Moderated Chatrooms & Message Boards

Policy & Procedure Requirements

Current and future "Moderated Chatrooms and Message Boards" who wish to be aligned with the PBCers Organization please read.  Moderated means chatroom or message boards with operator capacity to set topics, remove, silence, or ban members. 

The following information must be submitted to the PBCers Executive Committee. Until this information is submitted and approved, the chatroom or message board will not be considered associated or sponsored by the PBCers Organization.  

1.  The following three items will be listed on our PBCers website under the chatroom or message board section.

• Mission Statement
• Goals

2.   Chatroom or message board policies.

3.   Chatroom/message board operator policies:

• Requirements for prospective operators.
• Required amount of training
• Who handles the operator training.
• How many hours operators are asked to volunteer.
• What type of schedule is set up for operators.
• Length of time operators are in temporary status.

• Operator positions must be open to all without discrimination, not as an invite position only.  All current ops will vote on new ops joining. The prospective op should:
  • Have some computer experience.
  • Be willing to train as op.
  • Commit to a certain amount of time in the chatroom or message board.
  • Ability to get along with others.
  • Willing to offer help and support to everyone.

4.  The Technical area will be set up and handled by the individual chatroom or message board.

5.  Chatroom will provide the following information for their Chair, Co-Chair, and all Operators (permanent or temporary):

• First Name
• Chatroom Name
• Email Address
• Position

6.  For chatrooms, one volunteer should submit a current chat schedule each week to be posted in the PBCers daily digest. When scheduling chats in your room, please try to avoid scheduling over chats already scheduled in our other chatrooms.

7.  Each chatroom or message board must furnish an operator's name & e-mail address to be listed on the PBCers website to contact for access problems.

8.  The Executive Committee will assign one of their members to be the liaison between the chatroom/message board and Executive Committee as a operator position.  Trained if needed.

9.  The president of the PBCers Organization will have permanent Op status in all chatrooms and message boards within our organization, as a courtesy position. (if operator chatroom) The PBCers president will not be involved in the day-to-day activities of the chatroom or message board.

10. All PBCers areas of support within our organization or sponsored (operator and non-operator) will be "reviewed annually" for continued alignment with the PBCers Organization.  The support area will be reviewed, not the operators.

11. We expect the chatroom/message board chair person or managers to handle action required on complaints the PBCers Organization receives on a particular operator.  Three complaints, within one year for a particular operator, will require removal of that op permanently or for a certain time period explained in the chatroom/message board policies.

The Executive Committee understands and applauds the chatrooms and message boards for their individuality -- each unique in their creation and style, yet with one goal in mind - offering help and support to ALL members in the PBCers Organization.

Thank you,

PBCers Organization Executive Committee