Offensive Postings

[Jon]

I would like to raise an issue about the way in which certain members are being treated on these forums. This forum was set up as a site where anyone with an interest can come together to discuss issues important to them in an friendly atmosphere, and until recently this has been the case. Of late I have been noticing more and more hostility towards each other, particularly where someone voices an opinion which is not like by the majority, or where a member responds to a question and is 'flammed' by another member who claims to have more knowledge. Furthermore, there seems to be a lot of hostility between the younger and older members of the board. There have been threads that I have read through which contain comments that I would have expected to hear in a primary school playground. Some of the behaviour illustrated is bordering on bullying.

 

This MUST stop now, and will no longer be tolerated anywhere on this site.

 

I have been contacted by members who no longer wish to contribute to the site for fear of being drawn over the coals because they dared to suggest something that does not correspond with the views of the majority. I have had (yet again) members threating to contact the site hosting company because of the way in which they have been treated.

 

We are a diverse community where everyone is welcome, and I expect each member to be treated with respect. We all have various degrees of knowledge, but if you know that someone has posted incorrect information, then tell the politely and in a friendly manner. If you are corrected and disagree, explain why in a friendly manner. As for this childish battle between the generations (and it's not always the younger members who are being childish!) then I suggest that the younger members need to consider the voice of experience, but the older members also need to consider fresh perspectives and alternative views. This site is meant to be educational, so lets keep it polite and friendly.

 

Moderators will be taking postive action against anyone who posts anything which could be deemed rude, offensive, defamtory, unecessary or breaches the forum rules and guidelines in anyway at all. Members who continue to post in such a manner can expect to be suspended for a period or time, or in more serious cases banned permanently from contributing.. Any member who wishes to complain about a post should us the [! Report] button at the bottom left of the post they wish to report and provide a reason. Each report will be investigated. I would advise all members to view the forum rules and guidelines again. If this behaviour is allowed to continue, it will destroy the forum community, and the quality of the site. Please be warned.

 

I realise that some of the debates on this site are on contraversial issues, and I accept that people feel very strongly about their views, but the site concept does not work where members argue instead of discuss.

 

Many thanks for your co-operation in this matter.

 

A couple of other points.

- I have noticed a few members who have wanted to change their name and have registered a new account. This is fine, but if you want to keep your current account, simply PM me with your choice of new name and I'll change it for you.

 

- I will shortly be reviewing the temporary rules that were put in place for the duration of the summer months. Please watch this space.

 

All the best,

 

Jon

 

Please address any comments about this annoucement to me via the private messaging facility.