Warnings on ATRL are a way of keeping members in check for breaking our Terms of Use. Instead of instantly banning members out of nowhere, we give them warning points, which accumulate over time.

If you accumulate 10 warning points, you're banned for 30 days. If you accumulate 20 warning points, you're banned permanently. Warning points expire after 30, 60, or 90 days, even if you're banned for a month and then come back later. That means if you accumulate 20 points too quickly, then na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye.

Recently, lots of members have said they don't know when to expect a warning, so the system has seemed unfair. Let me set the record straight today with this master list of everything you can get warned for.

Moderators on ATRL decide to give warnings subjectively on a case-by-case basis, sometimes based on reported posts and help requests, and sometimes based on their own findings. Our moderators have the sole judgment to give warnings for anything they wish. They also have the right not to warn members if they don't feel the need to.

You can check your warning status by clicking your user name at the top of the page and then the "Warnings" tab.

Note: ATRL has ONE thread that are isn't moderated Stand Your Ground in Base, which may be exempt from these warnings at the discretion of the moderators.

ATRL Rights Disclaimer
The administrators and moderators of ATRL reserve the right to remove, edit, move, or close any thread or any post, including blog posts and comments, and warn, ban, or delete any member, for any reason. The ability to post messages at ATRL is a privilege, not a right. Members who consistently abuse this privilege by ignoring these rules will be warned or banned from posting.


General Rules
Disruptive Comments
All comments must stay on the thread’s topic. Do not post comments with the intent of derailing the thread into off-topic conversation or out of control arguments. For artist-related arguments, ATRL has a special, low moderated thread called “Stand Your Ground”. For personal disputes, you can use your blog.
Associated Warnings: Disruptive (1pt), Flamebait (1pt), Off Topic (1pt), Trolling (2pts), Fighting (2pts)

Offensive Content
Do not post content that is sexually explicit or otherwise obscene, racist, homophobic, or otherwise overly discriminatory. This includes avatars, signatures and other public profile content. Links to adult entertainment websites are also prohibited. Content that is extremely violent or otherwise discomforting needs to be placed inside collapse AND warning tags. See the BB code listing for more information on collapse & warning tags. Circumventing the profanity censor (swapping letters for symbols, spaces, etc) is also prohibited.
Associated Warnings: Profanity (1pt), Graphic (2pts), Offensive (2pts), Explicit (3pts)

Disrespectful Comments
Critical comments are welcome, but you are not allowed to insult or belittle members or staff. Harsh attacks on celebrities are also prohibited outside of "Stand Your Ground". While honorary titles (e.g. "Legend X", "Princess Ri") are allowed, over the top mangling (e.g. "Godga", "Successica Legendson") and disrespectful nicknames (e.g. "*******", "Rihtard") are strictly prohibited.
Associated Warnings: Insensitive (1pt), Abrasive (1pt), Nicknames (1pt), Fighting (2pts)

Illegal Content
Threads and posts containing links to unlicensed downloads of copyrighted material, including but not limited to recorded music in MP3, WMA, AAC, and similar formats, are not allowed because of legal concerns, and will be deleted as soon as possible. It is also prohibited to post offers to trade unlicensed files through other means or make requests for those files. Any attempts to circumvent this rule in any way will not be tolerated, and members who consistently do so will be banned.
Associated Warnings: File Share Request (2pts), File Sharing (4pts)

Unsolicited Advertising
Threads and posts containing any unsolicited advertising or spam are not allowed and will be deleted as soon as possible. Members who post spam messages anywhere on the site at any time will be banned immediately from posting.
Associated Warnings: Spam (instant ban)

Duplicate Accounts
Creating more than one account on ATRL, for any reason, will result in a ban of your duplicate and permanent points to your main account. Members that excessively violate this rule will be permabanned by IP range.
Associated Warnings: Duplicate (3pts & 3 month ban)


Moderation
Warnings
Warnings on ATRL are a way of keeping members in check for breaking the rules. Instead of instantly banning members out of nowhere, we give them warning points, which accumulate over time.

Accumulating 10 warning points will result in a 30 day ban from ATRL. Most warning points will expire after 30, 60 or 90 days, but more extreme cases may result in permanent warning points. Existing warning points will remain during your ban and are only cleared by their original expiration date or a reversal from the moderator that issued the warning.

While not often, members may also receive a custom warning in cases where the violation is more or less severe than what the default warnings cover. You can check your warning status by clicking your user name at the top of the page and then the "Warnings" tab. Note: This tab only appears when you have existing or cleared points in your history.

Thread Bans
Thread bans help to keep disruptive members from constantly trolling discussions. A moderator will typically issue a temporary thread ban when a member has broken the rules multiple times within the same thread. In more severe cases, a member may be permanently banned from the thread.

Reminders
A reminder is a type of warning with no points attached. A moderator will issue a reminder for new members, first time offences and when they have determined that the thread or post doesn’t quite cross the line into a violation.


Moderation Levels
Standard Moderation: Music News, Charts, Videos, Celebria, Base, Lounge, Your Top Ten & Games
You must follow all rules in the main forums. Warning points will be issued for all violations as listed in the Warning Details below.

Low moderation: Blogs and Profile Walls
Moderators only check these areas when they’ve received complaints from members. Warning points will be issued for only the most extreme violations, such as racism, explicit content and illegal file sharing/requests.

Not moderated: Private Messaging
The content and information shared through PMs are only viewable to you and the recipient.

Exceptions: Stand Your Ground & Fan Bases
Stand Your Ground is one of the only threads on ATRL with its own set of rules. Members are allowed to argue, troll and belittle celebrities with only a few limitations. Moderators will only step in when the attacks cross the line or they’re directed at members. Read SYG’s rules for more details.

Fan Bases also have also have their own set of rules and guidelines. You can read them here.


Warning Details
Abrasive — 1 point, expires in 30 days
Your comment was rude and/or hurtful to other members or staff.

Disruptive — 1 point, expires in 30 days
You were spamming gifs/images/smileys/random keys, you've posted a pointless thread or you've posted too many times in a row.

Profanity — 1 point, expires in 30 days
You've circumvented the profanity censor by swapping letters for symbols, spaces, etc.

Flamebait — 1 point, expires in 30 days
You have started a thread or posted a reply that just seems to be fishing for an argument.

Insensitive — 1 point, expires in 30 days
Even if you might not realize it, what you said was mean to a particular group of people.

Nicknames — 1 point, expires in 30 days
You have mangled the name of a celebrity or public figure into a stan name or a hater name.
Allowed: Honorary titles and shortened names such as "Queen Britney", "Legend X", "Princess Ri", etc
Not allowed: Over the top mangling or disrespectful names such as "Godga", "Successica Legendson", "Rihtard", etc

Off Topic — 1 point, expires in 30 days
Either you posted something irrelevant to the thread, or posted a thread in the wrong forum.

Fighting — 2 points, expires in 60 days
Arguing with someone in a thread instead of taking it to Stand Your Ground or your blog.

Offensive — 2 points, expires in 60 days
You've said something racist, homophobic, or otherwise discriminatory.

Trolling — 2 points, expires in 60 days
Specifically and deliberately posting something with the intent to make people mad.

File Share Request — 2 points, expires in 60 days
You have requested a link to an illegal download or an illegal download website.

Graphic — 2 points, expires in 60 days
You've posted content that's either extremely violent, vulgar, or otherwise discomforting. Vulgar content isn't allowed outside of blogs/wall posts, but violent/discomforting content can be posted if it's collapsed and warning tagged.

Explicit — 3 points, expires in 90 days
You've posted an explicit image without linking it inside [warning] and [url] tags or your avatar and/or signature contains excessively vulgar content.

File Sharing — 4 points, expires in 90 days
You have posted a link to an illegal download, illegal download website, or you have posted copyrighted material.

Duplicate — 3 points, 3 month ban, never expires
We've discovered that you have a duplicate account and are carrying on a second persona.

Spam — instant ban, never expires
If you post obvious spam for another website or business, you're out of here, period.

Now you can't say you don't know. This information will be permanently linked in ATRL's Terms of Use, as well, so you'll always know where to see it. If you're intelligent and respectful, you'll never run into these warnings.

Explaining ATRL Warnings last updated: August 18th, 2013.

Updated to current.