The ChildLine message boards have been designed for you to talk about the issues that are important to you.
By creating a user account and by posting to these forums, you must agree to abide by these rules.
These rules exist for your own protection and to ensure that the ChildLine message boards remain a friendly, safe and supportive environment for all users.
a. Registration
Stay safe online
• Choose a nickname that you don't use anywhere else on the web. To post messages on the message boards you need to create an account. To ensure your privacy, choose a nickname that no-one else knows.
• Please don’t use an inappropriate nickname. If you use a nickname that is rude, vulgar or offensive you will not be able to post on the message board.
• Keep your password private. Don't give it to anyone, not even a trusted friend.
• Never use your own name or family name when you register for an account.
• Never tell anyone any personal things about yourself or your family like your address, phone number, the name of your school, even if they ask for it.
• If someone asks where you're from, it's best only to say a region or a town – don’t give anyone your home address.
• Never send a picture of yourself, your family or your friends to anyone you don't already know and trust.
• Don't post your email address on the messageboards. People can use it to hassle you with email messages or add your address to their spamming lists.
• Be careful who you trust online and don't believe everything people tell you. If all you can see is the words they are typing, you can't be 100% sure that they're who they say they are.
• Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous.
Further information to help you stay safe online can be found on the following websites:
http://www.childline.org.uk/.......staying safe online
http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/
http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/usingtheinternet/
b. Message board rules
This message board is for young people up to 18 years old. By posting a message you agree you are within this age range.
Dos
• Keep your messages on the message board clean and relevant to the discussion. Anything rude, crude, racist, threatening or otherwise upsetting will not get posted.
• Make sure your message adds something meaningful to the thread.
• Treat others the way you'd like to be treated - with respect.
• Look over the discussion group headings and post your message in the section that most reflects your message.
Don'ts
• Don't write messages on the message board that are obviously suicidal or contain graphic descriptions of self harm as these can't be posted. If you are feeling this way have a 1-2-1 with a counsellor or send a message through your private in-box.
• Don't arrange to meet anyone on the site, ask for anyone's personal details or give out your own details.
• Don't put details of other websites in your message. If there are sites you think we should consider for the contacts page please send these via the blue feedback boxes you will find throughout the site
• Don't quote lyrics of songs, chapters from books, magazines, comics as these will require permission from the copyright owner such as the artists/authors or publishers.
• Don't name individuals or say anything that is not true about another person that can easily be identified as this can amount to libel.
• Don’t use this message board as a chat facility. Specific messages to other users will not be posted, unless they offer advice or support.
• Don’t write a message stating your intent to leave the site (forever or for a short while) as this can leave other users feeling like they should convince you to stay.
• Remember the message board is a public forum for general discussion, not for personalised one on one chats.
Messages that are okay to be posted will appear on the board within 24 hours - moderators have a lot of messages to check through so please be patient.
By posting a message, you agree that we may use the whole or part of the message for the purpose of site fundraising or promotion.
If the behaviour of another member or the content of any posts on the messageboards makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, please contact a member of the moderation team immediately.
c. Member behaviour
The following rules apply to post contents, thread titles, quoting of postings, and usernames.
• Swearing
ChildLine’s messageboards are open to users of all backgrounds and cultures. In order to respect this, members are asked to refrain from swearing when posting to these messageboards.
• Offensive messages/Trolling
ChildLine’s messageboards are open to users of all backgrounds and cultures. In order to respect this, members are asked to refrain posting offensive messages.
• Racism, Sexism, Ageism and Religious Intolerance
These messageboards are open to all young people and are read and used by visitors of all nationalities and backgrounds. As such, intolerance of other people’s beliefs, culture, IQ, gender, physical or sensory impairments or age is unacceptable.
Members are asked to remember that other users may not have English as their first language and to extend the same courtesy and patience to others that they would wish to receive themselves.
• Flaming
Flames – posts that are excessively abusive, attacking, threatening, or aggressive in nature – are unacceptable and will be removed without warning.
Whilst debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, troublemaking or purposeless inflammatory posts.
d. Inappropriate Material
• Illegal
The discussion of illegal activities, such as software and music piracy and other intellectual property violations, are not allowed.
• Offensive Material
Any sexually oriented imagery or links to such content are unacceptable and will not be posted.
• Confidential information
Members must not post confidential or other information that may infringe upon the privacy, proprietary or personal rights of others. This includes, but is not restricted to, personal telephone numbers, email and postal addresses.
• Abusive or offensive usernames
Usernames that are offensive or which attack other forums users are not allowed and will not be approved.
Except for comments by moderators, the views expressed either on or via these forums are those of the author alone and are not necessarily endorsed or shared by ChildLine.
e. Moderation Policies
To ensure that the ChildLine messageboards provide a safe and friendly user environment, all posts to the forums will be pre-moderated
These rules cover the most common situations that can happen, but there may be other events that happen where we need to take action. We will take appropriate action to make sure that our messageboards and members are not disrupted, abused or compromised in any way.
• Post Deletion
Posts that breach any of the rules outlined in sections 1 to 6 will not be posted.
• Thread Deletion
Threads that fall into any of the following categories will not be posted:
- Pointless – the thread contributes no value to the messageboards
- Crosspost – the thread was posted to more than one forum
- Flame baiting – the aim of the thread is to flame or start a fight
- Duplicate – there is already a thread on the same or a very similar topic
- Off-topic – such threads will either be relocated to a more appropriate area or deleted altogether
- SPAM – the thread was advertising or thinly disguised market research
Threads that do not fall exactly into one of the above categories, but which are deemed inappropriate due to their content or nature will not be posted.
• Thread Closure
Threads will be closed under any of the following circumstances:
- Off topic - the thread is going off topic, but mostly contains useful information
- Purpose fulfilled - the purpose of the thread has been fulfilled - the author's question was answered, the topic has become irrelevant, etc
Threads that do not fall exactly into one of the above categories, but are deemed to have reached the end of their useful life, may also be closed. In cases where the reason for closure is not immediately obvious, a moderator will normally post a final message explaining the closure.
• Links
Members should not post links to external sites. Please use the blue feedback boxes to make suggestions providing they are not offensive, inappropriate or illegal. Any link which is found to be unsuitable for the ChildLine messageboards will be deleted.
• Moderation Explanations
Please do not start a new thread asking why your thread was not posted or closed. If you want to know why, contact a moderator, but please do not ask the community.
f. Your confidential locker
The locker is your place. This is where you can contact ChildLine by email and where replies to your emails are kept. The locker is also where you can keep all the things you have created using the creative tool.
Because ChildLine are here to keep you safe, all images saved to your locker will be looked at by ChildLine moderators. If you have anything in your locker that makes us worried about your immediate safety, or other children's safety, then ChildLine will then send you an email you asking you to think about talking to a ChildLine counsellor.