In the USA, Smokey Bear is the symbol for preventing forest fires. Smokey Bear says “Only you can prevent forest fires”.
Here in Windows Live Town, only you can keep our community clean:
The Windows Live Administration can not be everywhere at once. They depend upon us, the residents of Windows Live Town, to notify them with rules are violated. See bottom of page for instructions how to report Code of Conduct violations. But, first, a reminder:
How to keep your Windows Live Account out of danger:
Windows Live is an active community, and as such, it is always getting new members. As I just deleted prohibited content from one of my Windows Live Groups, I feel it is a good time to post this reminder:
Windows Live (and MSN) has a Code of Conduct. Every page in Windows Live has a link to it at the bottom of the page:
Everybody here in Windows Live is required to follow the guidelines. In this case, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse” is a true statement.
If you post material in your Space or elsewhere which violates the Code of Conduct, you risk losing your account. In addition, if you post prohibited material, you are putting your friend's Spaces, and your Groups in danger, also.
Everybody has the responsibility of ensuring that prohibited content is not someplace under their control.
I don’t know about you, but I have worked a lot on customizing my Space. If you like your Space, your Groups, and your Windows Live account in general, be sure to be aware of, and follow the guidelines of, the Windows Live Code of Conduct:
This Code of Conduct applies to all MSN and Windows Live and other services that allow users to post or share content with others, when those services display or link to this Code of Conduct (the 'services'). Please read the Code of Conduct and any supplemental information below for additional details about particular services that you may use.
To save you the time of clicking on the Prohibited Uses link, plus give you no excuse for not knowing the rules, I’m posting the “Prohibited Uses” section in its entirety:
You will not upload, post, transmit, transfer, distribute or facilitate distribution of any content (including text, images, sound, video, data, information or software) or otherwise use the service in a way that:
- depicts nudity of any sort including full or partial human nudity or nudity in non-human forms such as cartoons, fantasy art or manga.
- incites, advocates, or expresses pornography, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity, hatred, bigotry, racism, or gratuitous violence.
- misrepresents the source of anything you post or upload, including impersonation of another individual or entity.
- provides or creates links to external sites that violate this Code of Conduct.
- includes content that is protected by intellectual property laws, rights of privacy or publicity, or any other applicable law unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents.
- is intended to harm or exploit minors in any way.
- is designed to solicit, or collect personally identifiable information of any minor (anyone under 18 years old), including, but not limited to: name, email address, home address, phone number, or the name of their school.
- invades anyone's privacy by attempting to harvest, collect, store, or publish private or personally identifiable information, such as passwords, account information, credit card numbers, addresses, or other contact information without their knowledge and willing consent.
- is illegal or violates any applicable local and national laws; including but not limited to child pornography, bestiality, incest, illegal drugs, software piracy, and harassment.
- threatens, stalks, defames, defrauds, degrades, victimizes or intimidates an individual or group of individuals for any reason; including on the basis of age, gender, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, race or religion; or incites or encourages anyone else to do so.
- harms or disrupts, or intends to harm or disrupt, another user's computer or would allow you or others to illegally access software or bypass security on Web sites, or servers, including but not limited to spamming.
- attempts to impersonate a Microsoft employee, agent, manager, host, administrator, moderator, another user or any other person through any means.
- promotes or otherwise facilitates the purchase and sale of ammunition or firearms.
- contains or could be considered 'junk mail', 'spam', 'chain letters', 'pyramid schemes', 'affiliate marketing' or unsolicited commercial advertisement.
- mischaracterizes content you post or upload or contains the same or similar content to other content you have already posted.
- attempts to manipulate the services, including ranking and reputation systems in the services, by violating any of the provisions of this Code of Conduct, colluding with others on voting or using multiple profiles.
- offers to make international money transfers for amounts exceeding the asking price of an item, with intent to request a refund of any portion of the payment.
- contains advertising for money making schemes, discount cards, credit counseling, online surveys or online contests.
If you follow the Code of Conduct, you will have a long and happy experience in Windows Live.
How to report Code of Conduct Violations:
We all have, and always have had, the responsibility to report violations of the Code of Conduct. These are the rules we all agree to when we join Windows Live, and as I said above, everybody must follow these rules or risk losing their account.
One of the Code of Conduct violations that occurs most frequently is Spam. Spaces set up to sell gold, batteries, razor blades, Viagra, Canadian drugs are some of the worst offenders. That is not the worst, though. After these Spaces are set up, the account holders begin very active and extensive advertising campaigns where they visit Spaces and Groups and post advertisements to their Spaces.
These advertisements and links to Spaces selling things is called “Spam”, and it is not allowed by the Code of Conduct. Some account holders also send out mass emails outside of Windows Live with links to their “Store” in Windows Live. This is also a violation.
There was a change in Windows Live Town yesterday, October 8, 2009. A new and improved way of dealing with accounts set up only for the purpose of Spamming was added.
If you get a comment in your Space or Group that you believe is “Spam”, click on that poster’s profile picture and select “View Profile”. Look at their What's New feed to confirm that this is all their account is used for, then report them as a spammer, as follows:
There is a "Report Abuse" link at the bottom of most every page in Windows Live:
First copy the URL or the Space of Profile and click “Report Abuse”. Paste in the url and select “Spam“ from the pull down menu, and say where the spam was, probably comments. There is a blank to give more information. Give a short explanation for the report, such as:
“This account exists only to send Spam and there is no other account activity”
Then, fill in the security letters before you send your report. After you make your report, an automatic “Thank You” page comes up with the number of the report.
This post was specifically to tell how to report Spam, but the same steps will work with all forms of abuse. Just select the correct "Type of Abuse” from the pull-down menu. If your complaint is not listed in the pull-down, select “Other” and give as many details as you possibly can.
I suggest that you post the number and profile url someplace, like in the comments section of this post, so you can keep a record of it. Periodically click the url link, if you wish, and see if the account is closed. Once the account is closed, pat yourself on the back. Your report will save other Windows Live Town occupants from being Spammed by this person again.
We all agreed to the Code of Conduct when we moved in to Windows Live Town. It is our responsibility to not only adhere to the rules ourselves, but also to report violations as we see them.
Let’s all work together to keep Windows Live Town a clean and pleasant community for all.
X
Sign Up For Alerts All Things Live Coffee Talk Group Lost Group
