Terms of Service
Forum Rules: Remember that you agreed to this when registering!
These Terms, Conditions and Rules were amended October 2009.
Expats in Italy Terms of Service
Expats in Italy exists to provide a friendly place to chat and to enable the free exchange of ideas and points of view. Because of this, we have a few simple rules for everyone. By registering as a member of this forum, you have agreed that you will not:
- Verbally attack other members or Moderators. If you have a problem with a member please notify a Moderator. If you have a problem with a Moderator, please notify the Administrator.
- Post any material that is knowingly false and/or defamatory, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, threatening, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, invasive of a person's privacy or otherwise in violation of any threatening law.
- Post advertisements, chain letters, pyramid schemes, and solicitations. These are inappropriate on this forum and will be deleted. Violators of this policy are subject to banning.
- Respond with a commercial post or by telling others to "email me and I will give you more information" as all information should be posted on the board for ALL to see and use if required.
- Sign up with false or fake email addresses. Such accounts will be banned and domain will be banned from any further participation.
and that you will at all times:
- Be respectful of the opinions of others.
Respect
People have feelings, and in these forums we are conversing with real people. Remember to respond to colleagues online with the same respect and consideration expected in face-to-face discussions.
Treating someone with respect in a conversation does not mean avoiding disagreements with them. One way to show we value the beliefs of others is by discussing them. Even an attempt to refute another persons beliefs shows more recognition of value than simply refusing to talk to them at all. Regard honest and thoughtful exchanges of ideas, including disagreements, as a way of showing respect for the beliefs of others.
Do not forget that non-verbal communication - such as body language or facial gestures - are not precent in written communications.
Post Topics In The Appropriate Forum and Category
Focus your postings, questions, and responses alike, to the forum where they are pertinent. Each communication can generate a multitude of reactions and new directions in thinking. Work to keep follow-up comments focused on the point of the original message. Trying to cover too many points in one communication can lead to a lack of clarity and leave the readers hopelessly lost. A good rule is one concept or idea per topic or follow-up.
Remember, Topics are Not Private
This is the World Wide Web on the Internet. Even though the forums have some privacy controls, we still never know just where our words will end up or how they will be received there. Words can hurt. Avoid jokes, sarcasm, anecdotes, and other language that may cause unwarranted pain to others. Remember - a whisper is as good as a shout on the internet.
Ask for Clarification
If you find yourself reacting with intense emotion to something in an online message, wait to respond until you can do so constructively. Some messages may unknowingly be ambuguous or subject to multiple interpretations. Asking for clarification before reacting may prevent misunderstandings.
Be Honest
Be honest with online colleagues and with yourself. Exploring possible viewpoints and arguments is an important part of this course.
Forgive Others
People make mistakes and may say things they wish they could take back. A bit of humility, tolerance, and forgiveness is required of us all if our intellectual community is to flourish.
Don't Play the School Marm
Please remember that offence can be taken by the littlest comment. The only people who should reprimand others are the Administrator or the Moderators and that should normally be handled behind the scenes. If you have a problem with how our Moderators runt he board, please send the Administrator an email. Do not post it on the board or it will be removed.
Age Limits
Membership is available to any person over the age of 13 who registers and accurately provides all the required information, provides a legitimate electronic mail address and obtains a unique Expats in Italy member name and password. Membership is non-transferable.
Expats in Italy does not confirm the validity of any information posted on this forum. Posted messages express the views of the author of the message, and not necessarily the views of Expats in Italy.
We reserve the right to delete or edit any message that we feel is inappropriate. If you feel that a posted message is objectionable, please use the Alert button to advise one of the Moderators or send a Private Message or email. We have the ability to remove objectionable messages and will make every effort to do so, within a reasonable time frame, if we determine at our sole discretion that removal is necessary. Please realise that we may not be able to remove or edit particular messages immediately.
By posting messages on this forum, you agree that Expats in Italy can quote from or re-use the content in promotional materials, newsletters, or other documents. If we intend to use content posted by you in such a manner, we will notify you. If you would like to pass on the information you find here to other websites, please do not copy and paste other people's comments without their written permission. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us at
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If you fail to abide by the Expats in Italy Rules (Terms of Service), then the following procedure will be followed*:
- For the first offence you will receive an official warning from the Administrative Team.
- A second offence will mean you are publically warned.
- A third offence will mean a suspension period of one month.
- A fourth offence will result in your account being closed permanently.
In each case the warning or suspension notice will be sent to the email address in your preferences, explaining the nature of the transgression and the process for transgressions. If this email address bounces, then a warning or suspension notice will be posted to your Personal Message from the Expats in Italy Moderators.
While suspended, returning to the Expats in Italy forums by creating another account will constitute a further offence and will extend the suspension to the next period, or will result in your account being closed permanently. Similarly, asking other community members to post on your behalf while suspended will constitute a further offence on your behalf, and may constitute on behalf of those members.
* Please note that the Expats in Italy Administrative Team reserves the right to terminate membership immediately at its discretion in the event of such things as criminal behaviour or personal abuse or harassment of Expats in Italy Moderators or members, or to vary the above process as it sees fit.
Expats in Italy Administrative Team may also implement a period of individual pre-moderation instead of or in addition to the above, at its discretion.
