rulebook + YCM Status Bar Rulebook +

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

This is a new version of the status bar rules.

 

Please make sure you have read the following before using the status bar.
 
LAST UPDATED: 10/19/2018
 

 
1. Standard site rules apply.
 
Like the general section rules, the overall YCM ones must also be followed. 
 
2. You must wait a minimum of 15 minutes to post a new status.
 
YCM is not Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Discord or any other social media platform. Do not delete/remake your statuses. 
 
If there is a typo that you need to correct, then just note it below in a comment. Breaking this rule frequently will result in your status privileges being revoked.

 

Make sure you proofread your comments before posting and check that autocorrect didn't kick in when it shouldn't be.

 

3. Do not discuss controversial topics in the status bar.
 
These include stuff that should be discussed in Debates, because of their nature and often lead to status wars that never end well. They include, but are not limited to: 

• Politics* (i.e. social movements, executive decisions made by a world leader, scandals)
• Abortion (pro-life vs pro-choice, statistics)
• LGBTQ+
• Religion
• Capital punishment
• Assisted suicide
• Animal testing
• Government regulations
• Cloning (i.e. Ethics of cloning a living organism)

* You may use the Minor News thread to simply repost tweets and stuff that a senator, congressman/woman, etc. or simply make a light comment about them.

 

The above list is only a collection of topics that cannot be posted in the status bar due to their nature, and is non-exhaustive. If a subject sparks strong opinions on either side of the spectrum, then you need to post this in Debates; not in a status.

 
4. Behavior in the status bar must be civil. 
 
This boils down to "don't be an jackass and start a flame/trolling war with other users over whatever topic that sparked it".
 
While you are permitted to swear in the status bar, please keep it to a minimum and DO NOT abuse your privileges if you have the filter off, including using them to attack/berate other users.

5. Do not promote outside sites or content. 
 
General
 
This includes advertising join links for online games, your personal forum (which can be kept in your profile) or other outside products. 
 
You may use the status bar to advertise your on-site stuff, including CC threads/contests, RPs, image/avatar galleries, character polls, etc.

 

Linking to Wikipedia or news articles are also permissible.
 
Illegal methods of media acquisition.
 
Advertising illegal methods for animation/print materials/other content is strictly forbidden in the status bar.
 
6. Adult and explicit content will be punished the same way as the main forum.
 
Self-explanatory.
 
You link to porn; you're permabanned.
 
Posting links to content that is NSFW but not pushing the border will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
 
7. One word statuses
 
While these will not be banned per say, we ask that you do not abuse this privilege and spam the status bar with 1 word statuses. This rule may be reinstated if this becomes an issue.

 

8. Status bar message length

 

There is a soft maximum length of 350 characters for the status bar. If you go slightly over the limit by means of adding punctuation, spacing, etc, but status is still a reasonable length, we'll let it go.

 

However, blatantly long statuses shall be penalized with 1-2 WP depending on severity, and punishments will escalate if we warned you to stop it beforehand but you choose to disregard it.

 

9. Reporting statuses

 

If you are reporting any statuses, please provide both the link to and a screenshot of it. We ask for both because statuses (either whole ones or certain comments) can/will be deleted/replaced by users, and should this happen, we cannot do much about the matter.

 

Don't just say that latest status is in violation, because that can mean a different one by the time the report is addressed. Show us which one you mean.

 

 

(The existing ones in the announcement will also be modified to reflect the changes here.)

 

Additionally, these rules are subject to update at any time, but you will get a notification post mentioning them.

 

 

If there are any questions or concerns, please PM a moderator.

(My PM inbox is always open if you wish to ask.)

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

An update to rule 3. 

 

After some talking amongst ourselves about its application, the part about "light" conversation about politics (your personal opinions, any reposting of tweets that your local representative has made, etc.) in the status bar has been rescinded. This is due to the nature of how politics turn out (even if you do not intend to ignite a heated discussion, it will inevitably turn into one).

 

You will be allowed to make these sorts of comments in the Minor News thread, but just not in the status bar. Dad already announced this earlier in that thread.

 

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The list of topics above is not exhaustive and only lists a sampling of common subjects that elicit strong opinions from people. They may cover other issues / sub-discussions which weren't noted above, which will be addressed accordingly.

 

In general, if a topic generates strong opinions on either side of the spectrum (pro vs anti), then they belong in Debates and not on the status bar.

 

 

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Again, if there are any questions/concerns about the rules listed here, please let us know. 

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

Rule pertaining to status bar message length added as #8. 

 

Starting immediately, there is a soft limit of 350 characters for messages posted in the status bar; meaning that if you go a bit over due to punctuation, spacing, spelling differences, etc, but the length is still reasonable, it's fine. We aren't going to be pedantic and warn you for being one character over.

 

Excessively long statuses will be punishable with 1-2 WP depending on severity and escalate further if you continue to do this after being warned to stop it. If you have to write something that is really long, just do it in a thread/forum post.

 

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I will be unstickying the announcement regarding this matter, however the same rules apply. Even if the team will not be enforcing a hard limit, please keep your statuses / replies a reasonable length. 

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please ask.