Over the last few weeks, MERB moderators have been debating new rules for our advertisers. These changes have become necessary because of some abuses, complaints from our members and advertisers, and confusion over what the the previous rules were. The result of these efforts are now posted in the advertiser`s section, https://merb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=30022 and are effective immediately.
For members, the biggest change is that we don`t want you posting in the advertisers section. The name of the section is "MERB Advertisers Only" and we will now enforce that. Member`s questions in this section were generally regarding descriptions, pictures, availability, former names, or complaints about rates.
While we wait for admin to change the board settings, to prevent members from posting in the advertiser`s section, any member posts made will be moved or deleted at the moderator`s discretion. Members who continue to post in the advertiser`s section will be subject to warnings and suspensions.
For advertisers, we expect you to make quality posts that are newsworthy and inform the members. This goal may seem subjective, however, we believe the rule changes will guide you down this path, and away from the path that some of you are presently on. The biggest problem we have noticed involve manipulating your posts to the top of the advertiser`s section by various means, and promotions elsewhere on the board.
Enforcement of the rules will be done through by removing your posts and/or relatively short suspensions, with repeat offenses receiving longer durations, as necessary, to make the point.
Moderators are always willing to receive reports of violations, however, please don`t use your competitor`s behaviour as an excuse for yours. If you are notified about a violation, your competitors that violate the same rules are likely getting the same notification.
These rules are subject to change as necessary. Some of the moderators recommended further restrictions, none recommended anything less. While the moderators hope these rules will be sufficient, we are willing to clamp down further. This choice will be made by the advertisers through their actions. We strongly advise the advertisers to choose wisely.
Questions and comments about the rules belong here.
https://merb.cc Moderators
For members, the biggest change is that we don`t want you posting in the advertisers section. The name of the section is "MERB Advertisers Only" and we will now enforce that. Member`s questions in this section were generally regarding descriptions, pictures, availability, former names, or complaints about rates.
- We expect the advertisers to make informative posts. This includes descriptions of their staff, if the descriptions are not available on their website. Members should not have to ask for general information, such as age, hair and eye colour, height, and weight. For more specific information, members should make posts in the "Escort 411" section.
- We are certain that both the advertisers and members want pictures up. There is no need for members to remind our advertisers about this. These posts don`t belong on MERB.
- MERB is a review board, not a booking board. Questions about availability should be handled directly with the provider.
- Discussions about escorts changing names or places belong in that topic, https://merb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2671
- Complaints about rates in general, belong in "The Lounge". Complaints about a particular agency`s or provider`s rates are simple to make, don`t call them.
While we wait for admin to change the board settings, to prevent members from posting in the advertiser`s section, any member posts made will be moved or deleted at the moderator`s discretion. Members who continue to post in the advertiser`s section will be subject to warnings and suspensions.
For advertisers, we expect you to make quality posts that are newsworthy and inform the members. This goal may seem subjective, however, we believe the rule changes will guide you down this path, and away from the path that some of you are presently on. The biggest problem we have noticed involve manipulating your posts to the top of the advertiser`s section by various means, and promotions elsewhere on the board.
- You will now be limited to no more than two promotional posts per day, both in the same thread. Make them good, because that`s all you get.
- Deleting, then reposting your information, same day, to get back to the top of the section will not be tolerated.
- Deleting your post from yesterday and reposting it today without changes, is not encouraged.
- Deleting your post from yesterday because it is no longer current, and posting new information today, is fine.
- While you are allowed two posts per day, there should be a "newsworthy" reason behind them.
- If you post a daily schedule, edit your post to make changes, don`t make a new post.
- If you have two different shifts, with different staff available, you may make two posts, if the posts are primarily related to each shift.
- If you make an announcement today, it`s not news tomorrow. Put it in your post of the day, not in a repeat announcement.
- If you forget to put something in a post, edit it, don`t make a new post.
- If you post a daily schedule, edit your post to make changes, don`t make a new post.
- If you make two posts in a day, we expect there to be some time between them, generally "early" and "late". We are not going to use a stopwatch to judge the spacing, or to define when a day begins and ends, but we will use common sense. For example, if you make a post at 12:10am Friday night/Saturday morning, that relates to Friday night, we`re probably going to consider it a post made on Friday. If you post tomorrow morning`s schedule at 11:50pm, we`re probably going to consider it as a post for tomorrow.
- Answer questions posted in the "Escort 411" section directly. Don`t promote.
Here is an example of a typical question
a member with question #1 said:
an advertiser answering question #1 said:
an advertiser making a promotion out of question #1 said:
General information, such as hair colour, should be available on the advertiser`s website or in their post. Here is an example of a more specific question, that an advertiser would not be expected to put in their post.
a member with question #2 said:
an advertiser answering question #2 said:
an advertiser making a promotion out of question #2 said:
Another common question is "Where are they now?" If the information isn`t available in the "Changing places" thread, here is an example.
a member searching for someone said:
an advertiser resolving a search said:
an advertiser promoting a search said: - We will continue to allow responses to reviews that are relevent, and without added promotion. Don`t bump the review threads, or turn a response into a promotion.
- Advertisers are asked to keep fonts, colours, symbols, and signatures reasonable. See wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature_block for guidelines. Note that signatures are commonly accepted to be no more than 4 lines of 80 characters of normal text, without formatting. Please don`t make us make another rule.
Enforcement of the rules will be done through by removing your posts and/or relatively short suspensions, with repeat offenses receiving longer durations, as necessary, to make the point.
Moderators are always willing to receive reports of violations, however, please don`t use your competitor`s behaviour as an excuse for yours. If you are notified about a violation, your competitors that violate the same rules are likely getting the same notification.
These rules are subject to change as necessary. Some of the moderators recommended further restrictions, none recommended anything less. While the moderators hope these rules will be sufficient, we are willing to clamp down further. This choice will be made by the advertisers through their actions. We strongly advise the advertisers to choose wisely.
Questions and comments about the rules belong here.
https://merb.cc Moderators
