Terms of Use Agreement Update w/Notes!

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Posted Jun 23, 2008 9:34 pm GMT
By JodyR
51 comments

The Terms of Use agreement has been updated to ensure everyone is aware of the moderation procedures that happen on GameSpot.com. Don't be alarmed, most of these rules were actions already taken at the Admin's discretion since 2005. The biggest changes include the additional notes under Section 7:

- Foreign languages are now allowed in Unions ONLY. Unions can now have foreign language discussion as long as they are a regional Union. For an example, if someone creates a Japanese Union and this is in the name of the Union, this is a regional Union. If someone creates a DragonBallz Union and the name does not say it's focused on a particular region, they cannot discuss in any other language but English.

- Offensive material has additional notes to clarify how we have been moderating for years now. Note, the use of the word gay or retard in a derogatory manner has been clarified.
- Vulgar language has also had some additional notes added for further clarification.
- Trolling section has had an additional rule that talks about adding OTHER user's quotes in people's signatures. This one is important to read under the Terms of Use agreement.
- Illegal Activities has information about illegal content which include ROMs, copyright content, gambling, illegal drug use and more.
- Surveys and Petitions are possible to post in the forums as long as a GameSpot Admin approves this. In most cases, US.GameSpot does not allow petitions or surveys in the forums. However, UK.GameSpot and AU.GameSpot may occasionally allow this in their discussion boards.
- Disruptive Behavior has been updated with information about users who hi-jack a user's browser.

There are a few more updates but these are the main changes that should be read. Everyone that uses the community features on the site should review the Terms of Use agreement.

If an individual decides that they can no longer abide by the Terms of Use agreement (regardless of their subscription status), the way to opt out is by no longer using GameSpot.com for Profile content, blogs, forums and any other community tools. You can still use the site for downloads, news and other non-community tools. However, abiding this agreement is required to continue access to the community features.

Thanks for your cooperation. Please continue your regular forum browsing.

51 Comments

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ChicaQueenWarGa
Posted Jul 28, 2008 6:42 pm GMT

Just to make sure. It's okay to talk about opinions about pirating/illegal downloading (i.e. I think it's okay/not okay), but it's not allowed to advertise or give information on how?
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Hoodlym_UK
Posted Jul 22, 2008 10:31 pm GMT

I just posted on the hamburger forum, does this site have a hamburger forum?
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ch-ch-chaoguy
Posted Jul 18, 2008 10:39 pm GMT

God, I HATE browser hi-jackers...
There was a rickroll link that the window kept popping up all over the screen and would not close, very annoying!
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babyblue2525
Posted Jul 16, 2008 7:21 am GMT

thanks for the update
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chad_giac
Posted Jul 11, 2008 10:54 am GMT

wtf why all the rules. let people speak thier minds gamespot. also wth is that cant speak another language crap i mean, i only speak english but thats kinda f****d up
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MAILER_DAEMON
Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:52 am GMT

A browser hijacker is a link that overtakes your browser and makes it so that you have to either go into the task manager and shut off a program there or restart your computer entirely. In any case, they're incredibly obnoxious and make it impossible to do anything, since it "hijacks" your browser to do whatever it wants to do.

It's basically hacking. That's why it's treated so harshly.
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i-like-pie
Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:27 am GMT

"who hi-jack a user's browser. " what?
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Brainkiller05
Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:04 am GMT

The signature thing makes sense =)
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Willy105
Posted Jul 1, 2008 6:16 am GMT

I don't see what is so bad about talking another language. This is the internet, the whole world is here.
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thefjk
Posted Jul 1, 2008 2:54 am GMT

I should really get my Lawyer to take a look at these! LOL!
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thegordoloco
Posted Jun 30, 2008 3:23 pm GMT

Awesome
I like the unions' new rule
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BlueBirdTS
Posted Jun 30, 2008 11:55 am GMT

I think not being able to use foreign languages is perhaps a bit strict. Just because you don't understand what's going on doesn't mean it's malicious. Not really a big deal for me, but it still seems a bit on the Draconian side of things.
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Ottosmann
Posted Jun 29, 2008 7:27 pm GMT

Thanks, got it.
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Symphonycometh
Posted Jun 27, 2008 11:27 am GMT

No more hijacking? Aww. T_T

I'll bare this in mind.
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ColdfireTrilogy
Posted Jun 27, 2008 9:02 am GMT

Not to be disruptive here but "making misleading topic titles" under trolling ... i dont know how many times, at least a dozen or so, i have gone to a gamespot news post because of a misleading topic name .... sometimes they are so cryptic and changed that when a user reads them they have a completely different meaning.... does this TOS by any chance have any impact on said problem because it gets annoying... Also, about that post on the wiibrator ... i still dont get how that was allowed on as the word dil** was used in the article and we as users arent even allowed to say that word ... i wouldnt want my kids browsing this site if that kind of news is going to be posted here now.
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MarcusAntonius
Posted Jun 25, 2008 11:41 pm GMT

Any chance of making a new rule that specifies a certain length of tenure in order for a poster to be handed the MOD tag? It's a bit of a slap in the face for those of us who have been helping to keep this community going for years getting modded by someone who's been here for six months or less.
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JodyR
Posted Jun 25, 2008 12:20 pm GMT

ff7fan2: The purpose of allowing Unions to have other languages is because they are not hidden like UCBs can be. There can be offensive conduct happening and we would never know. Thanks for double checking. Keep in mind that gameFAQs also has had regional boards for years so you can stop by those forums if you have the urge to discuss in another language.
ice_radon: The internet and real life are very different. It doesn't matter about real life quotes because people usually say it verbally. Here is an example. If right now you said something completely stupid and forgot to edit out your mistake, another user could grab the stupid comment and troll you in their signature for years. Either that or maybe you didn't want everyone in the forums to know what you commented in a user's blog and so forth. We get users reporting abuse about user signatures because they want their comment removed. By asking the person and keeping a record of this in your private message inbox, you can have proof that the person said you could use their content as a quote. It's simply being courteous to others.
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NekoTheSpook
Posted Jun 24, 2008 7:11 pm GMT

GS was definitely in need of an update. Thanks for highlighting the major changes (hey, CliffNotes for TOS! Sweet!)
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ice_radon
Posted Jun 24, 2008 4:06 pm GMT

Jody, do people do that in real life asking to quote people? Man, I would have lost my voice a long time ago asking mike myers, jeff daniels, al pachino and cartman.

Seriously, why?
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hsedai
Posted Jun 24, 2008 1:37 pm GMT

no one can claim ignorance now. Good!!

thanks
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Diehardgames2
Posted Jun 24, 2008 12:02 pm GMT

Thanks for the notes on the updated ToU.
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kcwsk8
Posted Jun 24, 2008 11:26 am GMT

This is nice to know, thanks.
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jwallace
Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:32 am GMT

@Gamer4life: I didn't know either but it was nice to see this rule added. I wish that more forum users follow these simple guidelines as most of the forums are now almost impossible to visit due to the inane amounts of console fanboyisms and baiting, and the GS News sections are even worse.

I know that the staff posts notices such as this rhetorically but in this case I just had to say thanks. Now if only these rules weren't so easily broken...
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UltraZero
Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:27 am GMT

So whats that about gay and retard Are they STILL moderate-able?
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earthking
Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:26 am GMT

Thanx for the update .
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-Sphere-
Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:12 am GMT

Thanks for the update.
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canana
Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:09 am GMT

Thanks for the update
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ItalyCanadian9
Posted Jun 24, 2008 2:47 am GMT

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]
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ItalyCanadian9
Posted Jun 24, 2008 2:46 am GMT

Thanks!
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SlyCoopersButt7
Posted Jun 24, 2008 12:14 am GMT

Clarification is always good. I think the rule system is quite simple to follow really. All it takes is, Think before post.
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ff7fan2
Posted Jun 23, 2008 10:05 pm GMT

I see that the foreign language thing is available through unions only...however UCBs are usually forgotten in things like this, so are they included under this too?
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Fantasy_Gamer
Posted Jun 23, 2008 8:01 pm GMT

Now, at least, the use of non-English language has been clarified. I've been a victim of the wide moderator discretion regarding that issue couple of years ago. (Btw, JodyR, if you did not receive my e-mail, our officially endorsed emblem is lost again... Just the heads up I promised you last time. Feel free to PM me if you need more details.)
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WilliamRLBaker
Posted Jun 23, 2008 7:38 pm GMT

good job gamespot you have needed for this years, and i've pushed for it for years none of that excuse about loopholes was ever true.
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ice_radon
Posted Jun 23, 2008 7:31 pm GMT

Are these a little on the strict side? I though the rules were already pretty darned strict, but now, WOW!!!
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siberian142
Posted Jun 23, 2008 7:00 pm GMT

Thanks for the update. Hopefully people will be moderated less now that they know this.
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Jaks_Secret
Posted Jun 23, 2008 6:15 pm GMT

Excellent update. Now that new users are starting to pour in with the summer, it's good to see that the ToU is being updated so that the new users get more clarity. Thanks a lot.
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CodingGenius
Posted Jun 23, 2008 5:42 pm GMT

Thanks to all those users who stop by here to get more details on the changes! See you around the boards!
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lancelot200
Posted Jun 23, 2008 4:40 pm GMT

@ JodyR: I figured I should give it a shot since you answered another's question. It's of no great matter. Thanks anyways.
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JodyR
Posted Jun 23, 2008 4:31 pm GMT

lancelot200 - you can receive an answer to your question by stopping by the Ask the Mods forum.
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Overrated_Hero
Posted Jun 23, 2008 4:16 pm GMT

Glad to see an update, thank you!
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Premier1101
Posted Jun 23, 2008 4:06 pm GMT

thanks for the update guys, Im glad to see gamespot getting proactive in the community again. I really appreciate all you guys do for us
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lancelot200
Posted Jun 23, 2008 4:00 pm GMT

I need an example for this ruling:
Exchanging files using torrent technology can be illegal. When you are discussing your use of the technology the burden is on you to show that you are using it for a legal purpose by explicitly indicating the legal files that you are uploading and/or downloading. What can I say that can't be reported?
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JodyR
Posted Jun 23, 2008 3:53 pm GMT

CommanderShiro: read my comment below made at 2:14pm PT today.
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lancelot200
Posted Jun 23, 2008 3:53 pm GMT

Looks like I'll have read up on this....
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CommanderShiro
Posted Jun 23, 2008 3:49 pm GMT

Wait no more user quotes in sigs? Not that I ever used them, but some were funny to read.
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iammai
Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:56 pm GMT

Abiding by the rules.
Regards
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jediknight52501
Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:46 pm GMT

glad to see this is updated.
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fastesttruck
Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:22 pm GMT

Thanks for the update Glad to see it got updated
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ArmoredCore55
Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:18 pm GMT

Glad to see that the ToU has been updated.
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JodyR
Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:14 pm GMT

It isn't forbidden to use another user's quote in your signature. The only change now is that you need to ask this user if you can use their quote in your signature. Otherwise, we have had users report other users for taking their comments and putting a quote in their signatures in a trolling manner.
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