This site is intended as a public platform for creating connections between local people in Bowes Park, Bounds Green and surrounding neighbourhoods, providing a local information channel and generating constructive debate about local issues.

We believe that the site's ability to function effectively is affected by the balance of content, the tone of discussion and the ability for every member to find space on the platform. So we have a few protocols and house rules which we ask all members to follow.

Protocols

1. Tone
It's easy to get the tone wrong in online forum discussions. From time to time all of us react strongly to things that are written. When we don't have the person in front of us, the normal social inhibitors which guide us towards politeness are missing. So it's easy to come across as more direct or even unkind than we'd intend. We recommend that you don't post in anger ever. A good test for whether you've got the tone right is to pause before hitting the “post” button and  consider if you would to say these things to this person in this way if you were meeting them at a friend's house. If you wouldn't, your tone probably needs fine-tuning.
 

2. Bad Language
Please keep your language clean. That way no one's offended.
 

3. Staying on Topic
Please try and stay on topic within discussions. If something else occurs to you, but perhaps isn’t directly relevant, why not start another post. Personal chat should be in the main conducted by comment on members pages or through a direct message rather than in the forums.

4. Photographs and other images

Photographs and other image files should only be uploaded to the site if they depict relevant local places or events - or are specifically related to forum discussions. In addition any photograph deemed to be unsuitable or offensve are not permitted by these terms or service nor those of our platform host. Photographs not conforming to these conditions will be deleted by site admins. 

Where possible photographs should be reduced in size to 900 pixels on the longest side and lower resoulution - 72 dpi -to reduce the very large file sizes of hi-res image files. If in doubt contact site admin. Bowes and Bounds Connected is not designed to be a personal photo library -many other photo hosting sites such as FlicKr accept general image uploads.

5. Neighbour Disputes
Bowes and Bounds  can be useful as an information exchange for members asking for support in resolving issues that arise with neighbouring properties especially where the issues require particular knowledge and expertise or action by local public services. However, we do not permit members to use the site to pursue disputes online. Please think carefully about any "neighbour dispute" posting you're considering.

6. Meeting Other Bowes and Bounds Users
We are keen to facilitate connections between neighbours. We have set up a couple of "real life" discussion events and plan to have more. Members can use the site themselves as a way of inviting others to community events and activities.  For any meetings arranged through this site we advise that all the normal cautions of meeting people via the internet should be taken. Any such meetings are entered into at your own risk.

7.House Rules
In seeking to achieve a virtual space that is a comfortable one for the majority of members, the site administrators of Bowes and Bounds Connected reserve absolute discretion to manage, edit and move any posting to the site.

In particular:
a. We will use our discretion to edit or delete content where it is brought to our attention that it is known to be untrue or is misleading.
b. Please be courteous to other members. Whilst differences of opinion are inevitable, we do not allow discourtesy in the discussions. As a rule of thumb, we ask members in football parlance to 'play the ball, not the man'.
c. The Latest Activity panel is there to be an indicator of what's live on the site, to focus on the interesting things in our neighbourhood and its environs and to offer a broad view of contributors' opinions. It will be edited with these objectives in mind. If your latest posting is removed, please don't take it personally, we're just trying to make sure we present a balanced picture of what's happening on the site.
d. We will delete content (text or images)which in our opinion is intended to be disruptive or intentionally provocative of a negative response (so –called  trolling activity).
e. We will immediately suspend any member who spams other members or posts links to inappropriate websites. Sites we deem as inappropriate include those hosting material we feel may be offensive to our members. This includes pornographic sites, those offensive to minority groups and anonymously run political sites of any persuasion.
f. Where we feel that a discussion or a particular member's level of contributions over a period of time may be in danger of dominating the site to the detriment of the community feel we may ask the member to trim the level of their contributions or close a discussion, normally as a temporary measure.
g. We will close or edit any discussions which, in our opinion, cross the line between healthy debate and bickering.
h. Whilst we recognise that the nature of forum conversations is for discussions on a single thread to move freely between topics, we will move, recategorise or delete comments where we feel a conversation warrants being brought back on topic or the comments are repetitive ones made in the way of promoting and individual's or group's case or standpoint.
i. Members must be over 18 years of age to join and contribute to the site. However age, gender and location information is not required to participate.
j. The following postings are not permitted:

• Any comments or messages which are likely to be construed as personal criticism against other members or non-members.
• Unless in exceptional circumstances, and with the agreement of site admin, criticism of any individual public servant.
• Any comments or messages which are likely to be offensive to other members on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
• Any posting which is unlawful, defamatory, obscene,threatening, offensive, harmful or otherwise objectionable.
• Any posting that violates the legal rights of others or that could damage a computer (e.g. viruses).
• Any posting that can be construed as advertising, unless sanctioned by the website administrators. Please see our Policy on Promoting Commercial Interests on the Website for more information.
• Any posting that reveals any personal information about yourself or anyone else.
• Any comments or messages which are in the nature of political canvassing or are clearly party politicking.
• Links to any sites that are gratuitously offensive or are anonymous political blogs.

k. If you hold a political position or your membership is on behalf of a trade or profession which has a direct bearing on your membership, this should be clearly disclosed on your member's page. Reminders of that affiliation should be made when appropriate if you are writing to another member or posting on a discussion. Examples of trades or professions which are relevant in the is context include, but are not limited to:-

• an officer of a local authority
• an elected representative
• journalist.

Employees or other representatives of organisations which are the subject of discussions should also declare their interest. (For example an employee of Transport for London in a discussion about public transport).
l. We may take any other action at any time that we believe is necessary to keep this site focussed on its objectives.

Any member who contravenes our terms is liable to an immediate suspension of their membership.

Additional Terms & Conditions

When you joined Bowes and Bounds Connected, you accepted the terms of service of our platform host. We take our responsibilities seriously and, without prejudice to our host's terms & conditions want you to be aware of the following additional terms of service on Bowes and Bounds Connected.

1. We do not vet and are not responsible for any information which is posted on this site. All content is viewed and used by you at your own risk and we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of any of the information. The views expressed are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the website.
2. Members permit Bowes and Bounds Connected to use, reproduce and modify any content placed on the site.
3. Feedback & Complaints: Any infringement of the terms above will be dealt with speedily by the administrators.

We are always happy to hear from site users about what could be improved and welcome suggestions for new content (and volunteers to produce it!)  To leave any complaints, comments or suggestions … or praise … please see the information on our feedback page.
In the first instance an individuale-mail or private message to the administrator account may be preferable to airing an issue in a public forum (see Protocol No.1 above)