ARACHNOIDITIS INFORMATION & SUPPORT

Acceptable Use Guidelines For Group Postings

COFWA Leadership Policy / Network Etiquette (Netiquette)

NETIQUETTE ACCEPTABLE USE GUIDELINES FOR GROUP POSTINGS have been established to provide you, as an individual, the respect and consideration you deserve as a COFWA Support Group Member.

These Guidelines apply to ALL postings.

You may send e-mail containing restricted content provided a member is amenable to receipt of the restricted material privately.

These Guidelines benefit the COFWA Support Group and ALL postings should adhere to a Golden Rule philosophy; if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!

*PORNOGRAPHY/PORNOGRAPHIC CONTENT/BEHAVIOR*:

Pornography of any type, shape or form, and sexual harassment is strictly prohibited.

An IMMEDIATE and AUTOMATIC FORCED RESIGNATION will apply to ANY and ALL PORNOGRAPHY offenses. 

*FLAMING*: Flaming is attacking people on a personal level, i.e.; sarcastically criticizing, berating, hostility, incivility, ranting, raving,

Name calling and abusive comments. You may not agree with some postings; however, everyone is entitled to their opinion, please respect those of others.  ALL rebuttals are to be made in a polite, kind manner.

*PRIVATE MAIL*: DO NOT post *private mail* you may receive from anyone that contain assaults on others or which defames, insults, attacks or is belligerent toward others to the Group. Private mail is just that...PRIVATE.

NO "forwards" or postings to the Group from an "outside source" or "non-member" are allowed.  ANY FORMER MEMBER (ONE WHO HAS BEEN REMOVED from COFWA) requesting you forward or post to the Group for them MUST be cleared by the Board before you do so. DO NOT air private disputes between members by posting to the Group. Private ASSAULT posts made public is strictly prohibited.

IN THE EVENT DISPUTE(S) ERUPT AMONGST COFWA MEMBERS, THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBER(S) SHOULD/MUST ATTEMPT TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN PRIVET MAIL.

HISTORY HAS PROVEN THIS ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE.  THEREFORE, COFWA LEADERSHIP HAS FORMED A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE WHICH WILL ASSIST YOU IN RESOLVING A DISPUTE IF YOU FIND THE CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT COFWA TO INTERVENE.

If you find yourself in this predicament, please contact COFWA's Director of Protocol ("COFWA's Goodwill Ambassador"):

Murray Crawford:  mmmurray@webtv.net

*THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT MATTER IS INAPPROPRIATE IN COFWA GROUP POSTING AND IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED:

*RELIGIOUS RESTRICTION: We accept that our members have affiliations with many different religions around the world. As we do not wish to make anyone uncomfortable, religious scriptures, prayers and remarks are strictly forbidden. We allow the mention of God, requests for prayer and the willingness to say prayers. However, COFWA is not a religious organization. We are a group of friends who are experiencing the ravages of Arachnoiditis and we offer information and support.

*POLITICAL RESTRICTION: Due to the world wide membership in COFWA, we deem it necessary to restrict any posts regarding political values and affiliations. We do not allow political slurs, jokes or argumentative posts. Disregarding this issue will cause the Board and Membership to reconsider your membership freedoms.

Please do not post scriptures, religious poetry, prayers or political jokes. Religious beliefs and political affiliations are personal and should remain private.

Phrases such as 'Your are in my prayers' or 'I'll say a prayer for you', topics of this nature are acceptable in-group postings and we encouraged you to use them.

*SEX/SEXUAL CONTENT*:

Dirty, off-color jokes or sexual innuendos are strictly prohibited.

*OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE OR CONTENT*:

Cursing and/or foul language is strictly prohibited.

*DISRUPTIVE/ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR*:

Disruptive and/or abusive behavior is strictly prohibited.

*BIGOTRY/PREJUDICE*:

Displays of bigotry or prejudice are strictly prohibited.

*CHAIN LETTERS*:

Sending messages with instruction to redistribute the message to some number of others. *MAIL BOX STUFFING*: Sending massive amounts of e-mail to a single address.

This "JAMS" the Listserv and can prevent important messages from getting through.  Please keep these sorts of mailings privet.

*RELEASE OF COFWA GROUP MEMBERS NAMES/ADDRESSES*:  The release or forwarding COFWA group member's names, addresses and/or any personal information given in any form to another person, or organization without the expressed written

Permission from the COFWA GROUP MEMBER and/or COFWA's Board/Executive Director is prohibited.   

While you may not mind your personal information given out publicly, others may.  Please remember to respect the privacy of others.

*Anyone who knowingly misrepresents him/her-self, or joins COFWA under false pretenses will be subject to immediate dismissal from the group.

* Solicitation of funds or money for personal use or need is unacceptable in group mail.  While we all appreciate the financial hardships faced by COFWA members, solicitation for "Donations" or "Gifts" by group member's in-group postings is strictly prohibited.

*Solicitation of any product for personal gain or the gain of others is not allowed.  If you are a Distributor, a Manufacturers Representative, or a Free Agent looking to sell, promote or advertise in any form, you may be asked to cease immediately or you may be removed from the group without further notice. 

*CROSS POSTING:  Cross posting between groups is prohibited.  Please do not address a message to COFWA and then another group (or (2), or (3) groups) or visa versa. If you belong to groups other than COFWA, please keep your posting within the group you are addressing.    

In fact, other groups have written to COFWA requesting our members cease sending cross postings.  This only confuses all that read a post intended for others.

The Executive Director and/or COFWA's Board reserves the options to put a member on Moderated mail if circumstances warrant this action for the abuse of COFWA NETIQUETTE Rules and regulations or disruption of the group.

The Board will address all issues, e.g., violations, complaints, suggestions, etc. in a timely manner.  Please keep in mind this Takes time as in any large organization.

Offenses of COFWA's NETIQUETTE will be dealt with privet communication from COFWA's Board.  You may receive a warning or you may be asked to leave the group, depending on the nature of the offense.

COFWA reserves the right to discontinue any and all privileges to you at any time, without prior notice, for any conduct which COFWA, in its sole discretion, believes violates COFWA's Acceptable Use Guidelines, or is otherwise harmful to COFWA's Interest or, the interests of its members.

AGAIN, COFWA's NETIQUETTE, ACCEPTABLE USE GUIDELINES FOR GROUP POSTINGS have been established to provide you, as an individual, the respect and consideration you deserve as a COFWA Support Group Member.