Banning users is unfortunately a necessary evil. Whilst we would prefer to never have to ban a user, we understand that there are circumstances in which action may be required, because a user simply does not heed warnings, or has a major (and deliberate) breach of the site or forum rules.
Warning Points / Warnings / Bans are issued at a staff members discretion, and may vary from the below. In issuing a penalty staff may take into account the following:
- A users warning history on the forum.
- The longevity of the users account.
- How the user has responded previously to staff interactions.
- How the user has responded previously to warnings.
- The users positive or negative reputation amongst fellow forum members.
HOW WARNING POINTS WORK
Warnings comprise of four criteria:
- Warnings – What you are being warned for.
- Warning Points – The number of points (if any) associated with the warning.
- Warning Points Expiry – How long any points stay on your account for.
- Warning Actions – The length of a ban once warning points are exceeded.
More serious rule breaches attract more Warning Points, which in turn attracts a longer expiry period, and longer ban period once triggered.
As a users points increase, the time period they expire increases, and once points exceed specific thresholds a ban is automatically triggered.
In some instances points may be increased based on users past warnings.
Approximate MIN and MAX warning points given for each site rule.
| Rule Breach | Breach Type | Min/Max Penalty |
| Attack/abuse another user | Personal Attack | Warn / 5 – 30WP* |
| Backbiting against user | Personal Attack | Warn / 5 – 30WP* |
| Pointless/Meaningless | Nuisance Breach | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
| Bait Posting | Nuisance Breach | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
| Trolling | Nuisance Breach | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
| Flaming | Nuisance Breach | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
| Harass another user | Harass/Bully/Hate | Warn / 5-200 WP |
| Bullying another user | Harass/Bully/Hate | Ban / 30-200 WP |
| Hateful Remarks | Harass/Bully/Hate | Ban / 30-200 WP** |
| Threaten another user | Major Rule Breach | Ban / 30-200 WP** |
| Staff Abuse | Major Rule Breach | Ban / 30-200 WP** |
| TOU or Privacy | Major Rule Breach | Ban / 30-200 WP** |
| Nudity / Pornography | Major Rule Breach | Ban / 30-200 WP |
| Abhorrent Material | Major Rule Breach | Ban / 30-200 WP |
| Restricted Discussion | Content Breach | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
| Streaming | Content Breach | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
| Illegal Content | Content Breach | Warn / 5-200 WP |
| Defamation | Content Breach | Warn / 5-200 WP |
| Subforum Rule Breach | Subforum Rule | Warn / 5-50 WP* |
WP = Warning Points
* = maximum penalty for first ban from this rule breach.
** = maximum penalty is a non-disputable permaban.
Warning Point Expiry
This relates to the number of points given in a single rule breach.
If you get 30 points for breaching a rule, those 30 points stay on your account for 1 month (after any ban period).
| Warning Points | Points expire in |
| 0 – 29 | 1 week |
| 30 – 49 | 1 month |
| 50 – 124 | 3 months |
| 125 – 149 | 6 months |
| 150 – 199 | 12 months |
| 200 | Never |
Warning Point Ban Periods
This relates to the length of a ban once points are exceeded.
| Warning Points | Ban Period |
| 10 | 1 day |
| 15 | 2 days |
| 20 | 3 days |
| 25 | 4 days |
| 30 | 1 week |
| 40 | 2 weeks |
| 50 | 1 month |
| 75 | 2 months |
| 100 | 3 months |
| 125 | 6 months |
| 150 | 12 months |
| 200 | PERMABAN |
Can I see how many Warning Points are against my account?
Yes. Users can see any previous warnings, and warning points active on their accounts by looking at their user profile. Users CANNOT see others warnings or warning points.