Are these rules okay for a joking section?

[AnAccount]

http://www.chattingtime.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=340

On any forums I've ever run, I have never had a specific section where people can share jokes. Please take a look at those rules and let me know if anything needs to be changed, or if they look okay.

I put this rule in:

Jokes about suicide, depression, or other serious health conditions will not be tolerated and you could be restricted of this forum for the rest of your time here at Chatting Time. People have sensitive feelings about health issues, especially those who have serious health issues, and those really shouldn't be brought up at all in this section. So please, please don't make fun of anyone who has a serious health problem. People do get teased about their health issues in real life, and that does not need to be brought onto public forums at all. If you are found to be making fun of someone with a serious health issue of any kind, whether it be mentally or physically, you could no longer be allowed access to this section of the forum.

especially because I have a condition called Psoriasis (see my blog on CT for more info) and I have been teased about this disease in real life, so I know what it's like to be made fun of about an illness or disease. I was also teased in gym class as well when I was younger because I was always granted a head start since I didn't move as fast as my peers, and I was also made fun of because of all the help I was able to recieve on my homework, because of a mental disability I have. That's where that rule came from was from my personal experience of having health problems in real life, both physically and mentally.

But seriously though, please read these rules and let me know if I should edit them or rewrite them all together. I put that FAQ in as I noticed that no one has posted in that section yet and I think it may be because they weren't sure of what's allowed in there and what isn't, which is understandable. Thanks, and please, no rude remarks.

 

[Ascent]

I think it's too long. Most people hardly read the rules anyways.

Consider shortening it down to something like this:

Don't joke about suicide, depression, or other serious health conditions.

 

[AnAccount]

I think it's too long. Most people hardly read the rules anyways.

Consider shortening it down to something like this:

Don't joke about suicide, depression, or other serious health conditions.

That actually would be a lot better. Or I could simply put it as, "don't joke about general serious health conditions". Or does that sound too narrow? I know that can lead to questions like, "what kinds of health conditions?" or something like that.

 

[Ascent]

I think it's too long. Most people hardly read the rules anyways.

Consider shortening it down to something like this:

Don't joke about suicide, depression, or other serious health conditions.

That actually would be a lot better. Or I could simply put it as, "don't joke about general serious health conditions". Or does that sound too narrow? I know that can lead to questions like, "what kinds of health conditions?" or something like that.

You could if you want, but I think the former would be better.

 

[AnAccount]

Yeah, the former would be better. If I were to put it serious health conditions in general, that could lead to a lot of questions from people who actually do read the rules.

 

[Raymond]

No, you shouldn't have to shorten so people will read, as a user/member of anything you are supposed to read T.O.S / rules

 

[Ascent]

No, you shouldn't have to shorten so people will read, as a user/member of anything you are supposed to read T.O.S / rules

Yes, people are supposed to read, but do they really?

 

[Lyss]

Lets face it, most people only skim through the rules, TOS and Privacy Policy. Keeping things short and simple is probably the best way.

 

[David]

No, you shouldn't have to shorten so people will read, as a user/member of anything you are supposed to read T.O.S / rules

Yes, people are supposed to read, but do they really?

It is the user's responsibility to read them and if they don't, you have the power to remove them from your forum. Short, simple rules tend to have many loopholes in them, which people can easily get around. I read the rules, and have seen loopholes in FP's rules, which have been interpreted in favour of FP, and rarely the user, so that is one consequence of simple rules.

If you feel that long rules aren't going to be read, put them in dot points, or maybe "do's and don'ts" table. Add bold and underlining, colours or even images.

 

[Ascent]

No, you shouldn't have to shorten so people will read, as a user/member of anything you are supposed to read T.O.S / rules

Yes, people are supposed to read, but do they really?

It is the user's responsibility to read them and if they don't, you have the power to remove them from your forum. Short, simple rules tend to have many loopholes in them, which people can easily get around. I read the rules, and have seen loopholes in FP's rules, which have been interpreted in favour of FP, and rarely the user, so that is one consequence of simple rules.

If you feel that long rules aren't going to be read, put them in dot points, or maybe "do's and don'ts" table. Add bold and underlining, colours or even images.

There will always be loopholes in rules regardless of their length. People will always find a way around them. That's besides the point though. People still don't, and won't read.

 

[Deleted member 4320]

Well with rules it's fine to include a few details but like everyone else has said, people won't want to read a wall of text. Don't include your own illness and experience as that adds to the wall and as serious as it is, it adds to the amount that people don't want to read. Bullet point it and get straight to the point of what people can do, and can't do.

 

[David]

There will always be loopholes in rules regardless of their length. People will always find a way around them. That's besides the point though. People still don't, and won't read.

Then why does it have to be the admin's issue? I don't get your point. Even if people "don't" read them, at least make them understandable for those who do, and I'm sure there is at least 1 person who is willing to abide by the rules. I read the rules, so that voids your whole claim that "people still don't, and won't read".

 

[Ascent]

There will always be loopholes in rules regardless of their length. People will always find a way around them. That's besides the point though. People still don't, and won't read.

Then why does it have to be the admin's issue? I don't get your point. Even if people "don't" read them, at least make them understandable for those who do, and I'm sure there is at least 1 person who is willing to abide by the rules. I read the rules, so that voids your whole claim that "people still don't, and won't read".

Where did I ever imply that it had to be the admin's issue? My point is, people don't read the rules. That's why we have rules that are accidentally broken by users in the first place. You can't assume that all broken rules were meant to be broken on purpose.

I'm not saying that every single smack dab user doesn't read rules - but for every one that does, how many are there that don't? Even if people take an interest in clicking the thread that says "Forum Rules," how many actually fathom seeing walls of text in front of their eyes, let alone reading it?

 

[David]

Where did I ever imply that it had to be the admin's issue?

1. It's either the admin's or user's issue.
2. It's not the user's issue.
3. It therefore must be the admin's issue.

My point is, people don't read the rules. That's why we have rules that are accidentally broken by users in the first place. You can't assume that all broken rules were meant to be broken on purpose.

I read the rules, so it voids the claim that "people don't read the rules". Those who break the rules either don't read them, or have misinterpreted them. Note that I didn't just say "people don't read the rules".

I'm not saying that every single smack dab user doesn't read rules - but for every one that does, how many are there that don't?

Sure you did:
1. "People don't read the rules" means either no one or someone/people.
2. It doesn't necessarily imply some people.
3. It therefore shows that no one reads the rules, thus contradicting your claim above.

Even if people take an interest in clicking the thread that says "Forum Rules," how many actually fathom seeing walls of text in front of their eyes, let alone reading it?

You can't prove or disprove that, but is shown by the amount of people who follow the rules, ie. don't get into trouble, which is significantly more than those who do break the rules.

Anyway, the overall question was "Are these rules okay for a joking section?", and so my answer would be yes. There is nothing wrong with them, but can be vastly improved.

 

[Ascent]

1. It's either the admin's or user's issue.
2. It's not the user's issue.
3. It therefore must be the admin's issue.

Nope.

1. I never implied it was the admin's issue.
2. Recall the following post I made in this thread:
"Yes, people are supposed to read, but do they really?".
3. I'm clearly stating that people are supposed to read the rules.
4. Therefore, I am implying that it is actually the user's issue.

---

If I meant "every person", I would've said just that. When one says "people," they usually imply a vast majority of them - but not all. When one says "hey, we have people living in that house" - do they mean every single person is living in that house?

Let me give you some more examples:

-Which game do you think people would like more? Modern Warfare 3 or Halo 5?

-Why don't people donate to charity?

-Why do people kill one another?

-Orange people don't do well in school.

-Why don't people read the rules?

See what I'm saying? You can't assume that whoever is asking the question is implying every single person out there. There's a difference. Sure, I understand that in some cases it can mean every single person ("the people of Africa!") but I've told you what I meant now, and you're free to force yourself to believe whatever you think I implied.