Discussion Agreements

Rules of engagement. Debate rules. Community Standards. Discussion Agreements.

Regardless what you choose to call them, such standards for conducting ourselves during comments or discussion are a social contract with one another. At their core, these agreements set the standard for how we will relate to one another.

By choosing to interact with this community of subscribers through online commenting features, letters to the editor, etc,. it is assumed that a subscriber has read and agreed to the following discussion agreements, which will guide content moderation:

• Be relevant - Stay on topic and comment on the story at hand.
• Be accurate - Opinions are welcome, but they are not facts. When presenting facts, be sure to cite your source.
• Be polite and respectful - Do not engage in personal attacks, name-calling, or hateful speech.
• Keep it clean - Do not use profanity and avoid violent, obscene, or threatening language.
• Respect privacy - Do not post others' personal contact information or private details.
• Respect due process - The fifth and fourteenth amendments of the US Constitution protects our right to due process. Those under investigation or even indicted on criminal charges are to be assumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
• Avoid advertising - Do not post advertisements, solicitations, or promotional content. Learn more about sponsored content HERE.
• Be original: Do not post content that infringes on copyright and attribute others' work.
• Report problems: Report content that you believe violates these standards.