Rules
We want to foster an environment where people of all types and stripes feel welcome. Fundamentally we require all of our members to treat others with respect, even when there is disagreement. Our rules are meant to be clear and direct, but the staff of this server has ultimate discretion on how they are enforced.
| Advertising | Do not advertise or engage in excessive self-promotion of your brand or business. |
| CSAM | Do not share/view child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) including CG-CSAM or lolicon. |
| Disinformation | Do not deliberately deceive or mislead others. |
| Extremism | Do not incite violence against others or advocate violent ideologies. |
| Gore | Do not share media that depicts graphic violence, gore, or death for shock value. |
| Harassment | Do not engage in any online harassment of others. |
| Impersonation | Do not impersonate other people or orginizations. |
| NSFW | Do not share sexually explicit content, all other NSFW content must use content warnings. |
Our full Terms of Service outlines additional prohibited uses and legal terms.
Covenants
We are signatories to the following external covenants and charters:
Violations
If you are found to be in violation, the staff may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including expulsion from the server. We have documented our moderation process to be as open as possible.
If you find content that is in violation of the Server Rules, please report the offending account.
You may also take other actions on your own, such as muting or blocking the account, or the entire domain/server.
CSAM
We have zero tolorance for the use of your account to view or distributed CSAM (child sexual abuse materials) including CG-CSAM (computer-generated) or other fictionalized sexualized media (lolicon) and will result in an immediate account suspension, removal of content, and the reporting to the appropriate law enforcement officials. This includes content posted locally or viewed through a federated server.
Advertising
Prohibited advertising applies to sponsored posting, where users are financially compensated for their content. While there is considerable nuance in implementation, it all comes down to posting in access.
Here are the key points:
- Links to the sale of personal artwork, book promotions/sales and services (when not excessive) are permitted
- Relevant crowdfunding links for your projects (when not excessive) are permitted
- Charitable and mutual aid donation requests are permitted, although users should use their best judgment when considering whether to contribute to causes advocated by individual users
- Product reviews where items were provided to reviewers (when posted externally) are permitted
Examples of content that would be prohibited under this rule:
- Direct promotional posts on vmst.io for sponsored products
- Content with affiliate links intended to generate revenue or track user activity
Norms
Outside of our Rules, there are certain "norms" of Mastodon and the Fediverse that you'll be expected to respect while you are a member of this server. Some of these norms may be different than what you're used to on other platforms.
While failure to abide by these rules not strictly moderation-worth events, we do ask that you respect and try to conform to these norms as you explore and grow on the platform.
Content Warnings
Using content warnings shows consideration for community members' wellbeing and helps create a more supportive online environment where people feel their needs are respected.
For content which others may find shocking or objectionable, please use content warnings when necessary or mark the media as sensitive.
Content warnings help people avoid content that could trigger distressing memories or emotional responses. Some people may be more sensitive to certain types of content due to neurological differences, sensory processing issues, or other conditions. They also help people avoid accidentally displaying sensitive content in work or public environments where it would be inappropriate.
Alt-Text
Users are encouraged to regularly use descriptive text (or "Alt-Text") for image uploads.
Alt-text allows those with visual impairments who use screen readers to understand image content. Even for sighted users, well-written alt-text can provide additional context or details that enhance understanding of the image and overall content.
It's important to be descriptive but concise. The goal is to maintain the same meaning and user experience for everyone, regardless of how they access the content.
Hashtags Overuse
Due to the federated nature of Mastodon, and current limitations in searching, hashtags are used to help with content delivery and discovery. However, their overuse can be disruptive and degrade their value.
Users who misuse or overuse hashtags may be asked by server staff to stop, or have limitations placed on their account which would prevent their non-followers from discovering their content. Continued misuse may result in temporary or permanent account suspension.
Content Attibution
Sharing content created by others must include clear attribution to the original author, creator, or source. Avoid sharing content that you do not have the proper permission or license to distribute.
While sharing AI-generated content is allowed, it must include a disclosure indicating its origin. Accounts should not exclusively post AI-generated content.