MuggleNet Chat
Fair Access Policy and Rules

Revised: Friday, May 16, 2008

THE FOLLOWING ARE RULES WHICH HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO CREATE A SAFE AND APPEALING ATMOSPHERE IN THE MUGGLENET CHAT. ALL RULES MUST BE FOLLOWED BY ALL USERS AT ALL TIMES. BY CONNECTING TO THIS NETWORK, YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY SUBJECT TO THE RULES THAT GOVERN IT:

Content
MuggleNet's chat servers are run by private organizations and individuals. Therefore, you do not necessarily have the right to freedom of speech. MuggleNet reserves the right to censor and remove users that introduce inappropriate content to the server.

Participation in any of the following will result in actions from the staff including channel bans and server bans:

MuggleNet is not responsible for any harm caused (stalking, etc) by the distribution of personal information. Therefore, it is recommended to not distribute this information at all.

Language
Swearing in the MuggleNet operated rooms is not permitted. The channel mode +G halts the relay of most messages containing profanity from entering a room. Swearing guidelines permit the use of the less offensive words (in moderation, and only when needed,) while specific, highly offensive words will not be permitted and can result in an automatic kick and/or channel ban.

Additionally, Channel Names and topics should not contain any words (i.e. swearing) or subject matter (i.e. racism) that have been deemed as inappropriate within these guidelines as the channel may be suspended and/or topic changed.

MuggleNet conducts only English speaking chatrooms. If you wish to speak a language other than English, please create your own room to do it in. Offenders face a channel ban.

Flooding/Spamming
Flooding is the overuse of any phrase, letter, word, symbol or action of any sort that is used to intentionally cause disruption of the chat, the network, or any of its users. Continued flooding can be considered network disruption (see the section on Network Disruption.)

The use of CAPITALS ("caps") is strongly discouraged as it causes disruption to the normal flow of the chat and is considered shouting. The occasionally use of capitals will not result in sanction, but continued and excessive use will result in action being taken against you (i.e. kick and/or channel ban).

The use of excessive characters is also strongly discouraged and may result in action being taken against you (i.e. kick and/or channel ban.)

The use of mass unsolicited invitations is not allowed on this network and may result in a server ban or shun (see the section on advertisement.)

The use of mass unsolicited Client-to-Client Protocol ("CTCP") requests, of any sort, is considered flooding and may result in a server ban or shun.

Network Disruption
Any action or statement that is used maliciously and intentionally to hinder the progress, growth and daily responsibilities of the network and staff team is considered network disruption. Violations may result in a shun, server ban, or the user's ISP being contacted.

Incessant flooding or abuse of the main channels with the intent to disrupt the flow of chat can be considered network disruption. Continued flooding of any sort will result in a shun, server ban, or the user's ISP being contacted. This will be strictly enforced.

Ban evasion will not be tolerated. MuggleNet retains the right to determine access to the network and its public channels. Any users who are found to be ban evading may face a kill off the network, a shun, a server ban, or an extension of a server ban. Attempts to circumvent a ban could result in a contact to your Internet Service Provider or a permanent ban from our network.

Actively stealing user's passwords or taking over channels is in direct opposition to the goals and progress of the network. Therefore, this, and any related activity, is prohibited and can be considered network disruption.

Participation in any sort of illegal activity (software pirating, infiltrating other users' computers, etc) can be considered network disruption and will result in a server ban and possibly the contacting of the offenders Internet Provider and/or local Police Authority with evidential logs.

Nicknames
Current server settings allow nicknames of up to 30 characters in length. Therefore, long nicknames can be used as long as the nickname contains NO inappropriate information and does not disrupt the channel.

Impersonating any member of the MuggleNet staff, Harry Potter movie crew, or Ms. Rowling is strictly prohibited and may result in initially a channel ban.

Inappropriate nicknames, user information or quit/part messages (including profanity) will not be permitted on the server. This includes any information available by doing a whois (/whois) on a user. Users will be asked to remove this inappropriate information or may be removed from the channel initially.

Advertisements
Because we are a community, MuggleNet encourages the exchange of links to personal websites and the free flow of appropriate information. Due to abuse, we must require all links to websites and other channels to be screened by an active moderator before it is entered into public channels. Your link will be opened and checked by the moderator before permission will be granted. Once permission has been granted by an active moderator, the link and/or channel may be posted once, and only once. If you wish to post it again, you will need to seek permission from an active moderator again. You will only be allowed to make your advertisement once a day. Some content will not be permitted. This includes, but is not limited to:

Insertion of a link into a public network channel without permission may result in a channel ban. Advertisements via private message without consent of the recipient will be considered a violation and may result in a channel or server ban depending upon severity.

The use of private messages and/or notices (in any form) to advertise web sites, rooms, etc. is also prohibited if permission has not been obtained from the recipient prior to sending the advertisement.

MuggleNet conducts English chatrooms. If you wish to speak a language other than English, please create your own room to do it in.

Additionally, the use of any script to private message and/or notice any advertisement or request to receive an advertisement for any web site, room, etc. is forbidden unless prior approval has been granted by a Network Administrator.

IRC server addresses are only allowed to be advertised within topics of channels that have moved.

Insertion of a link within a /quit or /part message that falls under these guidelines and may result in a channel and/or server ban.

Scripts
The use of "scripts" within MuggleNet's public channels is permitted unless these scripts become visible to users (i.e. displaying MP3 details, away messages, ASCII art popups, etc.)

The creation and/or distribution of malicious scripts is strictly prohibited. Any individual associated with such activity is subject to a server ban. Continued activity will result in the perpetrator's ISP being contacted.

Harrassment
Harassment or abuse of any user, including moderators, administrators, any other staff, and services provided by the chat, including nickname and channel registration, is prohibited. You may be kicked and/or banned from a channel or killed and/or banned from the server depending upon the type and severity of the abuse.

Harassment via private message is often difficult for channel moderators and/or server administrators to detect. Because of this lack in proof, action can, but may not arise from reports of abuse occurring in private messages. Users are advised to use the 'ignore' function of their client (/ignore nickname) or private message blocking (/mode yournickname +D) in these cases.

Abuse
If you feel that you were banned in error from the server or from a MuggleNet public channel, please write to the abuse@chat.mugglenet.com email address. Please state when you were banned, the stated reason, the operator who banned you, your username, your IP address, and a record of the discussion leading up to the ban. Include any unedited chat logs you may have. Without these, we cannot do anything.

Definitions
Ban (Channel)  - This is a ban from a channel, which is usually accompanied by a kick (see below). The user remains connected to the server and on other channels, but may not rejoin the channel they are banned from. Attempts to circumvent a ban are considered trespassing and may result in your Internet Service Provider being contacted or a permanent ISP-wide ban from the server.

Ban (Channel Quiet/Silencing Ban)  - Removal of an individuals ability to "chat" in that channel.

Ban (Server)  - The user will be banned for a period of time (or possibly permanently) from connecting to the server. This may only be used by MuggleNet moderators/operators and when this ban is put in place, the user will be disconnected from the server and will not be permitted to reconnect until the ban expires. Attempts to circumvent this ban could result in a contact to your Internet Service Provider or a permanent ISP-wide ban from our network (see the section on Network Disruption).

Excessive Characters  - The over-use of individual or groups of characters. Example: "hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" would be deemed as excessive.

Inappropriate Behaviour  - Behaviour which in the view of the moderator concerned breaks or breeches the above guidelines, or behaviour which could be construed as not conforming with accepted standards of propriety or taste.

Inappropriate Content/Material  - Includes but is not limited to: racism, hate and/or hate crimes, stalking, sexual discussion, discussion and/or commission of software piracy ("warez",) any form of copyright infringement, swearing, and pornographic content. Other content may be deemed inappropriate at the active moderator's discretion.

Kick  - This is the removal of a user from a room they are on. The user remains connected to the server and in other rooms, and may also rejoin the room they were kicked from.

Kill  - This is a disconnection of a user from the server and may only be performed by MuggleNet moderators/operators/administrators. The user will be parted from all channels they were on and disconnected from the server, but may reconnect to the server and rejoin all rooms. This is usually used as a warning before a server ban is put in place.

Moderator  - Can mean a channel moderator (either a chanop [@] or halfop [%]) or server moderator (IRCop).

Participation  - The act of taking part or sharing in something; which can include discussion of or commission of the activity in question.

Shun  - A block against a visitor in which they may still view the chat they are in, but may not join any other chats or converse in the chat. Although the visitor may see any messages they send on their screen, other viewers will not. Shuns are most often set automatically in response to the use of profanity in the MuggleNet operated chat*.

Proxy Scanning
MuggleNet Chat utilizes the Blitzed Open Proxy Monitor ("BOPM") to scan for open proxy servers on your connection. Open proxy servers are relays which do not require any type of authentication for their usage and are an insecure method for other people to connect to our chat through your computer and allow you to take the blame for any trouble they may cause. Because of this, our scanner will attempt to connect to itself through your computer. If successful, it will remove you from our chat and submit your IP address to a public black list for revision. Once on a black list, you must take responsibility to correct any insecurities and request that your IP address be removed. If your IP address is a current member of the block list, your connection may be terminated without a scan, so it is imperative that you correct the problem and request to be removed from the black list. Information on doing so will be given in a URL on any disconnection message you receive because of the scanner. Please note that by connecting to our chat, you are authorizing this port scan on your computer. This scan will occasionally trigger automatic blocking settings in your firewall software. Please check any documentation for instructions on how to stop this from occurring.

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