Wetpaint Central - Recently Updated Pages

FAQ

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:44:13 CDT

The "How To" section.

Can't find the answer to your question here?

Enter a keyword or two in the "Search this site" box in the upper right.
Ask by posting a new thread or replying to an existing thread in the Discussion Forum
Browse the non "how to" Help sections:

About Wetpaint

Abuse & Policies

Tips for A Successful Site

Wetpaint: The company

Getting Started

EasyEdit

Browser Support

Discussion Forum

Find Content

How do I find content?

News

Permissions

Photo Gallery

Reporting and Statistics

Site Settings

Video Gallery

Widgets (video, music, chat, games, etc.)

Working with a site

Working with Pages

Your Account

Still can't find what you're looking for?

Wetpaint Central Help and Support

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:38:09 CDT

Gabbly Widget Issues
4.17.12
As of late March, Gabbly widgets have redirected users from their page to a site that tries to load a virus onto your computer, ever since Gabbly's domain expired. If you have a Gabbly chat widget on a page on your wiki, you and your members will be better off by removing the widget. To prevent yourself from being redirected while trying to remove it, load the page, and once it loads enough for the EasyEdit button to be seen, hit the 'X' in your browser then edit the page and remove it.
If for some reason you can not do so, and have difficulties, post a thread with your wiki URL and one of the Moderators will join and remove it for you.

Like always, if you are experiencing any issues, please post a thread in the forum and we Moderators will work with you to resolve your issue.

5th Annual Paint Can Awards
The Paint Can Awards are back for it's 5th year running! Nominations will begin on June 1st. Be sure to head over to the Awards Site on June 1st and nominate your favorite Wetpaint wikis! Good luck to all wikis who participate!

Browse the Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions

About Wetpaint Sites

Abuse and Policies

Premium Services

URL?
No ads?

Ask & Answer

The Wetpaint Community

Tips for a Successful Site

Follow us on Twitter!

Experiencing Problems

If your wiki is behaving erratically, or you've received an Oops! error message, post a thread in the forum and we Moderators and the rest of the Wetpaint Central community will work with you to fix the issue you are experiencing with the wiki platform.

Known Problems »

Asking Questions

Before starting a new thread, please search Wetpaint Central for pages and threads relating to your question or problem. If you can't find an answer, you may post your question once in the appropriate discussion forum category.

Ask and Answer »
Search Wetpaint Central »

How to Use This Site

Browse the Table of Contents or use the "Search this site" box in the upper right corner to find a topic. Also, consult with the Sitemap for all of the pages on Wetpaint Central. Can't find the answer you are looking for? Post your question in the Discussion Forum. While you're here, make sure to read the Wetpaint Central Rules.

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Wetpaint News

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:37:53 CDT

Wikis on Wetpaint News

Gabbly Widget Issues
As of late March, Gabbly widgets have redirected users from their page to a site that tries to load a virus onto your computer, ever since Gabbly's domain expired. If you have a Gabbly chat widget on a page on your wiki, you and your members will be better off by removing the widget. To prevent yourself from being redirected while trying to remove it, load the page, and once it loads enough for the EasyEdit button to be seen, hit the 'X' in your browser then edit the page and remove it.
If for some reason you can not do so, and have difficulties, post a thread with your wiki URL and one of the Moderators will join and remove it for you.

Like always, if you are experiencing any issues, please post a thread in the forum and we Moderators will work with you to resolve your issue.

5th Annual Paint Can Awards
The Paint Can Awards are back for it's 5th year running! Nominations will begin on June 1st. Be sure to head over to the Awards Site on June 1st and nominate your favorite Wetpaint wikis! Good luck to all wikis who participate!

Wikis on Wetpaint Status

Check back here for the most up-to-date information on the status of the Wetpaint wiki platform. Having a problem that isn't listed here? Post a thread in the Discussion Forum.

3.9.12 - Wetpaint has installed the new, powerful server. Things seem to be back to normal, the way they were before the server slowness. Let's see how well it works.

12.15.11 - Wetpaint rolled out a release that accidentaly turned on ads on ad-free sites. Wetpaint sent out a release last night that fixed the problem. All ad-free sites are once again ad-free.

8.03.11 - Wetpaint's Image Servers screwed up for some apparent reason last weekend, but the problem is now fixed.
7.11.11 - Wetpaint's servers had a problem the past weekend, and it corrupted some files. Wetpaint has fixed this, and you should not have any problems with servers lagging on updating.
6.1.11 - Wetpaint's server lag seems to have fixed itself.

6.1.11 - Transactional email is back up and running (thread notifications, p2p message notifications, invites, etc).
5.10.11 - Server lag appears to be reappearing. You may notice a delay in updates, messages, etc. Email notifications are currently out of whack. Wetpaint is working to correct the issues.

4.29.11 - Recaptcha's old SSL certificate expired yesterday which is why the registration page stopped working. The issue has been resolved.

4.28.11 - There seems to be an issue with the Captcha area of the sign up screen. Wetpaint has been notified of this problem. Please be patient until the problem is resolved.

4.20.11 - Users may experience some minor lag in threads, usually thread posts disappearing and reappearing again. This is most likely because of the last release, and should iron itself out within a few weeks.

4.13.11 - All bugs have been fixed, and users can now move pages again.

1.18.11 - The development team is currently working to bring several out of sync database servers up to date. Once this problem is corrected, users will no longer go "back in time" upon refreshing a page and landing on a bad server; all pages, threads, and private messages will be up to date as soon as this problem is corrected.

Image	Meaning
	Everything is running well, a successful release was pushed or a previously mentioned problem has been resolved.
	When you see this it means that there was a downtime to fix something.

Looking for previous status updates? Please see the page history for past Wetpaint Status updates.

The Wetpaint Community

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:20:43 CDT

If creating a website is a new experience for you, it may seem like there is a great deal to learn. The Wetpaint community is here to help.
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How we Interact

Wetpaint websites are designed to encourage interaction through the use of threads on the bottom of pages or accessed through the discussion forum.

-Threads are used like a forum on Wetpaint Central to ask questions, comment on features, post tips and tricks, and discuss a wide range of topics related to Wetpaint websites. You can also interact and communicate with other users using friend requests, private messages, and compliments.

Other Important Stuff

If you come across an issue while using Wetpaint, visit the Browser Support page and make sure you are using a supported browser. While there, read the instructions on how to clear your cache and cookiesand delete them to see if that fixes your issue.
If the above does not fix your issue, post a thread and the Moderators will help you resolve the issue to the best of their abilities.
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Also, be sure to visit the Wiki Code Of Conduct and read the Wetpaint Central Rules to learn how we roll.

Meet Other Users

If you are looking for a place to tell others about your community or find out what kind of sites other users are building, be sure to check out the Wetpaint Classified ads site. This is the appropriate place to post any "come visit my site" messages. If you have a particular user in mind that you would like to invite, send them a private message. Please do not advertise your site here on Wetpaint Central. We Moderators get tired of deleting your advertisements.

Finding Answers

If you have a question, begin by browsing the Help section here on Wetpaint Central. If you don't see your question addressed there, try using the "Search this site" box in the upper left corner of the page. If you still haven't found the answer to your question, visit the Ask and Answer page, and post a comment. You can also browse comments on any page by expanding the list of visible comments. This is done by clicking on "view all" at the bottom of the page.

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Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:12:09 CDT

This page is setup into four sections to make it easy to find answers on Wetpaint Central
(The four sections are anchor linked. Click on the link and it will scroll to that section)

Wetpaint in General - About Wetpaint the company and Wetpaint Wikis
Your Wiki - About managing your personal wiki.
Wetpaint Central - The instruction manual for all wikis. Help with wiki operations.
Reference - Reference material and tips on using Wetpaint Wikis.

Wetpaint In General

ABOUT WETPAINT SITES About Wetpaint Sites Ads Browsers Cost Create Your Own Site Custom Domain Name Delete a Site Droplets (discontinued) E-commerce Hosted Email How is Wetpaint Different? HTML & CSS Import/Export Language Support Manuals or Instructions Premium Services Search All Sites Storage Space User Recognition Wetpaint: The Company What is a Wetpaint Site	ABUSE AND POLICIES Abuse and Policies Copyright Infringement Contacting Wetpaint Hacked Accounts Harassment and Cyberbullying Privacy Policy Site Moderating Guide Spam Sweetheart Scam Wiki Code of Conduct Wetpaint Central Rules
TRENDS 2008 Wetpaint Trends	SUPPORTED BROWSERS Browsers Clearing Cache and Cookies
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Your Wiki

GETTING STARTED Getting Started Your Account Create Account Signing In Password Reset Cancel Membership Change Email and Password Email Notifications Friends Sign in with other providers Site Name and Description Site Header Logo Header Logo Measurements Build Better Content Create a Strong Homepage Create Unique Content Ideas and Inspiration Naming Pages Organize the content Page Layout & Design Using Templates Writing for the Web Make Your Site Fun Captcha Information Form/Option Limit Numbers	SITE MANAGEMENT Site Settings Communications Templates Statistics Permissions Custom URL Backup Language Support Site Communities Permissions Promote Your Site Advanced SEO How Do People Find My Site? How to Promote a Site Site Name and Description Twitter Using Keyword Tags Wetpaint Site Promotion Tools Where can I advertise my site? Reporting & Statistics SiteMeter Google Analytics Site 1024 Screen Width Delete A Site
HELP Wetpaint Central FAQ Ask and Answer Discussion Forum Feedback Suggestions	PROFILE What should I do if I'm having trouble signing in? How do I manage my email notification settings? How do I create a new Wetpaint username? How do I change my email address or password? How do I edit my profile to add images or information about me? How do I recover a lost password? Create Account Signing In Password Reset Cancel Membership Change Email and Password Email Notifications Friends Sign in with other providers
PAGES Easy Editor Create a Strong Homepage Working With Pages Naming Pages Page Layout & Design Using Templates HTML & CSS Add Page Delete Page Email a Page Lock Page Move Page Ordering Pages Rename a Page Layout Zones How To View Recent Changes Revert or Delete Page Version Watch Page or Thread Attachments Keyword Tags Report a Page	NAVIGATION Side Bar Menu
EASY EDITOR Easy Editor Fonts How do I spell check a page? How do I add a link? How do I add a table? How do I add a photo to a page? How do I add a photo slideshow to a page? EasyEdit Keyboard shortcuts Content Modules Layout Zones Suggest Links Widgets	PAGE TOOLS How do I add and organize new pages? What are the keyword tags and how do I add or modify them? How do I email my page to a friend? How do I watchlist a page or thread? How do I attach files to my pages? How do I move a page? How do I rename a page? What pages link to this page? How do I lock a page? How do I delete a page? Can I revert or delete a version of a page? Can I place my own ads or get a Wetpaint site without ads?
DISCUSSIONS Discussion Forum Discussion Rules Start a New Thread Delete a Thread or Post How to Link to a Thread Move a Thread Rate a Thread or Post Reply to a Thread Edit a post Lock a thread Feature a thread Forum Categories Report a Thread	PHOTOS Photo Management Add Photo to a Page Add Photo Slideshow to a Page Add Photo to Photo Gallery Create Photo Album Delete Photo from Gallery Report a Photo Photo Size and Format Widgets Photobucket Slideshow SlideShare
VIDEOS Video Gallery Add Video to Video Gallery Delete Video from Gallery Feature a Video Report a Video Widgets YouTube, Hulu, and Google Video Dailymotion Gamevideos SlideShare - http://www.slideshare.net Gametrailers UStream.tv Yahoo! Videos Video Menu Metacafe Other Widgets	NEWS News Adding news feeds Viewing news items Commenting on news items Editing and deleting feeds
MUSIC Widgets Deezer Esnips Yahoo! Music	CHAT AND INSTANT MESSAGING Yack Pack Voice Chat Chatango Para Chat Xat Chat Box
UPDATES Pages Threads Attachments Links	DROPLETS (discontinued) Droplets
MEMBERS Permissions Banning Member Lists How do I send a personal message to a friend? How do I send a compliment to a friend? Promoting Friend Requests	INBOX Friend Requests Watched Threads Watched Pages How do I remove a friend? How do I send a personal message to a friend? How do I send a compliment to a friend? Weekly Digest Email
INVITES Encourage Participation Be the Welcoming Committee Discussions and Communication Encourage Others To Contribute Have an Active Community Invite Friends Why You Need Moderators	SEARCHING Search All Sites Searching Threads Searching Members Searching Photos Searching Videos
ADVERTISING Ads E-commerce Hosted Email Can I place my own ads or get a Wetpaint site without ads?	CUSTOM Premium Services E-commerce
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Wetpaint Central

RULES Wetpaint Central Rules	USAGE Abuse and Policies Copyright Infringement Hacked Accounts Harassment and Cyberbullying Privacy Policy Site Moderating Guide Spam Sweetheart Scam Wiki Code of Conduct
DISCUSSIONS Discussion Forum Ask & Answer Discussion Rules	ALERTS Wetpaint Alerts
STATUS Wetpaint Status	NEWS Wetpaint News
FEEDBACK Feedback	BADGES Wetpaint Central Badges
FAME Wetpaint Central Hall of Fame
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Reference

Error Message	Tips from the Moderators
Help Videos	Glossary of Terms
Build Better Content Create a Strong Homepage Create Unique Content Ideas and Inspiration Naming Pages Organize the content Page Layout & Design Using Templates Writing for the Web	Encourage Participation Be the Welcoming Committee Discussions and Communication Encourage Others To Contribute Have an Active Community Invite Friends Why You Need Moderators
Make Your Site Fun	Promote Your Site Advanced SEO How Do People Find My Site? How to Promote a Site Site Name and Description Twitter Using Keyword Tags Wetpaint Site Promotion Tools Where can I advertise my site?
Create a Volunteer Community Template: Local Organizations Template: Volunteer Stories Video Transcript: Obama's Call to Organize
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Glossary of Terms

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:06:58 CDT

Below is a list of terms commonly encountered on Wetpaint.
If you choose to add a new term to the list, be sure it's in alphabetical order with the other entries!

Term	Description
Administrators	Administrators help manage the site, and have access to site settings. They can also use all editing tools, manage pages, and promote or ban members.
Advertisements	Wetpaint places ads on sites within our network in order to defray the costs of running the Wetpaint servers. Advertising allows Wetpaint to offer a free service.
Anonymous	Users that interact with a site but are not signed in are called anonymous users. Some sites may allow anonymous users to edit pages or post comments in the forum. See Permissions for more information.
Attachment	A file that has been uploaded to a site.
Ban	Banned users can no longer sign in to a site that they have been banned from. Moderators, administrators, and site creators have the ability to ban other users from their site.
Browser	A web browser is a software application which enables a user to display and interact with text, images, videos, music, games and other information typically located on a web page at a website on the Internet.
Bug	A bug is typically some kind of glitch, flaw, or error in the code that causes an outcome that is different than what is intended by the software design.
Cache	Web caches are employed by web browsers to store previous responses from web servers, such as web pages. Web caches reduce the amount of information that needs to be transmitted across the network, as information previously stored in the cache can often be re-used. This reduces bandwidth and processing requirements of the web server, and helps to improve responsiveness for users of the web site.
Cookie	Piece of information stored on a computer. Cookies come from a website visited.
Creator	Creators are the original builders of the site. They have full permissions, including the ability to view all reports, modify all pages, and adjust the site properties to change the look of the site. The role of the creator cannot be changed by anyone.
Delete Threads	This allows moderators to remove a thread.
Discussion Forum	Sometimes called a "bulletin board" system. A forum is basically a place where the community can communicate publicly on the site.
EasyEdit	This is a button that allows users to edit pages on a site using a WYSIWYG interface.
Edit a Post	This allows users to change the text in a certain post.
Embedded Code	It is the code that is used to show flash or video content.
Feature Threads	This allows moderators and up to make sure a thread gets the visibility you want.
Flaming	A flame is a hostile and insulting interaction between Internet users.
Gabbly	A widget used in order to paste a chat room on a page. Users can chat through this system.
Hacker	A hacker is a person who obtains access to resources or privileges not intended for their hands. People who guess passwords and vandalize pages are not hackers.
IP address	An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical identification (logical address) that is assigned to devices participating in a computer network
IP banning	IP banning prevents the connection between a server/website and certain IP addresses or ranges of addresses. IP blocking effectively bans undesired connections from those computers to the Wetpaint network.
Invitations	This tool allows users to invite people to join a site through email.
Locking Threads	This allows moderators and up to disable the post thread option.
Meebo	A widget used when you want site users to instant message you through the Meebo web site.
Moderator	a person who is granted special abilities to enforce the rules on an online discussion forum. On Wetpaint wikis, a moderator's authority extends to the entire site.
Moderator Tools	These are special tools such as locking threads, featuring threads, and deleting threads. These tools allow moderators to have special tools over other users.
Permissions	On Wetpaint, there are different ranks on a site. On a site, there is anonymous, registered users, writers, moderators, administrators, and the creator. With each rank, comes a different responsibility.
Photobucket Slideshow	A widget used to add images from photobucket to a slideshow of pictures.
Premium Services	These are services that wetpaint has, but they cost money. They include removing ads and making a custom URL.
Private Site	This Permission setting only allows only users who have already joined the wiki to view it.
Public Site	This Permission setting always any user to join your site.
Registered Users	A registered user is someone that has created a username account and joined a Wetpaint site. Depending on the site permissions settings a registered user may be able to edit pages, add images, and post or reply to threaded discussions.
Screenshot	A screen capture is an image taken by the computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor or another
Search box	This allows users to search for threads and pages on the wetpaint wiki.
SiteMeter	Provides a more detailed summary of site activity. Shows number of visits to the site and number of page visits on the site.
Slogans	Is a short phrase, that allows others to identify you.
Spamming	Spamming is constantly advertising your site on a thread. Also, it could be posting irrelevant posts.
Thread	Each topic posted in the discussion forum is called a "thread". A thread can be made up of multiple posts by many users replying to each other.
Troll	Someone who purposely joins an online community to cause problems and to irritate other users is often referred to as a "troll".
URL	A URL is a Uniform Resource Locator. This identifies the location or address of your site on the web. Ex) http://www.wetpaint.com is the URL of the Wetpaint homepage.
Video Gallery	The Video Gallery is the central area on your site to organize and share YouTube videos with others.
Vizu	A widget that allows you to make and paste polls created through Vizu.
Widget	An item to put on a wiki or page that has an HTML or embeded code and is powered by Adobe Flash Player.
Wiki	A wiki is a collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone with access to contribute to or modify the content.
Writer	Writers can edit or add pages, add images, and join discussions.
WYSIWYG	Acronym for "What You See Is What You Get". A WYSIWYG interface does not require knowledge of code such as HTML or CSS. What you see before you save is the same as what you will see after exiting edit mode.

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Error Messages

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:04:42 CDT

Some error messages you might see on a Wetpaint site:

or this example:

What to do if you see an error

If you get an error message try the following steps:

Refresh the page
Clear your browser cache and cookies
Close and restart your browser
Verify you are using a supported browser

Note: You will receive an Oops! error if you were IP banned from a Wetpaint site.

Wiki Code of Conduct

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:59:24 CDT

To foster the best possible experience for all, the Wetpaint Central community respectfully requests that it's visitors and contributors honor this code of conduct. Failure to follow these rules will result in a deletion of your comments and/or content.

(1) Play nicely with others

Respect your peers — Treat others and their contributions with respect and foster considerate dialogue.
Do not use offensive language — Inappropriate, crude, or abusive language is not only unacceptable, it’s a lousy way to convince anyone of your point.
Remember, there are no stupid questions— Everyone’s input is welcomed and honored. “Flaming” others or demeaning their participation may build your self-esteem but it won’t help build community.
Report inappropriate behavior — Remove and/or report to the moderators disrespectful or provocative content, but refrain from seeking vigilante justice.

(2) Act in good faith

Don’t pilfer material — Don’t publish content to which you have no rights. Copying is bad. Mmm k?
It’s about you, but not about YOU — This site exists to support an organic and communal body of information. Shameless self-promotion and hawking of wares are strictly verboten, not to mention pathetic. See our page on Spam for more details.

(3) Promote the community spirit

Use the Moderators as a resource — Reach out to the Moderators for guidance or advice on how best to leverage the site. They are there to help.
Share the experience — Be an ambassador of the community by enrolling others in the discussion, sponsoring a good debate, and setting a good, collaborative example.

(4) Keep It original

Don't copy content from other sites — It's a violation of the Wetpaint Terms of Use and the owner of the content will find out.
To file a copyright infringement takedown request, use the process listed in section 3 of the Wetpaint Terms of Use.

If your wiki breaks the rules mentioned above, or copies content from another site, the Wetpaint staff may decide to block it. This means that no one will have access to your wiki, including yourself. If your site is blocked, please don't ask the Moderators to unblock it for you. If it very annoying, and sees no results. For a more exhaustive list of legal do’s and don’ts, refer to the site’s Terms & Conditions.

How do I report a site?

At this time, you can not report a site. Do not post a thread reporting a site because we Moderators here at Wetpaint Central can not do anything about sites you report.

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Sweetheart Scam

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:49:27 CDT

We all feel self conscious and scared when it comes to the "Sweetheart Scam."
For those of you that do not know, the Sweetheart Scam is a private message another user sends you or posts on your profile, and looks something similar to this:

"Hello. My name is bob, I saw your profile today and became interested in you. I will also like to know you more, and if you can send an email to my email address, I will give you my pictures here is my email address (*****@*****.com). I believe we can move from here, as in dating or getting married! Awaiting for your mail to my email address above.
Bob"

Really, do you like these messages? We didn't think so.

What the "Sweetheart Scam" really is:

This is both Wetpaint spam and an Email spam. It is also a scam.
They usually are people from foreign countries trying to get money. That is the "Scam" part.

If you email them back, they just save your email address and send you email spam. This is the "Email Spam" part.

Wetpaint Spam is this and advertising your wiki or another wiki at the wrong place. This is the "Wetpaint Spam" part.

"Someone sent me the Sweetheart Scam. What do I do?"

Just ignore the message and message a Moderator. The Moderator will then ban the user.

How do I prevent this from happening?

You might be able to prevent this in the future by hiding your username. Go to your profile, and on the 'Preferences' tab, check the box next to the text "Do not list my username in the Site Members report". Doing this has the side effect that other users on the wiki will have to know your exact username in order to be able to contact you.

Spam

Naru2008 — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:28:00 CDT

What is Spam?

No, we're not talking about mechanically separated meat products. Spam is traditionally defined as 'unsolicited advertising' in the form of an email or forum post, but on Wetpaint sites, it can be a comment or the page content itself.

Not Spam (Yay!)

Including a link to your site because you have a question or want some help with a page.
Asking a new friend to visit your site in an on topic thread or message.
Asking a site creator that has a similar site to yours if they want to exchange links.

What should I do if I receive a spam message?

Via Private Message - If it is obviously spam, block the user from sending you messages and report the user to the site's Moderators.
Via a Discussion Forum Post - Report the post to a Moderator so they can delete the spam and possibly ban the user.

Examples of Spam on Wetpaint (Boo!)

Joining a site solely for the purpose of promoting your own site and bombarding the members with requests to join your site.
Posting links to your site on pages or threads they don't belong on in order to get people to visit your site. Where's the appropriate place? Visit WPADS and post a thread advertising your site.
Unsolicited pages or links advertising, promoting, or otherwise trying to sell products or services.
Sending a message repetitively is also considered a form of spam.

Vandalism, Spam, and General Misuse

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:17:34 CDT

Vandalism

There are two kinds of site Vandalism: intentional and unintentional. Both kinds of site vandalism need to be edited as soon as possible. It should be easy to determine what is a malicious form of vandalism. Swear words, hateful speech, etc. in an article's content warrant the banning of a Registered User. However, if you see that a user has created a new page and typed in a nonsensical stream of letters, it is possible that they are just experimenting with the site's editing capabilities. You should edit this immediately and if it was made by a Registered User, offer to help them if they are curious about the site's various tools. See Minimizing Vandalism for more information.
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Spam

Spam is usually defined as unsolicited advertising in the form of an email or forum post. Similarly, a wiki can become prey to spammers. You probably shouldn't be too strict with the addition of external links by users, as long as the link is relevant to your site's subject and is placed in a respectful manner, and in the appropriate places, however, completely irrelevant advertising (especially those of the "adult" variety) should be removed immediately and using your own discretion, may warrant a ban. See the Spam page for more information.
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General Misuse

General Misuse is any kind of improper editing/additions to the site. Like unintentional vandalism, it is often due to a person's ignorance of wiki technology. As a Moderator, it is your job to help those users in need learn about what a wiki is and how to use it properly. Another problem that falls under general misuse is poorly written content, which also needs your immediate attention and editing skills.
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See also:
Minimizing Vandalism

Minimizing Vandalism

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:13:40 CDT

What is a Vandal? A vandal is someone who purposely joins a site to mess up all the content on the pages in the site. This generally only happens on sites that allow Registered User or Anonymous Users to edit. This is called Vandalism, but many mistake it as hacking. There are many ways to stop vandalism from ruining your site's pages.	There are several steps to take when trying to minimize vandalism. Ideally, they should be taken in the following order, as needed: Promote only trustworthy users to Moderator status. Revert vandalized pages as soon as they're found. Ban users who repeatedly cause problems. Lock a page that is very important, yet is being repeatedly vandalized.
How do I stop Vandalism? There are many ways to stop it. For example, if you want to have a site where Registered Users and Anonymous Users can edit, there is an option to lock a page. Locking a page prevents writers or below from editing a page. Only moderators and up can edit on a locked page. By locking the page, you can protect your site from users vandalizing your site. You can lock the important pages or all of them, which ever you please. - Also, you can have an Invite Only Permission Setting. This allows only Writers and up to edit pages on your site. This stops Registered Users and Anonymous Users from editing any of the pages. Now, you can control who edits, making sure the users editing are responsible for their edit and keeping down vandalism. -
How do I prevent flaming? Flamers are people who engage in heated arguments and make rude or insulting remarks for the purpose of upsetting other users. Often, a warning will prevent future flaming. If a user continues to post mean comments, a ban is necessary. Some flamers will create new accounts if they feel the argument isn't finished. Make your site private for a few days if this is an issue, and they will usually give up.
See Also: How do I lock a page? How do I make an Invite Only Permission on my site?	Here are a few related pages that may assist you in your fight against vandalism and online abuse: - Vandalism, Spam and General Misuse How to Deal With Flame Wars and Internet Trolls

Maintaining Objectivity

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:08:18 CDT

As a site Moderator, you will be asked to make many objective decisions. Whether it is in your daily content editing, or how you deal with Internet trolls, you should always make your judgment based on what is in the site's best interest. Try not to take anything people say or do personally, as you will most certainly come across vandalism and site misuse on occasion. Instead, act in accordance with our suggestions and your own discretion.

Here are some tips for making good decisions:

Try to view situations through someone else's perspective.
Don't be too quick to make a decision.
Try to stick firmly with your original decision.
Ask an experienced Moderator what they would do if they were in your position.

Dealing with Flame Wars and Internet Trolls

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:04:07 CDT

Flame Wars

A combination of varied personalities, along with the anonymity of the computer presence, will inevitably lead to online arguments between users. While it is great to encourage healthy debates on your wiki, an outright "flame war" is a problem that spreads quickly. The easiest way to stop hurtful and personal attacks on discussion threads is to delete the thread or post in question. Secondly, Registered Users who are repeatedly causing problems should be permanently banned from the site.
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Please Do Not Feed The Trolls

Someone who purposely joins an online community to cause problems and to irritate other users is often referred to as a "troll". The easiest way to get rid of a troll is to not feed him. (i.e. Do not encourage a trouble maker by responding. It is your heated response that fuels a troll. They want you to notice them. They want you to be irritated.)
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What to do

Don't give them the satisfaction. Instead, if you are a Moderator, delete any troll-like comments they post, and if other users are responding to the troll, suggest to those users (in private, if possible) that they should ignore them as well. Soon, the troll will grow bored and move onto another site. If you are a Registered User, message a Moderator, Administrator, or the site Creator and ask them to deal with the troll.
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If you think the troll has moved to another Wetpaint website, contact the site's Moderators as soon as possible and alert them about the presence of a trouble maker. this can be accomplished by sending a message or posting a discrete comment on the Moderator's profile. Try not to be too dramatic in your message or comment, as this might make your warning seem less credible to the Moderator.

Being a Good Moderator

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:00:07 CDT

What is a good Moderator?

A good Moderator is someone who makes the right choices in various situations. Good Moderators should be able to keep the site under control and in order. Moderators should have a good reputation throughout the site and should be friendly and helpful to users. If users ask a good Moderator a question, then they will answer it politely, trying to make sure that they have covered all aspects of that question.

How can I become a good Moderator?

You can become a good Moderator by making sure that you deal with different scenarios correctly (i.e. warning or banning someone for being abusive to users). Good Moderators should do their absolute best when answering questions in threads. A good Moderator will also make page edits to make sure the Wetpaint Wiki content maintains a high level of quality and accuracy.

A Moderator broke the rules, what should I do?

If a Moderator broke the rules then you should contact an Administrator or the Creator of the site. They will deal with the situation for you. You can check if a rule has been broke by viewing the Terms of Service. However, keep in mind that some rules may vary from community to community, as each site has it's own standards for what is considered appropriate.

Visit the Site Moderating Guide for more details.

Banning Users

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:57:35 CDT

Why Ban a User?

As a Moderator, you have the ability to ban individual users who cause trouble by purposefully vandalizing the site or inciting flame wars. After they are banned, they can no longer make any contributions on the site.
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How To Ban a Registered User

You may ban a Registered User by going to their profile page and clicking on "Change Permissions". There, you will be given several options, one of which is to ban the user.

How To Unban a User

You can unban a user that you have previously banned by going to their profile page and clicking the "Unban" button. You can use the Banned Accounts Report to see a list of banned users. (http://yourwikiurlhere/accountSearch/banned)
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Banning IP Addresses

Many acts of vandalism are not committed by Registered Users, but Anonymous ones. It is possible to ban an IP address the same way you can ban a Registered User, however, we urge you to do this only as a last resort. Many Internet Service Providers only assign a certain amount of IP addresses, meaning that more than one person could have the same address. Essentially, you could be banning potential, and innocent, users of your site. However, extreme cases may call for it.
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Steps for IP banning anonymous editors:

Click on "complete history" near the bottom of the page.

Find the anonymous edit of the user that you need to ban.
Click on their IP address (a series of numbers such as 127.0.0.1)
Click on the 'Ban' button.

Steps for IP banning an Anonymous commenter:

Find the anonymous post of the user that you need to ban.
Click on their IP address (a series of numbers such as 127.0.0.1)
Click on the 'Ban' button

Unbanning an IP Ban

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Unbanning an IP is just like unbanning a user. Go to the IP account that was banned, and there should be a 'Unban' button on the right. Click on 'Unban' and the user will no longer be IP Banned.

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Note: If you do not have Moderator, Administrator, or Creator status, you will see "Anonymous" instead of an IP address.

Privacy Policy

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:47:21 CDT

Privacy FAQ View the full Wetpaint Privacy Policy
Q. Will Wetpaint ever sell my private information? A. Never. Wetpaint likes you too much to ever do a thing like that to you. Q. Will you ever, EVER pass my personal information on to anyone else? A. In certain situations, yes, but these situations are very limited. They include, for example, working with vendors and contractors who need the information to do their jobs, or when the law requires it. For full details, see Wetpaint's Privacy Policy. Q. Are children allowed to register? A. Our registration features which collect personal information are intended to be used by those age 13 and over only. Q. Does Wetpaint require that I accept cookies? A. Wetpaint does not require that you accept cookies, however, some functionality on Wetpaint sites may be disabled if you decline to accept cookies. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the chance to decide whether or not to accept it. Q. What does Wetpaint do with the information collected from cookies? A. Wetpaint primarily uses cookies to collect anonymous usage statistics to help them understand if users are actively logged in to Wetpaint to enable certain features, and to keep track of editing and submissions to the site. Wetpaint does not store any personal information in the cookies. Q. How do I opt out of communications? A. The best way to opt out is to edit your profile information on your Wetpaint site of interest or click the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email communications you receive from us.

Privacy FAQ

View the full Wetpaint Privacy Policy

Q. Will Wetpaint ever sell my private information?
A. Never. Wetpaint likes you too much to ever do a thing like that to you.

Q. Will you ever, EVER pass my personal information on to anyone else?
A. In certain situations, yes, but these situations are very limited. They include, for example, working with vendors and contractors who need the information to do their jobs, or when the law requires it. For full details, see Wetpaint's Privacy Policy.

Q. Are children allowed to register?
A. Our registration features which collect personal information are intended to be used by those age 13 and over only.

Q. Does Wetpaint require that I accept cookies?
A. Wetpaint does not require that you accept cookies, however, some functionality on Wetpaint sites may be disabled if you decline to accept cookies. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the chance to decide whether or not to accept it.

Q. What does Wetpaint do with the information collected from cookies?
A. Wetpaint primarily uses cookies to collect anonymous usage statistics to help them understand if users are actively logged in to Wetpaint to enable certain features, and to keep track of editing and submissions to the site. Wetpaint does not store any personal information in the cookies.

Q. How do I opt out of communications?
A. The best way to opt out is to edit your profile information on your Wetpaint site of interest or click the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email communications you receive from us.

Harassment and Cyberbullying

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:43:11 CDT

What is Harassment or Cyberbullying?

From the National Crime Prevention Council:

"Online bullying, called cyberbullying, happens when teens use the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person."

"Online bullying, called cyberbullying, happens when teens use the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person."

Online harassment or bullying can take on a variety of forms:

Pretending to be someone else to trick them.
Spreading lies or rumors about someone.
Posting mean comments.
Revealing personal information about someone.

Preventing Harassment and Cyberbullying

Here are some things you can do to help prevent harassment or bullying online:

Refuse to post or pass along cyberbullying videos and messages.
Tell friends to stop cyberbullying.
Block communication with cyberbullies.
Report cyberbullying to a trusted adult (for kids); or in extreme cases, consider contacting local authorities.

Dealing with Harassment or Cyberbullying

Unfortunately, not everyone in the online world is nice. People say some nasty things, especially when they think they are safe behind a computer online. Keep in mind that nearly all cyberbullies have one thing in common. They are trying to get a reaction out of you. If a someone's comments are bothering you, it's generally a bad idea to reply to them. The best thing to do is to try deleting the comments and block the user so they can't continue to send you messages. If you are a Moderator, Administrator, or site Creator, ban the user that posted the content. If you are a registered user, contact a Moderator, explain the situation, and have them ban the user for you, and delete any posts they may have made.

If criticism and insults escalate into more serious forms of harassment or cyberbullying, you may need to do more. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult or contact your local authorities.

Outside Resources
For Teens
For Parents
For Teachers
For Law Enforcement

Outside Resources For Teens For Parents For Teachers For Law Enforcement

See Also

Hacked Accounts

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:40:08 CDT

What does 'being hacked' mean? 'Hacking' is an overused term, often used in place of 'password-guessing'. When someone says their account has been 'hacked' it generally means that someone else has gained access to their account without their knowledge or permission. The hacker may be doing this as a prank or for more malicious reasons.	How does an account get 'hacked'? Your account is more likely to be 'hacked' if one or more of the following are true: Your account had a weak password that is easy to guess. You shared your password with someone else. You shared a computer and forgot to sign out of your account before leaving the computer.
What to do DON'T share your password with anyone. Change your password - If you believe your username account has been compromised or "hacked", change your password immediately. If you can't sign in because your password has been changed, use the "forgot your password" feature to email yourself a link to reset the password. Use a secure password - The best way to avoid the frustration and embarrassment of having your account hacked is to use a secure password and never ever tell anyone what it is. A secure password should use a combination of UPPER and lowercase letters, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters such as %, _, &, $, etc. Also, change your password periodically just to be on the safe side. Sign out of your account before you walk away from the computer. Who knows what your little brother or sister will do when you're not around.

What does 'being hacked' mean?

'Hacking' is an overused term, often used in place of 'password-guessing'.

When someone says their account has been 'hacked' it generally means that someone else has gained access to their account without their knowledge or permission. The hacker may be doing this as a prank or for more malicious reasons.

How does an account get 'hacked'?

Your account is more likely to be 'hacked' if one or more of the following are true:

Your account had a weak password that is easy to guess.
You shared your password with someone else.
You shared a computer and forgot to sign out of your account before leaving the computer.

What to do

DON'T share your password with anyone.
Change your password - If you believe your username account has been compromised or "hacked", change your password immediately. If you can't sign in because your password has been changed, use the "forgot your password" feature to email yourself a link to reset the password.
Use a secure password - The best way to avoid the frustration and embarrassment of having your account hacked is to use a secure password and never ever tell anyone what it is. A secure password should use a combination of UPPER and lowercase letters, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters such as %, _, &, $, etc. Also, change your password periodically just to be on the safe side.
Sign out of your account before you walk away from the computer. Who knows what your little brother or sister will do when you're not around.

Copyright Infringement

Naru2008 — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:37:21 CDT

Frequently Asked Questions About Copyright Issues View the full Wetpaint Terms of Use
*Q. Someone copied my content and put it on another Wetpaint site. What can I do?*
A. The first thing you should try to do is to contact the Creator or Administrator of the site that published the copied content and work with them to resolve the issue. Sending a friendly and non-threatening message can work wonders since many times people are unaware that content online is protected by copyright. However, if the person that copied is unable or unwilling to work with you, you may wish to submit a formal copyright infringement complaint to Wetpaint.
*Q. How can I file a Copyright Infringement notice?*
A. Follow the instructions under section 3 of the Wetpaint Terms of Service Agreement. In order for Wetpaint to process a copyright infringement complaint, Wetpaint need to have all of the information indicated in section 3 of the Wetpaint Terms of Use Agreement. It is important that you be as specific as possible when reporting copyright infringement.
*Q. Can I contribute copyrighted content to a Wetpaint site?*
A. Yes, if you are the one who owns the copyright, or you have the copyright owner's permission. It is your responsibility to make sure that everything you post is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use their content.
Q. Who owns the copyright to content published on Wetpaint sites?
A. If it's your work, you do. If you post your own original work to a Wetpaint site, you are still the copyright owner of your individual submissions.
*Q. What are others allowed to do with the content I post on a Wetpaint site?*
A. When you post your content on a Wetpaint site, you give Wetpaint the right to add it to the site and retransmit it to the public, or use it for other purposes. Additionally, your content will be made available to others to redistribute for non-commercial purposes. They can do this by way of a Creative Commons license, which is automatically granted.
*Q. Which Creative Commons license is used, and what does it allow?*
A. Your content will be made available to other users under the Creative Commons' Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. This license lets people republish content from Wetpaint sites, as long as they are not using it to make money for themselves, as long as they attribute the content (e.g. with a link), and as long as they make the content available to other users on the same basis.
*Q. Can I choose between different types of Creative Commons licenses?*
A. No. Any site you create with Wetpaint carries the Creative Commons' Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.
*Q. Can I use the Gnu FDL for my content?*
A. No.
Q. Is there anything else I should know about copyrights, trademarks, licenses, and other terms of use?
A. As a matter of fact, Wetpaint's lawyers would love it if you would read the full Terms of Use on the site you are asking about, or read their example terms of use from this site.

Frequently Asked Questions About Copyright Issues

View the full Wetpaint Terms of Use

Q. Someone copied my content and put it on another Wetpaint site. What can I do?

A. The first thing you should try to do is to contact the Creator or Administrator of the site that published the copied content and work with them to resolve the issue. Sending a friendly and non-threatening message can work wonders since many times people are unaware that content online is protected by copyright. However, if the person that copied is unable or unwilling to work with you, you may wish to submit a formal copyright infringement complaint to Wetpaint.

Q. How can I file a Copyright Infringement notice?

A. Follow the instructions under section 3 of the Wetpaint Terms of Service Agreement. In order for Wetpaint to process a copyright infringement complaint, Wetpaint need to have all of the information indicated in section 3 of the Wetpaint Terms of Use Agreement. It is important that you be as specific as possible when reporting copyright infringement.

Q. Can I contribute copyrighted content to a Wetpaint site?

A. Yes, if you are the one who owns the copyright, or you have the copyright owner's permission. It is your responsibility to make sure that everything you post is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use their content.

Q. Who owns the copyright to content published on Wetpaint sites?

A. If it's your work, you do. If you post your own original work to a Wetpaint site, you are still the copyright owner of your individual submissions.

Q. What are others allowed to do with the content I post on a Wetpaint site?

A. When you post your content on a Wetpaint site, you give Wetpaint the right to add it to the site and retransmit it to the public, or use it for other purposes. Additionally, your content will be made available to others to redistribute for non-commercial purposes. They can do this by way of a Creative Commons license, which is automatically granted.

Q. Which Creative Commons license is used, and what does it allow?

A. Your content will be made available to other users under the Creative Commons' Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. This license lets people republish content from Wetpaint sites, as long as they are not using it to make money for themselves, as long as they attribute the content (e.g. with a link), and as long as they make the content available to other users on the same basis.

Q. Can I choose between different types of Creative Commons licenses?

A. No. Any site you create with Wetpaint carries the Creative Commons' Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Q. Can I use the Gnu FDL for my content?

A. No.

Q. Is there anything else I should know about copyrights, trademarks, licenses, and other terms of use?

A. As a matter of fact, Wetpaint's lawyers would love it if you would read the full Terms of Use on the site you are asking about, or read their example terms of use from this site.

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Here are some tips for making good decisions:

Dealing with Flame Wars and Internet Trolls

Flame Wars

Please Do Not Feed The Trolls

What to do

Being a Good Moderator

What is a good Moderator?

How can I become a good Moderator?

A Moderator broke the rules, what should I do?

Banning Users

Why Ban a User?

How To Ban a Registered User

How To Unban a User

Banning IP Addresses

Steps for IP banning anonymous editors:

Steps for IP banning an Anonymous commenter:

Privacy Policy

Privacy FAQ

Harassment and Cyberbullying

What is Harassment or Cyberbullying?

Preventing Harassment and Cyberbullying

Dealing with Harassment or Cyberbullying

Outside Resources

Hacked Accounts

What does 'being hacked' mean?

How does an account get 'hacked'?

What to do

Copyright Infringement

Frequently Asked Questions About Copyright Issues