Hi everyone!
Ultimately, what goes on the Internet stays there. Yeah, yeah, you’ve probably gotten tons of warnings and heard stories about things going terribly wrong. The thing is, these threats are very real.
You are responsible for your safety on the Internet.
Let's go over the basics:
Personal Information
- When you're posting on the public forums, never give out your city. It's easy for people to track you down, especially if you live in a smaller town or village.
- This also means never giving your address, phone number, or last name out on the public boards. Any private information as such can attract all sorts of negative influences that you'd wish you never invited into your personal life. If you give any of it out to specific users, this is your choice but also your liability.
- Some social media sites contain a lot of personal information. Any social media account that includes personal information for either yourself or location is not allowed to be posted on YWS. These include, but are not limited to, Facebook profiles, Snapchat, Instagram, Google plus, Tik Tok, and GoFundMe. If the accounts are fan/author accounts that do not include any of your personal identifying information and are not being used to solicit money they may be allowed on a case by case basis.
Chatting and Outside Websites
- The YWS chatroom is a great way to get to know people. But you don't know who is really behind that screen. Although they may tell you who they are, they can be an entirely different person in reality. Avoid giving out too much information about yourself, and if someone is coming on strongly to you and you feel uneasy, please contact a moderator and we'll help you out. If possible, save the chat logs when you report the moderator. We will investigate further for your safety.
- Only give out your Facebook, Twitter, or other online profiles to people you trust tremendously. These profiles contain most, if not all, of the traceable items listed here. This includes not linking to any Facebook albums or pictures you've posted on your profile. In fact, you aren't allowed to give these out in public forums, including chat and in the forums.
- If you want to talk to YWSers through outside sites (i.e. Discord, MSN, Yahoo, Facebook) safely, there is always the option of alternate accounts where you can decide how much information you share.
Skype and Other IM Accounts
- Skype and other video chatting devices can be fun but also dangerous. Don't go into webcam conversations you aren't comfortable with, and never feel pressured into joining group chats. There is a lot of talk on Skype, but check with your parents first. If someone from YWS is ever making you uncomfortable in an outside source, please leave immediately and tell the mods. We can address it from within the site to protect not only you but the rest of the site as well. Your report will be kept confidential, so no need to worry.
- If someone from the site has added you to instant messaging services, such as Discord, AIM, MSN, Yahoo! Googletalk, etc., and you feel uncomfortable talking with them, don't hesitate to block them.
- Avoid making any links to IM accounts or personal links in your profile. If someone wants it, carefully consider the person, and if you feel comfortable enough, PM it to them. If you want to show you have an IM account, you can put "Please PM me for it" instead of posting your screenname or e-mail publicly.
Pictures
- Never post pictures online which may give any hint of your identity or location. Even a school sweater or logo can give away tremendous amounts of information. Information about you is very easy to find through your school. If you realize you’ve posted such a picture or see one of the such, please contact the mods.
- Related to the above, try to avoid posting too many pictures even in Post Your Pic threads.
Romantic Relationships & YWS
Romantic relationships between adults and minors (as defined by US laws of over 18 and under 18) are simply not allowed to be expressed on YWS. Any moderators found out to be having inappropriate relationships between adults and minors will be removed from staff. In addition, users that are over 18 that are having romantic relationships with users under 18 may face legal repercussions.
Sexual Contact
- Do not contact any YWS member for sexual activity. First of all, these people are strangers to you, even though you may feel like you know them. Second of all, we have had cases where people have been maliciously contacted through YWS for sexual activity, and we want to be as safe as possible. Finally, if these aren't enough reasons already, sexual activity on YWS is against the rules. So, don't do it.
Using YWS to conduct sexual activity is not allowed. If you are contacted by anyone for sexual reasons, please report it to a Global Moderator or Site Admin.
Recommendations
- On all outside sites, if you get an invitation from someone, and you don’t know who is adding you, block them unless you know who they are and it’s a person you trust enough to give away personal information to. If you don't know them or you have even the slightest concern about them, just say no.
- Don't give out private information about other people. It's their information, and their choice. This especially includes using other people's full names.
- Google your real name and your internet pseudonym. You may be shocked to see the amount of information that is made available through just these two little things.
- If you choose to meet up with someone you meet over the internet, perhaps even YWS, please ensure your parents/guardian(s) are okay and aware of this. Meet in a public place with friends, or if you choose to meet alone, please make sure several trusted individuals know where you are.
- Last, but certainly not least, listen to your parents, moderators, and other trusted people. Very often, they can pick up on suspicious behaviour that you haven't noticed.
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Please be careful and contact the mods at any time with questions, concerns, suggestions, requests, or even if you just want to chat. We’re here to help you if you need it. We try our hardest to make sure everyone is happy and safe, that everything is kept confidential, and we will always work to solve any issues you may have. We want you to have an amazing experience here at YWS.
We hope that you all continue to have a safe and happy time online. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to post them below, or PM a JM, Mod, or Admin!
Love,
Ze Awesomesauce Mods of February 2011 <3
updated by Mods of April 2026
