BITOG policies: Conduct; Complaints; Problem Notifications; Copyright/Trademark

[dnewton3]

BITOG STANDARD of CONDUCT

The owner and staff at BITOG encourage discussion and sharing in regards to all allowable topics within the context of this site's endeavors. As our membership grows in numbers, we become more diverse; that comes with both blessings and challenges. We want all to enjoy their time here; please share with, as well as learn from, others. Agreement, debate and even disagreement are all acceptable as long as it happens with civility; the Golden Rule is our guiding principle.

To that end, we have Rules and policies as to how all members shall act/interact on BITOG. Please understand that the Rules are not a maximum limit, but rather a minimum threshold of the overall, total societal conduct we expect and enforce at our sole discretion. Appropriate conduct is embraced and welcome; inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated on any level and will be dealt with accordingly. This is a privately owned, family-friendly site; we insist upon behavior that supports and does not contradict our mantra.

Membership Identity shall be singular for each unique person who registers at BITOG. Each person (human being) who registers shall create and use only one member account profile.
- Do not create multiple member identities for a single person.
- Do not re-register as a different member profile identity if you have been banned or otherwise restricted from the site.
- If you have more than one member profile, you are required to notify the site Staff so we can reduce you down to one member account.
Any attempt(s) to create or use multiple member account profiles for the purpose of gaining entry to BITOG for any reason will be interpreted as and considered to be cyber-tresspassing and subject to futher actions, including potential for legal action(s). If you believe your account(s) have been compromised and/or locked in error, contact the site Administrator via email.
NOTE: You may change your member display name for your member account; contact the Administration for details and process.

Do not initiate conversations and/or discuss materials concerning the following topics: Religion, Sex, Politics (RSP), etc
Past experience has shown that those topics can't be discussed without conflict. Implication, innuendo and such similar efforts are also unacceptable. Hot-Button topics such as climate change, etc are also unwarranted. Tariffs are a form of political content and are by extension, prohibited; as are CVD topics.

Do not initiate or participate in conversations and/or link materials which promote or encourage illegal or prohibited behavior(s). Examples of such prohibited content would be, but are not limited to, the following:
- products or "how to" information regarding deleting/defeating emissions control systems.
- products or "how to" information regarding illegal modifications to firearms such as Glock "switches", illegal trigger conversions, etc.
- exchange of products/services which are against the host entity rules/regulations (ala "sharing" streaming services, violating terms of singular account systems, etc.)
Any conversation or information which can be reasonably interpreted as facilitating illegal/prohibited acts will be grounds for thread/post removal and actions taken against the member(s). Any violation should be immediately be brought to the attention of BITOG staff via the "report" feature within the thread/post(s).

"Artificial Intelligence" (AI) generated content is prohibited.
BITOG is a place for people to discuss their passions, ideas, concerns and points of view. BITOG is not, in any manner, a place to create, post, deposit or display any AI generated text, videos, audio, materials, etc. Any such content, confirmed or suspected, will be removed and the member will be subject to appropriate action(s). You may summarize AI responses in a general sense using your own words, but DO NOT QUOTE AI content directly on this site. Threads which have AI as the core topic will be at risk; tread carefully!

The word censor/profanity filter shall not be ignored or bypassed
Use the preview tool on all posts before posting.
- If a word is marked as censored by the automated filter then that word is not allowed; do not use that word. (example: ****)
- If you have to fool the censor/filter by using alternate spellings, spacing and/or special characters, do not use the alternate spelling of that word. (example: $&^#)
- Abbreviations which contain/imply words which would otherwise be caught by the filter shall not be used.
- Acronyms which embed illicit words within the character string are prohibited; do not use that acronym.
- Vulgar slang words and expressions are not allowed.
The ever-changing and evolving electronic world in which we live makes it difficult to have the automated censor catch all violations. Violations may also be caught by Moderator intervention. The bottom line is that you will be held accountable for any and all things you post, regardless of how that content is expressed.

We do not support nor advocate for Legal and Medical advice
BITOG is not equipped or intended to be a source of information, advice, aid or general curiosity for those subjects. Seeking Legal or Medical advice from anonymous strangers is inherently ill advised.

Trolling, baiting, doxing, spoofing, swatting, harassing, etc ...
Disruptive conduct means to incite conflict or data-mine for nefarious purposes. The definition of and response to disruptive conduct are the sole discretion of Staff.

Linked materials shall be of acceptable nature
Today's technology gives us many opportunities to share a wealth of materials and images from other sources. Prior to posting anything here, it is your responsibility to review the material completely and assure it is in keeping with our rules and policies; it shall not include embedded content which will violate our tenets. This includes but is not limited to all visual and audible content, as well as any trademark and copyright status. See our separate policy statement on copyright materials. Further, do not post videos/articles/images/etc which are easily found elsewhere, simply for the purpose of reposting them here without adding your own substantial meaningful or credible dialog; if you feel it's important enough to post here, then you must explain why it's relevant to BITOG. Additionally, BITOG is not a place to simply regurgitate mundane daily life activities; while we encourage interesting participation of many various topics, we're not a place to drop your "look at me" posts as daily social media contact ... We're not FB, IG or X, so please don't treat us like those entities.

Policing the site
Our moderators cannot be everywhere at once. We count on the dutiful eye of each member to help us keep this site in order. We ask that you help us keep a great site going; please alert Moderators if violations of the Forum Rules, Avatar Policy, or Standard of Conduct occur. Use the "report" function within a post or thread to bring items to our Staff attention.

Personal responsibility
Each member is expected to review and adhere to the Forum Rules Terms and Conditions as agreed upon joining our membership, as well as this Standard of Conduct and all other policies and procedures.



Rules and legal statements here: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum-rules/

Copyright topic: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/copyright-protections-and-fair-use-exceptions.370976/

Notification process here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/problem-and-violation-notification-process.310545/

Complaint process here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/complaint-process.310544/

 

[dnewton3]

BITOG COMPLAINT PROCESS

Recognizing that there should be a way to address genuine grievances and concerns, BITOG has a formal process we ask you follow. Generally, if you have problem with another member, or Moderator, or how the site is governed, this would be the appropriate course to follow:

1) First, send a message to a disinterested-yet-trusted fellow member and ask if your perspective is valid or tainted; make sure you're seeing through clear eyes. There's nothing wrong with asking another member for a second opinion. If there is agreement in the merit of your concern, proceed to the next step.

2) Directly contact the specific member or Moderator/Administrator you are concerned about with a private conversation via Direct Message. Discuss the details of your complaint and try to resolve it one-on-one. Act like grown-ups and see if you can resolve the issue amicably.

3) If no resolution comes from the above, please contact a different Moderator/Administrator via "conversation" and ask for intervention; let a different set of eyes look over the issue. Please include all conversations as informational reference.

4) Finally, if still not satisfied, approach Administrator "wwillson" via a private conversation via Direct Message.

This is a privately owned site, and the Owner has a right to set the conduct standards as he/she sees fit. To that effect, the Owner has a team that works for the site (unpaid volunteers), and takes direction from the Owner. To a large degree, this site is very well run and respected, but unfortunately there will always be times when governance must take place. Moderators/Administrators are not above the rules and we do make mistakes; there's nothing wrong with politely challenging the system if you think a wrong needs righted. But do so in a manner that has relevance and shows respect. And please do realize that, ultimately, members are subject to the Staff's interpretation of the Owner's directives.

As always, if you see a post or thread that needs immediate attention due to rules violations, please use the "Report" function (radio button) in the lower left portion of the post itself; this will generate awareness with our Staff for immediate attention.

NOTE: (The Direct Message feature is activated by clicking on the "mail" icon near your user ID, in the menu banner near the top of the screen)

 

[dnewton3]

BITOG PROBLEM and VIOLATION NOTIFICATION PROCESS

We at BITOG want your experience on this site to be meaningful, enjoyable, and informational. However, we do realize there are times when things go awry, and must be dealt with.

In each post of every thread, there are tools in the lower left-hand corner to help you. One of them is a notification tool to make the site Staff aware of problems. Please use the "Report" button to bring items which need immediate action to the Staff's attention. When you "Report", please add your comments and/or links to further direct our attention to the issue of concern.

These are examples of reasons the "Report" function would be advisable to use ...
- rules violations
- errors in posting you cannot undo because your ability to edit has timed out
- other similar concerns

When you help us manage a good site, it benefits all!

 

[dnewton3]

BITOG COPYRIGHT and TRADEMARK POLICY; FAIR USE EXEMPTIONS

Both copyrights and trademarks protect intellectual property, but in different ways. Copyrights protect content related to written text, music, artwork, etc. Trademarks protect brand logos, symbols, emblems, phrases, etc. Copyright and Trademark protections will be observed and obeyed to the best of our limited abilities here on BITOG. If you see a suspected infringement, please "report" the possible violation and allow the Staff here to review it.


First and foremost, for anyone who wants to post linked materials of any nature here on BITOG, it is that member's responsibility to make a reasonable effort to research any potential copyright protections for any and all materials, prior to posting. If copyright protections exist, and you still want to post the materials, you must comply with the copyright license conditions. For each material item that is/was copyright protected, we require you to post proof from that licensing entity assuring you are not in violation of the copyright, along with the material itself.


It is important to understand that there is a "Fair Use" law that allows for direct copy/paste of copyrighted materials ONLY UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES. (See USC Title 17 s/s 107). When a member includes protected information or does a copy/paste of copyrighted material(s), you must make a reasonable effort to qualify for one of the exemptions as stated in the Fair Use law. We require you to add your own (personal) substantial comments and meaningful discussion when posting linked or copied protected material(s). If you do not do so, your thread or post may be modified, deleted or quarantined in our effort to respect copyright protections and/or enforce our linked material policy.


We are not lawyers here on BITOG, so it is perhaps best if we direct you to the official Government web addresses:
https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-fairuse.html
https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/index.html
https://www.copyright.gov/title17/
https://codes.findlaw.com/us/title-17-copyrights/17-usc-sect-107/


Do not just drop an image, a link to an article, study or video, or copy/paste information, and then run away; that lacks any reasonable effort to respect the Fair Use exemption as well as our policy requirement for substantive comment. Further, it is unacceptable to simply post a short quip; that is NOT substantial and meaningful discussion and does not meet the standard for exemption or our policy regarding contribution. You must make a concerted effort to say something detailed in a manner of criticism, education, opinion, etc.

examples of acceptable efforts to comply with the Fair Use standard and the BITOG contribution requirement:
- "I like this article because it reveals the nature of how the tribochemical barrier is formed. I learned that this happens when ..."
- "This demonstrates why Mr. X was incorrect in his assumptions for the nature of the failure. This is clear in the photos because you can see ..."
- "This video helped me repair my Chevy because you can see where the bolt fits into the hole behind the alternator. See the video at minute 1:23. This helps greatly because I was unable to find the hidden hole; this video helped me get the right angle for bolt installation ..."

examples of unacceptable efforts to comply with the Fair Use standard and the BITOG contribution requirement:
- "This is cool."
- "What an idiot."
- "I didn't know this."
- (saying nothing whatsoever)


When you start with substantial, meaningful dialog which induces discussion relative to the copyright material, you thereby initiate critique, education, commentary, etcetera and therefore qualify for the Fair Use exemption, and comply with our SoC policy. If you do not make such efforts, you may violate copyright law, and also are violating our policy, and so your post or thread will be dealt with accordingly to the best of our limited ability.


NOTE1: it is acceptable to post a link as a response to a question which is limited enough in scope that the link itself provides the essential answer/explanation when taken from an open public format. For example, if someone asks a question about a product and the product web page itself has the answer; that information which is gleaned from a publicly available format is not a policy violation.

NOTE2: Avatars cannot have copyright or trademark protected images.

Remember ...
Before you post linked material(s), it is your responsibility to research the material(s) and assure you are able to legally post it in a public format.
It is not BITOG's job to do your homework for you. If we believe your thread or post is in violation, it will be removed and you will be formally warned.