MLPTP Rules & Terms of Service

[MustBeJewel]

MLPTP Rules & Terms of Service​

Hello, and welcome to the My Little Pony Trading Post!

In order to make your forum experience as safe and enjoyable as possible, we have a few rules for our members to follow here at the MLPTP.

All forums on the MLPTP are actively moderated. Any post violating the board's rules may be subject to deletion, locking, or editing at the administration's discretion. Members found to be violating the rules may be banned.

To report a rule violation or concern please report posts, profile messages, or private messages by clicking on the "Report" link at the bottom of any post.

Please keep in mind that many of your questions can be answered in the Tutorails & FAQ section:
https://www.mlptp.net/index.php?forums/mlptp-pony-tutorials-faq.62/

1. New Members: We prefer that all new members make their first post on the Introductions forum. We appreciate the opportunity to get to know you and would like to welcome you to our forum.​

• Members must be 16 or older to join. If you are found to have been dishonest about your age in order to join, your account will be permanently banned and you will not be allowed to join again.

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2. Posting:​

• Keep posts on topic and relevant to the subject of the thread. Be sure to start threads in the proper forum. You are responsible for any content you post. To optimize the forum search function, we may at times amend your thread title for clarity for the benefit of other members.
  
  
• Please post in English, or with translations to English.
  
  
• No profanity: Please do not try to "fool" the word filter.
  
  
• The above also applies to usernames, which will be edited if they contain any disallowed words or are of an inappropriate nature.
  
  
• No bullying: All members are expected to treat each other with respect. Threats will not be tolerated. Refrain from name-calling, ridiculing, and mean-spirited remarks. Our board celebrates global diversity, and members are expected to exercise tolerance. Inflammatory statements may result in account Warning Points or temporary or permanent banning. This forum is an LGBTQ+ safe space and hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated.
  
  
• No abusing the moderators or admin.
  
  
• No images, videos, or links to any kind of content involving violence, injury to people or animals, illegal activities, nudity, adult content, or other material inappropriate for this forum. Posting of such content is grounds for an immediate banning.
  
  
• Keep all content and links on a PG-rated level: Graphic or inappropriate topics are prohibited. If you are unsure if your topic is appropriate, contact a moderator for assistance. No political posts, posts about pseudo-science, conspiracy theories, etc. These topics become heated far too easily, and the MLPTP is a place for safe and supportive interaction.
  
  
• Asking for donations of either goods/services or cash is prohibited.
  
  
• Members are able to block any member whose private messages they may not wish to receive or public messages they may not wish to see. This can be accessed through your user control panel.
  
  
• One account per user: If we discover your use of multiple accounts, it will result in an immediate permanent ban of all current and future accounts. Honesty and trustworthiness are of utmost importance to our community.
  
  
• Do not post asking members to message you or post on other websites or platforms.
  
  
• Do not solicit members via private message unless in direct reference to a buy/sell/trade thread.
  
  
• Sale posts that are over 6 months old may be locked to avoid being bumped back to the first page, as those items are likely no longer available. Sellers, please do your best to keep your sales posts updated.
  
  
• Member threads that were started more than 6 months ago may be locked to keep thread content current and up to date. Please feel free to make a new and updated thread instead of bumping an old one.
  
  
• When posting images, do not leave them as attachments; please remember to Insert as Thumbnail or Full Image.
  
  
• If you are unsure about posting something, contact a moderator first.

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3. Posting of live auction links is not permitted: unless you are the seller of said auction, then you may post your link in the auctions forum accordingly. Please respect the privacy of bidders and wait until auctions that are not yours have ended before posting direct links to that auction on the forum.​

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4. No Spamming: Do not spam the boards. Additional thoughts should be added to your existing post, (please use the edit button) rather than in a following consecutive post, if other members have not yet replied. Please only bump threads when they have moved off Page 1. Multiple threads with the same theme, such as threads in the marketplace, may be merged into a single thread without warning by a moderator in order to ensure everyone's threads have a fair chance to be seen and to keep the boards tidy. Please make use of the Multi-Quote function to consolidate responses and make the thread easier for others to follow.​

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5. Advertising and Links: Please respect the enormous effort of the mods and admin, and do not post content and/or links for the purpose of directing members to competing sites. Please refrain from posting links to other forums (including Discord, Reddit, etc), Facebook, or links to sites where remuneration is offered for referrals. Do not advertise MLM's (Multi-Level Marketing schemes).​

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To keep the MLPTP safe for all members, we do not allow linking to sites that require members to register for an account in order to use them.​

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Links to these sites are allowed for the purposes of buying/selling:​

• Ebay
• Mercari
• Poshmark
• eCRATER
• And other sites that are designed solely to sell your items.

If you feel like the forum would benefit by allowing another site, please contact a moderator for consideration, as this rule is likely to evolve over time.​

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6. Hosting Swaps or Contests: Only moderators may host swaps which involve the exchange of physical goods at the MLPTP. This measure is in place to ensure everyone in the swap receives what they signed up for, and to protect against swaps falling through due to organizers going MIA for any reason.​

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• If you have an idea for a swap or contest you would like us to consider, simply send a message to a moderator to explain your idea. We are happy to gauge interest and allow members to participate as a co-host with a moderator at our discretion.
  
  
• If you would like to host a swap that does not involve the exchange of goods or money in any way, please contact a moderator for approval.
  
  
• Art swaps of a digital nature (or scanned media, so long as the swap does not involve the mailing of physical goods) are allowed at any time.

Members participate in all activities at their own risk.​

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7. Raffles: Raffles may not be held at the MLPTP.​

8. Practice Netiquette Rules: Become familiar with and exercise proper netiquette. Do not type posts using all, or excessive amounts, of CAPS. Use standard sized fonts, and colors that are complimentary and easy to read. Avoid the use of net-speak. Remember that many members of the MLPTP do not speak English as their first language, please be considerate of them.​

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9. Retaliatory Feedback: All feedback must be posted honestly and with accuracy to the transaction at hand. If you have earned a negative or neutral feedback from another member, you may not give a negative or neutral in return simply out of spite or retaliation. Likewise, you may not post inaccurate neutral or negative feedback for any member under any circumstances. Accurate feedback is important to the safety of our members and our community.​

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If a member is found to have posted retaliatory or spiteful feedback, that member may be suspended from the marketplace forums, have their account suspended, or be banned.​

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If you have questions regarding leaving feedback, contact a moderator.​

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10. Privacy: Please do not share your personal information anywhere on the forum. Posting any individual's real name, address, telephone number, or other sensitive personal information is grounds for immediate banning.​

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11. Scamming: There is a zero-tolerance policy for scammers on the MLPTP. If you are found to be keeping funds or goods that do not rightfully belong to you, or engaging in a dishonest transaction of any kind or any activity that the administration feels may put the MLPTP's members at risk, your account may be permanently banned and if so, will be publicly reported for the safety of our members.​

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Be sure to check out this helpful thread on how to spot a scammer: https://www.mlptp.net/index.php?thr...rading-etiquette-how-to-spot-a-scammer.99722/​

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12. Signature Guidelines are as Follows:​

https://www.mlptp.net/index.php?threads/signature-and-avatar-guidelines.113214/​

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13. Chatbox Rules: All rules of the board apply to the chatbox as well. Please remember that the chatbox is the first thing most visitors see when viewing the forum, and use it accordingly. Please reserve any content that is very personal or of a serious to the Dream Beauty Lounge or Friends Discussion. Thank you for helping to make the chatbox a place for upbeat, fun and friendly discourse.​

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14. Individual Subforum Rules: Please refer to the pinned posts at the top of each subforum for specific rules related to those subforums.​

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15. Changing Your Username: You may request a username change once per year. This limitation is to minimize confusion for other members and the mod team. For small grammatical errors/etc, please contact a moderator.
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16. Use of "MLP Trading Post" "MLPTP" "Posty" and other intellectual property: We openly and enthusiastically encourage creative works such as customs or artwork of our mascot, Posty, so long as that work is not used for financial gain. Because we are a not-for-profit organization and entirely reliant on member support, we do not condone the sale of any items or artwork depicting Posty or any iteration of "MLP Trading Post" or "MLPTP" etc. Artwork of any kind of Posty would be absolutely welcome as a donation to our yearly Fundraiser.​

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Copyrights & Disclaimers:​

• The MLPTP reserves the right to change the format, style, and content of its message boards at any time; for any reason.
• The MLPTP is not responsible for ANY false advertising or failed trades, sales, or purchases. Buy, Sell, or Trade at your own risk.
• The MLPTP is not responsible for ANY material posted on the message boards.
• The views expressed by users on the MLPTP boards are not necessarily the views of the MLPTP owner, administrators, or moderators.
• My Little Pony is a registered trademark of Hasbro. All rights reserved.
• The MLPTP is not affiliated with, owned by, endorsed by, or otherwise related in any way to Hasbro Inc.
• The pictures, logos, html, and style on the MLPTP page have been made with great care. Please respect our hard work, and do not use or modify any MLPTP property, intellectual or otherwise, without express written permission from the administration.

For any media requests or request for usage of the MLP Trading Post name or content, please contact admin@MLPTP.net directly.

 

[MustBeJewel]

An Explainer On Rules at the MLPTP​

Why Are There So Many Rules?

An excellent question! First and foremost, our rules have been set in place in order to protect YOU, our community members. Rules were first established back during the founding of the MLPTP in 1996, and have been added to and modified over time as needed.


Why Did You Need to Add More?

Nearly every rule that you see in our Rules & Regulations and our events is the direct result of actions by individuals over time.

Example: In swaps, we now specifically ask that swappers ship in a sturdy, secure box that is sealed with packing tape and with a clearly-written label. This came after several disappointed swappers received their end of a swap in a flimsy mailer with damaged and missing pieces, as well as ones sealed with the wrong kind of tape that burst open in transit, were lost because of messy labels, etc. We wouldn't want anyone to go through that disappointment again, so the rule was created in order to ensure as much as possible that all swap boxes arrive safely and intact for their recipients to enjoy.

99% of the time, this kind of situation is why rules become rules at the MLPTP. That said, you may see rules like the above as obvious, common-sense, and unnecessary, but they stem from actual, repeated, real problems that were being dismissed and ignored without the rule in place.


Why Did ________ Need to Be a Rule?

Over 20 years of modding experience in this very community has shown that humans can be very fickle creatures. On many, many occasions, when Member X was asked to please not commit a certain action that was found to be offensive, harmful, or cause hurt or discomfort to others, the mods were immediately met with, "But it's not in the rules! So, NO!" The ensuing difficulty with problematic members like this led us to the simplest solution, which was putting the offensive action into writing in order to satisfy Member X's demand for it to be "official."

If you're here and reading this, you surely aren't this kind of member in our community. Most aren't! But, you have the problematic kind to thank for setting the precedents. So please know that these rules are not targeted at you--they are to protect members, including you, from the kind who necessitate those rules in the first place.


What if I Don't Like a Rule?

Rules are created after lengthy discussion among the moderators and admin and with the best interest of the community at heart. Sometimes, a rule will ruffle some feathers among members. It is important to consider in times like these that for us, the administration, there is simply no pleasing everyone. If we receive 8 comments from members asking for a rule or rule change, and 2 comments from members against it, the best we can do is to try to please the majority. You may not always be in the majority. This does not mean that you are targeted, or being attacked, or that your feelings are being disregarded. We encourage you to ask yourself how YOU would handle the same situation. How would you please everyone, every time?

We don't want to create any more rules. It is a tedious and tiring thing to do. We would much rather be spending our time interacting with the community, hosting events and games and just hanging out and talking about ponies with all of you!



The Mods and Admin are Human.

It's important to remember that not only is membership at the MLPTP a privilege, and not a right, but that all those behind the scenes are, in fact, human. We go through all the normal life events as our members do: We go to school, we work, we raise families and pets, we endure loss, hardship, illness, and tragedy, all the same as you. Only for us, we dedicate hours of our lives every day to maintaining and protecting this community, and we do it for no pay. All that is not covered by the yearly fundraiser, all unexpected costs (there are many more than you would think!), all come from the pockets of your administrator, without compensation. Endless hours of work go on behind the scenes.

So when you approach or interact with someone on the admin/mod team, please keep this in mind: We are a group of everyday people, just like you, who have chosen to volunteer our time, energy, and finances to make the MLPTP the best community that we can--for you. If you think there is any glory or meaningful power in being a mod or admin, think again. It is a constant responsibility, and one that we take seriously and do for free so that the community as a whole may live on and flourish. No one becomes a mod or admin because it's fun or easy.

Why else would we even be here, than for you?

There is a common misconception that approaching a moderator or admin will somehow be a scary experience--a myth we would also like to dispel. While we may not always have every answer you need, or be able to solve every problem to your satisfaction, we will always try. At the same time, it is impossible to please everyone 100% of the time, just as it is impossible to always instantly reply to you. We appreciate your mutual respect and courtesy when coming to us with any thoughts, suggestions, or concerns you may have, and your patience and understanding that we, like you, are also human. We are doing our best.



Am I Going to Get Banned?

Fact: Less than 1 member per year on average is banned from the MLPTP.

The "ban hammer" is heavy, and honestly, no one wants to lift it. It's a pain. You'll throw your back out. Whenever possible, we try to work through any issues with our members in a way that avoids something as permanent as banning.

Here at the MLPTP, there is a 5-point warning system in effect which applies to situations where major rules are broken, or more commonly, when lesser rules are broken repeatedly despite contact from the mod team. Warning Points can be temporary or permanent depending on the offense (it will always be clear which it is), and permanent Warning Points will accumulate until they reach 5 points, at which time the account is banned.

Fact: The entire mod team gives out on average less than 10 Warning Points total per year.

More than likely, a mod will simply send a member a private message, or will move/merge/etc the thread in question for them, and send a note letting them know.

These are the rules which result in an instant, permanent ban when broken:
- Posting explicit adult content or links to such content
- Doxxing (revealing the address / phone number / etc of another member in an attempt to cause harm)
- Being under the age of 16
- Purposely scamming other members out of goods or money

But, like 99.99999% of our members, you'd never dream of doing any of those things--we just have those rules in place to protect everyone, yourself included. In the end, we're trying to keep the bad apples out, and the good apples in. And if you're one of the good apples, you have no reason to worry.

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If at any time you have any concerns or questions relating to the MLPTP, please contact a moderator, and they will be happy to help. Remember that by bringing any issues directly to our attention, that it is you who are helping us to maintain safety and functionality here at the MLPTP.