We take pride in keeping our message boards respectful, pleasant, and enjoyable for members of all ages. Please read the following guidelines before posting.
Self-Promotion is Spam
All posts are read by our administration and moderation team. If we catch questionable content, it will immediately be edited and/or removed for futher investigation.
While you are allowed to promote your web site(s) in your signature, you are not permitted to post links to sites you run or are in any way affiliated with in your posts. Repeat violators who post promotional content will be permanently banned.
Posting the same message, or an unsolicited commercial message, to one or many topics or boards is considered spam. Duplicate messages may be deleted or consolidated by our moderators. Please do your best to post new topics to the appropriate forum board. Moderators can take action when a thread should be moved to a more appropriate section.
Commerciality and postings with a larger agenda
It is SWOG's desire to maintain forums for the purpose of promoting the activity of geocaching and GPS usage. As a result, we intend to limit forum discussions that promote a commercial, social, political or charitable agenda insofar as the agenda does not reasonably relate to the activity of geocaching and GPS usage. Therefore, threads or posts perceived to have been made with the intent of promoting any of the above agendas will not be permitted. Please note that our Volunteer Forum Moderators are authorized to exercise their discretion in providing some reasonable latitude for forum discussion postings relating to local events and issues in local discussion forums. Notwithstanding the above, SWOG reserves the right to include or permit the inclusion of limited commercial content in this forum, in its sole discretion.
Copyrights
If someone has posted copyrighted material or otherwise illegal material, please notify SWOG by using the "Report" button or contact us so that we may take appropriate action.
Language and Trolling
Our community is family-friendly. There are young users and language should be kept within a PG-13 level. Vulgar language is not allowed. This constitutes the use of any kind of offensive, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate material deemed unsafe for younger members. Inappropriate language will potentially be removed and users will be warned.
Do not post provocative, outrageous, or pointless messages only to get a response from others, i.e. "trolling." Repeat violators will be permanently banned.
Lastly, if it is abundantly clear that a user has no intention of positively contributing to geocaching discussions, combined with an abrasive, combative attitude, they will be banned. Users must demonstrate an interest in contributing to geocaching discussions, as this is a geocaching site after all. In other words, users who wish to do nothing but argue are not welcome as they do nothing to contribute to the site and are not worth the trouble and headaches.
Personal Attacks
In order to maintain a positive atmosphere, no personal attacks or insults will be tolerated. While discussions may become heated, it is not an excuse to result to attacks or insults. There is a difference between a passionate, respectful discussion and one that delves into personal matters. Think of it as debating issues, not individuals. When the line is crossed, the discussion may be closed by the moderation team. Violators will be warned and potentially banned.
Moderators and Administrators Have the Final Word
If you have a problem or a complaint, direct it to the administrators and/or moderators, not to the boards.The appropriate actions will be taken. We reserve the right to ban flagrant offenders when deemed necessary, with or without prior warning.
Cross-Posting
If you have something to post and you're not sure which board it belongs in, do not post it in more than one board. If the administrators or moderators think it would fit better in another location, it will be moved there. Duplicate threads only serve to create confusion.
Signature Rules
A typical signature contains the poster's name, e-mail address, website, and a favorite quote or saying. Excessive font size are not allowed. Anyone abusing this privilege will be warned and then have their signature removed until they acknowledge this guideline.
Multiple Accounts Per Individual Are Not Permitted
If you forget your password, use the password recovery tool, in which case you will be able to reset your password, given that you have access to the e-mail associated with your account. If you are still unable to login, contact the administrator.
Again, please follow the above guidelines when posting on our message boards. If you have any questions, please contact us. Above all, remember to have fun!
