Feedback Rule Clarification: No posting of Contact Info

Hi Folks,

We have introduced a new separate and specific rule to clarify that we prohibit the posting of your Contact Info in the Forums.

This is not a new rule as this has not been allowed from the start as we felt this was already covered by the "No Selling, Advertising, or Promoting" rule, but in light of recent posts, we think we need a separate, clearer, and more specific rule to cover this so that no room is left for doubt.

So to be clear and specific, members are not allowed to post their contact details in posts, profile posts, or in their bio.

If a member wishes to contact another member, then they must use the Private Message / Conversations feature, which they must unlock first. Only then and in private may the exchange of off-site contact details occur.

The reason this hasn't been allowed from the start is to ensure new members off the street that no one knows can't just walk in here and spam their contact details everywhere hoping to lure unsuspecting members into a potential scam. Furthermore, it ensures our veteran members aren't disturbed by newbies who haven't unlocked the PM feature yet. Lastly, it protects more naive members who may not realize the potential perils they expose themselves to by publicly posting their contact details on the internet.

Since the criteria for unlocking the PM feature is quite strict, this ensures new members cannot use it and must participate extensively before they can unlock it, giving the community a chance to vet them and their credibility before they are able to contact anyone in private. This vetting is important in case a member does privately contact another member to communicate off-site as the recipient will be able to go through the senders post history to judge their credibility and intent. It's not perfect as one could still be scammed, but it's several magnitudes better than having no data on a member wanting to communicate off-site.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to post them and we'll address them here.

Thank you.