Once again, we have a spate of users choosing to abuse or threaten other users in private messages. Doing this is incredibly creepy, shady, and disrespectful to the entire BBS: “I know I won’t get away with saying this in public, but my insults/attacks/threats are more important than civil discourse or the extra work it puts on the moderators to deal with these issues, so I’m going to say it anyway, just privately” is not appropriate here.
Worse, personal attacks like this are very often levied against vulnerable classes of members - users identifying as female, those coping with mental illness, or identifying as minorities. These groups receive enough prejudice, bigotry and strife in their normal lives for just being who they are. Do not add to it because you decided you didn’t like them on a forum. Please try and have empathy for your other members who exist in meatspace outside of the BBS.
I have updated the community guidelines to make it clear that they apply for any communication on the BBS, public or private. However, unlike public communications, the moderators will not see violations unless they are flagged.
If you receive threatening, harassing, or otherwise inappropriate private messages, flag them, as you should for any message you see of this type. We will take apprioriate action. Because this sort of behaviour is especially personal, such action will almost always include, at minimum, a suspension from our community. Don’t engage in this behaviour.
