Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First I would like to apologize for the assault of obscene pictures that some of you had to endure with your breakfast this morning. Unfortunately it took a while before one of us became aware of it. Most of the KS staff are volunteers and they have lives. We can't be here 24/7 to monitor for idiots. The abuse report only goes to one person and if that person is at work, the posts may be there for a while. Someone took the initiative to also write me and I saw it the second I signed on. When there is something really bad like this, please write as many folks as you can with the hopes that one of us will see it quickly. Every host has an email address just like their name like mine is phginger@pethobbyist.com. Also watch AIM for us.

As for this latest onslaught of badgering the moderators, it will not be tolerated. Our volunteers put in a lot of hours so you can have a nice forum. If you feel a moderator has done something wrong, please feel free to write me, the staff director. But don't assault them on the boards. They cannot defend themselves. Our TOS clearly states that we will not discuss actions taken against someone either publically or with someone other than that individual. We also will not come on the board and defend every action we take.

As for recent actions that were taken, the individual has written us privately and has had the violation explained in detail. He has been and still is free to post the picture again following the rules if he so desires. It is not our fault that you have not seen them again.

If you are not familiar with our TOS, please read it so you understand the next time we take an action. We try to apply the TOS fairly and evenly across the board and just because a person has a commercial account or his website hosted with us, makes no difference. Everyone follows the same rules and exceptions are not made for those who spend money with us. That would not be fair.
Terms of Service

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Ginger Sanders
Staff Director
Email PHGinger
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I think some of the anger was warranted. Garrett may have violated the TOS on accident...but it was the fact that his post was singled out and deleted when there are similar posts on other forums that are left alone, as well as the fact that numerous users have been banned from posting that got everyone going.
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Christina

Leopard Gecko Morph Descriptions

2.3 leos
-0.1 tangerine het rainwater albino w/jungle background (Blinkers)
-0.2 jungles (Vahz & Skissor)
-1.0 tremper albino (Spitfire)
-1.0 tangerine rainwater albino (Bronx)

-ignorance is not to be punished when one is trying to gain knowledge...what scares me is the vast number of people who, when given the information to gain knowledge, choose to ignore it.

First of all, since you don't know what violations have been committed, you can't judge what was and wasn't similar that have been left up. Nor can you even know who has really been banned and for what reason. Thankfully, you don't see everything that is posted.

We have a privacy policy and are bound by federal law to abide by it. There will never be public discussion of an individual's infractions.
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Ginger Sanders
Staff Director
Email PHGinger
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I think it might be time to take some of what is being said into consideration. A lot of people don't want to come here any more and that is sad. Too much user-control is a bad thing but too much mod-control can be much worse.

Is it possible for you to set up a room for discussion on this, so that some compromise can be made?

No, we will not change TOS for this forum. TOS rules are applied equally and evenly throughout all forums.

As I said before, if someone has something that I need to know, they are free to email me privately.
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Ginger Sanders
Staff Director
Email PHGinger
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No one is asking for a change of TOS rules. People would just like the monitors to be more realistic with how they deal with posts. If it were only one or two people who thought this it would be one thing, but I am pretty sure everyone is in agreement on this one. Since there has been such an outcry on the subject, it would be arrogant not to even take what people are saying into consideration. It makes it seem like you are afraid to admit when you're wrong.
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AIM sn: z10silver

I don't know how many times I can say this but there will be no public discussion. If someone has a problem with a post of THEIRS that had action taken against it, then please write me.
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Ginger Sanders
Staff Director
Email PHGinger
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I emailed you about a post of mine you deleted. I'm looking forward to your answer.

Thanks,
Matt
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2.9 SHCT Leopard Geckos
0.0.10 and counting SHCT Leopard Geckos
0.2 Tangerine Albinos
1.2 Veiled Chameleons
1.1 Arizona Mt. Kings

I thought a forum was for open discussion?

Are private responses to the moderators mentioned in the TOS???

Terry
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Terry Brashear
1.0.0 High Yellow
0.1.0 Lavender
0.1.0 Hypo Carrot-tail
2.5.0 "Tigers" Designer
1.1.0 Tangerine
0.0.2 Tremper Albino
0.0.3 High Yellow/Lavender
0.0.2 High Yellow/Hypo Carrot-tail
24 eggs incubating
http://www.naturepixels.com

This forum is for the discussion of Leopard Geckos.
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Ginger Sanders
Staff Director
Email PHGinger
[

...and not just shuffled to the recycle bin.

I'll be the first to admit that moderating a public forum is NOT easy. In a lot of cases, it's a lose-lose situation for the mods. If we don't act quick enough, we get flack...if we act at all, we get flack. It stinks but I know it goes a lot easier if I have member respect.

We are not asking for a change in TOS per say, just for a reasonable discussion so that the users and the mods can come to an understanding on a few things.

From what I see, there are more angry and frustrated users than there are happy and content ones...and unless something gives, we're all going to end up leaving. A lot of us already have left. As it is, those that stick around do so because we love the animals. We know that new people come here asking for help and need someone with experience to help them. Without experienced people, the new people will show up, not get answers and leave, killing the site little by little. But, as you can see the frustration is far outweighing anything else at times and it's chasing us off.

So, considering that these forums are designed to create business for the classifieds section, etc., wouldn't it be beneficial to host a discussion so that you retain your experienced members?

>>...and not just shuffled to the recycle bin.
>>

Which is exactly why there is a Feedback and Help Area setup on the main forum index page. It's there for a reason - for people to use it! To summarize the gist of that page:

If you are a registered member of the site and want to make suggestions or have concerns about our site or its policies, please use the Feedback Form (you will need to log in with your username and password).

If you just have a question or problem, the first thing to do is to look at our online help areas to see if you can find the answer there.

Getting off track from that now, it is notable of course that most problems tend to revolve around site violations and abuses. Below you can find information on how to address them.

Reporting Violations & Site Abuses

Photo Galleries: All photos posted on the photo galleries contain a 'report photo' link within them. If you wish to report a photo (or message attached to that photo), please use the link provided there (found below the photograph).

Discussion Forums: All messages posted on the discussion forums contain a 'report abuse' link within them. If you wish to report a message, please use the link provided there (found next to the author's name).

Classified Forums: All ads posted on the classified forums contain a 'report abuse' link within them. If you wish to report an ad, please use the link provided there (found above the contents of the ad). If you have a problem with or complaint against a pethobbyist.com classified vendor, please take the time to review the classifieds terms of service and the complaint/rip-off page and if necessary file a complaint with the classified forum abuse coordinator. Posting your problems, complaints or warnings on our discussion or classified forums is a good way to lose YOUR privileges, and not impact the person your complaining about at all.

Chat Rooms: The pethobbyist.com chat rooms are hosted/moderated during regularly scheduled chats. While the chat rooms are open to the public 24/7, we cannot guarantee that there will be a chat host/moderator available in the chat rooms to assist with chat room related problems or abuses during non-scheduled chats. If you need assistance regarding an abusive member and a host/moderator cannot be located to assist, you may contact the site coordinator of the appropriate site. Please provide detailed information regarding the nature of the abuse such as the user's name, the date and time the abuse occurred (remember to give your time zone), the room name, and any other pertinent information. All chat room activity is logged and stored on our site's servers. It is possible at times for pethobbyist.com staff to investigate some chat room problems retroactively.

Others: If there is a problem or other matter that cannot be handled through the above-mentioned reporting methods, please contact the site coordinator of the appropriate site or the Director of Community Services on our Contact Page for assistance.

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PHWyvern

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Fixed broken link.

Edited on June 6, 2004 at 13:22:57 by phwyvern.

I didn't realize that this type of feedback would be well tollerated there either. I had asked for a specific place to voice our concerns but if we can use that room, that will help.

I sponsor this forum. Along with other great people, I pay incredible amounts of money each year to Kingsnake to keep this forum and the classifieds running to provide a place where all of us who's love and enthusiasm for Leopard Geckos can go to learn and share, as well as develop rewarding relationships between novices and experts alike. It seems that now, this website is somehow failing us.

I was absolutely appalled and deeply offended by those photos that were posted, and I certainly hope that Kingsnake can trace where they came from and bring formal charges against the person who did it. Posting pornographic and lewd material of that nature on a public forum is a Federal crime.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com