Rules

Welcome to The North Pacific!

We hope you will enjoy your time spent in our region, the largest in NationStates!

While posting here, please make sure you adhere to our Terms of Service. Yes, we all know that nobody actually reads the TOS when you register, regardless of the fact they make you check that little box. But what we want you to do as a forum user is to not post anything profane, illegal, or someone else's private personal info. If you've got any questions about what that may entail, check out the Terms of Service by clicking the link or send a PM to an Administrator (anyone whose name appears in blue on the member list). We'll be happy to answer your questions.

So again, have fun, and thanks for coming to The North Pacific! - The North Pacific Administration Team

Our Guidelines

Part 1: Warning System

What sort of things will cause my warning level to be raised?

Warnings are given for behaviour that breaches our Terms of Service, violates our guidelines, or is egregiously below the standards expected in our community. If in doubt ask – before you post.

What is the process for receiving a warning?

Any administrator or moderator with the appropriate masking may increase a warning level. The warning will be discussed by the moderation team, either before or after a warning is given. Normally, the person warned can expect to be told the reason for the warning so as to avoid further increases in warning level.

Warnings are not negotiable, and there is no formal appeal process. If you feel you have been unduly harshly warned, please speak to an admin and they will make sure your concerns are raised with the moderation team.

What do warning levels mean?

Each increase in warning level is accompanied by a penalty, designed to punish, increase oversight through post moderator preview, or give a time out to allow for tempers to cool. Please note that occasionally, severe offenses may warrant raising a warning level by more than one level, or even imposing an outright and immediate ban (for example, for posting pornspam).

The penalties associated with each warning level are as follows:

20% warning – 1 day mod preview

40% - 1 day post suspension plus 3 day mod preview

60% - 3 day post suspension plus 1 week mod preview

80% - 1 week post suspension plus 1 month mod preview

100% - immediate ban, followed by discussion of the moderation team regarding making the ban permanent or levying some other level of punishment below the permaban[/I]

How do I reduce my warning level?

When a player has received an increase in warning level, this will not automatically be reduced at any time. After the warning level has been in place six months, a player may appeal to the moderation team for that warning level increase to be removed. This is not automatic, but will be considered in the light of behaviour since the warning was imposed. Should an appeal be unsuccessful no further appeal will be considered for three months.

Definitions:

IP Ban: Prevents a single computer or internet connection from accessing the forum. Other ban methods may be used if a single IP proves ineffective.

Mod Preview: A mod must review posts before they are publically viewable Post Suspension: The member cannot post, but can still use other forum services and read topics.

Moderation Team: The moderation team are the administrators and global moderators. Other moderators may be included in moderation team discussions on a case by case basis.

Part 2: Signature Image Restrictions

In an effort to ensure that all members can access this forum easily, large images will no longer be allowed in signatures. Large images disrupt page layout and can slow the amount of time it takes for a page to load over a slow connection. Therefore, we require that images in signatures be no longer than this box: ...and that signatures containing images be no larger than this box:

Part 3: Personal Messages

This forum does not recognise the right to privacy of the words or actions of any in-game persona, except insofar as it relates to real life. Therefore please be aware that PMs, IRC logs etc may be posted on this forum without your permission. Posting (real life) private information shared with you privately is against our rules, and such information will be removed from posts.

Part 4: Team Policies

4.1 Inactive Administrators

  1. Administrators who take unannounced leave will join the Administrator Emeritus group after 4 weeks.
  2. Administrators who take announced leave will join the Administrator Emeritus group after 60 days.
  3. Administrators unavailable to assist with Citizenship checks, Admin Requests, or other Admin Control Panel tasks will join the Administrator Emeritus group.
  4. Administrators Emeritus who return to activity will be restored to full access unless circumstances require otherwise.

4.2 Adding Staff

From time to time, the Administration Team will put out a request for applications for a particular administration or moderation role. Applications will be posted in an area where non-administrators may only see topics they have started: applications are confidential.

Applications will be accepted or declined by the Administration Team as a whole. Only the applicant needs to know if their application is declined.

4.3 Confidentiality

What is considered confidential information?

  1. The identity of an individual filing a report, either of inappropriate conduct on the TNP forum or of unacceptable behavior in general, as well as the content of any such reports;
  2. The identity of any individual who has been investigated, or is being investigated, by the Moderation Team, until and unless a punishment is handed out;
  3. Private communications with members of the Moderation Team regarding moderation issues;
  4. Applications for a role as administrator or moderator, including the identity of an applicant, the contents of their application, and any denial of an application by the administrators.
  5. Posts in private areas visible only to members of the Moderation Team in their role as members of that team;
  6. Information shared with the Moderation Team by administrators of other sites or fora that is considered by those administrators to not be public;
  7. IP addresses, email addresses, or other information available to members of the Moderation Team that could be used to identify members of the forum.

What is not considered confidential information?

  1. The content of any reported post, except when that content has been hidden from view by the Moderation Team;
  2. Approved applicants for a role as administrator or moderator;
  3. The individuals banned from the forum, the duration of their bans, and the general nature of the offense(s) that led to their ban.

How is confidential information treated?

  1. Confidential information may be shared with all TNP administrators.
  2. Confidential information may be shared with TNP moderators as appropriate to reach a moderation decision.
  3. Confidential information may be shared with the administrators of other offsite communities following these guidelines:
    • Non-TNP Administrators with whom this information is shared must agree to respect these confidentiality guidelines, and not release confidential information to the public.
    • Confidential information that helps communities protect themselves from illegal content, or content that contravenes forum terms of service (e.g., IP addresses used by pornspammers) may be unilaterally shared with non-TNP administrators by any TNP administrator.
    • Confidential information that identifies individuals banned from the TNP forum for non-game-related reasons (i.e., those subject to an administrative ban, not a judicial ban for violating TNP law) may be shared with non-TNP administrators by the agreement of at least two TNP administrators. This type of information includes nation or forum account names, IP addresses, email addresses, and similar. It does not include RL identifying information, or specific evidence for the rationale behind the ban.
    • Other confidential information may only be shared by the agreement of at least three TNP administrators.
  4. Sharing information with non-TNP Administrators may only be agreed to by TNP Administrators who are not also administrators of that offsite.
  5. Confidential information may only be shared publicly by majority agreement of all TNP administrators.
  6. Non-confidential information may be freely shared by any TNP administrator.
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