This is a new version of the status bar rules.
Please make sure you have read the following before using the status bar.
LAST UPDATED: 6/23/2018
1. Standard site rules apply.
Like the general section rules, the overall YCM ones must also be followed.
2. You must wait a minimum of 15 minutes to post a new status.
YCM is not Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Discord or any other social media platform. Do not delete/remake your statuses.
If there is a typo that you need to correct, then just note it below in a comment. Breaking this rule frequently will result in your status privileges being revoked.
Make sure you proofread your comments before posting and check that autocorrect didn't kick in when it shouldn't be.
3. Do not discuss controversial topics in the status bar.
These include stuff that should be discussed in Debates, because of their nature and often lead to status wars that never end well. They include, but are not limited to:
- Politics* (i.e. social movements, executive decisions made by a world leader, scandals)
- Abortion (pro-life vs pro-choice, statistics)
- LGBTQ+
- Religion
- Capital punishment
- Assisted suicide
- Animal testing
- Government regulations
- Cloning (i.e. Ethics of cloning a living organism)
* You may use the Minor News thread to simply repost tweets and stuff that a senator, congressman/woman, etc. or simply make a light comment about them.
The above list is only a collection of topics that cannot be posted in the status bar due to their nature, and is non-exhaustive. If a subject sparks strong opinions on either side of the spectrum, then you need to post this in Debates; not in a status.
4. Behavior in the status bar must be civil.
This boils down to "don't be an jackass and start a flame/trolling war with other users over whatever topic that sparked it".
While you are permitted to swear in the status bar, please keep it to a minimum and DO NOT abuse your privileges if you have the filter off, including using them to attack/berate other users.
5. Do not promote outside sites or content.
General
This includes advertising join links for online games, your personal forum (which can be kept in your profile) or other outside products.
You may use the status bar to advertise your on-site stuff, including CC threads/contests, RPs, image/avatar galleries, character polls, etc.
Linking to Wikipedia or news articles are also permissible.
Illegal methods of media acquisition.
Advertising illegal methods for animation/print materials/other content is strictly forbidden in the status bar.
6. Adult and explicit content will be punished the same way as the main forum.
Self-explanatory.
You link to porn; you're permabanned.
Posting links to content that is NSFW but not pushing the border will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
7. One word statuses
While these will not be banned per say, we ask that you do not abuse this privilege and spam the status bar with 1 word statuses. This rule may be reinstated if this becomes an issue.
8. Status bar message length
There is a soft maximum length of 350 characters for the status bar. If you go slightly over the limit by means of adding punctuation, spacing, etc, but status is still a reasonable length, we'll let it go.
However, blatantly long statuses shall be penalized with 1-2 WP depending on severity, and punishments will escalate if we warned you to stop it beforehand but you choose to disregard it.
(The existing ones in the announcement will also be modified to reflect the changes here.)
Additionally, these rules are subject to update at any time, but you will get a notification post mentioning them.
If there are any questions or concerns, please PM a moderator.
(My PM inbox is always open if you wish to ask.)