As the TOS states, each Tengaged user is responsible for all activity that occurs on his/her account. Because there have been numerous problems with "hacked" accounts lately, we would like to share some information about keeping your account safe.
1. First and foremost, DO NOT give away your password. If you let someone on your account to lock in your votes in a game because you can't be present to do so, you are taking a risk and will have to deal with the consequences - a red nose, changes to your account, any interaction that individual has with other users on that account, etc.
2. Create a STRONG password. If someone has guessed your password, it is your fault, unless we have some psychic users on this site. Here are some hints from Microsoft that will help you create a safe and secure password:
- The strongest passwords look like a random string of characters to attackers. But random strings of characters are hard to remember. For this reason, make a random string of characters based on a sentence that is memorable to you but is difficult for others to guess.
Think of a sentence that you will remember
Example: "My son Aiden is three years old."
Turn your sentence into a password
Use the first letter of each word of your memorable sentence to create a string, in this case: "msaityo".
- Add complexity to your password. Mix uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers. Introduce intentional misspellings.
For example, in the sentence above, you might substitute the number 3 for the word "three", so a password might be "MsAi3yo".
- Substitute some special characters. Use symbols that look like letters, combine words, or replace letters with numbers to make the password complex.Using these strategies, you might end up with the password "M$8ni3y0."
(if your password is not considered "Strong," consider reworking it.)
3. In short, people's accounts are not being hacked by computer geniuses who break through the site's security and steal your data - they are occurring because users do not protect their passwords. Please take the simple steps above to avoid these problems in the future!
We hope this information has been helpful. Let us know if you have any questions.
As some of you may have noticed, moderation of designs in the Design Lab has recently increased. With the addition of a new staff member who will be enforcing design rules, we hope that there will be less ambiguity as to what is and isn't allowed in the labs. As we continue to fine-tune these rules, hopefully it will be easier for all of you to make designs that work properly on your avatars and avoid wasting time creating designs that will be deleted.
The Design Labs FAQ remains the definitive source on what is permissible in the Design Game:
We would like to highlight a few points from it that should be emphasized. Remember, while certain items may have been allowed in the past, rules are now being enforced fully.
First-
You may create any kind of the following items:
-Clothes
-Eyes
-Mouth
-Tattoos, scars, etc. (body art)
-Glasses
-Hair
-Hair accessories
Each of your designs must belong to only one of the above types, otherwise it will be disqualified. For example, an outfit including clothing, sunglasses, and a hat is not acceptable. (e.g., http://www.tengaged.com/design/id-6106 ) Each item must be posted as separate designs.
Backgrounds are also not allowed at this time. In the future, a "backgrounds" category will be added, but as of now, these designs will not be accepted.
"NOT ALLOWED: Background blue color to hide avatar parts, masks, backgrounds or in general any design that doesn't fit into available types. These designs will be cancelled and designer points reduced."
Again, we understand that these types of items have been accepted in the past, but this rule will now be enforced. Repeated posting of unacceptable designs may cause the designer to be subject to disciplinary measures. Additionally, designs that violate the TOS in any way will not be allowed.
We hope this answers some of your questions about the Design Labs! Hopefully, this clarification will cause less frustration for designers! Please feel free to respond with any questions you might have!
Do you feel that rules on the site need to be tightened up and more strongly enforced?
yes 53.5%
A lot of you have said that you would like more equal treatment.
Reason for ban? Verbally aggressive behavior to another player.
37.6 no
From the voting (36.4 voted yes for up to two weeks) and comments everyone seemed conflicted. We agree that most of the time it is just game play and there is no reason for a ban. Sometimes people cross the line and death threats are not acceptable. It's a judgement call and we hope you will respect the decisions that are made.
Reason for ban? Sexually explicit talk or behavior that other players find offensive.
yes up to two week 31.5%
If you do this after being asked to stop action will be taken.
Reason for ban? Sexually explicit imagery.
yes permanently 64.3%
Reason for ban? Swearing and/or Bad language.
no 78.2%
Reason for ban? Bullying of any single player.
yes up to two weeks
It looks like we should be more careful. Of course both sides will be looked at. Most wanted a warning before a ban and more or less ban time according to the offense.
Reason for ban? Allowing others to log onto your account for any reason.
no 41.6%
Overwhelming answer. However you should know that every time you go onto another persons account you are risking the algo giving you a red nose.
Thank you for your input. This information will be taken into account when court cases are being resolved. There were so many questions that you said that it depended on the circumstances surrounding the issue. We hope that you know that we take every case seriously and although you might not know all the details we research everything before making a resolution. We hope that you will respect the decisions made even if you don't always agree.
Please read this before reporting any issues to moderation. Updated February 10th, 2015 (Updates to Ask.Fm, blogging messages from moderation, and cheating punishments)
****IF YOU ARE A WHITE LEVEL OR YOU'RE BANNED, YOU CAN E-MAIL US AT moderation@tengaged.com. Please do not ask other users to mail us on your behalf****
Please contact me with moderation issues or (NON-TECHNICAL) questions about the site. We receive a large volume of mail, so please allow 48 hours for a response on non-urgent matters before mailing us a second time. Non-urgent matters include anything that does not cause actual harm to the site or its members (e.g., spam, multis, noses, design approvals, etc.) If you repeatedly mail us about the same issue (or ask your friends to do so), you may receive a ban for spamming. We will not respond to mail asking why another user is banned - if that user does not know, he/she should email moderation@tengaged.com.
1. Remove you or someone else from a game.
2. Fix a glitched game.
3. Overturn a permanent ban. (Contact Randomize)
4. Figure out why you haven't received your T$ from an offer yet (generally, give it at least 24 hours before you start worrying).
5. Change your user name.
6. Give you karma.
Rules overview
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Before reporting an issue, please read the rules below, as well as the TOS (http://www.tengaged.com/static/tos ).
Not every possible rule can be listed. These rules function as a guideline. Generally if you have to ask us if something is against the rules then most likely it is against the rules. Common sense should apply. If something is not listed then we will take it on a case-by-case scenario.
DEFINITIONS:
Banned - Means you will not be able to log onto Tengaged.com due to a serious offense. When you attempt to login, you will receive a message stating the reason for your ban and its length. Bans can be permanent or temporary.
Example:
Account not available
Temporary Banned: 105 minutes Reason: Sexually explicit content
*Blacklisted - Means your blog posts are not visible on the “Blogs” public blogs page or in the “Top Blogs.” If you post a blog, it can still be viewed directly from your user profile. Blacklisting can occur automatically, in conjunction with a red nose (see below) or when you post blogs at a quick rate (to prevent spam). You can also be blacklisted manually by a moderator, after posting offensive content or spam. The system does not automatically notify users of the reason they are blacklisted, but moderators will usually email you with an explanation. If you don’t receive one and don’t know why you are blacklisted, contact Tengaged_Moderation for details.
*Filter - A handy Tengaged tool that allows you to block a user from sending you mail and commenting on you blogs. Just go here - http://www.tengaged.com/settings/userfilters - and add names to your list! Should be the FIRST thing you do when someone is bothering you (as opposed to reporting them).
*Multi - Slang term, around the site, for a user’s second account (i.e., Multiple Account). Multis are NOT allowed on Tengaged. Each user is only permitted to have one account. If you wish to make a new account, you may do so after leaving your current account for 7 days (and not logging back onto it for any reason).
*Red nose - Means you share an IP address with another Tengaged user. This basically means that you share your “address” on the internet with one or more other users. The red nose will actually appear on your avatar. When you have a red nose, you may also be blacklisted and you will be unable to enroll in games other than Castings.
To avoid receiving a red nose, you should only have one Tengaged account per household and avoid logging in from places where other Tengaged users login. You should also NEVER share your account with another Tengaged user for any reason (this is considered cheating). If you have siblings who would like to join the site, please send a message to Tengaged_Moderation and wait for a response before creating the new account. We will approve up to three additional family members per household. However, your sibling has to have their own device to play on and devices can not be shared.
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These rules are GUIDELINES for typical consequences for a variety of actions. One situation will not always be the same as another - please mail us if you seek clarification.
Numerous bans for ANY reason can result in a PERMANENT BAN if you continue to disrespect the rules. Permanent bans will not be overturned and new accounts cannot be made on the IP of the banned user for AT LEAST 4 MONTHS. This is not something we take lightly so please don't ask to have a permanent ban removed.
________________________________________________
***Bans are cumulative. Even if you've never been banned for homophobic language, if you've previously been banned for racist comments or other harassment, your first offense for homophobic language may be more than 3 days. BANS LISTED BELOW ARE FOR FIRST OFFENSES.
1. Homophobic language/racist language (or other types of discriminatory comments) -
You don't have to type out the full word for it to be banworthy, if your intent is obvious. If we can tell what you meant to say, censoring it will still get you banned. Don't even use it in a quote from someone else or as a joke. (more on this here - http://www.tengaged.com/blog/Tengaged_Moderation/3340571/to-avoid-any-confusion )
NO WARNINGS.
First offense = 3-day ban. Subsequent bans may increase depending on severity and frequency of offenses, up to and including permanent ban - this is a serious offense.
1A. Transphobia falls into the same category as homophobic/racist language and will be punished in the same way. It is defined as a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards transsexuality and transsexual or transgender people, based on the expression of their internal gender identity.
Updated 04/18/2014
2. Cheating/logging onto other users' accounts or allowing other people onto your account -
Playing challenge for someone else, logging on to "eat" for someone in survivor, to vote, to post a stars speech, autoclicker, Keyboard King etc. This includes using someone's account via Teamviewer, if we are able to prove it. We can only go by what we have PROOF of. A confession is considered proof, so don't joke about this - you will be banned if you say you were cheating. Skype convos generally don't work, but if you have suspicions, we can look into it. At times we will consider them enough proof though.
First offense = 14-day ban. Once you have banned for cheating, your account will be put into question. Any future bans, even for reasons unrelated to cheating, may result in a permanent ban. A second cheating offense would be a permanent ban, no questions asked. If you have an extensive ban history already and cheat, even if it is your first offense for this matter, you may be permanently banned.
Updated 2/10/2015
3. Posting of Skype conversations (or other quotes)-
If you blog or post a copy of a Skype conversation (or other quote from another user) in a game, YOU are responsible for what you post on tengaged, not the person who originally said it.
4. Accusing anyone of illegal activities (defamation of character including comments regarding pedophilia) -
If you have PROOF of these activities, please contact Moderation IF it will impact users on the the site. Punishment will vary depending on the comment and degree of negative impact it could have on a user. Minimum punishments are:
First offense = 3-day ban, unless you have NO other bans on your account, then you will get a warning.
5. General harassment -
Any sort of personal attack, posting someone's photo after they asked you not to, etc. We expect you to respect each other, and respect moderation if we ask you to stop doing something. Bans/punishments will depend on the seriousness of the harassment, but in general bans will only be issued for SERIOUS harassment.
5A. Disability Shaming/Harassing users while personally attacking them about disabilities - This is one of the newer rules of Tengaged. This will be something that is taken seriously, and bans will be handed out because of it. Using the "R" word is not bannable, but disability shaming and going out of your way to attack somebody, telling them they have certain disabilities is now something that is considered a bannable offense and falls under general harassment of users. Any offenses will be taken seriously and bans will be handed out based off the users past, how many bans they have received, and the severity of the comments.
6. Death threats, threats of physical harm, wishing harm upon people, encouraging suicide or violence -
This is fairly self-explanatory. Do not tell someone you're going to kill them or injure them, or encourage them to kill themselves. Do not threaten to do anything that could harm a person in real life, physically or otherwise. We are, however, going stick with things that sound like actual threats... not jokes. Borderline offenses may result in lesser punishments than what's listed below.
NO WARNINGS. First offense = 3-day ban. Subsequent bans may increase depending on severity and frequency of offenses, up to and including permanent ban - this is a serious offense. More on this here: http://www.tengaged.com/blog/Tengaged_Moderation/3340571/to-avoid-any-confusion
6A (Updated 7/20/2015) Threats of Illegal Activities: Threats pertaining to any illegal activity are not permitted on this website. Do not threaten other users in any way. Hacking other users, DDoS, and the like are all illegal and threats will not be tolerated. Borderline offenses may result in lesser punishments than what's listed below.
NO WARNINGS. First offense = 3-day ban. Subsequent bans may increase depending on severity and frequency of offenses, up to and including permanent ban - this is a serious offense.
7. Multiple accounts - (See definitions above regarding multis and red noses) Updated April 2014
If you have a sibling on Tengaged or someone else who lives with you, PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP. We will put a note on your account. If you don't let us know, you're subject to possible bans and red noses. In addition, duplicate accounts may be banned.
Siblings who have been approved need to be accessing tengaged through separate devices. You can not use the same computer/mobile device and need to have your own.
Please also note that joining a game with someone on your IP is considered CHEATING, even if we know you're related. First offense is a 2-day ban.
Remember, this site includes 13-year-olds and people who are at work. If you wouldn't want your boss or your mom to see it, don't post it. If we deem a comment or blog inappropriate, you may receive a temporary ban (without warning), or at minimum, we will blacklist you for 3 days. The next offense will result in a 7-day blacklist; 3rd offense is 3 day ban and 7-day blacklist, going upwards from there, depending on the extent of the content
10. Stealing designs -
We will do our best to protect the creative property of our users, but we suggest that you keep originals of your designs and other proof that you created it. If you've been given a design to post that is created by another user, make sure you get them to give you permission via a message ON TENGAGED (not skype) so you can produce it later if someone claims that you stole the design. May be extended if multiple offenses of illegal and stolen designs occur. If there is proof of design theft, the following are the punishments.
First offense = Removal of stolen design (and loss of all income/stock from it if it's in a shop) + 3-day blacklist + one-day ban. Second offense = Removal of stolen design (and loss of all income/stock from it if it's in a shop) + 7-day blacklist. Third offense = Removal of stolen design (and loss of all income/stock from it if it's in a shop) + 7-day blacklist.
11. Illegal designs -
(Note - we may not catch them all in the design labs, but we will in the Shop Game, so this is where our focus will be.)
SEE RULES: http://www.tengaged.com/blog/Tengaged_Moderation/1060096/new-design-rules
Posted in design labs = removal
Posted in shop game = removal and loss of stock/income from item plus one day ban (at least)
If you post a design and it is removed, do not repost that design unless you've contacted us and gotten approval.
Repeated offenses may result in long-term removal of access to the shop game, not allowing your shop to move on to the next week, or even bans.
Clear deliberate attempts to ignore the design rules will result in a one-week blacklist.
11A. Designs that are obviously illegal, such as designs covering the whole avatar area, will not be permitted. Any designs posted before 4/19/2014 will be, for the most part, accepted unless it was already otherwise noted.
If you post such a design in shops the design will be removed, all profit will be lost and you will receive a one week ban. If you are seen wearing that design you will be asked to remove it within a certain time period. If you fail to follow through you will receive a ban until you email us saying you are ready to remove the design.
12. Spamming - Updated 8/18/2014
Disrupting a game by repeated posting or posting nonsensically. More than 3 posts in a row can be considered spam (if all say the same thing... or more than 5 posts if they say different things), as can posting the same thing repeatedly, even if there are other posts in between. *KEY CEREMONIES IN ROOKIES ARE OK.* We will not ban for spam in games where number of comments don't effect the outcome unless spam is excessive and disruptive.
First offense = Warning (unless it's excessive and deliberate... if you say "I am spamming," then it's deliberate, as is posting the same thing repeatedly). Second offense (or first, if spam is deliberate/excessive) = 1-day ban. Third offense = 2-day ban. Subsequent offenses = 3-day ban + 1-week red nose and upward. Details here: http://www.tengaged.com/blog/Tengaged_Moderation/1053369/spamming-clarification
Spamming the blogs page - automatic 7 day blacklist for 1st offense.
Also, disruptive spam by mail (repeatedly sending the same message or asking many users to mail the same person without their permission), in groups, on blogs, or in the Stars pollbox MAY be considered spam depending on the circumstances and evidence - your first response to disruptive mail should always be to FILTER the user.
13. Lying to moderation -
Lying to mods or submitting fabricated evidence. Punishment equal to the offense you lied about/fabricated (e.g., if you submit a fake screenshot trying to get someone banned for porn, YOU will be permed).
14. Revoking of reports -
Because we don't have time to deal with "joke reports," nor do we want to allow the possibility that users could be bullied into revoking their report, we will take take your report at face value when legitimate evidence is provided. If you decide to "take back" your report, it will be treated as "Lying to moderation"
15. Hacking -
See the TOS: You must not modify, adapt or hack Tengaged.com or modify another website so as to falsely imply that it is associated with Tengaged.com. ****This includes use of "Inspect Element" on Chrome, or any similar code-altering option on other browsers.**** Punishment will vary depending on the extremity of the offense and may include a permanent ban.
Design hacking (wearing a design you did not purchase using Inspect Element or other method) = Blacklist for 3 days (first offense)
16. Threatening to post porn or other behaviors that can get you permed -
Punishment will typically be blacklisting or possible ban as a preventative measure.
17. Only one user per account -
If someone else who lives with you wants an account, let us know (mail moderation@tengaged.com if you're white level).
18. Scams - Several of our users represent non-profit organizations and will periodically do fundraisers via Tengaged. We are happy to allow this, but please do not ask for money from Tengaged users unless you are affiliated with a legitimate non-profit/501(c)3 organization. If you cannot produce proof of your affiliation, your requests will be deleted and you will be blacklisted or banned.
19. Impersonating a moderator and/or Tengaged_Moderation - Users need to be able to contact moderation directly with reports. Pretending to be a moderator causes the users to become confused as to who they should and shouldn't send reports to. All reports must be documented through Tengaged_Moderation.
NO WARNINGS. First offense = 1 day ban.
Other notes:
1. Please be polite when you write to Moderation about your issues. Continued rudeness, spam or attempts to offer bribes toward the TM account may result in disciplinary action.
2. You are solely responsible for your conduct and any data, text, information, screen names, graphics, photos, profiles, audio and video clips, links ("Content") that you submit, post, and display on the Tengaged.com service.
3. You are allowed to post messages from moderation. However, faked messages and faked ban reasons will result in a ban (length depending on prior offenses and what the message has been edited to say). In general, we ask that you try and sort out any issues with us personally before running to the blogs page. This practice will prevent both sides time and effort.
4. Abusing Mod Points:
1st offense: 1 day blacklist and warning
2nd offense: 3 day blacklist and points reset to 45 (you must earn your points back)
3rd offense: 7 day blacklist and points set to -5 with no chance to earn these points back.
(More on this here: http://www.tengaged.com/blog/Tengaged_Moderation/6609337/concerning-mod-points )
PLEASE READ THE BLOG BELOW BEFORE REPORTING AN ISSUE OR ASKING HOW TO TAKE A SCREENSHOT!
