[daddy]

bdsm forum

I chose myfreeforum over other forum servers because it specifically said in the TOS that adult content was allowed, as long as there was nothing pornographic. My forum is a discussion on BDSM and includes such topics as spanking and bondage, etc.

Two things have caught my attention, however.
[1]When a user registers, he/she is informed that there are no posts about sexuality allowed. Discussions about sexuality and pics or links to pornography are completely different IMHO. Is my forum out of line?
[2]When I searched this forum to get an answer, I found this thread with the admin's post that adult content is OK, perhaps as long as that's not the whole focus of the forum. That's the first time I've seen it spelled out that way. Once again, is my site out of line?

I don't want to continue working on it and getting it set up if it's just going to be banned later...

[Symon]

I have moved this thread in here, as it was at the end of a dead thread.


I,m not reporting it but this seems the best place for the questions to be answered.

[admin (no pm's please)]

I think from what I can see, that whilst we are broad minded enough not ban this as it stands, it would be beyond acceptable for our advertisers. So I think unless you are prepared to go advert free we shall have to say no.

[daddy]

To say this is disappointing is an understatement.

I think that your TOS page could be quite a bit more specific. NOWHERE in there does it state that an entire site may not be devoted to an "adult" topic. In fact, it says that adult content is acceptable, so long as it is not pornographic.

If I hadn't gone and done a search through these support threads, looking for an definitive definition of "adult content", I'd have never run across the stipulation given to another owner. I could've easily done many, many hours of work on this, only to find that it would get banned later.

If your policy is to NOT allow adult-themed forums, then your TOS should say so, right up front. The fact that it didn't was the reason I went with myfreeforum.org in the first place.

[admin (no pm's please)]

We do allow adult themed forums, some quite strong ones. But a straight bdsm forum is liable to nudge beyond the limits.

I think it should be common sense that a forum like this is going to be problematic, and I think you know this which is why you have had the sense to ask.

Can you really think up a set of terms and conditions that would both fit on less than several pages and manage to set out exactly where lines stand, people have been trying to define porn v art for centuries and have failed to do so sensibly!

I think we have about as good a wording as is possible, we say you cannot have porn, it is sensible to assume we might regard anything bdsm as porn and to ask! As I have said, I think we would actually live with it (and you have been invited to go ad free) but I in all honesty think this falls into the gap between what we would accept and what google would accept.

Would you rather I gambled and 2 months down the line had to take action against you? I have chosen to give an honest assessment.

[St0rm[TitE]]

i've had a look at the said forum and found 'cock & ball torture with weights' a bit too much even for me.

i would take the offer of going 'add free' and then thats the end of it, the forum lives.

i wouldnt argue the case anymore