Pinecam has received questions from Mods and Posters on how to make the TOS clearer, more understandable and easier for all to understand. New Mods came up with the following suggested rewording of the TOS.
Discussion of Copyrighted material is elaborated but most other provisions very similar and we hope that it is more clear to posters. The old TOS will remain visible for another week.


PineCam STUDY FORUM Terms of Service Eff. Jan. 21, 2010

In order to maintain an environment for educated and healthy discussion of politics, science, local or world wide current events and more in a civil and respectful environment, all threads are moderated and must remain civil and constructive. Pinecam.com forum is different from many other forums on the internet in that we are a community online and offline. Please remember that you may be, and often are, speaking with your neighbors. These guidelines are not meant to limit your discussions, but to keep the Study a place where all viewpoints are welcome.

Before posting in the Study you must agree to the following basic guidelines and requests before using this Forum and refer back to it as necessary:

1. Always be respectful of other users, the forum and the moderators. We put the Study online in good faith for the community; please use it in good faith.
2. Posts are moderated for foul language, flaming, taunting, baiting, abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, personal identifiable information, sexually-oriented or any other material that may violate any applicable laws or deemed to be disruptive to the other posters on the forums.
3. Nicknames, avatars or images that we feel are inflammatory, vulgar, promotional, or rude will be removed.
4. Be descriptive, specific, and concise in your postings. This way your opinion and points are clearly understood and referenced.
5. Please stay within the topic that the original poster started. Moderators reserve the right to delete or edit off topic posts but will try to accomplish fairness in doing so.
6. Because your post may be more pertinent to another ongoing discussion it might be merged or it might be split into another new thread by moderators of the site.
7. Links to adult content, pages with links to adult content, near adult content, promotional urls, and messages describing anything against the law will be removed as soon as possible. We encourage you to help us keep spam off the site by using the "Report to Moderator" button at the bottom right of the objectionable post.
8. Private messages (PM's) from moderators or other members are NOT ALLOWED to be posted without their express permission. There are no exceptions to this rule.
9. For press releases, newsletters, web pages, or other copyrighted content to be inserted into posts: Minor fair use excerpts of less than one paragraph (4 sentences) may be used if the content is publically available on the internet. A link to the content is acceptable and appropriate per the Fair Use Doctrine. All other forms of inserted content from press releases, newsletters, web pages, or any other copyrighted content placed into messages will be removed without exception. If starting a discussion please add commentary on the link and clarify the topic of the thread. Posting a link, for the sake of posting the link without substantive follow-up discussion will result in the link and post being removed.
10. Posting limit on new threads and links: Posters in the Study are limited to starting no more than 2 new threads per day. Violations of this are subject to the above TOS Modifications for the study.
11. Keep your personal business with other posters or people as just that - personal. This forum is not a venue for the resolution of personal disputes with other members or companies.
12. You agree not to hold Pinecam.com or its members liable for anything stated within the forums. Remember when posting you are responsible for any comments made on this forum by you. Pinecam posts can be read by anyone on the internet.
13. Members may not take another members name or public figures name and change it within a post in order to be insulting – such as using the word “moron” or "stupid", etc
14. Please do not engage in public Moderator bashing within the forum(s). If you disagree with a Moderator decision, you can communicate with that Moderator or the Lead Moderator using the Private Message (PM) function to address your concerns. Discussions about moderator or administrator actions are welcome in email or PM's, but should not be discussed in public forums. This is out of respect for the members and moderators and privacy policy involved.
15. We do not allow 'review my site' type posts and those are considered spam except in your profile.
16. When a message is posted in a topic, you are granting permission to the site to use it or for other posters to quote it. Intentional alteration of quoted posts will not be allowed.
17. Violations of our Terms of Service will result in the following actions: The thread may be locked. The poster found in violation of the TOS will be held to a 3 strikes rule. 1. First Violation: Poster will be given a three day time out and thread may be locked. 2. Second Violation: Poster will be given a one week time out and the thread may be locked. 3. Third Violation: Poster's account will be disabled for one month. Any further violation and your Pinecam Account will be closed. Any of these violations against Pinecam's TOS will be removed promptly without discussion at our discretion.

Please treat others the way you wish to be treated. One way to guard against misunderstandings is to read over your response before you post it. And if you realize you miswrote or did not mean what you said, USE THE EDIT BUTTON! If you feel you posted something that was not what you meant we always would rather you edit your comments than the moderators doing it. Flaming or personal attacks are not allowed or tolerated. Should anyone use inappropriate language, start a personal attack, or engage in hate speech, they may be barred from the site.


We reserve the right to edit and delete any and all content that has Violated Pinecam's TOS. We reserve the right to modify these Terms of Service from time to time as needed and Posters have a responsibility to periodically read the TOS.