Website Guidelines

 The following guidelines apply to Forums, Blogs, Shoutbox and general Website usage.

Guidelines

• Multiple user accounts are not allowed. You may only have one User ID.
   
• Profanity is not allowed in User IDs, thread titles, blog titles, Gallery descriptions, Group Names or in the Shoutbox.
   
• As a general rule, post as if you were speaking in real life to another human being.  Do not use chat slang, or aim-speak or any other nonsense when posting on the Forum, Blogs, Shoutbox etc. (Unless you are kidding)
   
• Offensive terms such as "faggot" or "nigger" may or may not be bannable based on context of the sentence. If they were meant as humor with absolutely no offensive slurs meant, the user may not be banned or suspended. This rule is completely, 100% subjective and is based on the Mod reading the post at the time. Use at your own peril.
   
•  Please refrain from excessive hostility, stupidity, or flaming towards other members.  Flames and insults do not constitute harassment. Starting threads to harass, insult or intimidate another member will result in an automatic two week ban.
   
• Do not post others' personal information (phone number, addresses, emails, private messages, instant conversation transcripts etc.). Others includes people that are not registered members ( i.e. do not post an email your mom sent you or Lindsey Lohan's  telephone number).

Posting Threads

• Please do not make threads containing no content (ie, "I'm new" or " "I'm bored," etc.). These just litter up the forums and we have a Pointless Announcement’s thread (PA) for this sort of thing. Post chatter there or use the chatroom. We do encourage "I am new threads", but please add some actual content, not just "Hi" or just one sentence. These types of threads will be deleted. You are welcome to start another thread when you are ready to tell us something about yourself and why you decided to introduce yourself.
  
  
• Duplicate posting of threads in more than one forum is not allowed. If you feel a thread should be posted in more than one forum, please contact a Moderator.
  
  
• Post your topics in the most appropriate forum.
  
  
• Stay on topic: While threads often go off topic, please respect the threadstarter’s request that that you stay on topic. (The exception to this rule is taking a thread off topic to ward off trolls which is a Cult tradition used to great hilarity in the past. Be careful with this and do not use this to abuse members you simply dislike.)

General

• You may not post an attachment in The Cult and then link to it elsewhere including in avatars and signatures on this site.
  
  
• No Porn images allowed in signatures, avatars and posts. (What constitutes a 'Porn' image? A moderator saying so.)
  
  
• Keep all images work-safe. If you feel the need to post any pornographic or disgusting images, use a hyperlink marked NSFW (NOT SAFE FOR WORK). Please do not post any illegal (child porn, bestiality) images or else you will be banned.
  
  
• Posting images in posts: Images must be no wider than 600 pixels.
  
  
• No warez, no cracks, no CD codes, no illegal programs that are used to either crack software or perform any malicious activity. Don't post links, ask for links to download, or otherwise discuss illegal copies of copyrighted works, including movies, books, software, etc.
  
  
• Signatures:  Keep in mind that everybody on the forums has to see your sig file over and over every time you post. Please make your sig file is under 30k in size with no more than four lines of text (normal sized). Do not use images with a height greater than 125 pixels. It is your responsibility to make sure your signature is not too large.
  
  
• Solicitations and promotions are not allowed except in the TB&P forum only, and only to existing members in good standing. See below.
  
  
• The Trades, Barters and Promotions Forum: Offers of anything for sale, trade, or that are promotional in nature go in this forum only.  This is for member use only.  Registering an ID simply to promote or sell something in this forum is not allowed. It will be considered spam and deleted.

Staff and Moderation

• The moderators are here to keep the forums safe, sane, and to help out the newbies. If they ask you to do something or NOT do something,  please do.
   
• Do not harass or intentionally annoy the mods or insult the website or website staff. If you do not like the mods or the rules, feel free to leave.
   
• IMPORTANT: Please do not try to cleverly circumvent some rule listed here. These rules are general guidelines and are very flexible. So read the following comment carefully:

While these guidelines cover most common situations, they cannot anticipate everything. Consequently we reserve the right to take any actions we deem appropriate to ensure these forums are not disrupted or abused in any way.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading and adhering to these relaxed  and simple guidelines. We want everyone to have a good time and to provide a place for all kinds if discussion, blogging, groups and general fun on Chuck Palahniuk's official website!