Help

Q. I moderate an open Affinity Group but one member has been very disrespectful and not heeded requests to abide by our agreements about how to post. How can I prevent a Affinity Group member from harrassing other members?

A. Remember that, by acknowledging the User Agreement when they join the network, every member has agreed to abide by the guidelines we have set up for use of the Community Network. Group Members know that if they violate the User Agreement, Affinity Group moderators have the option of requesting that they be removed from the Affinity Group by the Administrator. Many Affinity Group moderators and members create additional guidelines for their own Affinity Groups, which new members will need to agree to in order to participate. We always recommend the individuals involved in disputes have a private email exchange, or better yet, a telephone conversation to clear up any simple misunderstandings. If that doesn't work, moderators can help determine if there are simple misunderstandings, if an honest mistake has been made, or help members resolve their issues using communication skills and common sense.

Most communities set up a panel of volunteers who will help moderate disputes and make any decisions necessary about actions to be taken. If the tactics above do not work, please suggest that anyone who has been harrassed should contact NTEN Community's panel. If your community has not created such a panel yet, please contact .

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