Hi all,
Due to an incident which has arisen over the past few days, I am taking this opportunity to remind all members here about Internet safety and child protection.
Firstly, let me stress that this is not a "you're young and immature" rant and I am sure you are all aware of basic safety and I don't need replies telling me that, this is to ensure everyone is aware of what we actively do to protect you while on the forums.
This post can also be made as reference to your own parents if at any stage they feel uncomfortable about your usage of the forums to attempt to reassure them.
COPPA
The Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a legal act within the United States of America, it states that all minors under the age of 13 must provide parental permission before joining any online community where any personal details are posted or made available.
The Furry Forums actively support this act and all registrations for anyone under the age of 13 are restricted and disallowed, currently no facilities exist for the receiving of parental permission. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but is a legal requirement, we're aware people may just lie about their age, in this case we cannot and will not be held responsible.
The COPPA officially only applies to the USA but we extend its legislation to all our members.
Sexual Predators
During the history of FF we have discovered, banned and reported 3 members who exhibited paedophile like behaviour. We actively and quickly deal with any reports or behaviour we see as a possible risk to all members here.
Privacy
The only information we collect on you are a username, email address and IP address. Email addresses can be hidden from public view and IP addresses are also hidden. The only people able to see such information are staff members and yourself.
All other information such as age, location, real name and photos of you are given at your discretion, we cannot guarantee your privacy if these items of information are released.
However, please NEVER release details of your address, full name or other information which could be used to identify you on these forums or through Personal Messages. Such information will be removed and the person posting it will be given a warning immediately.
The forums
All messages and PMs are reportable and we encourage you to report them if required, please do not personally contact staff members about posts or messages, use the report facility.
If a staff member has insulted, upset or done another action you feel is unnecessary please contact myself directly.
I hope this post proves useful, it is not meant to scare people but to make you aware that not every "nice" person is necessarily safe. Photos can be Googled, information can be made up and we want everyone to stay vigilant on such an open and interactive service such as the World Wide Web.
Please feel free to contact me or reply with any questions you may have.
