Community Guidelines

1. DEFINITIONS

(a) “Site” means CA News Forum, accessible at https://ca-news-forum.com.
(b) “Community Guidelines” means these terms governing use of Site.
(c) “Article” means a news item originating from an approved external source.
(d) “Featured Image“ means the primary image associated with a shared Article.
(e) “Discussion” means a post created by a Member based on an Article.
(f) “Categories” means labels used to organize Discussions.
(g) “Comments” means replies or opinions posted within a Discussion.
(h) “Members” means registered users of the Site.
(i) “Author” means the Member who creates a Discussion.
(j) “Owners” means the individuals responsible for operating the Site.
(k) “Peer Mediator” means an individual designated to review content, mediate disputes, and enforce these Community Guidelines.
(l) “Spam” means unauthorized advertising and promotion, irrelevant or repetitive content, and automated bot activity.

2. PURPOSE & DISCLAIMER

2.1 Purpose
The Site exists to facilitate respectful and civil discussion of current news and events relevant to Canada and the broader global community.

2.2 Acceptance of Terms
By accessing, browsing, registering for, or using the Site, each Member agrees to be bound by these Community Guidelines in their entirety. Continued use of the Site constitutes ongoing acceptance of these rules.

2.3 Enforcement
Failure to comply with these Community Guidelines may result in, at the sole discretion of the Owners:
(a) content removal;
(b) temporary suspension of posting and/or commenting privileges;
(c) account suspension; or
(d) permanent account ban.

2.4 No Professional Advice
All content available on the Site, including Articles, Discussions, Comments, and linked materials, is provided for informational and discussion purposes only, and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or professional advice.

2.5 Third-Party Content Disclaimer
The Owners and Peer Mediators make no representation regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of:
(a) any Article; or
(b) any content posted by Members

2.6 Views of Members
All views expressed by Members are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of the Owners, Peer Mediators, or the Site.

2.7 Limitation of Liability
Use of the Site is at the Member’s own risk. The Owners disclaim all liability to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

3. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

3.1 Core Principles of Respectful Interaction
(a) Debate the ideas and the topic, not the person;
(b) Treat others as you wish to be treated;
(c) Engage in constructive communications; and
(d) Where necessary, agree to disagree.

3.2 Permitted Conduct
(a) Civil Debate: Members are encouraged to engage in civil debate that is focused on content and ideas, rather than on personal interactions. We welcome everyone’s unique observations and opinions, robust but good-faith disagreements, and respectful criticism of ideas and beliefs, within the boundaries described in sections 3.3 and 3.4 below; and
(b) Public Figures: Mild to harsh criticism of celebrities, politicians, and other public figures is generally permitted, provided that comments are lawful, and that sections 3.3, and 3.4 below are not contravened.

3.3 Safety and Harm
(a) Members shall not post, link to, or encourage threats of violence, physical harm, or death;
(b) Members shall not promote, encourage, or provide assistance related to self-harm, self-injury, or suicide; and
(c) Content that glorifies, incites, or could reasonably result in real-world harm is strictly prohibited.

3.4 Prohibited Conduct Towards Other Members
(a) Insults, including but not limited to:
   • Name-calling;
   • Derogatory nicknames; or
   • Slurs or other pejoratives.
(b) Personal Attacks, including but not limited to:
   • Abusive, prejudicial, or degrading comments;
   • Ad hominem reactions and responses; or
   • Disparaging remarks about a person’s character, intelligence, or background.
(c) Harassment, including but not limited to:
   • Intimidation or bullying;
   • Trolling, baiting, or provocation;
   • Pursuing Members across multiple Discussions;
   • Repeated hostile or unwanted replies;
   • Ignoring requests to disengage;
   • Posting unrelated prior conversations; or
   • Sharing someone’s private information (“doxing”).

3.5 Spam Content
Members and Visitors shall not post advertisements, solicitations, or promotional content without prior approval of the Owners. Do not post repetitive content, including memes, images and text.

3.6 Language Requirements
(a) Discussions must be posted in English only;
(b) Comments must be written primarily in English;
(c) Limited use of widely-understood foreign phrases is permitted; and
(d) Excessive non-English content may be removed.

3.7 Use of Source Material (Fair Use / Quoting)
(a) Plagiarism or excessive verbatim copying is prohibited.
(b) Quotations must include a link to the original source, and be accompanied by original commentary or analysis.

3.8 Content Standards
Members shall not post or link to content which:
(a) Is of an illegal nature;
(b) Includes nudity or explicit sexual content;
(c) Depicts gratuitous violence, gore or animal cruelty; and/or
(d) Does not conform to these Community Guidelines.

4. DISCUSSION POSTING

4.1 Required Discussion Elements
To ensure consistency and usefulness, Members with sufficient privileges to share Articles must include the following:
(a) The Article’s exact headline;
(b) A direct and functional link to the Article;
(c) The original or a related Featured Image, if available; and
(d) At least one Category that is relevant to the subject matter.

4.2 Article Source Requirements
(a) Permitted Article Sources include, but are not limited to:
   • Websites or social media posts of established media outlets;
   • Websites or social media posts of news aggregators;
   • Websites or social media posts of corporations and organizations;
   • Websites or social media posts of sports leagues and teams; and
   • Online publications from Schools and institutions.
(b) Unapproved Sources include, but are not limited to:
   • Personal social media posts (Twitter/X, Facebook, etc.)
   • Personal blogs;
   • Letters to the Editor; and
   • Articles behind paywalls or requiring subscriptions to be viewed.

4.3 Article Featured Images
Where available, every Discussion should include a Featured Image.
(a) Approved Featured Images include:
   • An original image from the Article; or
   • A substitute image that is neutral and non-editorial.
(b) Unapproved Feature Images include, but are not limited to:
   • Memes and cartoons;
   • Biased or insulting images; and
   • Images that editorialize or inject opinion.

4.4 Duplicate Content
Duplicate Discussions may be removed. Discussions covering the same story from different sources are permitted, if they add distinct value.

5. MODERATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Peer Mediators act on behalf of the Owners to uphold these Community Guidelines and maintain the quality, safety, and civility of the Site. They have the authority to edit or remove content that violates these rules, issue warnings, and recommend suspensions or bans. Members shall:
(a) Comply with instructions given by Peer Mediators;
(b) Refrain from criticizing, harassing, or arguing with Peer Mediators; and
(c) Treat Peer Mediators with respect and dignity.

6. FLAGGING CONTENT
Members may report content using the flagging system. Reports must be made in good faith, and for legitimate reasons. Misuse of the flagging system may result in enforcement action.

7. DISPUTE AND APPEAL PROCESS
If you believe a moderation decision was made unfairly or in error, do not escalate the issue publicly in Discussions or Comments. Send a respectful email to canewsforum@gmail.com and include a link to the Discussion or Comment in question, along with a reason for the appeal. All appeals will be reviewed, but the final decision rests solely with the Owners. Appeals do not guarantee reinstatement of privileges.

Last Updated: April 2026