Bubhub Forum Rules

Welcome to Bubhub!

The Bubhub Community Forum is moderated by a group of volunteer members. The Forum Moderators donate their time to ensure that the forum remains polite and friendly, free of advertising, and that forum issues are sorted efficiently.

Please appreciate that the moderators may not always be available to answer questions due to their own work/family responsibilities. If you need to contact a moderator, please allow them a reasonable and fair amount of time to respond.

If your issue is of an urgent nature, you are welcome to contact either Forum Manager – Jenny via PM or EMAIL; Rachel via PM or EMAIL, or Hilary, Bubhub Owner via EMAIL.

Before you start posting… please read the Forum Rules listed below and check out the How To section for more information on how to access the forum, and post appropriately.

Please note - due to constant spam appearing on our forum new members of bubhub will not have access to the Private Message System until an initial period of forum use has passed.

FORUM RULES

In order to register to become a member of the Bubhub Community, you were required to have agreed to the terms laid out within the forum at the time of registration. Having joined, you are also assumed to have agreed to abide by these rules listed below.

Please be aware that these rules may be updated from time to time.

The information/posts contained within the Bubhub Community Forum are independent views and opinions and are not necessarily representative of the Bubhub’s views or opinions. We take no responsibility for information accuracy or content.
The owners and moderators of The Bubhub Community Forum reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread/post for any reason.

Signatures, Usernames and Avatars
General Forum Rules
Links to Other Websites
Business Promotion
Rules Specific to the Cloth Nappy Section
Buy and Sell
Event Calendar
Infraction System
Rules Specific to the Photography Section

Signatures, Usernames and Avatars

Usernames

Please ensure that usernames-

• Do not include advertising
• Are not offensive to an other Bubhub members

Signatures

Please ensure that signatures –

• Take up no more than FOUR lines (excluding ticker space)
• Are in a maximum of font size2
• Do NOT include advertising
• Signature Tickers- you may include Bubhub Tickers ONLY, tickers from other sites will be removed.
• Signature Images- the only images that are allowed in signatures are the Bubhub Smilies and Bubhub Tickers. All other images will be removed.

Note – a maximum number of characters has also been set on the length of signatures. This character maximum includes any coding that you might include (bolding, colour use etc). You may get a message saying you have exceeded the character maximum even though you have fewer letters in your signature, in which case you will need to remove some of the coding from your signature.

Signatures can contain your occupation only (e.g. midwife) but not your business name or links to your business. Members can place a link to their personal blog in their profile, however it can not be placed in a signature, or promoted in a forum post.

We trust that you will respect and follow these rules, please remember that excessively long signatures increase download time, and make the forum threads more difficult to read. Signatures that do not comply with these rules will be edited.


Avatars

Your avatar is the small picture beside your username. All avatars must be 80x80 pixels and no larger than 20kb in size. Avatars must NOT include advertising or offensive images. note - images that are considered to be upsetting to other members will also be removed.

General Forum Rules

• All messages should be polite and friendly. Remember there is a human behind the screen! Other members are free to express their opinions and beliefs and any difference of opinion should be managed appropriately.

• Over the past year we have seen a dramatic rise in the occurance of cyber bullying - on both the bubhub forum, and on other sites (where bubhub issues are being discussed). Due to this increase, the rules of bubhub have been edited. The fact is, cyber bullying is disgusting, its weak, its nasty and its honestly worrying that grown adults are acting in such a manner online. Bub hub will now be adopting a zero tolerance approach to cyber bullying on bubhub. If we receive information regarding malicious comments being made - either on bubhub, or off bubhub (referencing bubhub topics or bubhub members)- we will respond appropriately (options include temp/immediate permanent ban). We simply do not want members who think cyber bullying is acceptable- on our site. Bubhub members should be able to feel safe from cyber bullying.
• Members must not post messages on the forum or via the PM system which threaten, abuse, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of people e.g. on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age or disability. This includes the posting of jokes, or links to other sites on the web.

• Bullying will NOT BE TOLERATED on the Bubhub forum. Any member found to be bullying another member (via posts or PM) will be temporarily banned (up to 14 days) and further bulling will lead to a longer temp ban or a permanent ban.

• Please remember that everything that you post on the hub is available to anyone with a computer and will appear in internet searches. If you aren't OK with your ex-husband, mother in law or sister reading what you write, then you need to think about why you are posting it and whether they will be able to identify you.Please be careful if you choose to post contact information such as email addresses, physical addresses, full names and phone numbers. You may choose to only PM such information.

• Do not post or start a thread with the sole purpose of starting a dispute. This includes messages/ comments in your profile, signature or usertitle.

• Please do not allow other people to access your account - to view posts, or to make posts. Your account (and post quantity) is yours- no one elses. If the moderating team believe that you are sharing an account - your account may be closed.

• "Spin-off threads" occur often on the forum, when original threads branch off into a new topic. If a spin off thread is decided (by the moderators) to be repetitive in nature, or if it contains conflict it will be deleted by the moderating team

• Messages typed completely in CAPITALS will be edited. Posting an entire post in capitals is considered to be 'shouting' and it is rude and unnecessary.

• In the interest of posts being readable by all- please use plain english rather than txt speak. Breaking a longer post into paragraphs will ensure more people will take the time to read it, as will good grammar and punctuation.

• Please only make posts that are constructive within threads, e.g. consistently posting that you 'agree' with someone doesn't add to the discussion in a thread. The best debates are those with a wide range of information and different perspectives.

• General posts on the forum must be made in the default size font (size 2)- the only exceptions to this rule are posts in the celebration etc area of our forum, wishing people Happy Birthday, Congratulations etc. Black font is also preferable- please ensure your font is easily readable for all users at all times.

• Messages should not be duplicated or posted in multiple areas of the Bubhub forum. If you feel that your thread topic does not 'fit' in a specific area of the Bubhub forum, please contact the forum administrators who will discuss different options with you.

• Do not retaliate in the open forum. If you find a post offensive or aggressive, report the post to the moderating team by clicking the ! button (in a small purple triangle) at the BOTTOM left hand corner of every post.

• The infractions/warnings given can NOT be viewed by other Bubhub members. The infractions/warnings are only issued after the moderating team has discussed the post/topic in detail. The infractions/warnings that are given are final.

• It is unacceptable to use the open forum to question/complain/request a discussion of a decision made by the moderating team. If you wish for clarification regarding a moderating decision - feel free to contact a moderator.

• Every message that is posted on Bubhub is read by the moderating team. However to ensure fluidity of the message board, all messages are posted live. Please observe the rules and if you are aware of any member breaching the rules (on the forum or via PM) please report the relevant post/PM, or contact a moderator.

• If reporting a post, please specify exactly what you find offensive. Do not report a post simply because you do not like the poster; and do not report the same post multiple times. Please show some respect for the mods and allow them the time required to discuss the situation and right the wrong.

• If your initial posts on Bubhub contain advertising or a direct link to/ comment about a business, you will be banned as a spammer. The moderating staff simply does not have the time to work out which initial posts are made by a machine and which are not. The Bubhub Forum is not to be used for advertising.

• While Bubhub is aware that many members are willing to help those in need, the internet is full of virtual strangers. There have been cases where charitable transactions have gone wrong, or have been of a deceptive nature. For this reason, any threads that refer to needs/wants of specific members or charities will be removed.

• Bubhub takes no responsibility whatsoever for any financial or charitable transactions that do take place (e.g. if members breach the above rule).

• Bubhub is a parenting forum and as such we do not tolerate vulgar, graphic/smutty discussions of an adult context. There are more acceptable terminologies that can be used to get your point across.

• Discussions relating to any illegal activity (however minor it may seem) are unacceptable and will be deleted from the forum.

• Bubhub has been created as a place for parents to offer advice and support to each other. Members found to be fictitious or who join to post controversial or insulting material will be immediately banned. This includes impersonating other people or trying to pretend that posts have been made on behalf of others. Any members who post misleading or false information on the forum risk being banned (temp or perm) by the moderating team. Misleading information is not tolerated on the bubhub forum

• While we understand that some members create second usernames for the purpose of discussing something more intimate, or embarrassing on the forum, any member found to have created an alternate username for the purpose of conflict, stirring or deceit, may receive an infraction or temp ban for the deception.

• Whether naming the Bubhub member or not, gossiping about other members past or present will not be tolerated. Similarly, personal attacks on other posters within a debate thread will be met with zero tolerance. Remember to debate the issue, not the person.

• *Sometimes bubhubbers contact the moderators to request that their account be made inactive. PLEASE NOTE- if you are requesting a 'self- ban' to take time away from bubhub - a minimum time period of 14 days is set. While on this break - your usertitle will be changed to read "on a bubhub break" so that other members are not confused as to why your account is closed. If you do not want your usertitle changed, the simple option is to just not log onto bubhub for a period.

Specific Rules for Areas of the Forum

Please be aware that some areas of our forum (such as the Cloth Nappy section, Recipe section and the Egg Donation section) have SPECIFIC rules that only apply to that section of the forum. PLEASE read these rules before posting.

Final Points

We reserve the right to provide any information to legal authorities if we feel a law has been broken by somebody using the Bubhub Community.

The content of the Bubhub Community is copyrighted in its entirety and no portion may be reproduced or copied by others for further distribution. You may not post information for which you do not have the copyright without the written permission of the owner.

We reserve the right to ban any users from our forum and its features.

All the information within forum posts can be viewed by anybody, not just the community members, so do please take care and try not to publish your personal details or specific information relating to Bubhub gatherings/meetings. If you wish to send private information to another member, please do so via the Private Message system that is in place. Sensitive information will be deleted at the discretion of the moderating team.

Links to Other Websites

The Bubhub forum is not designed for advertising purposes- if you are looking to promote a service or business, please refer to the Bubhub Directory.
Please check the list below before posting any link on the forum or in a Private Message.

Do not link to or promote-

• Online competitions, polls, petitions or elections that are not part of the Bubhub website. We do allow links to online petitions that are relevant to our audience, however this is at the discretion of the administration team, please contact a moderator before posting. Petitions must not be for personal gain.
• Any site at which members receive financial (or other) rewards for referring friends.
• Any other parenting websites (there are exceptions to this rule - please contact a moderator for confirmation before posting).
• Any material that could be potentially offensive and or graphic (this includes links to jokes or you-tube)
• E-bay stores- the moderating team simply do not have time to work out if it is YOUR business or not.
• General e-bay auctions (the only exception to this rule are e-bay auctions that our members might find interesting or different e.g. funny/ abstract items up for auction.)
• Facebook business pages- the moderators simply do not know who owns what page, so please refrain from linking directly to a fb business wall.

Members can place a link to their personal blog in their profile, however it can not be placed in a signature, or promoted in a forum post. You can NOT post purely with the purpose of pointing people in the direction of your profile (and therefore your blog link).

Members should not post or PM information that -infringes on any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, right of publicity or other proprietary right of any party, constitutes unauthorized or unsolicited advertising, junk or bulk email (also known as "spamming"), chain letters, any other forum of unauthorized solicitation or any forum of lottery or gambling.

Business Promotion.

The Bubhub Community Forum is a community service, and it should not be used for the promotion of business services (including businesses that are run from home, own business, or the business of a friend/relative)- via posts, signatures, usernames or private messages with other members. Any such messages will be removed and offenders face being banned from future user of the community, and having current listing removed from the Bubhub Directories.

Members must not -

• Plan or place invitations for ‘sales parties’ (such as Tupperware or any other goods sold by party plan) on the Bubhub website.
• Place advertisements or requests for house-sharing, rent, accommodation-to-let, tenants or any other form of accommodation enquiry. There are other media outlets for this subject matter.
• Place ‘free-to-good-home’ ads, ‘for sale’ ads or offer to take/purchase items.
• Advertise positions vacant or if they are looking for employment. Looking for another family to ‘Nanny Share’ is an exception to this rule.

Other points -

• Organising ‘testers’ for a possible product or business idea is permitted on the Bubhub forum if, a) there is NO cost (including postage) to any Bubhub member; b) the Bubhub member is not liable for the returning of any items/ products and c) the business name/ website is not at any stage mentioned on the forum or via PM (e.g. refer to it as a nappy business, fashion business etc rather than by name).
• If you are happy with a product or service, please feel free to mention it. However posts found to be consistently promoting a business will be considered subtle spam and will be deleted.
• If you have a Bubhub marketstall, you are automatically offered a link to your marketstall in your signature, however you are still not permitted to promote your business/ service in posts on the bubhub forum, or via the Private Message system.
• If you would like to promote a business service to your viewers, please view our advertising options page.

Rules specific to the Cloth Nappy Section of the Bubhub Forum

• WAHMs (Work At Home Mums) are not to use the cloth nappy section to promote their own products. This includes linking to your store, talking about your brand of nappies, mentioning projects you are currently undertaking, new stock of fabrics or even mentioning that you make/sell nappies.

• As a WAHM please do not post pictures of your products, even if they have been made for your own children - this is considered advertising.

• If you are involved in one of the Bubhub Cloth Nappy Swaps you are entitled to use the nappies you would normally sell in the swap, but we ask that you and the recipient do not mention the brand name or have a photo of the label displayed. Photos of the nappy are fine as long as the label is not showing or is digitally blurred.

• Posting of store stockings is not allowed by anyone.

• Mentioning of brand names is fine, though links to online stores (including Facebook and Blogs) are unacceptable. Links to the listing within the Bubhub Directory are acceptable.

• Posting of specials you have come across in your online shopping is acceptable in the special thread, however do not post direct links to stores. (note - please do not post consistently about the specials of one specific brand as this will be considered subtle spamming).

• Swaps are organized by members of the Bubhub Forum and are undertaken at your own risk. Bubhub will not become involved in any dispute as a result of the swaps. Any threads discussing a dispute will instantly be deleted and parties involved will be warned/infracted.

• There is absolutely no tolerance of buying/selling or giving away of nappies on Bubhub. Please do not use the forum for the purpose of subtly selling your nappies. Monkey's Undies is a great place to sell secondhand nappies, the forum is not.

• You can list your business web address in your Bubhub Profile, people can then find your webpage from there. However this does NOT mean that you can post purely with the purpose of pointing people in the direction of your profile.

Buy and Sell Section.

Bubhub does not permit buying and selling, or the swapping of items on of forum.

The swapping of Modern Cloth Nappies between members is an exception to this rule (note- the swap must be nappy for nappy swap, no other items are permitted).

Infraction System

To ensure an increased level of fairness in moderation across the forum, the Bubhub moderators implement a User Infraction System.

When a Bubhub Member (whether it be deliberate or not) breaches a rule of the Bubhub forum, they will be contacted by a moderator- issuing a warning. This warning is given simply to remind the member of specific areas of the Bubhub rules.

If the member then breaks the same rule of the Bubhub forum rules, an infraction is given.
Different breaches of the Bubhub rules incur different infraction values (between one and five points). Once a Bubhub member has received ten infraction points they are banned from the forum permanently.

The infractions/warnings given can NOT be viewed by other Bubhub members. The infractions/warnings are only issued after the moderating team has discussed the post/topic in detail. The infractions/warnings that are given are final. Details of any warnings/ infractions/ points that are given, are NEVER discussed with any other bubhubbers.

If the moderating team notices that a member is posting in a consistently heated manner, they may implement a temporary ban, allowing the member to step away from the topic/forum.

Please note - members of the moderating team do not enjoy sending infractions to the members of the forum. Infractions are only given after the moderating team has discussed the post/topic and decided as a team that a rule has been breached.

Rules specific to the Photography Section of the Bubhub Forum

The Photography section may be used by any member whether they're a beginner hobbiest, or a professional photographer, however the rules of bubhub still apply.

Please feel free to use the forum for any photography related chat, whether you're asking for help, learning new photography techniques, or just chatting about photography in general.

* The Photography section of the forum must not be used by professional photographers to advertise their business in any way, this includes things such as including business email address, website link or name or business name in the post or signature.

* Any photographs posted in the Photography section of the forum must not be watermarked with a business name. If you run a business under your own name (ie. Jane Smith Photography) and you wish to watermark your photos, please watermark with something other than your name.·

*Photographers may not seek models from this section of the forum. If you're a beginner or professional photographer and you're looking for a model, please use the models section of the forum. You can find it here.

* You may link to your personal flickr, photobucket or facebook account, but please do not link to a blog, facebook business fanpage, or website. Any links promoting your business in any way will be removed, and an infraction will be given.

* It would be preferred if daily snapshots were posted in the Photo Gallery section of the forum unless you're specifically asking a question about a photo.

* When posting a photo in the Photography section of the forum, please be considerate of others and do not post a high resolution photo directly into a thread. If for any reason you need to share a high resolution photo, please upload elsewhere (eg. photobucket or flickr) and insert your link into the thread instead.

* Threads such as Photoshop Make-over threads belong in the "Show-off your art and craft projects" section of the forum, and discussions about paranormal activity in photos belong in the "Religion / Spirituality" section of the forum.

* You can list your business web address or blog in your Bubhub Profile, people can then find your webpage from there. However this does NOT mean that you can post purely with the purpose of pointing people in the direction of your profile.

Duty of Care -

Bubhub is a public parenting forum - a place where we can connect with other parents, ask for advice, and vent to each other about our stresses. Often bubhub members post information about themselves or their personal situation on the open forum. This includes information regarding issues such as violence, depression, child custody arrangements and stressful moments they have as parents/ parents to be.

Usually bubhub members are merely seeking advice for how to deal with the situation, and other members, including professionals in the field, can give very good, well informed advice. Sometimes the posts involve concerning information - sometimes information that is concerning to other bubhubbers.

Please note - The moderators on this forum are volunteers, not professional counsellors or members of the legal profession. This forum is an open discussion area and the moderators have the role of keeping the discussions polite and supportive (and deleting spam, etc), they are not here to uphold the law.

PLEASE - as a bubhub member, if you feel that another bubhubber IS in danger or is behaving in an unsafe manner - direct them to the services that are available to them in their local area (http://www.bubhub.com.au/serviceshelplines.php ) If you feel that more needs to be done PLEASE ring those autorities (e.g. police) ... either anonymously or not, and give as many details as you have regarding the situation.

You, as a forum member should feel empowered to take any action that you think is necessary. All any authority needs is a link to the forum and the name of the member you are concerned about. Don't expect moderators or the site administrators to pick up on issues as quickly or as well as you might, we all spend time in different parts of the forum.