How Important are Guidelines on Your Community?

Truestar · Moderator

We all run forums, or have, or staff at them. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here.

So, either you create, or enforce guidelines, or maybe the community doesn't have any.

If not, why? And if you do, how important is it that these guidelines be followed? Some communities are very lenient, when some are very strict.
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Patrick · Administrator

I have guidelines on all of my communities and it is very important that they be followed, otherwise there is little functional purpose to them and they won't be respected.

I could see on a private community of friends that know each other, etc. that there might not be a need for them. But, if you have a community accessible to the public that you wish to keep respectful, work/family friendly, etc., you must have guidelines.
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User Guidelines

~HG~ · Posted: 1/7/2007, 3:42 am Post subject:

I have guidleines on my communities but they very rarely come into play because I simply dont have people join for the sole purpose of disrupting the forums.
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Nick · Posted: 1/7/2007, 1:47 pm Post subject:

dojo · Posted: 1/31/2007, 6:55 pm Post subject:

I find the guidelines to be more and more important. I was able to contain a lot of 'fires' in the forums and address many problems this way. It gives my members a sense of security in the end since they know we do have rules and abide by them
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Dog Cow · Posted: 3/28/2007, 6:08 pm Post subject:

I have rules, but I've never had to really enforce anything. My members are pretty laid back, and it's a small community.

It's like a small town where everyone knows everyone else.
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Mercury · Posted: 4/18/2007, 2:28 am Post subject:

My guidelines are a reflection of my forum's culture. Not often do they have to be enforced, but the established culture sets the tone for new members and the rules serve as a useful reference.
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