If you see someone breaking the MyLot guidelines, do you tell them?
By trickiwoo
@trickiwoo (2702)
United States
July 29, 2009 9:23am CST
Every day I see a user on MyLot making a post that goes against the MyLot Discussion Guidelines. Most of the time I think they're just not aware that what they are doing is a violation. So, if you see someone doing this, should you tell them? Do you leave a comment knowing that the discussion is just going to be deleted anyway? Do you send them a private message?
I'm sure that many users aren't even aware that their discussions are being deleted since MyLot doesn't give you any notification when they delete your discussion.
So, should you point out when someone violates the guidelines, or should you just save your time and ignore it?
Also, I would highly recommend that all MyLot users read through the guidelines every now and then. I know everytime I read them, I find things I didn't notice before! So go refresh your guideline knowledge at http://www.mylot.com/o/guidelines.aspx
8 people like this
20 responses
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
29 Jul 09
Truthfully I don't see it alot. I have seen a couple where they post a recipe or something like that but I don't usually have to turn them in...someone has already posted that they are in violation.....so for the most part I have found most people stick to the rules.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Jul 09
At the risk of being unpopular, I'm always reporting people who go against the guidelines, particularly if I find a plagiarizer/cheater or a person constantly leaving referral links to a money making scheme. He's no longer here, but just recently there was a chronic plagiarizer...several of us warned him about this but it was like he paid no attention and kept doing it...eventually he was "eliminated" from here
2 people like this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
30 Jul 09
That's the point - if they don't stop then this is no place for them and good riddance!
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
30 Jul 09
That's why I think it's good for other users to warn each other! If you warn someone and they stop, then you know it was an honest mistake. But if you warn someone and they keep doing it, you know they're not here to follow the rules and they're just going to be trouble!
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Jul 09
If they're new and I will warn them. If they've been around a while, I just figure the SHOULD know and probably DO know, so I don't warn them. I don't necessarily report them either though. I really only report people who are abusive and offensive.
@kmaram (2533)
• Philippines
29 Jul 09
Hi there, well i dont encounter that much the only thing i encountered most of the time are posting referral link in their discussion. When i am interested in the topic i give my comments and after that I give also some warnings about posting referrals. Still many members are doing this thing, I am glad that you post where they can read the guidelines here, hope they will read it.
Keep on mylotting 
2 people like this
@akuler (3531)
• Malaysia
29 Jul 09
Hi trickiwoo,
If the offender is a newbies, I would tell him/her about the guidelines. Maybe they didn't know it and most of the time that is the case. I usually put a guidelines link in my response so the can read it from there.
But, if it is done by a old members, I don't even bother to response since I know that discussion will be deleted. Why should I remind them when they already know abut it.
Happy mylotting and have a nice day.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
29 Jul 09
i have already seen one in my unconfirmed friends request. but i refuse to warn her because the admin might delete her and loose some of my points. maybe il make a discussion that tell people that some one had violated the rules and have them reported...secretly.
2 people like this
@TheGreatWhiteBuffalo (4822)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Nice discussion this subject does come up from time to time and I responded to RoseKiss #8 on account that I felt her answer needed a little clarification.
1 person likes this
@TheGreatWhiteBuffalo (4822)
• United States
2 Aug 09
Hands up to eyes, for I don't want to see the whole picture, a person who posts a link for the purpose of visiting information that is relative to the discussion is appropriate, the user of any message board has to decide what they consider safe links to follow. So first things first are there any safe sites? Are there blogs that you consider safe? Hint: I just gave you a topic for a new discussion...
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
29 Jul 09
I think it's probably better if you rate them and send them a private message. Sometimes people do get upset if you send them a message letting them know so you kind of have to watch how you word it when you let them know so they don't take offense to it.
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
29 Jul 09
That is good advice! It is a lot easier to just leave them a public comment since you have to add them as a friend first before you can PM them, but I do feel bad about calling them out on their mistakes in front of everyone!
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
30 Jul 09
If a user is new and has obviouslynot read the Guidelines then I warn them. Several times they will rspond saying they were unaware and then they realise and start doing things correctly. Sometimes they shout back at me and I try and make them see sense. If they think they know better then I warn no more but just report and they learn the hard way 
It is for the benefit of the honest users here that others who think they know better are warned and reported. If they are left too long to their own devices we ALL will lose out later when they are stopped and their posts are deleted 
It is for the benefit of the honest users here that others who think they know better are warned and reported. If they are left too long to their own devices we ALL will lose out later when they are stopped and their posts are deleted 1 person likes this
@rosekiss (30414)
• Eugene, Oregon
29 Jul 09
I sometimes will post a comment to the user telling him or her they they violated the terns of service by posting links in the disucssion. I do it even though I know the discussion will be deleted. I just want to help the newbies and let them know they shouldn't violate the rules. I have however, ignores dome of the discussions with links. It appears lately though, that I haven't see as many links posted on discussions as there has been before, and that is a good thing. When discussions are deleteed, those that respond and the one that started the discussion, lose earnings, so that is a lose lose situation. I will help when I can and other times I don't it just depends. Good luck to you adn happy mylotting.
1 person likes this
@TheGreatWhiteBuffalo (4822)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Just for clarification if you read the rules, MyLot allows links, they do not allow referral links.
Now define a referral link -- To me a referral link is one that refers you adding your as another account to the guide who invited you for their profit.
Links can help organize a series of discussions, there is nothing against the rules to use 'internal' links or to provide to outside information to help describe a topic.
Of links, I know...
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
30 Jul 09
They allow links, but only if they are pertaining to the discussion! So if I post a discussion about designer handbags and you post a reply with a link to a blog that reviews stores that sell designer handbags that would be ok. But if I start a discussion about french toast and you respond and say, "Hey! Check out my blog!" and your blog is NOT about french toast, then that is not allowed!
@abbypringles (1613)
• Philippines
30 Jul 09
I have committed this previously, although it was unintentional on my part. however, since that knowledge has been brought up to me, i took the time to thoroughly read through the discussion guidelines to educate myself in the future.
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Don't worry! I think we've all broken the guidelines on here at some point! There are a lot of them, and it can sometimes be hard to remember them all! As long as you learn from your mistakes and try your hardest to avoid going against the guidelines you'll be fine!
@shazz282 (177)
• New Zealand
29 Jul 09
Hi trickiwoo, Yes I think you should tell them right away! I found this out for myself just last night. I had put a post up & not realised it was against the rules. But thanks to someone who let me know right away. If they hadnt of I may of kept putting similar things on. I totally appreciated it... Stopped me right away.
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
30 Jul 09
I'm glad to hear that you took it so well! Some users get really mad. But whoever pointed that out to you was trying to help you! We all want each other to get the best experiences we can out of this site! And we all make mistakes. I know I've broken the guidelines on here a few times without realizing I was doing something that wasn't allowed! And that can be a really good way to learn!
@travelingtheworld (98)
• United States
29 Jul 09
Hi trickiwoo,
I'm new at myLot and just started posting recently, so I'm really glad that I was able to read the myLot guideline that you posted. Since I just started, there are certain rules that I don't know yet. But I agree with you, I joined myLot to earn some money, but I am also interested in the discussions and want to know what everyone thinks. If certain users use myLot in an abusive way, it's unfair to other users who followed the guidelines. If something like this caught my attention, I think I would send a message to them in private first to warn them. However, if they continue to ignore it and violate the guidelines of myLot, then I would certainly report them.
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
30 Jul 09
There are a lot of rules and it does take awhile to learn them all! I've been on MyLot for a year and a half and I still come across items listed in the guidelines that I'd forgotten about or never really learned! I know I made a lot of mistakes and broke the guidelines several times when I first joined. But I learned from my mistakes and know not to do those things anymore!
@kratos708 (7)
• United States
29 Jul 09
I have only been a member for about an hour, but I still think that I have seen only 1 or 2 posts that might have gone against the guidelines, I don't point it out though, since I feel that with only an hour of experience I am in no position to judge other members - yet.
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Welcome to MyLot!!! Yah, I understand what you mean. Some people might not take it very well if someone who just joined the site is telling them what to do! If I were in your shoes and I really wanted to point out that someone was doing something wrong, I might leave them a comment and explain, "I'm new to this site and I noticed that you did this. I heard that wasn't allowed on this site. Is this true?" and then see if someone else steps in to clarify!
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Yes, I will send private message cuz some people dont bother to read the whole respond. I see so many of them have discussion against mylot... and I dont know what I should say if they keep doing like this
1 person likes this
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
30 Jul 09
Hi trickiwoo. I have some few discussions about guidelines violations. And I still do start another if I can't really take the violations with myself. Most of the time, I just ignore discussions which I know from the start that it could probably just gets deleted. But if one of my friends is the one who started such discussion, I may respond or just comment somewhere in the discussion, so that the started and even the responders should be aware.
1 person likes this
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Haha I am probably one of those people. I always forget the rules. I don't usually catch other people's violations either because of that. I would probably just pm them. I am going to refresh myself on them. You're absolutely right. It is something we should keep checking up on, so we don't forget.
1 person likes this
@rebelmel (1386)
• United States
30 Jul 09
It depends what they are doing.
There are some users who break the guidelines, and you can tell that they really didn't know that they were doing something to break the terms. Then there are other people who blatantly spam all of the message boards and post terrible responses when they actually abide by the guidelines. There are a few users that I have seen plenty of, that constantly break the guidelines, and those are the type of people I report.
If a user I don't recognize violates the terms, I will let them know they are doing something wrong, and I will scope them out to see if it happens again, or frequently. If that is the case, then I will report them. For the most part though, users are very grateful that I have let them know that they have done something wrong and I don't see any shady behavior afterward.
1 person likes this
@shravandone (555)
• India
29 Jul 09
i first take a look into person's count...if he has anything less than 50 i ud judge him to be a newbie n advice him in the discussion....if he is not a newbie n has significant count then i report it out directly(though i haven seen such violations by an established member so far..
1 person likes this
