Rules, rules, rules!!! Don't you just hate rules?

Wouldn't it be just great if everyone on the Internet was so nice that we didn't have to have any rules? Believe me, we wish it was that way too! 

But, because not everyone is so nice and because we want to provide you with a safer place to chat and meet new friends, we have to have a few simple rules we call our "KidChatters™ Online Chatter Rules".

You may have been in other chat rooms on the Internet where they didn't care what you did while you were there. Maybe, there were no rules at all! Well, KidChatters™ is different. We care about your safety while in our chat rooms, using our WebMail or chatting with your buddies in the KidChatters Instant Message program. A big part of making the KidChatters™ Kids Secure Network™ chat services safer and lots of fun is to make sure everyone understands and tries their best to follow the KidChatters™ Online Chatter Rules.

Please take a few minutes and read through this page. You can also use this page as a quick reference while you are in the chat room. That way, if a KidChatters™ Guardian or an adult hidden room monitor says something to you about a rule you will know what it is they are talking about. Use the little table of contents below to read about each topic:

Contents of the Chat Room Rules Page:

• What Are The Online Chatters Rules?
• What Happens When Rules Are Broken?
• What Happens When a Security Incident is Observed?
• Cyber Bee Sting Points Guideline
• About Adult Room Monitors and Chat Room Guardian
  

What Are The Online Chatter Rules?

To help you figure out what is okay and what is not okay to do while you are in a KidChatters™ chat room, using the KidChatters™ Kids Secure WebMail™ or Kids Secure Instant Messaging™ program  we put together a short list of some very specific rules that really are easy to understand and follow. If when you read these rules you still are not sure what some of them mean then ask your parents to help. Here's a list of the KidChatters™ Online Chatters Rules:

1. No Posting Personal Information:  Never give out or ask for personal contact information or any information that would help someone locate you. To be clear, DO NOT post or ask other chatters for last names (first names are okay with parent's permission), phone numbers, credit card information, street addresses, town names, zip codes, neighborhoods or school names (big cities are okay -- it's safer to say you live "near Ft. Worth" than to say you live in Arlington, Texas). Additionally, DO NOT post or ask for Internet contact information such as email addresses (Not needed because you have a KidChatters™ WebMail address), AOL messenger service #s, MSN messenger service #s, ICQ #s, or any other instant messenger service (not needed because you have a KidChatters™ IM address). Our adult room monitors will never ask for personal identifying or personal contact information. Be suspicious of anyone who asks you for any personal identifying or personal contact information. If you do get asked, please contact us right away at chatmaster@kidchatters.com. To be sure, our adult room monitors will boot you out of the chat room if you try and give out or ask for this kind of information.
2. No Shouting: Do not use all capital letters when posting messages. The use of all capital letters when posting a message in a in a chat room or during an Instant Messaging session is considered shouting and very poor manners. Here is an example of shouting: THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SHOUTING IN A CHAT ROOM. Shouting is also very irritating to a lot of users. Please do not try to get around this  rule by typing in a combination of lower and upper case characters.
3. No Flaming: Do not engage or participate in any activities directly or indirectly which harass, threaten, abuse or intimidate other users. In other words, don't be mean to others. Always treat others as you would want them to treat you. The final judgment of what is ruled to be "flaming" is at the sole discretion of the Kidchatters™ staff.
4. No Flooding: Do not rapidly enter text/or images that tend to occupy multiple lines of the message screen. When this is done it keeps other chatters from being able to post messages. It is very rude and disrupts the flow of chat in the chat room.
5. No Offensive Language: Do not post, or attempt to post by disguise (represent swear words with symbols or numbers), any words which are "foul", "obscene", or "cuss" words. Additionally, explicitly violent talk, fights, racist language, or other abusive language is not allowed. The final judgment of what is ruled to be a "foul" word, an "obscene" word, or a "cuss" word  inappropriate for viewing by Kidchatters™ members is at the sole discretion of the Kidchatters™ staff.
6. No Disrespectful Behavior: The Kidchatters™ adult monitors (Guardians) are often in the chat room or hidden in the background to watch over things. You can always recognize a member of the Kidchatters™ staff when they are in the room because they will have the title "Guardian" before their user name. For example: Guardian Bleu, or Guardian SoccerMom. You may also see Chatbob post messages in the room. Chatbob is the founder of KidChatters™ and is often in the background monitoring the KidChatters™ Network and chat rooms. Sometimes, Chatbob and the Guardians have to make decisions which are not popular but have to be made for the benefit of all concerned. It is important that you respect the Kidchatters™ adult monitors like you would your teacher at school or your coach. Please do not engage in a conversation with a Kidchatters™ adult monitor which is disrespectful or argumentative. Again, the final judgment of what is ruled to be disrespectful or argumentative and in violation of this rule is at the sole discretion of the Kidchatters™ staff.
7. No Posting of Web Sites : Do not post web site addresses (URL) to the chat room. Our adult monitors cannot check out the appropriateness of all web sites posted while they are monitoring the chat room.  Breaking this rule may cause for immediate termination of membership if it is concluded by the Kidchatters™ staff that there is significant risk the offender will commit the same violation immediately upon release of "Access Hold." If a second chance is granted, a second violation of this or any other rule carrying the same penalty weight will cause for immediate termination of membership.
8. No Posting of Other Chat Rooms or Instant Messaging (IM) Services: Do not post to the chat room the web address of other chat rooms, chat services or IM services. Also, do not post invitations to other chatters to join you in other chat rooms or IM services. Most other chat rooms are not monitored and are probably not safe. Inviting or enticing other chatters to leave a monitored chat room (luring) is a tactic commonly used by people who have bad motives in mind and are probably dangerous. They want to "lure" a kid chatter to a place where they can say and do whatever they want with no adult monitor watching over their activity. Breaking this rule may cause for immediate termination of membership if it is concluded by the Kidchatters™ staff that there is significant risk the offender will commit the same violation immediately upon release of "Access Hold." If a second chance is granted, a second violation of this or any other rule carrying the same penalty weight will cause for immediate termination of membership.
9. No Cyber Romancing: We do not allow boyfriend (BF) or girlfriend (GF) soliciting or romancing. "Soliciting" is asking if anyone wants to become your boyfriend (bf) or girlfriend (gf). "Romancing" is using romantic words or actions to express your feelings for a bf or gf. For example, "I love you" exchanges, cyber kissing, hugging, etc. While Kidchatters™ is a fun place to meet other kids, it is not the place to be looking for or engaging in romantic relationships. Since we are very concerned about the safety of our users we are very strict about the enforcement of this rule. If we become suspicious of the user violating this rule we will terminate the user's membership even if they have not accumulated 12 Cyber Bee Stings.
10. No Inappropriate Role Playing: Inappropriate "role playing" is where you chat or play games with others and pretend to be doing things you shouldn't be doing. For example, it is okay to have a cyber pool party as long as everyone keep their bathing suits on. 'Truth or Dare" is okay as long as the truth or dare does not break a Kidchatters™ chat room rule. Another good guideline is: If you wouldn't say it or do it in front of your parent or teacher, don't say it or do it in Kidchatters™. The final judgment of what is considered to be inappropriate role playing is at the sole discretion of the Kidchatters™ staff.
11. No Sharing User Name or Keyboard: One of the most serious offenses in Kidchatters™ is to share your user name or your keyboard. "Sharing" your user name means you are allowing someone else to use your identity while using a KidChatters service (chat room, WebMail, Instant Messaging). Usually kids make this mistake by letting a friend, a relative, or a brother or sister use their Kidchatters™ user name/password. "Sharing" a keyboard is basically the same thing. Usually "sharing" a keyboard is done while you and someone else are using the keyboard at the same time to post messages in the chat room.
    Breaking rule #11 is a very serious matter. The reason it is such a serious matter is that "sharing" is a security risk. When you share your user name or keyboard we do not know for sure who is on the other side. That means we have to assume whoever it is using your keyboard is not who you or they say they are. When that happens our service is no longer secure. So, the only choice we have is to take immediate action and ban your user name from the chat room, WebMail, and Instant Messaging until we can counsel with a parent. Breaking this rule may also cause for termination of your membership. If a second chance is granted, a second violation of this or any other rule carrying the same penalty weight will cause for immediate termination of membership.

Perhaps the most important rule of all is a rule you have probably already heard of: Treat all others in the chat room the same way you would want them to treat you. Follow this "Golden Rule" and you are sure to make a lot of friends and have a lot of fun chatting.

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What Happens When Rules Are Broken?

We have specific procedures we use when disciplinary action is required. When an Online Chatter Rule is broken, four things happen:

1. Warning to stop: There are two kinds of warnings. One kind is given directly from an adult room monitor and happens most often in the members community chat room. The second kind is a cyber warning from our Warning Bee Filter Program and is called a Warning Bee "Sting."
   While using the members community chat room - If when in the members community chat room you violate one of our Online Chatter Rules you may be given a warning by one of our adult room monitors to stop violating the rule. How many warnings you get is left up to the Kidchatters™ adult room monitor, so you may get one warning or several warnings. Usually, though, the number of warnings given has to do with the severity (how bad) of the offense. But, be warned that if the adult room monitor thinks there is a security threat you may get no warning at all! In general, the purpose of a community chat room warning is to tell you to stop breaking the rule or you will get "booted" (ejected) from the chat room.
   While using WebMail or Instant Messaging - Because we cannot be in your email or in your Instant Messaging session we use a computer program we call the "Warning Bee" that reads the content of every email or Instant Message before it is sent. If the "Warning Bee" program sees you are breaking one of our Online Chatter Rules it will stop you from sending the email or message and issue you a cyber warning to correct the problem. Each time you violate one of the Online Chatter Rules the Warning Bee will give you a Cyber Bee Sting. If you get 10 Cyber Bee Stings You will be automatically blocked from using the WebMail or Instant Messaging service until we can contact and counsel with your parents.
2. Booted from members community chat room: If you do not listen to warnings or the offense is deemed to be too serious to permit warnings, you will be "Booted" (ejected) from the community chat room. Once "booted" your access will be blocked for a pre-determined time of at least two days. Depending on the seriousness of the offense, "Access Hold" can be for a period of up to 30 days.
3. Disciplinary Notice: When you are "booted (ejected) from one of our community chat rooms, or receive 10 Warning Bee "Stings" from the WebMail or Instant Messaging programs your parents will be notified of our action with a Kidchatters™ "Disciplinary Action Notice" email. The "Disciplinary Action Notice" email will detail the nature of the offense (rule broken) and the "Access Hold" time period. It will also notify you and your parents of the number of "Cyber Bee Stings" you have accumulated.
4. Cyber Bee Stings:  Each broken rule (offense) carries with it a number of Cyber Bee Stings. The amount of stings assessed is proportionate to the gravity (seriousness) of the rule broken. An accumulation (total) of twelve (12) stings in any one twelve (12) month period can cause for you to lose your Kidchatters™ membership. The final judgment regarding membership termination is at the sole discretion of the Kidchatters™ staff.
   How do you know if you have any Cyber Bee Stings? Two ways: In the Disciplinary Action Notice it will tell you or when you log onto the WebMail or Instant Messaging system it will tell you. 

When a "Security Incident" is observed: In our effort to maintain a high degree of security in the KidChatters Kids Secure Network™ we may observe what we conclude to be a "Security Incident"  which requires immediate action by one of our staff members. When it comes to protecting the safety of our Kidchatters™ users, the Kidchatters™ staff will not hesitate to err on the side of caution. Examples of a "Security Incident" include:

• False User Information: Observations concluding the user may have provided false user information in the creation of their account.
• Multiple User Names: Observations concluding the user may have created multiple user names (identities).
• Suspicious Behavior: Observation of user behavior that is concluded to be suspicious in motive.
• Sharing User Name: Observation or suspicions that a user is allowing someone else to use their user name and password to gain access to any of the KidChatters Kids Secure Network™ services.

In these cases involving a "Security Incident" a Kidchatters™ user's account will be placed on "Access Hold" and will remain on "Access Hold" indefinitely until we can successfully conclude our investigation of the "Security Incident." In all cases of a "Security Incident" there will be an immediate assessment of twelve (12) Cyber Bee Stings. If as a result of our investigation we conclude there is a "Security Risk" caused by the "Security Incident" observed, the assessment of twelve (12) Cyber Bee Stings will remain and the user's Kidchatters™ account will be terminated. The final judgment of what is ruled to be a "Security Risk" is at the sole discretion of the Kidchatters™ management and its staff.

When the Kidchatters™ Acceptable Use policy is violated: If a Kidchatters™ user account violates a policy prescribed in the Kidchatters™ Acceptable Use Policy (KAU), we reserve the right to terminate that user's account without advance notice. Clearly, we prefer to advise our members of inappropriate activity by the means described above. However, flagrant violations of the Kidchatters™ Online Chatter Rules can result in immediate termination of membership and access to the Kidchatters™ Kids Safe Network™ services without prior notice. Our failure to enforce this policy, for whatever reason, shall not be construed as a waiver of our right to do so at any time.

 

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We Monitor All Chat Room Activity:

It is important that you know there are adults monitoring all chat room activity. That means all messages you send to the chat room are being recorded in a log and looked at by an adult. There are no "private" chat conversations in Kidchatters™. You do not want to post a message in the chat room thinking it is not being seen by an adult room monitor. Even if it slips by at the time you post the message, it will eventually be seen by an adult because all messages are reviewed. Best way to think about this is: Don't post any messages in the chat room you would not want your parent or teacher to see.

Adult room monitoring is accomplished two ways:

• One way is visible in the chat room and that is done by adult monitors called "Guardians." Guardians are in and out of the chat room and are always visible on the user list. You will know a Guardian is in the room because they have the title Guardian before their user name. For example: Guardian_ChatBob, Guardian_bleu, Guardian_roxy, etc.

• The other way is not visible in the chat room and is done by adult monitors called "checkers." Checkers room monitors are invisible to the kid chatter and not listed on the user list. You can only see a "checkers" room monitor when he/she addresses the room or a particular user.

This unique "double monitoring" approach at Kidchatters™ is something you may have to get used to because you cannot always see the adult room monitor. However, whenever a Guardian or a checkers ask you a question it is important you respond to their question. If you don't they may think you are ignoring them. Ignoring an adult room monitor can lead to trouble and might get you kicked from the room. Please remember, our "Guardian" and "checkers" adult room monitors are there for your safety and protection. So, please be respectful to them just as you would a parent or a teacher.

If you need clarification of any of the policies contained on this page, please
 contact us

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