Concerns regarding Infraction System

[kajtdd]

Today, DPF administrators have posted guidelines regarding new rules for infractions. You can see this here.

The infraction list appears to be following:

· Inappropriate Language
· Excessive Spamming or "Bumping"
· Signature/Image/"Other" Violation
· Violation of Marketplace/Auction Rules
· Unresolved Trade/Auction
· Insulted Other Member(s)/Personal Attacks

I acknowledge that this is your website. We are here on your invitation, which can be revoked. However, this infraction list seems quite concerning.

To begin with, who determines an infraction has occurred? What is the process of determining? What evidence is needed? What safe guards are going to be implemented that the system is not abused by a party?

As example, is DPF going to capture all chat room logs? Private logs? Private PMs?

Additionally, these categories concern me, and many need clarifications.

Inappropriate Language

This is one of the more concerning aspects to the new infraction lists. What is “inappropriate†language? Mere fleeting cursing? The word shark? The Disney character Dick Tracy or Disney legend Dick van Dyke? A discussion regarding ***** willows or the James Bond Villain ***** Galore? What if I want to discuss French Connection fashion (FCUK)? What if I want discuss the nudity in recent Pixar movie Brave?

Who determines what is inappropriate? Moreover, where does this inappropriate language have to occur?
What about other “inappropriate†actions. We’ve had multiple threads were children Disney characters are killed! Some might find that inappropriate. Or what about the other evening when I looked on my chat log to find a long discussion of bust sizes?

Clear and concise definition is “inappropriate†is needed.

Signature/Image/"Other" Violation

This one is also quite concerning. This contains three new rules without definitions.

To my knowledge, the only discussion on the limitation on Signatures was back in Oct. 2011. (See here) It appears that there is an unofficial rule that you cannot use your signature to advertise outside website.

Does this mean I can’t have this for my signature (as my old Dizpins signature was):

"Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." -- Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, "The One Un-American Act." Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.

"It's not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers." -- Judy Blume

Can I link to my trade / sales threads? I know in the past other members have done so.

What is the exact rules on Signatures?

Image and “other†– both of these are so vague and ambiguous it is impossible to comprehend. Beyond the general prohibition we signed up with: “By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-oriented, hateful, threatening, otherwise violative of any laws.†What other things are you talking about? I mean, outside of pornography, what other images are you talking about?

Unresolved Trade/Auction
Is DPF going to be moderating trades at this point? How will you confirm that a trade is “unresolved� Again, what safety guards is DPF going to have assure that the accused wrongdoer will be protected against someone who simply regrets a trade?

More to the point, many issues seem to arise when trades are being negotiated. Is DPF going to issue a statement when a trade becomes a contract?

Is DPF going to issue a statement on what happens if someone ships a pin which is never received?

Insulted Other Member(s)/Personal Attacks

Clear examples must be given on what constitutes insults and personal attacks. I have seen numerous examples of what I would call personal attacks. I know some people believe I have engaged in same; and I believe there have been posts that are personal attacks on me.

All that being said, we cannot protect against hurt feelings. To paraphrase John Addams, “This is [the Internet], dammit! We're going to have to offend SOMEBODY!†(From the movie 1776, dir. P. Hunt, 1972) Is DPF trying to protect against simple slights in medium that doesn’t understand intonation? It was my understanding that the primary focus of this website was for adults Disneyana fans to get together to discuss Disney pin trading. It was once stated by the moderates that they “want to promote open discussion as much as possible here on DPF, so if you encounter an issue with another member please work out your differences like adults.†(emphasis mine) Has this position now changed?

Free Form Infractions

This catchall was described as the following:

“Keep in mind that there are also possible "freeform" infractions, given out at an Administrator's or Moderator's discretion. Infractions are only seen by DPF Admins and Moderators, and you will be notified when you have received an infraction.†(Bold in original)

This again impermissibly vague and ambiguous. Under what circumstances are you going to give free form infractions? Without guidance how do we know if we overstep some invisible line? What protections are you going to someone who has been given a free form infraction? Will all four moderators / administrators have to agree?

***
I believe that these issues should be cleared up before DPF institutes a infraction system.

Sincerely yours,

kajtdd

 

[Story]

I'm surprised an infraction system is even being questioned. I was under the impression all forums use some sort of infraction system :dunno:


And at the risk of this coming off wrong... It's their site, their rules. If you don't *trust* the staff team of the site to have the best interest for their site, then it's probably best that you don't use it.

 

[Brandy714]

I think common sense should be your guide.

 

[kajtdd]

And at the risk of this coming off wrong... It's their site, their rules. If you don't *trust* the staff team of the site to have the best interest for their site, then it's probably best that you don't use it.

Of course its their site. I acknowledged that already. I want clear rules which are not arbitrary, and enforced fairly on everyone. If you going to kick someone off your site, they should know why and good procedure is being used.

I think common sense should be your guide.

"Common Sense" is relative. On the old Dizpins site, it was improper to mention Dick Tracy, ebay or sharks. I personally dont think any of these are offensive terms. Dizpins disagreed. I want to know if DPF is going to disagree.

kajtdd

 

[Brandy714]

I just think you're taking something simple and making it into something much deeper than it needs to be. Read the guidelines. Apply common sense. Yes, it is relative, but I think everyone knows a good jumping off point. I just don't see why you feel the need to nitpick every point of the infraction system. The mods have enough to deal with without having to spell everything out for you.

 

[Story]

I just think you're taking something simple and making it into something much deeper than it needs to be. Read the guidelines. Apply common sense. Yes, it is relative, but I think everyone knows a good jumping off point. I just don't see why you feel the need to nitpick every point of the infraction system. The mods have enough to deal with without having to spell everything out for you.

^ exactly. If you have genuine concerns as to whether something is considered offensive to the staff team, then just pm them.

 

[rubyslipperedgoddess]

Insulted Other Member(s)/Personal Attacks

Clear examples must be given on what constitutes insults and personal attacks. I have seen numerous examples of what I would call personal attacks. I know some people believe I have engaged in same; and I believe there have been posts that are personal attacks on me.

All that being said, we cannot protect against hurt feelings. To paraphrase John Addams, “This is [the Internet], dammit! We're going to have to offend SOMEBODY!” (From the movie 1776, dir. P. Hunt, 1972) Is DPF trying to protect against simple slights in medium that doesn’t understand intonation? It was my understanding that the primary focus of this website was for adults Disneyana fans to get together to discuss Disney pin trading. It was once stated by the moderates that they “want to promote open discussion as much as possible here on DPF, so if you encounter an issue with another member please work out your differences like adults.” (emphasis mine) Has this position now changed?
kajtdd

I actually have a few questions about this part too. People have a way of interpreting the written word differently, as katjtdd mentioned when there is no intonation one cannot hear a person's intent and what may be sarcasm or any number of things can be interpreted as something mean or disparaging. I recently made a comment, that someone interpreted as self-righteous and made a catty comment as such. My comment was never meant to be self-righteous, but because they only read it they chose to interpret it negatively. That person clearly took a jab at me, should I then tell the mods? Is a catty comment in response to what someone said considered an infraction?

I agree that perhaps some clarification is necessary. I'm not saying that they shouldn't have rules and consequences, only that they need to be clear. I want to know what might lead to an infraction before I receive one.

 

[rubyslipperedgoddess]

^ exactly. If you have genuine concerns as to whether something is considered offensive to the staff team, then just pm them.

PMing a mod only helps the person asking, having an open discussion allows for everyone to understand the rules. It was also stated in the original post that people were free to ask questions. I just think having an open discussion not only answers everyone's questions but it means that no one can say they didn't know. Ignorance, because you didn't read about it is no excuse, but if the information isn't provided is. I don't think it's the common sense things she's worried about, but rather the things that walk a fine line.

 

[Thimble]

Honestly when I saw the announcement I was extremely surprised that they weren't using the infraction system already, as I assumed every forum used one. It's a very efficient system to bridge the gap between warnings and straight up bans. I think we have it easy here on DPF compared to other forums I have been a part of, rules-wise. I'm going to bet the infraction used the most will be the BUMPING infraction.

 

[rubyslipperedgoddess]

Honestly when I saw the announcement I was extremely surprised that they weren't using the infraction system already, as I assumed every forum used one. It's a very efficient system to bridge the gap between warnings and straight up bans. I think we have it easy here on DPF compared to other forums I have been a part of, rules-wise. I'm going to bet the infraction used the most will be the BUMPING infraction.

It is a pretty commonplace thing on forums and some of them are stricter than a prison. I have a friend who belongs to a He-Man forum and from what he tells me they're crazy strict and no warnings. I have no problem with it, just would like a constitution so to speak that makes things a little more clear. I don't want my sarcasm to get me in trouble.

 

[Merryweather]

I think the bans should be harder and longer starting at 2 weeks minimum. Some members do not even come by for at least 1 week, a ban starting at a mere 3 days hardly would bother anyone and it will not help its purpose.

 

[Merryweather]

Can I link to my trade / sales threads? I know in the past other members have done so.

I can't answer this question, but you should probably remove

Pinpics Pin# 17958: Bootleg - Christmas Tinker Bell - $60.00

from your sales thread. More on Sales Forum rules can be found here: http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?40-Sales-Forum-General-Rules

 

[tinkerbelle1956]

I never got a warning first . I got slapped with a 90 day infraction for defending a friend . The posts were deleted before the other mods/ admins had a chance to view it and most of my comments were in the form of PMs .
I agree with an infraction system wholeheartedly and accept my penalty graciously, but in all do respect, it states warning first . So mine should be removed . Did others involved receive same ?
Like now won basj's auction, had prematurely zapped someone with a pin I bid with . I offered him everything but my left arm & leg, but he wanted to default on the auction to 2nd place winner . I in turn bought the pin I initially bid for, over $40.00 on eBay and now he won't give me his address . I don't know what to think .
On a different note when Chicken Little wakes up, I have to let her know that while removing the gondola uk pin from my grand daughters pin picture, the post snapped off , so unless she wants to choose another pin from my traders , the winner will be MASTER . I hope I will not be penalized for something I had no control over .
Now what about this problem with basj again ? Thank you in advance .

 

[broncobilly83]

To me, I was surprised there was not an infraction system in place as every other forum I belong to has one. I think it serves as a deterrent for a lot of the drama we have been seeing lately. Others have said it above, a lot of this is common sense, and basically the golden rule. Treat others how you would want to be treated and you should not have any issues.

 

[tinkerbelle1956]

Just to be clear, I wholeheartedly agree with the infraction system . I don't want anyone too think that I don't because of my previous post . Thank You Staff !

 

[swim2sea]

I just think you're taking something simple and making it into something much deeper than it needs to be. Read the guidelines. Apply common sense. Yes, it is relative, but I think everyone knows a good jumping off point. I just don't see why you feel the need to nitpick every point of the infraction system. The mods have enough to deal with without having to spell everything out for you.

I agree with you 1000+ that you are making this way more complicated than it is. You are creating problems where there are none and trying to create and "infraction" with your comments. There is enough drama here without adding to the issue. It is what it is and Dizpins had a very similar system. Settle down and use your common sense.

 

[kajtdd]

I just don't see why you feel the need to nitpick every point of the infraction system. The mods have enough to deal with without having to spell everything out for you.

I agree with you 1000+ that you are making this way more complicated than it is. You are creating problems where there are none and trying to create and "infraction" with your comments. There is enough drama here without adding to the issue. It is what it is and Dizpins had a very similar system. Settle down and use your common sense.

A moderator recently defined what personal attacks are (from borrowing this definition from another forum):

What is an attack exactly? We have all heard the term before. On a message board, an attack is when another member posts a message that clearly & directly is to threaten, defame, insult or make a mockery of another for whatever reason that poster felt compelled to do so (EX: "You are full of crap you liar!", "You are a complete idiot", etc). These boards are for discussions. There will always be differing opinions. You can disagree & but be civil and do not spread hate around.

Attack the message rather than the messenger. Posts, including comments, may be discussed, as long as it is NOT attacking and individual member directly.

Allowable: "I disagree with that statement."

Not allowable: "You're an idiot for saying that."

So far, a few comments have been directed at me personally. These would include me "nitpicking", wasting moderators time, and that I am just stirring up trouble to create drama. I disagree with these comments. I think my concerns are valid and justified, as illustrated by others experiences and concerns. However, the comments above, although no has yet to call me an idiot, would they be considered personal attacks?

While I take offense to those comments, I sure hope that they would not rise to "personal attacks" even though they are direct at me personally.

kajtdd

 

[Cicada]

I actually have a few questions about this part too. People have a way of interpreting the written word differently, as katjtdd mentioned when there is no intonation one cannot hear a person's intent and what may be sarcasm or any number of things can be interpreted as something mean or disparaging. I recently made a comment, that someone interpreted as self-righteous and made a catty comment as such. My comment was never meant to be self-righteous, but because they only read it they chose to interpret it negatively. That person clearly took a jab at me, should I then tell the mods? Is a catty comment in response to what someone said considered an infraction?

I agree that perhaps some clarification is necessary. I'm not saying that they shouldn't have rules and consequences, only that they need to be clear. I want to know what might lead to an infraction before I receive one.

A Valid concern, and in a situation as you described, it would probably be best to explain that the comment made was sarcasm, and no offense was intended. Small issues such as that (that do not escalate further) are very likely non-deserving of an infraction.

More serious issues or arguments that escalate and resort to behavior in which one attacks personal character will be locked/moved, and looked at by the team before (or if) any action is taken. As i'm sure many are aware, we try not to lock/move/edit too many posts as we like everyone to have their voice heard (so if a post gets locked/moved/edited/deleted, that should be a pretty clear sign to knock it off.) However, (again, as i'm sure many are aware) we've been getting an overwhelming number of complaints by members across the board about a number of things. The infraction system has been something we've been fleshing out for a few months now, and is essentially there as a way to keep tabs on problem members, as well as automate administrative actions.

Again, most infractions will be discussed by the admin/mod team beforehand (unless it's something minor like excessive bumping/spamming, or other minor violations which we will trust based on the individuals experience with the member in question.) The administrators and moderators have been very carefully selected (heck, we went over a year before even selecting just two to help us out) to ensure that forum issues are handled in an "as-unbiased-as-possible" way, with no abuse of power.

 

[Cicada]

Honestly when I saw the announcement I was extremely surprised that they weren't using the infraction system already, as I assumed every forum used one. It's a very efficient system to bridge the gap between warnings and straight up bans. I think we have it easy here on DPF compared to other forums I have been a part of, rules-wise. I'm going to bet the infraction used the most will be the BUMPING infraction.

It has been implemented for some time (prior to the announcement), but we had not actually issued many infractions before the announcement because we wanted everyone to understand what was happening if or when they receive a warning/infraction.

 

[Cicada]

It is a pretty commonplace thing on forums and some of them are stricter than a prison. I have a friend who belongs to a He-Man forum and from what he tells me they're crazy strict and no warnings.

There are many, but we're trying to avoid that type of environment. DPF was established because we felt other pin discussion forums had a stifling atmosphere -- very little activity/discussion because everyone was too afraid to offend and always had to "mind their p's and q's" for fear of administrative action, which eventually led to nearly no activity/posting at all.

This isn't to say we're going to allow a hostile atmosphere, either. I'll be the first to admit that it's been quite a while that the forum has been in "chaos" with very little moderation (as evidenced by the admins and mods' PM boxes full of complaints.) And it's time we started cracking down.

 

[Cicada]

BTW, I do appreciate this thread and will respond to the original post (very likely in a short post, as i have perused it and cannot offer any 'acceptable' insight right now.)

I do encourage everyone to exercise their best judgment and common sense when it comes to conducting yourself on the forums, however.

 

[movingthestars]

I think the bans should be harder and longer starting at 2 weeks minimum. Some members do not even come by for at least 1 week, a ban starting at a mere 3 days hardly would bother anyone and it will not help its purpose.

I agree with this entirely. Someone just stole a pin from me, and if they don't respond to the dispute they will get 2 "points" that will go away in 2 months... oh and that doesn't even equal any kind of ban, but if it was 3 points they would only be banned for 3 days??? For scamming me out of my property??????? Seems fair.

 

[Stitch2814]

I never got a warning first . I got slapped with a 90 day infraction for defending a friend . The posts were deleted before the other mods/ admins had a chance to view it and most of my comments were in the form of PMs .
I agree with an infraction system wholeheartedly and accept my penalty graciously, but in all do respect, it states warning first . So mine should be removed . Did others involved receive same ?
Like now won basj's auction, had prematurely zapped someone with a pin I bid with . I offered him everything but my left arm & leg, but he wanted to default on the auction to 2nd place winner . I in turn bought the pin I initially bid for, over $40.00 on eBay and now he won't give me his address . I don't know what to think .
On a different note when Chicken Little wakes up, I have to let her know that while removing the gondola uk pin from my grand daughters pin picture, the post snapped off , so unless she wants to choose another pin from my traders , the winner will be MASTER . I hope I will not be penalized for something I had no control over .
Now what about this problem with basj again ? Thank you in advance .

Regarding the auctions etc I would have done the same as Basj as you bid a pin you didnt have and I would believe it would revert to 2nd Place person just down to the fact you didnt have all the pins you said you did at the time. If you went and purchased the pin you zapped someone with off ebay and now want his address..He may have already told the 2nd place person they are getting the pin. Its best PM'ing him and asking rather than putting it in here.

I would say the same thing regarding the other auction as your pin is broke and is part of the bid you are winning with. I would suggest either PM chickenlittle or changing your bid to compensate for the broken pin and take it out and you never know you could be still the winning person but if not then I guess better luck next time just I think you could be number 1 due to the gondola pin I dont know as I dont look at the trade auctions.

Things will work out but thats just my two cents.

 

[Cicada]

I think the bans should be harder and longer starting at 2 weeks minimum. Some members do not even come by for at least 1 week, a ban starting at a mere 3 days hardly would bother anyone and it will not help its purpose.

Thanks for the concern, and I have revisited this point with the team. We're looking at a minimum 1-week (7 day) ban at 3 points, with length of ban increasing from there at 5 (2 weeks), 7 (1 month), and 10 (perma).

Especially since we issue infractions fairly infrequently at this point (most infractions are discussed thoroughly by the mods/admins in private), it would really take some bizarre behavior to even accumulate 3 points with the current system in place. And at that point, they've become a nuisance to the forum and would be deserving of more than just a 3-day ban.

Now, if infractions were handed out willy-nilly and immediately without discussion, then sure, a 3-day ban at 3 points may well serve its purpose. But since that's not the case, I'll be updating the system accordingly. Keep an eye out in the original thread for updates: http://disneypinforum.com/showthrea...the-DPF-Infraction-System&p=214135#post214135

 

[Cicada]

To begin with, who determines an infraction has occurred? What is the process of determining? What evidence is needed? What safe guards are going to be implemented that the system is not abused by a party?

As example, is DPF going to capture all chat room logs? Private logs? Private PMs?

It is up to the individual admin or moderator to determine if questionable behavior is acceptable. Thankfully, each member of our team has been carefully selected and we are confident that no abuse of power will take place. (If it ever becomes an issue, myself and Bricklayer will discuss how to deal with any current or future moderator that abuses their power.) While each member of our team actively checks in and participates/views/reads the forum, It's impossible for us to read _everything_ that is posted, so we also rely on our users to report any behavior/posts they think should be reviewed, via PM, or via the reporting system (overview here.) Each report is discussed in private by the team to see what, if any, action should take place. In most cases (save the odd 'spamming' or other minor infraction, the entire team discusses an incident before an infraction is issued.

Finally, we do not log chat, nor do any of the admins or moderators have access to any of your PM boxes. (Though we have had incidents where users will log their own chats and save PMs.)

Inappropriate Language

This is one of the more concerning aspects to the new infraction lists. What is “inappropriate†language? Mere fleeting cursing? The word shark? The Disney character Dick Tracy or Disney legend Dick van Dyke? A discussion regarding ***** willows or the James Bond Villain ***** Galore? What if I want to discuss French Connection fashion (FCUK)? What if I want discuss the nudity in recent Pixar movie Brave?

Who determines what is inappropriate? Moreover, where does this inappropriate language have to occur?
What about other “inappropriate†actions. We’ve had multiple threads were children Disney characters are killed! Some might find that inappropriate. Or what about the other evening when I looked on my chat log to find a long discussion of bust sizes?

Clear and concise definition is “inappropriate†is needed.

While most common "curse" words are censored, some "inappropriate" words are not (as you have demonstrated). such words are inappropriate in some usage, not all, and so, Each case/report will be taken and looked at in the context in which it was used. We trust that common sense and tact prevails in this regard, so we don't forsee this being much of an issue.

Signature/Image/"Other" Violation

This one is also quite concerning. This contains three new rules without definitions.

To my knowledge, the only discussion on the limitation on Signatures was back in Oct. 2011. (See here) It appears that there is an unofficial rule that you cannot use your signature to advertise outside website.

Does this mean I can’t have this for my signature (as my old Dizpins signature was):

"Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." -- Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, "The One Un-American Act." Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.

"It's not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers." -- Judy Blume

Can I link to my trade / sales threads? I know in the past other members have done so.

What is the exact rules on Signatures?

Image and “other†– both of these are so vague and ambiguous it is impossible to comprehend. Beyond the general prohibition we signed up with: “By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-oriented, hateful, threatening, otherwise violative of any laws.†What other things are you talking about? I mean, outside of pornography, what other images are you talking about?

Again, common sense should be your guide. There are no hard and fast rules on signatures, but a ridiculously large image is understandably unacceptable (seeing as how many have 'display signature' on by default so it displays with each post they make), as is advertising for commercial purposes (businesses, other websites, etc.) The signature field has its own restrictions (number of characters allowed, etc) so we have ensured, to some extent, that no violations under normal use can occur. There are ways to skirt such restrictions, however, and this is mainly why we have implemented this as a "pre-set" infraction.

I do see this as more of a "warning" category than anything, as most signature/avatar violations are immediately changed/resized/removed by administrators.

Linking to your own sales threads or other non-sales threads (on DPF) is perfectly acceptable.

Unresolved Trade/Auction
Is DPF going to be moderating trades at this point? How will you confirm that a trade is “unresolved� Again, what safety guards is DPF going to have assure that the accused wrongdoer will be protected against someone who simply regrets a trade?

More to the point, many issues seem to arise when trades are being negotiated. Is DPF going to issue a statement when a trade becomes a contract?

Is DPF going to issue a statement on what happens if someone ships a pin which is never received?

We are not moderating trades, however, our moderators have offered advice on unresolved trades. When it becomes an issue, we moderate a direct, private discussion between the members to (hopefully) reach a favorable conclusion. If no response is received by one (or both) parties, then a decision is made among the team to what steps need to be taken, given the information we have. It is not our intent to become directly involved in any trades, as it should be common knowledge that trading (ESPECIALLY) via post is always a risk and that each party should make the best effort possible to ensure that they have 'all their bases covered', so to speak.

Insulted Other Member(s)/Personal Attacks

Clear examples must be given on what constitutes insults and personal attacks. I have seen numerous examples of what I would call personal attacks. I know some people believe I have engaged in same; and I believe there have been posts that are personal attacks on me.

All that being said, we cannot protect against hurt feelings. To paraphrase John Addams, “This is [the Internet], dammit! We're going to have to offend SOMEBODY!†(From the movie 1776, dir. P. Hunt, 1972) Is DPF trying to protect against simple slights in medium that doesn’t understand intonation? It was my understanding that the primary focus of this website was for adults Disneyana fans to get together to discuss Disney pin trading. It was once stated by the moderates that they “want to promote open discussion as much as possible here on DPF, so if you encounter an issue with another member please work out your differences like adults.†(emphasis mine) Has this position now changed?

It has not, however, given recent (and past) events, we acknowledge that there is a need to have some sort of order in place to keep members' behavior in check. If you are having an issue with a member that cannot be resolved via PM, then you may always report the post (or posts) in question (again, here.) And we will take a look at it.

Free Form Infractions

This catchall was described as the following:

“Keep in mind that there are also possible "freeform" infractions, given out at an Administrator's or Moderator's discretion. Infractions are only seen by DPF Admins and Moderators, and you will be notified when you have received an infraction.†(Bold in original)

This again impermissibly vague and ambiguous. Under what circumstances are you going to give free form infractions? Without guidance how do we know if we overstep some invisible line? What protections are you going to someone who has been given a free form infraction? Will all four moderators / administrators have to agree?

The statement was a catch-all. As you acknowledged in the original post, the site is still privately run and our members are free to come and go as they please for whatever reason, in the same way the owners and administrators are free to run the site as we see fit. Thankfully, we created DPF with the intent to have a place for people to gather and discuss our favorite hobby (plans were in place even prior to DizPins' closing), and not as a place for people to gain popularity or as a place to have "dominion" over members. We try to stay engaged with everyone through posting, giveaways, videos, etc. and we hope people see us as just another member on the forum and not "big brother" to where opinion and discussion is stifled because of a fear of consequence.

We don't forsee infractions becoming a big issue for most members. The system is more to help make our jobs easier by automating certain administrative actions when it comes to common issues we've encountered, as well as provide general guidelines on acceptable forum behavior.