Defcon Forums Rules: All Users Read This Before Posting

[Rules]

Question about DEF CON? Check the official FAQ first.

The Rules - Updated 2019 April 22

Our Code of Conduct https://defcon.org//html/links/dc-code-of-conduct.html is our over-arching set of principles

Primary Rules
0.) Introduction
1.) Social Behavior
2.) Repetitive Topics
3.) Graphics and Signatures
4.) Illegal Content/Misuse
5.) Spamming, Power posting, and Advertising
6.) Multiple Accounts/Shared Accounts

Secondary Rules: Behavior
1.) The ‘I’m new post’
2.) Lurking
3.) Doing Things for Yourself
4.) The ‘teach me to hack’ or ‘could you hack this for me’ Posts
5.) Abbreviated English, ‘SMS’-speak, or ‘leet-speak
6.) Don't be a jerk
7.) Old Threads
8.) Posts About Local Hacker Meetings
9.) Off-Topic Posting

[Rules]

0) Introduction:
Hackers may view rules as guidelines, but these rules have purpose: maintain a level of sanity in the forums. Not following the rules puts you at risk for being banned-- or worse. Following the rules may eventually help you to be accepted by other members.

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1. Social Behavior:
Do not use unlawful, harmful, threatening, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, hateful, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable language toward users of the discussion platforms.

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2. Repetitive Topics:

Before starting a new thread, search for related threads. If you find none, then consider starting a new thread. (If mods can find an OPEN thread that you didn't, they won't be happy.) The value of content you provide to existing threads should be proportional to the age of the thread.

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3. Graphics and Signatures:

Graphic signatures are not allowed. Text signatures should be under 5 lines. If your signature is longer than your average post, it's too long.

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4. Illegal Content/Misuse:

* Do NOT violate any local, state, national or international law or regulation in these forums.
* Do NOT request others on the forums to violate the above.
* Do NOT ask someone to, "hack this for me," "teach me to hack," or for, "hacking software."
If you don't know if something violates the above, then don't post it.

Remember, this is a public board. Anyone, ANYONE, may be reading.

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5. Spamming, Power posting, and Advertising:

Unsolicited Advertising (especially commercial) is not allowed, and posts violating this will be censored, and violators banned without warning. (Exceptions: DEF CON events, DEF CON related meetings in "Local Meetings & Other Events" or as authorized by moderators.)

Only post if you have something valuable to add to the ongoing conversation
Do NOT post "Me too", "useless/empty" , "HI I'm NEW! " , "bump-up" , "duplicated/cross-posted" style content.
If you want to post a link, describe the purpose and content of that link.
Please don't use URL-shortening tools (e.g.: tinyurl) when providing links on the forums since such a tool could hide, "the true nature of the link."
Replying to your own posts can be viewed as spamming.
To fix your post, edit it; unless you are banned, or a thread is closed, you may edit your post for up to 24 hours after it is created.

Spam in PM:
Spam that mods may choose to take action upon if sent in PM:
* Illegal issues: threats of violence, [requests or offers] of illegal [service or products], scams
* Unsolicited Advertisements
* Mass PM messaging, such as with automated programs

(If the annoying PM is none of the above, then don't expect any reply in PM if submitted in private. As a social problem, you can choose to ignore the user, instead.)

If the PM you received is one of these above things, then you can report the PM using the link "report this" found in the PM, top-right as a link. When you report the PM, provide the following:
* Your permission to look at the PM and other messages in the same thread (part of any response, including any responses)
* If privately submitted, your permission for it to be discussed with other mods
* The date and time of the PM (if you "report" the PM this is done for you when you report it.)
* The subject of the PM (don't alter the subject of the PM when you report it, and this is done for you when you report it.)

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6. Multiple Accounts/Shared Accounts:

One account per user. If we catch you with multiple accounts, particularly if you are using them to start flame wars with yourself and others, you will be banned.
This also means sharing an account is against the rules.

If we find an account is being shared, we will ban that account.

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1. The ‘I’m new post’:

"Hi! I'm New" posts are covered above in Spamming, Powerposting and Advertising as "no value" posting and are not tolerated.

Introduce yourself by making an intelligent first post, asking an intelligent question, or contributing a meaningful comment to a conversation.

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2. Lurking:

Spend time lurking, and you can learn about forum culture. You can see what happens to people who have violated the rules, and even read all of a user's posts to see how they managed to stick around so long. Lurk and learn. Lurking used to be enforced with a waiting period before you could first post, but that is no longer enforced, and instead we rely on the users judgement when to first post.

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3. Doing Things for Yourself:

One of the things that set hackers apart is our ability to solve complex problems with little assistance. Hackers read, learn and are often self-motivated. Hackers even use Search Engines or the Forum Search.
Only post your question when you have done some research. (Including examples in your post might help you.)
If we can find an answer with a search engine or The Official DEF CON FAQ, we will not be pleased.
This is NOT tech support. Contact the vendor of your product for tech support.
We will NOT "baby" you.

We will NOT tolerate people who run to us for answers before trying to solve their own problems.

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4. The ‘teach me to hack’ or ‘could you hack this for me’ Posts:

Covered in "Illegal Content/Misuse" the "teach me to Hack" or "will you hack this for me?" posts will NOT be tolerated. These forums are public. Anyone may join, including people from Law Enforcement, and they can read your requests too.
This is also covered in the above section, "doing things for yourself."

By violating this rule, you are violating several rules at the same time and may be banned without warning.

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5. Abbreviated English, ‘SMS’-speak, ‘leet-speak, or AlTeRnAtInG CaSe:

This section is directed to people that make posts like ‘ne1 evr heer ov a hack 2 break teh windoze? LOL’.
The official language on this board is English. If you want to be taken seriously you need to communicate clearly.
Some of our users aren’t native English speakers. This is fine. If you don’t speak English, do your best, and people may help you.
Its embarrassing when users from eastern Europe come here and speak better English than 16 year old High School students from Illinois.

‘If u type lik diz’ you are basically saying ‘I am dumb, please do not pay any attention to me, in fact please ban me as soon as possible since I bring nothing to the table’.

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6. Don't be a jerk:

This is covered in the above section "Social Behavior."
Read, understand and follow the rules. Drop the attitude. Play nice with others. If you see someone getting, "flamed," don't duplicate what has been stated. (See section above "Spamming, Power posting, and Advertising" on duplicate content and content without value.)

Start a fight with other users, and you risk being banned.

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7. Old Threads:

This is covered above and is covered here too: check the date on a thread before replying. Don't bother replying to old threads unless you have something new of value to add.