Residents Discussion “Etiquette”
As we are using moderators to edit and/or approve discussions we have to have some “ground rules” to guide that moderation and to keep this discussion group running smoothly. In brief these online discussions should observe the usual courtesies you would apply in a face to face discussion. It is more a matter of etiquette than of “rules and policing”.
Purpose. The purpose for this discussion group is to facilitate the sharing of information and ideas between residents. Its use is restricted to residents and any family who assist in that resident’s day to day living. It does not replace our well established communication routes between resident and village management and is not for marketing/sales enquiries.
Identification. Anonymous discussion posts are not allowed. All participants are required to identify themselves by name and to provide a valid email address. Email addresses will not be published on the website but are required as proof of identity (by comparison with the village directory) and for communication about the ongoing discussion; you may, for example, be informed when a response is published or it may be easier to provide an answer on a one to one basis if the question is not of general interest.
Security. Personal information such as email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, dates of birth, etc. are not to be published on line as those details could be “harvested” by a potential spammer or fraudster. If necessary and approved by the people concerned, moderators can pass contact information such as phone numbers or email addresses.
Tact and Civility Be tactful, kind and polite and be weary of hurting peoples’ feelings. This should not be necessary to say in a community such as ours but it is easy to get “carried away” in an online conversation and say things you regret after hitting the send button.
Clear Use of English. Again this is probably not valid for our community but please avoid the use of txt spk (sorry I meant to say “text speak”, the abbreviated language often used in text messages), emogies, and acronyms. Please be concise, as long unbroken text passages are difficult to read online. Finally reread and check your post before sending; is the tone and content correct and are you sure a spell checker has not mangled your meaning?
Participate. This discussion group will only work if it has content and if people take part in those discussions. We have a lot of knowledge and experience among us, please do not be afraid of seeking help from your neighbours or providing them with support.