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The AVEN Terms of Service (ToS)


Cate Perfect

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This portion of section 6:

A reinstated member comes back with 2 active warns, one lasting 3 months and one 6 months. The terms of reinstatement also include a possible permanent ban if it is earned (that cannot be appealed).

The returning member will be permanently banned under the following circumstances:

- If a nudge is received at anytime in the first six months

- If a warn is received in the first 3 months

- If two warns are accrued in the following 3 months, as, after the first 3 months, one warn expires and one is still active

- If 3 active warns are accrued after the probation period has ended

- If the returning member socks, trolls, flames, or similar, at any time

has been updated to this:

A reinstated member comes back with 2 active warns, both of which last 6 months. The terms of reinstatement also include a possible permanent ban if it is earned (that cannot be appealed).

While on probation, the returning member will be permanently banned under the following circumstances:

- If a nudge is received

- If a warn is received

- If the returning member socks, trolls, flames, or similar, at any time

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Changes to section 6:

The following:

When a member is banned, if it's not a troll or a spammer, a post will be made in Mod Forum with a short description of the reasons for the ban.


Moderators are able to warn for an offence in their forum without consulting the other Admods first. However, if an Admod is unsure, the issue is brought up in the Admods forum to be discussed.

Has been changed to:

When a member is banned, if the member is not a spammer a post will be made in the Admod Archives with a short description of why the member was banned. Note: some member bans will not be mentioned in the event that the member was banned for harassment or other reasons based on the Admod's discretion"


Moderators are required to bring up warnings with the admod team at least 24 hours prior to sending a warning for the team to review the situation.

Also, some mentions of admod and pt were changed to staff or had DT included.

Edited by Guest
added ToS quotes
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Changes made to section 5, Display Names.

 

Changed from:

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On 8/5/2005 at 10:25 AM, Cate Perfect said:

Display Names:
All display names must be at least three (3) non-white-space characters. Furthermore, to facilitate search functionality, we would ask that any display name contain at least two (2) consecutive non-white-space characters. Users may change their display names six (6) times per year (365 days). Names found to be too short or otherwise inappropriate may be changed without warning though the Admod Team will attempt to contact the user in question before any changes are made where it is not considered urgent. To learn how to change your display name, click here.

 

 

Changed to:

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Display Names:
All display names must be at least three (3) non-white-space characters. Furthermore, to facilitate search functionality, we would ask that any display name contain at least two (2) consecutive non-white-space characters. Users may change their display names six (6) times per year (365 days). Names found to be too short or otherwise inappropriate (this includes vulgar/profane words and words that are against the ToS) may be changed without warning though the Admod Team will attempt to contact the user in question before any changes are made where it is not considered urgent. To learn how to change your display name, click here.

 

 

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Changes made to Section 6a. for clarification.

 

Changed from:

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a. "Play nice warning" -- These are similar to a nudge that are not directed at anyone. They are posted in a thread that seems like it might escalate into flaming.

 

 

To:

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a. "Play nice warning" -- Official communications from Moderators or Administrators are posts in bold green or red text. These are similar to nudges but are not directed at anyone in particular. They are posted in a thread that might escalate into flaming.
 

Green or red posts in a thread may be considered a nudge depending upon the severity of the situation. Even though they do not name anyone specifically, continuing the action that prompted the green/red post may result in editing or removal of content and further disciplinary action per the discretion of the moderator.  Green and red posts that do not fall under this criteria include thread/post moves, post locks, or other in-thread instructions or announcements.

 

 

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Section 2j. Members' security has been amended for clarification and specifics regarding bullying.

 

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j. Members' security
Stalking, bullying or harassing of any kind will not be tolerated. Should any account be used or created for this purpose, the account holder will be subject to official warning or outright banning from the site.

 

 

To:

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j. Members' security
Stalking, bullying or harassing of any kind will not be tolerated. Should any account be used or created for this purpose, the account holder will be subject to official warning or outright banning from the site.
 
Bullying includes, but is not limited to, hateful comments, implying that someone is "less than" because of their beliefs or orientations, and "spill over" arguments that take place in multiple forums. This also applies to behaviors in AVEN chat and anything that starts in chat and continues in the forums (or vise versa). Bullying is generally considered to be repeated behavior towards someone in an attempt to intimidate them.

 

 

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Updated the link to the rules for researchers and students (the old ones have been replaced, so the link was not correct any more).

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Added in section 6e. What was 6e is now 6f.

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Updated deletion requests section.

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Updated section 2a to include the portion about outside links known to harass members:

 

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AVEN reserves the right to de-list, delete or ban any links or advertisements to websites known to harass, bully or otherwise antagonize our members. The safety and well-being of the general membership is important and this rule is a pro-active step in creating guidelines for a respectful relationship between AVEN and external websites and communities. This is not meant to close discussion or even disagreement/criticisms of AVEN, but rather focus on the membership and community within.

 

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scarletlatitude

Updated 6e to the following:

 

Spoiler

Whenever a member receives an Official Warning for transphobic content or for gender identity related offences (such as identity policing with genders), then their warning will come with a temporary suspension of their ability to see or post in the Gender Discussion forum. If a member gets a warning for any content in the Tea and Sympathy forum, their warning will come with a temporary suspension of their ability to see or post in the Tea and Sympathy forum. If a member is repeatedly warned in either forum (gender or T&S), they may permanently be banned from that forum. Note that ban lengths may vary depending on the severity of the infraction. 

 

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Section 6f said this:

 

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f. If either a Moderator or Administrator is warned, they are automatically relieved of their position. In the event a staff member is found to be irresponsible and is removed from their position, they will be barred from running in any election for 180 days, starting from the day they are removed from their position.

 

It has been updated to this:

 

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f. If either a Moderator or Administrator is warned, they are automatically relieved of their position. In the event a staff member is found to be irresponsible and is removed from their position, they will be barred from running in any election for the same time period as if they had received their first active warning, starting from the day they are removed from their position.

 

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Added a section 8

Spoiler

The admod team discourages the use of software that might allow a user to put an admod on "ignore". If you choose to use this software and you miss an admod message (like a green or red warning post) then you risk possible disciplinary action.

 

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Updated to add:

 

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Linking to websites which actively host pirated content (eg Putlocker) is prohibited on the forums; the link will be removed once brought to our attention, and repeated infringements can result in a nudge or warn. However, sites with protections against pirated content such as Youtube are fine.

Between generic rule about content and the clause about linking to harassing sites.

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Updated appeal clause for more clarity

 

 

Appeals
If you feel that you have been warned or banned unfairly, you may bring your concern to the Moderator or Administrator for discussion. This will begin a review process, where the Admod Team will address the concern in question, ultimately resulting in a decision to keep the warning or ban in effect or to repeal it. This decision is final and cannot be appealed further. If you decide to appeal, you cannot publicly discuss anything about the appeal until the admods have sent you the final decision. ("Publicly" includes posts, chat, and status updates.) Doing so will immediately end the appeal with the original decision made by admods being considered final. However, once the final decision has been made, you may then post about your appeal.

 

To learn how to appeal, read this thread: http://www.asexualit...-how-to-appeal/ 

All appeals by a member should be made prior to 2 weeks before their warning expires. Ban appeals can be made at any time but only one appeal is allowed. If a previously banned member gets banned again, after probation, they are allowed one appeal. 

Note that you cannot formally appeal a nudge, but you may PM an admod to discuss your nudge if you would like to do so. 

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Changes to Section 2H

The following:

Spoiler

h. Donation requests
Members must not send unsolicited donation requests using the personal messaging system, chat, or on the boards. Solicitation for direct donations or other fundraising is not allowed on AVEN, with an exception for asexuality Vis/Ed projects that have been reviewed and granted permission for posting by the Admods/PT. This permission should not be taken as endorsement; members should still exercise necessary precautions, and avoid contributing to requests if they feel it is not safe or legitimate. Any requests that have not been granted permission for posting may be taken down in order to protect AVEN members.

Has been changed to:

Spoiler

h. Donation requests, advertisements, and other money solicitations
Members must not send unsolicited donation requests or item advertisements (books, shirts, etc.) using the personal messaging system, chat, or on the boards. Solicitation for direct donations, other fundraising, or the selling of items/services is not allowed on AVEN, with an exception for asexuality Vis/Ed projects that have been reviewed and granted permission for posting by the Admods/PT. This permission should not be taken as endorsement; members should still exercise necessary precautions, and avoid contributing to requests if they feel it is not safe or legitimate. Any requests that have not been granted permission for posting may be taken down in order to protect AVEN members.

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Changes to 2D

 

Before:

 

 


d. Sexually explicit material
Because many users find sexually explicit material offensive we request that posts which contain sexually explicit material contain a warning in the subject line. Please refrain from using sexually explicit subject lines.

 

 

After:

 

 


d. Sexually explicit material
Because many users find sexually explicit material offensive we request that posts which contain sexually explicit material contain a warning in the subject line. Please refrain from using sexually explicit subject lines. 

AVEN is an educational site and does have many underage members. In addition to the above recommendation regarding sexually explicit material, sexting of any kind should not be on the public forums. If a member wishes to engage in behavior that would be classified as sexting, they must do so in private PMs. They must establish clear consent and they must establish that everyone involved is of legal age (AVEN is based in America and therefore legal age is considered to be 18). Failure to follow these steps could result in a warning, and sexting with underage users could result in a ban and may be reported to the relevant authorities.

To establish consent, the user must clearly ask, "Is it okay if I do this?" before proceeding. To establish age, all users involved must clearly state that they are 18 or over before proceeding with the sexting.

The legal definition of sexting is as follows: "Sexting refers to an act of sending sexually explicit materials through mobile phones, computers, tablets, or other digital devices." Sexual conduct involves fondling or touching the breasts, bottom, and pubic areas (based on US laws). Note, by this definition intent does not matter, it's sexting and will be viewed as such by the admod team.
 

 

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Updated the spamming/trolling clause (2i) to add the following:

 

Quote

Spamming includes, but is not limited to, posting multiple identical or similar messages on the forums, the chatroom, or members' profiles, particularly if the messages are irrelevant, inappropriate, or advertisements.

 

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Randomchaos

updated section 2 with the addition of section m. Minor attraction and pedophilia topics

Spoiler

m Minor attraction and pedophilia topics

1) No links relating expressly to minor attraction or pedophilia will be allowed on the AVEN boards

2) No topics may be created that focus on minor attraction or pedophilia. Topics that are created about other subjects but drift to focus on minor attraction or pedophilia will be asked by mods to find a different focus. Small mentions of minor attraction or pedophilia that don't redirect conversations to focus on that subject are still acceptable (for example, providing links to research that might include individuals with a range of sexual experiences, one of those experiences happening to be minor attraction or pedophilia)

3) This policy doesn't prevent members discussing their experiences, for those who have been subjected to child abuse. In such cases, we ask replies focus on support for the member, rather than become a general discussion about pedophilia.

 

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Updated the Deletion of Accounts policy:

Previous:

 

The admod team will grant account deletion requests for any member who has fewer than 25 posts AND no disciplinary history. Both of these must apply to you for the deletion to happen. For members who have more than 25 posts, please see this thread for our policy in regards to the account deletion of other accounts.

Please note that members with a disciplinary history (nudges, warns, bans) won't be deleted.

 

Amended:

 

AVEN's policy on the deletion of accounts is in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please see

here for a detailed announcement from the Board of Directors.

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Added the following to section a. Generic rule about content

 

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AVEN is not a dating website and should not be used by members for that purpose. The focus of the site is visibility and education, and bringing people together for community and support.  While relationships may occur naturally, any advertisements and other threads, posts, or status updates using AVEN to try to find a partner may be removed.

 

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Added a sentence about usernames in a. Generic rule about content:

 

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You agree not to use any vulgar, profane, or sexually explicit words or phrases in your display name. This includes swear words. For more information, please see this thread.

 

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Updated to add the following under liability:

 

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To comply with COPPA regulations the minimum age for using this forum without parental permission is 13. People under 13 years of age must ask the admods for a permission form that their parents must sign before they may have an account on AVEN.

 

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Added the following:

 

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9 - Medical Advice

 

Whilst we do not wish to dissuade members asking for medical advice, please remember that it is not possible to tell whether the advice given in online forums is accurate, or suitable for you. We would recommend that all members seeking medical advice also visit  a suitable medical professional (such as their doctor or a pharmacist) before attempting any treatment or medications recommended online.

 

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Updated 4.6:

 

From:

 

Quote

c. Official Warnings and Bans -- The first active Official Warning lasts 3 months, the second active Warning lasts 6 months and includes a two week suspension from the site. A third active Warning will lead to a ban from all activities on the site. Trolls and spammers receive an automatic ban.

To:

 

Quote

c. Official Warnings and Bans -- The first active Official Warning lasts 3 months, the second active Warning lasts 6 months and includes a two week suspension from the site. A third active Warning can lead to, at the discretion of the Admod Team, either a 6 month suspension, or a permanent ban from all activities on the site .Trolls and spammers receive an automatic ban.

 

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Updates to TOS section 2.2 Personal insults/judgements

 

Changed "Making judgments about other users, especially about the validity of their asexuality, is strongly discouraged." to "Making judgments about other users, especially about the validity of their asexuality, is disallowed."

 

Added:
This rule also extends to other orientations. On AVEN, the determination of other people's sexual, romantic and gender identities - by any means other than their self-identification - is not permitted. For more information about AVEN's policy on invalidation please see https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/190885-avens-policy-on-invalidation/ and https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/152709-a-message-about-avens-values/.

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Updated 4.1 from:

On 8/5/2005 at 11:25 AM, Cate Perfect said:

You agree that the webmasters, administrators and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic at any time, should they see fit.

To:

 

On 8/5/2005 at 11:25 AM, Cate Perfect said:

You agree that the webmasters, administrators and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic at any time, should they see fit, including content such as photos of minors or other subjects not suitable in the context of the thread.

 

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Changed from this:

On 8/5/2005 at 11:25 AM, Cate Perfect said:

c. Official Warnings and Bans -- The first active Official Warning lasts 3 months, the second active Warning lasts 6 months and includes a two week suspension from the site. A third active Warning can lead to, at the discretion of the Admod Team, either a 6 month suspension, or a permanent ban from all activities on the site .Trolls and spammers receive an automatic ban.

 

To this:

On 8/5/2005 at 11:25 AM, Cate Perfect said:

c. Official Warnings and Bans -- The first active Official Warning lasts 90 days, the second active Warning lasts 180 days and includes a two week suspension from the site. A third active Warning can lead to, at the discretion of the Admod Team, either a 180 day suspension, or a permanent ban from all activities on the site .Trolls and spammers receive an automatic ban.

 

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Qutenkuddly

Replaced the following: 

 

On 8/5/2005 at 11:25 AM, Cate Perfect said:

2.11 Minor attraction and pedophilia topics

1) No links relating expressly to minor attraction or pedophilia will be allowed on the AVEN boards

2) No topics may be created that focus on minor attraction or pedophilia. Topics that are created about other subjects but drift to focus on minor attraction or pedophilia will be asked by mods to find a different focus. Small mentions of minor attraction or pedophilia that don't redirect conversations to focus on that subject are still acceptable (for example, providing links to research that might include individuals with a range of sexual experiences, one of those experiences happening to be minor attraction or pedophilia)

3) This policy doesn't prevent members discussing their experiences, for those who have been subjected to child abuse. In such cases, we ask replies focus on support for the member, rather than become a general discussion about pedophilia.

With this:

 

Quote

2.11 Minor attraction and pedophilia topics

AVEN's core mission involves creating a safe space for people to explore asexual spectrum identities, including many people below the age of consent. We are not able to fulfill this mission while also serving as a space for those who experience attraction to minors. While many may agree that minor attracted people who have committed no harm towards minors, and are dedicated to avoiding doing so, should have places to openly discuss their experiences and seek support in dealing with their attraction, AVEN is not equipped to serve as such a place. As such:

 

1) Minor attracted people will be subject to banning from the site.

2) No links relating expressly to minor attraction or pedophilia will be allowed on the AVEN boards.

3) No topics may be created that focus on minor attraction or pedophilia. Topics that are created about other subjects but drift to focus on minor attraction or pedophilia will be asked by mods to find a different focus. Small mentions of minor attraction or pedophilia that don't redirect conversations to focus on that subject are still acceptable (for example, providing links to research that might include individuals with a range of sexual experiences, one of those experiences happening to be minor attraction or pedophilia)

4) This policy doesn't prevent members from discussing their experiences with child abuse. In such cases, we ask replies focus on support for the member, rather than become a general discussion about pedophilia.

 

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