Although the rules for SPAM are already listed in another thread, they are often overlooked and needed their own Thread.
Spam is strictly forbidden. Spam is the obvious, leaving links to any website that is selling a product. Spamming is also left up to moderators discretion. For example, if a newcomer joins and every post asks people to check out their blog, they will too be banned for spamming. "Email me for info" and "message me for info" falls into the spam category. Spamming also includes leaving links in your signatures. RULES ABOUT SPAMMING IS LISTED BELOW....
Links to known diet resource sites (fitday, thedailyplate, sparkpeople, and so forth); known healthcare and/or news sites (webmd, pubmed, cnn health, etc.); and legitimate fitness resources (lyle mcdonald, tom venuto, and the like) are permitted IN CONTEXT of an ongoing discussion.
The following links are NOT PERMITTED in posts or signatures:
Links to commercial sites, including those selling diet plans, nutrients, vitamins, cleanses, shoes, personal training, or any other for profit product or services.
[Exception: If you are posting in answer to someone who is looking for a resource for an item - for example, someone asks "what is your favorite protein powder" or "what kind of food scale do you use" or something along those lines. Legitimate discussions about particular diets may also have some links posted - for example, discussions about the Cohen's plan, or links to resources for those on Atkins, South Beach, WW, etc.]
Links to non-profit sites for any reason, including asking for sponsorship, promoting events, or bringing attention to national campaigns.
[Exception: You may post about events in which YOU personally are participating in your diary only; for example, if you're running in a 5k for breast cancer or something of that nature.]
Links to Google searches on a particular topic. Google searches can be manipulated and used to drive traffic to particular sites. If you want to post a link to articles to support your information, please post links directly to those articles (and please make sure they meet the criteria for legitimate sites - not commercial spam sites).
Links to personal blogs, websites, twitter pages, facebook pages, and other social media sites, whether they are commercial in nature or not. This is not a place for you to promote your own sites or blogs to gain an audience, a following, or a fan club.
[Exception: You may list your website URL, your twitter page, or your Facebook link in the appropriate field in your profile, but you may not refer to it in your posts (i.e. -"see the link in my profile for more information").]
Email addresses of any kind. There is a PM and emailing feature built into the forum software and you can exchange email addresses privately with anyone who PMs you if you so choose.
Links to any kind of researching, questionnaires, survey type of things.
Additionally, new members may not post links until they have made 10 other legitimate posts on the board. (This directive is straight from the Owner/Admin.) if you are a new member and have 10 posts or fewer, the moderators will remove links from your posts. If you post 10 garbage posts or one liners just to get to the point to be able to post a link, your posts will be removed and you will be banned.
Finally, do not post things like "PM me for more information" or "see my profile for more information" in order to circumvent the link rules. Anyone who does this, especially after having had other links removed, will have their posts removed and may be banned.
Note that any link that violates these rules OR any link that the moderators feel is inappropriate will be removed at the discretion of the moderators.
REPORTING POSTS (this notifies the mods that spam was posted or anything that we need to know about) At the bottom of a post, there is a green report button, this is the button you click on to notify the mods that there is a post we need to look at.
Spam is strictly forbidden. Spam is the obvious, leaving links to any website that is selling a product. Spamming is also left up to moderators discretion. For example, if a newcomer joins and every post asks people to check out their blog, they will too be banned for spamming. "Email me for info" and "message me for info" falls into the spam category. Spamming also includes leaving links in your signatures. RULES ABOUT SPAMMING IS LISTED BELOW....
Links to known diet resource sites (fitday, thedailyplate, sparkpeople, and so forth); known healthcare and/or news sites (webmd, pubmed, cnn health, etc.); and legitimate fitness resources (lyle mcdonald, tom venuto, and the like) are permitted IN CONTEXT of an ongoing discussion.
The following links are NOT PERMITTED in posts or signatures:
Links to commercial sites, including those selling diet plans, nutrients, vitamins, cleanses, shoes, personal training, or any other for profit product or services.
[Exception: If you are posting in answer to someone who is looking for a resource for an item - for example, someone asks "what is your favorite protein powder" or "what kind of food scale do you use" or something along those lines. Legitimate discussions about particular diets may also have some links posted - for example, discussions about the Cohen's plan, or links to resources for those on Atkins, South Beach, WW, etc.]
Links to non-profit sites for any reason, including asking for sponsorship, promoting events, or bringing attention to national campaigns.
[Exception: You may post about events in which YOU personally are participating in your diary only; for example, if you're running in a 5k for breast cancer or something of that nature.]
Links to Google searches on a particular topic. Google searches can be manipulated and used to drive traffic to particular sites. If you want to post a link to articles to support your information, please post links directly to those articles (and please make sure they meet the criteria for legitimate sites - not commercial spam sites).
Links to personal blogs, websites, twitter pages, facebook pages, and other social media sites, whether they are commercial in nature or not. This is not a place for you to promote your own sites or blogs to gain an audience, a following, or a fan club.
[Exception: You may list your website URL, your twitter page, or your Facebook link in the appropriate field in your profile, but you may not refer to it in your posts (i.e. -"see the link in my profile for more information").]
Email addresses of any kind. There is a PM and emailing feature built into the forum software and you can exchange email addresses privately with anyone who PMs you if you so choose.
Links to any kind of researching, questionnaires, survey type of things.
Additionally, new members may not post links until they have made 10 other legitimate posts on the board. (This directive is straight from the Owner/Admin.) if you are a new member and have 10 posts or fewer, the moderators will remove links from your posts. If you post 10 garbage posts or one liners just to get to the point to be able to post a link, your posts will be removed and you will be banned.
Finally, do not post things like "PM me for more information" or "see my profile for more information" in order to circumvent the link rules. Anyone who does this, especially after having had other links removed, will have their posts removed and may be banned.
Note that any link that violates these rules OR any link that the moderators feel is inappropriate will be removed at the discretion of the moderators.
REPORTING POSTS (this notifies the mods that spam was posted or anything that we need to know about) At the bottom of a post, there is a green report button, this is the button you click on to notify the mods that there is a post we need to look at.
