Community Guidelines

DareNET is an inclusive multi-purpose community gathered around an IRC network. However, each channel is its own micro-community and sets the standard for what is acceptable there. Jokes, language and comments that some may find harmless might be offensive to others. Channel owners and users alike don't want the staff of DareNET to set and police the standards of speech on individual channels, and so it is up to the channel owner and his or her community of channel operators and users to decide what is ok for their channel.

Ceterain behaviors and actions have been deemed unacceptable in any circumstance and will be addressed by DareNET staff when identified. These are explained, in detail, in our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

Users who come to a channel should realize that kicking and banning from a channel is entirely up to the discretion of the channel owner and his or her channel operators. In general, channel owners in the DareNET community have demonstrated they will ban users from their channels for:

• Racist, bigoted, sexually suggestive or threatening comments.
• Spamming or flooding chat with unwanted comments.
• Acting like a complete idiot.

Channel owners who observe unwanted behavior in their channels should make use of the kicking and banning moderation tools built into DareNET's servers and services. In the cases where persistant unwanted behavior continues to occur, please let us know so that we can improve our moderation tools.

Help keep DareNET safe!

IRC is a lot of fun and an exciting medium, but it's very important to remember that it's also impossible to take back something once it's been posted -- while you can delete any save copies from DareNET, many people may have already seen it or recorded it themselves. In order to make chatting and posting on DareNET a safe and fun experience, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Avoid disclosing personal identifying information. For example, don't give out your social security number in a channel -- someone could use it to steal your identity! Other good information to keep private: your phone number, your address, any license plate numbers or other identifying information, and your personal e-mail address or screen name. Remember that by running a channel on DareNET you may become popular, and if you give out your contact information many people might attempt to contact you whether you want them to or not.

• Personal information to avoid sharing with others:
  • Full name
  • Addresses
  • Phone numbers
  • Name or location of workplace.

• If anyone manages to get ahold of your personal info and uses it to harass you, the best way to proceed is to ignore them. It may be difficult but they are likely seeking attention. If you deny them that they have no further impetus to continue.

• Make sure your users know that they should also ignore anyone acting up. There is an ignore feature in most IRC clients and built into our server software if someone gets out of hand.

• Don't harass other channel owners or users. If you are being harassed or threatened, please report this to us at abuse@darenet.org, or in #Support. We take complaints very seriously. This goes both ways: please don't harass or threaten other channel owners. If a channel owner is complaining about your behavior towards them, it's best to probably stop talking with or about them and go your separate ways, even if you don't think what you are doing is offensive. After all, life's too short to spend fighting!

• Be old enough. You must be at least thirteen to use our site under our Terms of Service. Please respect this rule.

You, the users and channel owners, are empowered to make DareNET a great place to chat and have fun. Please take this trust and respect from us seriously, and communicate safely.

If you have any questions or suggestions concerning this Community Guide - please email support@darenet.org.