coaches and their families read this site so be respectful.

10. No attacking recruits. Just because a recruit chooses another school or is reconsidering his commitment does not give you the right to blast them, in any circumstance. There will be zero tolerance on this issue.

11. No posting of commercial offers, competing websites or spamming of the board will be permitted. All threads will be deleted at the discretion of the board monitor. If you wish to advertise on BamaInsider.com please email us at support@BamaInsider.com. If you have a charitable event or cause, or an Alabama related event to promote, and wish to post please contact us before posting. We need to verify the legitimacy of the charity/event and we have to limit the number of non-sports posts on our main message board. We typically get several requests to promote a charity each month and we want to do our part but there has to be a limit.

12. No posting or distribution any material that infringes and/or violates any right of a third party or any law. Please do not copy content from other websites and then post them on this message board. Whether it's premium content or not, copying content from another website without the author's permission violates copyright laws. If you continue to do this after being warned you will be banned. If it's a free story just provide a link. If it's a premium story do not link to at all since most of our users will not be able to read it. Also, do not link to an premium story through a "back door" where it can be seen for free. Post will be deleted and member can be banned at the monitor's discretion. This means no posting of premium information from other web sites.

13. Do not give out your personal information on the message board or chat room. Please keep in mind that whenever you give out personal information (such as your email, phone number etc.) online --- for example, via message boards or chat --- that information can be collected and used by people you don't know. You give out your personal information at your own risk. We are not responsible for any actions that occur if you give out your personal information. This also means you cannot give others people personal information. This includes any information you can access on public sources.

14. Your Username and Password. You are entirely responsible for your account. If you are banned as a result of somebody else using your account it's on you. You have control over your password but if you give it out to a friend or relative, or leave a computer without logging out, you will be 100% responsible for any post another person makes on our message boards under your account. You can easily change your password by going to the Member Services link on the front page (top right in gray area).

15. No fishing. Do not attempt to trick fellow posters into posting their email address by promising the inside scoop on a situation. These poor attempts at humor are very disruptive to the board.

16. No dominating the conversation. Do not dominate the conversation, whether it is a single thread, or the overall conversation on the board for the day. A successful message board community involves give and take. If one poster contributes too much, to the point of disrupting the community, he or she may be banned.

17. Terms of service. By subscribing, registering or using the sites, you agree that Rivals and or the publisher(s) and board moderators of the sites have the right, in addition to other rights, to delete your posts or blacklist you or any other user at any time, if they believe that action is in the best interest of the sites, for whatever reason, and the reason need not be disclosed. For more information, you can read the Terms of Service HERE.

The golden rule is a good one to follow: Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Cumulative offenses or complaints will be taken into account. When considering a banning, the moderators will not only take into account the severity of the rule broken but the prior offenses of the poster. If you are a multiple offender you won't be given the benefit of the doubt and your banning will probably be longer. In extreme cases a permanent ban is possible. If you are constantly on the radar of the moderators, even if you may be technically sliding by the rules, your posting privileges could be removed. If you are warned or banned once, realize that your leash will be much shorter.

Merging of threads. When a hot issue or news item breaks it's common for several people to start threads covering the same topic and these threads often overwhelm the BamaInsider Moderators have the ability to merge threads. So if you start a thread on a topic already being discussed and don't see it, chances are that it was merged with another thread.

Complaints and suggestions relating to BamaInsider.com or its staff must be made via email. Some people like to post complaints about the site, a story, our rules, a typo or error in a story, moderation of the boards, etc. on our message boards. We are perfectly willing to accept criticism and discuss ways we can improve the site but to express your dissatisfaction in an open forum isn't the way to go. Any complaints or suggestions should be emailed to us - support@bamainsider.com. Please keep in mind you are a guest in our house. If you enter a restaurant and yell out a complaint for the other customers to hear you will be kicked out - same rule applies here. If you do have a legitimate complaint or suggestion we will take it much more seriously if you take the time to email it to us.

Contacting the moderators. Contacting the moderators is as easy as hitting the "Report" tab or emailing support@bamaInsider.com. If you see someone breaking the rules, or another poster is hassling you on the message boards, either "Report" the abusive poster or email the moderators to take care of it. Do not take matters into our own hands. If you are banned or have a problem with how a post or thread

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