Deaf Chat Rules

GROUND RULES FOR ALL DEAFCHATTERS

(This is a long but absolutely necessary page. Please read these rules carefully before you register.)

OUR GOAL: A SAFE PLACE FOR CHATTERS

1. DeafChat welcomes people of all ages, races, religions, ethnic and educational backgrounds, sexual orientation, communication modes, and viewpoints. We do NOT tolerate expressions of hatred, bigotry, harassment, insults, or abuse, nor will we tolerate threats of harm to anyone.

WHAT'S OKAY AND WHAT'S NOT

2. DeafChat is for all ages, so chat of an adult (sexual) nature is not permitted. It's okay to discuss relationships and romance, but it's not okay to discuss details of your past or present sexual life, intimate fantasies, naughty cameraphone pictures, or your favorite X-rated movie or porn Website in the public chatrooms. If you want to discuss this sort of topic, please do it in private (i.e., have a private chat).

HOLY %$#@&*!!!

3.Religious discussions can become very heated, so out of respect for the many diverse opinions held by others, please go to the Deaf Christians' Room or Deaf Jews' Room to discuss religious and moral topics. (If you're anti-abortion, strongly support school prayer, wish to share a favorite Bible passage, or want to recruit Deaf people for your evangelistic crusade, please do not broadcast your opinions in the general rooms.) Example:

<JCLover> Are any of you saved? If you aren't saved, I can tell you how to be saved. You have to accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior, like I did 2 years ago. Jesus will take away your sins and get you everlasting life.

FAIR CONDUCT (IT'S NOT THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE HERE)

4. Visitors are expected to cooperate with Monitors without any arguments or disrespectful behavior. If a Monitor tells you to stop using a certain screen name or to stop using certain words, don't talk back. Comply with her/his request-immediately. (To gain a better understanding of the Monitor's role, check the Monitor's Homepage.)

WWWHHHAAATTT'SSS WWWRRROOONNNGGG HHHEEERRREEE???!!!???
(ABUSIVE TYPING)

5. "Flooding" the chatroom is NOT allowed. Examples of flooding:

a. Retyping the same sentence over and over again:
<clockwatcher> Hey someone talk to me!!!
<clockwatcher> Hey someone talk to me!!!
<clockwatcher> Hey someone talk to me!!!
<clockwatcher> Hey someone talk to me!!!

Warning: We have a system that automatically bans flooders. If you flood, you will immediately disconnected and banned.

b. Using too many letters at once without spaces:

<clockwatcher> Heeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyppppppffffflltttt

c. Typing in ALL CAPS is not allowed. It's hard on the eyes and is difficult to read. Using ALL CAPS is considered yelling in chatroom situations:

<John> HEY WHAT ARE U DOING TONITE? I'M LONELY

THE GAME OF THE NAME: CHOOSING AND USING A SCREEN NAME

6. When choosing a screen name (nickname), please keep the following in mind:

a. You may use only one nickname, so think about your choice carefully.

b. A nickname can be up to 16 letters. Alphanumeric names (combinations of letters and numbers) are acceptable—Jules56, A1Amy, 1990Kim, Jackie_77, Fergie+3, David#22, Lucky13, etc. We encourage you to use no more than four digits. A name such as "Perry10000" is discouraged.

c. Use common sense. Nicknames that violate any of the other rules of DeafChat are not allowed. No hateful, sexual, insulting or abusive screen names, please! Names such as Deaf Nazi, Big Boobs, SexCrazy, SuperWienie, ILYKKK, PLO, WhiteMight, Hi_Jack, Rapo, Caliber45, AK47, Killer, Call Girl, Unibomber, HappyHo, Pantload, A-Hole, Bugger, DL69, Jihadi, PrickTease, HotTongue, Fcker, etc., are not allowed. We reserve the right to refuse any nicknames that are not appropriate.

d Other names may not be considered appropriate to use in DeafChat. If that's the case, you may be required to change your screen name at the discretion of the Monitors. Please comply. Don't argue.

e. The words "monitor," "owner," "DeafChat," or "DeafChatters," are not allowed as part of any visitor's screen name.

f. Occasionally, you may find that someone else has already taken your name. If a Monitor informs you that the name you have chosen is already in use, please choose a different nickname. Do not add a number or symbol or geographical code to the name in question. Example: If you want to use SuzieQ for your screen name, but the Monitor tells you that it's already in use, don't use SuzieQ2, ~SuzieQ~, or SuzieQ (PA). Take a different name—"SuePerDooPer" or "SooZee." Use your imagination, and you'll find an appropriate name in a moment or two.

ETHICAL CONDUCT: YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE

7. Crabs (haters and troublemakers) are not permitted. Monitors (operators and watchers) will immediately and permanently ban any such person from the chatroom upon the first offense. Example:

<Betsy> I hate Christians. They're perverts. They need help.

WANNA BUY A NICE BRIDGE?

8. Illegal, fraudulent (dishonest), and deceptive activities are not allowed. Examples:

<Rickee> Anyone want to make a lot of money easy? I can tell you how!
<PeggyO> I have some great news for u. U can become a millionaire!
<Fred> I'd like to recruit some new people for my up-and-coming company. Guaranteed profits!
<KittyKat> Want $$$$$?
<ChuckSteak> Hey! I have a friend in Nigeria who can make us all very rich! It's easy too.

MASTERS OF DISGUISE?

9. Impersonating (pretending to be) someone else is not allowed. Examples:

<NTIDGal> Hi, I'm Dr. Destler's wife! Wanna invite me to your party?
<GolfClubber> I'm on Gally's Board of Trustees, and I'm a very big guy in the community.

NO FREE ADVERTISING!

10. Free advertising, promotional materials, and solicitations may not be transmitted (sent) to visitors unless officially sanctioned by Deaf.com. Example:

<RockyRoad> Check out my exciting homepage at www.xyz.com. You can buy my new book at a discount!

WHO'S WATCHING THE PARADE? SOME INFO ABOUT MONITORS

11. Monitors have been asked to confirm their presence in the Chatroom by posting their names on the Monitor Board of each Chatroom.

12. Some monitors watch the chatting invisibly, without posting their names. Just because no monitors' names are posted doesn't mean that nobody's monitoring the dialogue! Warning: please behave as though you're being monitored at all times.

13. Monitors normally avoid getting involved in interpersonal disputes among visitors. Please use common sense when requesting help from a Monitor. Visitors who are having an argument should try to settle things themselves without asking Monitors to mediate. Be aware that Monitors are watching over multiple rooms and your request for attention should be legitimate.

14. Monitors have been requested to be patient and friendly with people who are creating a problem. Visitors are expected to cooperate with Monitors without any arguments or disrespectful behavior. This means that any behavior that is not acceptable in "live" social situations will not be accepted in DeafChat.

15. If you find yourself in a disagreement with one or more parties, and you do not wish to talk about it, or you have been requested by a Monitor to quit talking about it because it's disrupting the other visitors' conversations, you may place the other party (or parties) on "Ignore [name]."

16. If you want to carry on an argument, you can go to "Private Chat."

THE EXIT: IF YOU LEAVE THE ROOM, PLEASE TAKE YOUR NAME WITH YOU

17. As a courtesy to others, we ask each visitor to remove their name from a room after they are done chatting in that room. Sometimes visitors enter a chatroom and see a list of names in the room but no one is chatting. This is because all the people in that room have left to go to other rooms but left their names behind. This is annoying to new visitors, and can keep people from entering the room if the room count is over the limit. If there is no one chatting in a room for several minutes, the Monitor will broadcast a message asking if anyone is still using that room. If no one answers, the Monitor will start removing names from the room.

A PEEK THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: IDENTITY, PRIVACY, AND LEGAL LIABILITY

18. When you register, we require you to give us your real first and last names, your age, and a workable E-mail address, for our records. The Chief Monitor will send you a confirmatory E-mail to verify your E-mail address, within 48 hours of your registration. We do not reveal, sell, rent, or share this information with any other DeafChatters, persons, or companies. This information is kept confidential.

19. When registering, you have the option to make your real name public or to keep it private. You can choose to allow your profile to be viewed by other DeafChatters. Or you can choose to have your profile blocked from view. If you wish to make your profile public, or if you reveal your real name to other DeafChatters, please understand that by doing so, you accept legal responsibility for the consequences. If you reveal your real name, that's your legal responsibility. DeafChat/MSM Productions, Ltd. is not legally liable for any problems that you may incur as a result of revealing your identity.

Examples:
a. <IrishSummer> My real name is Peggy O'Neil, and you may have heard of me. I'm famous in the Deaf community. I sell real estate. LOL!
<KiityKat> Peggy, I knew that was you! We have a little bit of unfinished business between us. You robbed me back in Fremont, and I'm going to get even with you!!!!
<IrishSummer> Go screw yourself KittyKat. I don't owe you nothing.
<KittyKat> Peggy, I'm coming after you, so you've been warned. I'm gonna send you to jail.

b. <SamRam> KittyKat, aren't you the same lowlife who ripped me off 5 years ago? I'm going to sue your ass off! I'm going to get your real name and address from this company and if they don't cooperate, I'm gonna sue them too!

STARVE A LAWYER TODAY!

20. By registering for DeafChat, you agree not to hold DeafChat or MSM Productions, Ltd. legally liable for any unforeseen legal problems arising from your participation, posts, identity, or comments.