#Depressed Ops Guidelines:
Hello Channel Ops and Welcome! Below are a few guidelines that we hope will make the administration of #Depressed a little easier and less confusing.
Introduction:
Being a channel operator on #Depressed is a little more confusing than being a channel operator on other channels. In #Depressed we deal mostly with people who are suffering from depression in various levels and types, from mild temporary depression to chronic long term Major depression to those with bi-polar syndrome. The way in which people react to their depression can vary greatly, and it is important that we recognize those reactions and act accordingly with our actions as ops.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that we, as ops, use our best judgement before we decide to take any form of action against a user, because if we don't, we can end up causing more harm than good to the individual with depression who has turned to us as a source of comfort, information, or advice.
CHANNEL PURPOSE:
The purpose of our channel is really rather simple. We are here to offer support where ever possible to individuals suffering from depression, or to those who have to deal with individuals suffering from depresseion. We are also here for the formation of friendships, the exchange of information, and sometimes, the having of a just plain old good time. :)
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO?
Why do we devote a portion of our time helping others? That can only be answered by the individual, but for me, it is simply that I have been there and I didn't like it, still don't, and I would have loved to have been able to find somewhere like #Depressed to go to talk, share, listen, and just hang out. That is why this channel exists.
THE GUIDELINES (finally! phew!)
We don't have many rules here, but the ones we do have are for a good reason, so please observe them.
Our first and foremost rule is simple common courtesy. BE POLITE!
KICKING AND BANNING:
We do NOT encourage kicking and banning people unless it is absolutely necessary for the protection of our users, ops, and the smooth flow of the channel. If you hear someone who has been talking seriously about their depression and they let out with one word of profanity or such, let it go. Or ask them POLITELY to watch their language if it continues.
NEVER KICK OR BAN WITHOUT WARNING UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN THESE GUIDELINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the most part, we use a three warning kick system.
(1)Verbal warning
(2)Kick
(3)Kick/Ban
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BELOW, USE ALL THREE STEPS!
(1)EXCESSIVE Profanity:
If you hear someone who has been talking seriously about their depression and they let out with one word of profanity or such, let it go. Or ask them POLITELY to watch their language if it continues. Of course, there are those who think swearing makes them sound like adults or like big shots. Warn, kick, kick/ban.
(2)Attacks against the channel or the channels users or ops:
It is hard enugh to find a "safe" place to go and talk. We are that place. It is essential that we maintain an atmosphere of comfort and friendliness for our users, along with a sense of trust in the channel and it's ops. That is very difficult to do with someone in bagging on the channel or it's users or ops, so warn, kick, kick/ban.
(3)Anyone trying to claim that therapies other than their own are useless:
Such as those who claim that medications are useless and trying to convince other users to not bother. Depression is bad enough without someone closing the door on any form of possible assistance! Warn, kick, kick/ban
(4)Urging others to harm themselves or others:
Do I really need to clarify this one? I think not. Warn, kick, kick/ban.
(5)Promoting Suicide:
Same as above with one exception, GO STRAIGNT TO KICK/BAN! DO NOT LET PEOPLE WHO ARE PROMOTING SUICIDE HAVE THE CHANCE TO CONTINUE!
(promoting suicide means trying to talk OTHERS into doing harm to themselves. It is not the same as threatening to suicide.)
(6)The players of that old game "pick on the depressed people":
Let's face it, there are some real jerks out there. One case that comes to mind is an individual that claimed to be depressed because he had run over the head stud mule on his familys spotted albino mule farm.(SHEESH!) Learn to separate the bull from the buckwheat, and get rid of the bullers. They aren't in the channel for help, they are there to try to make people feel like fools. Let's face it, we are smarter than anyone who expects people to believe a lame story like that. Use that intelligence.
Warn, kick, kick/ban.
(7)People on kiddie porn channels:
With this one exception, we don't really care what channels people are on They can hang out on all the adult sex channels they want to, it isn't our business to judge them. HOWEVER, KIDDIE PORN IS A DIFFERENT BEAST. This channel will, in no way, allow anyone to be here and on a kiddie porn channel at the same time! They either leave #Depressed or the other channel. Period. I leave it to the ops to decide on the course of action to take when this situation arises, but I prefer an immediate KICK/BAN with an explaination to the individual.
(8)Other situations:
Of course there are aways situations that are NOT covered here. Use your common sense, be polite, but maintain the channel. Let me or another SOP know if there is a recurring situation that we are not aware of.
NEVER KICK OR BAN WITHOUT WARNING UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN THESE GUIDELINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A few GENERAL RULES to follow:
(1) Never interfere with a situation being dealt with by another op.
If an op is in the has already issued a warning to an individual making problems, let THAT op deal with the person.
(2)Never remove another ops ban
If that ban has been on long enough for a server to have re-issued it, leave it for an SOP to remove it.
(3)If you issue a ban, it is your deciscion how long that ban will remian in force,
UNTIL it has been re-issued by a server. If that is the case, then an SOP may remove it at their discretion. Should you decide to remove one of your own bans, feel free to do so. Use good judgement, let the ban fit the crime.
(4)NEVER ARGUE IN THE CHANNEL WITH OTHER OPS!
If the ops on #Depressed have a situation where discussion is needed, take it to #emeraldcity and discuss it there. NEVER present anything other than a unified front in the channel.
(5)Do NOT allow situations that have nothing to do with our channel interfere with our channel.
If you have a problem with your cyber-boyfirend or girlfriend, do NOT think that banning them from our channel on that basis alone is acceptable. IT IS NOT! Keep that kind of personal stuff OUT of the channel.
(6)WE CAN NOT KICK OR BAN PEOPLE FOR WHAT GOES ON IN A PRIVATE CHAT!
Don't even ask us to. Don't ask us to akick anyone because you personally don't like them. It is assumed that every op is familiar enough with IRC to know how the /ignore command works. USE IT.
(7)Adding aop's to the list:
The adding of aop's to the aop list is entirely at the discretion of the sop's. Anyone may at any time suggest new ops for the channel, however it is entirely up to the channels sop adminstration when, who, and IF any new ops are added. The method for adding new ops to the channel is at the discretion of the sop's, however as a rule is is based on need and on a majority vote of the sop's. Other methods may be employed at the discretion and agreement of the sops and channel founder.
(8)Complaints against the ops on the channel:
There are, from time to time, complaints against the ops on #Depressed. When these complaints come to the attention of the sop's, it is the duty of the sop's to investigate and settle any form of dispute. This may take the form of no action at all if the complaint is found to be baseless, to the revocation of the ops status from the offending individual should the complaint prove to be well founded and the problem to be ongoing, or of severe enough nature. This is a deciscion that is made by the entire sop staff, NOT a single sop, and NOT the founder alone.
NEVER KICK OR BAN WITHOUT WARNING UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN THESE GUIDELINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am positive that there will be questions and comments about these guidelines, and those questions or comments can be asked to Radagast any time you see him on-line. Please feel free to ask or discuss anything you want about the channel and it's administration at any time.
Our faith in the ops of #Depressed is absolute. As a rule, thier word is law. If an op bans a person from the channel, it will do that person no good to complain to an sop, because an sop will NOT interfere with a ban placed by another op unless VERY special circumstances are evident.
