Frequently Asked Question and House Rules for Sky News comments
Q. What are The House Rules?
A. We want you, the users, to make the comments section a forum for intelligent and vigorous debate. We have a few basic rules.
You must not post comments which:
- Make unfounded or unproved allegations (especially of wrongdoing) against a person, organisation or group.
- Contain swear words or language which may offend. This may include swear words with asterisks replacing some letters.
- Break the law, or encourage/support breaking the law. This includes libel, contempt of court and breach of copyright.
- Discuss active UK court cases.
- Advertise goods or services.
- Include URLs of third party websites which may contain offensive or illegal material
- Are racist, sexist, homophobic, abusive or otherwise objectionable.
- Include personal details (yours or someone else's - such as phone numbers and addresses).
- Are made to appear as if they have been posted by someone else (impersonation).
- Are repeated more than once (spam).
- Deviate wildly from the topic of the thread or blog.
Anyone who does submit material which breaks our Terms and Conditions, or abuses the system may be banned from contributing in the future, and could be reported to the authorities.
Registration
Q. Do I have to register to comment?
You either need to log-in via Facebook or with Sky ID if you want to post a comment. You don't need to log-in just to read the comments.
Q. Is it free to register with Sky ID?
A. Yes
Q. How do I register with Sky ID?
A. Follow the on screen instructions. You will need to choose a username and password for logging on, and a display name which is how you will be known by other users. You will be also asked to give your location where you live (just you village or town, city, or county, or in the case of non UK residents your country.) And you will be asked to provide a genuine e mail address. You will be sent an e mail which you will have to click to confirm your registration.
Q. Someone else has taken the name I wanted to use. Is there anything I can do?
A. All Sky ID user names and display names are unique for security reasons. Please choose another name.
Q. Do I need to be a Sky TV or Sky Broadband subscriber?
A. No, but if you would like to know more about Sky's other products and services visit www.sky.com.
Q. Are comments read by a moderator before being posted?
A. Yes, usually.
Q. Can I edit or delete my own comments?
A. Not once you have posted them, so please make sure you happy with what you have written.
Q. Will my personal details appear with my comments?
A. The only details we will show are your "Display name" which you gave when you registered or your Facebook name and avatar.
Q. What happens if someone posts a message which I think break the House Rules, the Terms and Conditions, the law or which I have a strong objection to?
A. If you read a comment which in your view break the House Rules, the Terms & Conditions, the law or in respect of which you have a strong objections, you can use the "Report This Comment" button to send the message to a moderator to be moderated. You will be asked to explain why you think the message is unacceptable. Alternatively you can email us at messages@skynews.co.uk.
Q. My comment has been rejected even though there was nothing wrong with it.
A. If you genuinely believe the moderators have rejected your comment unfairly please contact us at messages@skynews.co.uk.
Q. What are the rules on copyright?
A. Copyright is designed to protect the intellectual products produced by individuals. You cannot take any written words, speeches, music (lyrics and melody) and reproduce them without the authority of the person who wrote them. If you do use this material, you can be sued by the lawful owner of that material. It is important that you understand that you cannot take other people's creations and use them as you see fit. Uploading somebody else's content is no different to taking something from a shop without paying.
Q. How do you decide what breaks the rules on taste & decency?
A. All kinds of people use the Sky News website including families, children and older people. Everyone has different views as to what is acceptable so we cannot use content which might cause offence bearing in mind the ranging audience. A good common sense approach should be applied and you must consider yourself in the shoes of others as we all do not react in the same way. We reserve the right to decide what might or might not offend other people and therefore to remove or not post a message or photograph accordingly.
Q. What are the rules about Defamation or Libel?
A. You cannot make untrue comments about a person or an organisation which could harm their reputation or make them look ridiculous. You are, of course, entitled to your opinion, even if most people disagree with you, but it must be a true reflection of your opinion, be based on facts and justified. There is a big difference between expressing a personal opinion and making untrue claims based on gossip or rumours rather than facts. These rules apply to both people and companies - whether they are famous or not.
Q. Why are adverts for goods or services not allowed?
A. You can mention your hobby or own private project but Sky News is not the place for you to advertise or promote commercial brands, products or services. You can voice an opinion about what you like and dislike but Sky News is not an advertising space or trading floor.
Q. Do I have to post messages in English?
A. Yes - Sky News is an English language website and we do not accept comments in other languages.
Q. What if I have a picture of a breaking news event?
A. If you have a picture or video of a news event, please e mail it to news@sky.com or text it to 84501, or you can post it to Your Photos or Your Videos.
Your profile
Q. What happens if I forget my Sky ID password?
A. There is a remind password link below the log-in box which will take you to the password recovery page. From here, you can get your new password sent to your registered email address.
Q. How do I change my password?
A. Once you log in to the message board, a link appears on the log-in box which will take you to the edit details page, where your password can be edited.
Q. Can I change my username or display name?
A. No. Your username and display names are how the system identifies you and therefore they cannot be changed.
Q. What has happened to my community profile?
After a strategic review of the use of Sky Community we have decided to close it down. Your log in will continue to work for commenting but we felt that the community area was genuinely under-used. We believe that by introducing Facebook log-ins Sky News will continue to be a great place for discussion about news and current affairs.Q. Can you give me some safety tips for using the internet?
A. You need to use your common sense to stay safe on the internet. Never reveal personal information like your home address, phone number or email address in videos, comments or in messages to other users. Never go to meet someone unless you are with an adult you trust. Block anyone who abuses the rules or makes you worried. Report people to us if you have serious concerns about them. Remember, internet users are not always who they say they are! See our Safety Tips for more suggestions.
Q. Where can I find out more about online safety?
A. The Internet Watch Foundation is one place to start. The government's online child protection centre, Think UK Now and the Virtual Global Taskforce also offer online safety tips and allow you to report suspicious behaviour or inappropriate material. Your Internet Service Provider may also offer safety tips or parental controls.
Q. Where can I go if I need help or advice about personal problems, or if I just want to talk to someone in private?
A. We cannot offer personal advice. However, if you need help then some of the places that you might be able to try are: The Samaritans , the NSPCC and NHS Direct.
Q. Can I contact you by text message?
A. We are unable to respond to queries you send us by text message. Email us at messages@skynews.co.uk if you need to get in touch - but do check these FAQs first as they may well answer your question.
Q. I want to comment on the Sky News TV service. Who do I contact?
A. Email news@sky.com
Q. Who do I call about my Sky TV subscription?
A. If you are a Sky TV, or DTH subscriber and you want to speak to somebody about your Sky subscription, satellite dish or set-top box then the relevant phone numbers are listed on www.sky.com in the 'Contact Us' section.
Q. Can you help me with my Sky Broadband account?
A. You'll need to visit www.skybroadband.com
Q. Who do I contact about advertising on Sky News?
A. See the Contact Sky News page.