I will start with Civility and Interaction.
When encountering someone who is breaking the rules as stated in the FAQ or behaving in a "trollish" manner, a user should first ask that person not to engage in rule-breaking. Even if the user has a long-standing disagreement with that person. If the response is to continue on the same route, then and only then should the user proceed to throwing HRs.
I totally agree with this point. In general I rarely use HRs. There remains a question in my mind of what is rule breaking and trollish behavior. I never understood why disagreeing with the existence with the "pootie" diaries was considered rule breaking and trollish behavior. While I have grown to accept "community" diaries, I still do not believe they have a place at DailyKos and I object to comments to that effect being HR'ed simply because of the objection.
On to the six rules:
Do not make threats or calls for violence. Threatening to beat up or kill someone, or suggesting that people should kill themselves, or saying that poison should be put in somebody's crème brûlée, or making similar remarks, even as a joke, is prohibited and can lead to banning. This does not mean that all forms of cartoon violence, literary references, metaphors and the like are barred. Admin Moderation: A single warning. Second offense: Banning.
I believe a person should be banned immediately for threatening and calls for violence and reported to the police. I also believe the person threatened should be given the identity of the person who threatened so that the person threatened can take appropriate action such as seeking a restraining order.
Revealing the real identity or other personal information of a registered user who has not him- or herself made that identity known at Daily Kos or otherwise given permission for such information to be publicly revealed will result in summary banning. Among other things, such revelations include, but are not limited to, phone numbers, addresses, including email addresses not publicly available at Daily Kos, places of employment or clients, gender, sexual orientation, and the identities of other family members. Asking hostile outing questions such as: Do you work at such and such a place? when research has shown this to be true or likely to be true is a form of outing and will be dealt with as such.
I have mixed feelings about registered users having secret identities. My identity is not secret. However, when I worked for the federal government, I did not want myself associated with my work because people might want me to comment on things like the World Trade Center bombing, that I was not at liberty to comment on. Also, while not illegal I did not want anyone to think I was commenting as a federal employee.
I also believe that the anonymity of users promotes uncivil dialogue. People do not have to worry that their words can be associated with them.
Registered users working in paid or unpaid positions for political campaigns must disclose their affiliation when it is relevant to the conversation.
I totally agree with the paid political affiliation being disclosed. However, I am uncertain what "unpaid" means. Does putting a sign up in one's neighborhood count as an unpaid position. Does making phone calls in support of a candidate count as an unpaid position? Does holding a get to know a candidate meeting in one's house count as unpaid position? To me this needs to be clarified. Perhaps the word position could be defined to mean as having a title in the campaign.
Registered users who write GBCW diaries – saying they are leaving and never coming back – will be banned after their diary's 24-hour recommendation period has expired. A user who changes their mind may return to Daily Kos under their pre-ban moniker and user identification number only after appealing for reinstatement to the Director of Community or Markos. Users who write diaries saying they are taking a temporary hiatus from posting at Daily Kos are not banned
I had to look up GBCW to realize it meant good bye cruel world. I have read GBCW diaries, but, I have never recommended one. I see no need for banning.
This is a site for adults and language is not generally policed here, in terms of "shit," "fuck," "asshole," or any of those other family-unfriendly words. Avoid "fuck" in headlines to avoid triggering browser filters of users who log on at their workplace. Anti-semitic, anti-Arab, racist, sexist, ableist and heterosexist language, however, is unwelcome.
I disagree about expletives. Expletives are becoming ever more acceptable in common day usage. I also do not see the difference between f*$k and the expletive itself. As to the "Anti-semitic, anti-Arab, racist, sexist, ableist and heterosexist language" being unwelcome I totally agree. I believe people who use such language should be warned and continued usage should lead to banning.
Thread stalking is defined as having three requirements:
(1) On multiple occasions, one or more commenters follow a community member into diary threads; and,
(2) The commenter(s) posts comments that include false information, personal attacks, lies, or implied/express disclosure of private information; and
(3) The commenter(s) engages in this conduct with the intent to harass, harm, humiliate, frighten or intimidate another poster. This intent may be inferred from the number of times that the commenter follows a community member into threads and/or the nature of the comments posted.
Stalking does not include the mere expression of disagreement, seeking out diaries or comments of favorite diarists or simply frequent interaction on the boards.
Before calling someone a stalker or tossing HRs at a person thought to be a stalker, community members should post a comment explaining what conduct and/or statements constitute the stalking with a link to relevant evidence so that adminstrators and the community have a record to review.
While rare, I have been called names such as "coward" (only once) in regard to my dislike of community diaries. After I "accepted" the diaries as a part of life I no longer had a problem. I believe that when a person such as myself has an email address posted they should be sent email in addition to having a comment posted.
Comments are closed on this story.