We seem to have quite a lot new contributers on Bedu, so I think it’s time for the yearly blog rules post. Please comment if you think we need to add or change the rules, and why and how this would improve the blog
American Bedu originated in a desire to share perspectives, observations and views of life in Saudi Arabia. Over the years this blog has become a focus for discussion of many different topics with the focal point Saudi Arabia. I am sure we can all agree that meaningful discussion enriches our views and knowledge. The discussions on American Bedu enrich my blog. One of the joys of modern communication technology is that we now have the possibility to discuss and learn with and from people all over the planet. I hope this leads to greater understanding and mutual appreciation.
I sincerely hope that all my esteemed readers and commentators will abide by these rules:
- Make sure you know what the blog and the post is all about before you start commenting.
- If you want to ask a question, put it in the right post, if it does not pertain to the post, take it to the ”Dear Bedu” page or the Debate Page.
- When commenting, try not to go off-topic!
- Do not yell! (using caps continuously through one comment is like YELLING)
- Be polite both in your comments, and in responding to the blog-owner, or other visitors.
- Don’t be a “blog hog” and make too many comments. Leave some space for other visitors.
- Do not paste copy large parts of texts; keep your comments short! If you do feel the need that a large body of text should be read refer to it with a link.
- A visitor who is rude, abusive, or is trying to rile people up and make them upset, is called a ”troll”, the best way of dealing with a troll is to ignore them!
- Do not repeat what other visitors have said before you: if somebody has made the remark you wanted to make, and they were there earlier, leave it. Rather than repeat their words, acknowledge that you agree with them.
- Do not make your comments too long: try to make your point in a few sentences. Longwinded comments tend to get skimmed over by other readers.
- If you are a blogger yourself, your own blog can be accessed by clicking on your name, there is no need advertise your own blog by adding a link to your comments, this is considered ”spamming” in the blogworld.
- Repeating the same comment multiple times is also considered spamming.
- Some visitors may feel they are ‘invisible’ when posting to the blogosphere. However attacking individuals and or characters will NOT be tolerated. It is okay to disagree with what another visitor has commented upon but do so in a respectful manner.
- No proselytising for any sort of religion
I want people to speak their minds freely here, and everybody is entitled to freedom of speech and their own opinions and convictions. This is an open forum, I welcome everybody here.
But, I want to make it clear that some actions are absolutely not acceptable. Unfortunately I have been forced to put some visitors in moderation or ban them. Unacceptable are:
- Personal attacks on other commentators, bad language, cursing, rude gibberish
- Attacks on children (now that I have interviews with children). Attacks on children will never be tolerated and visitors who do so will be banned immediately
- Shadow accounts. Unless there is a good reason and it has been approved by me in advance I do not allow shadow accounts. (a shadow account is when one person uses multiple persona’s to comment)
- Disclosure of personal information of third parties. Some people who comment know each other in the real world, or have read personal stuff on their own blogs. It is unacceptable to disclose sensitive personal information to which you are privy and thereby injure another blogger’s privacy.
Some more information: New commentators always have to go through moderation the first time. Sometimes a comment ends up in spam, for reasons unknown. If the comment contains more than one link it goes to moderation automatically. I am not able to check moderation and spam on an hourly basis, it can take a while for a comment to be posted I have two moderators who know my rules and wishes and apply them when I am unable to visit my blog. They do not comment or discuss, they only apply my rules.
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