EDSF COMMUNITY RULES
Detailed below are the rules that apply to every member of EDSF. Please ensure you take the time to read and understand these rules before posting or creating any content. EDSF is a support site. Meaning, there are limits to what can be said. This is in the interest of creating a safe and supportive atmosphere for all members. The foundation of these rules is be supportive.
1. Be supportive and non-judgmental
- This is the absolute golden rule of EDSF. Please ensure that all your content is in line with this rule.
2. No abusive behavior
- No hate speech, bigotry, or prejudice of any kind towards any group of people. Making a remark insulting the race, culture, religion, sexuality, gender, gender identity, gender expression, etc. of another person, or expressing a broad dislike for any group of people is for what should be obvious reasons, not tolerated. As an eating disorder/mental health site, these traits are especially off limit for attack or abuse. Be supportive. *Hate speech is subject to an immediate and permanent ban.
- No attacking body shape or size, especially if the original poster did not ask for that sort of feedback. As an ED site body shape, weight, size, etc. are highly sensitive topics. Please be very careful when commenting on aesthetics, whether that is aimed at another member or not. Body shaming of anyone, whether underweight, overweight, or anywhere in between is not something that is tolerable on an eating disorder site.
- Do not question, or cast aspersions on, someone else's eating disorder. Eating disorders manifest across a spectrum, in numerous ways. No one is in a position to comment on the severity, legitimacy, or validity of anyone else's eating disorder. Discussions about what defines a 'real' eating disorder are prohibited.
- Swearing is acceptable within reason; however please avoid directly cursing at other members. Certain swears (b**tch, c*nt, etc.) may be acceptable to you, but this is not universal. Please err on the side of caution.
- No name-calling. Do not add personal insults onto replies: '...you expletive insult' for example, is not OK. Comments like this are an attack on the other person, and such behavior is hurtful, unnecessary, and not supportive.
2a. Do not create any threads or posts that constitute reverse thinspiration and/or fat shaming.
- This rule encompasses all posts and threads that fat shame or body shame celebrities, random people/pictures from the internet, random people/pictures of people you might know, any member of MPA.
- Absolutely no one is to be targeted, there are no exceptions.
2b. No Shaming Allowed
- Do not shame people! This includes, but is not limited to: body size, BMI, ED, disability status, age, race, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, safe foods, fear foods, food choices, or any behavior related to our eating disorders.
3. No “newbie hazing”
- No snarky remarks intended to belittle; 'This is dumb'
- Dismissive replies to express dislike; 'How is this a question?'
- Sarcastic replies aiming to put down and invalidate: 'this is a great idea. Why don't you...as well?'
- Do not assume a new member doesn’t have an ED and joined the site to learn/acquire/contract an eating disorder
- No comments implying a member should leave the site or that a member ‘doesn’t belong here’
- No patronizing or condescending comments about ‘No one here will help you kill yourself’ or ‘This is a mental illness’
If you do not like a thread, or care for its content, please express your opinion politely and with respect - or move on. It is little things such as these that lead to a hostile environment. A person new to EDSF does not deserve their first interaction with the community to be sarcastic inside jokes, comments questioning their content, or remarks invalidating their posts. This is a support site; therefore be supportive.
4. No singling out any other member(s)
- Do not make threads for the purpose of attacking, calling out, or targeting any other member(s). This is bullying.
- Do not make reference to any other member(s), whether current or former, in posts, signatures, profiles, statuses, or anywhere else for the purpose of insulting, belittling, or abusing them. This includes indirect naming through references and nicknames. This is bullying.
- Do not make threads about, or create any content referring to other members, even if you have genuine concern about their legitimacy. Please report the member or thread in question or message a moderator. Do not do it publicly.
- Based on past experiences, this also includes threads that are made for the purpose of showing love or appreciation to member(s). This can cause the singled out member(s) to feel embarrassed or put on the spot and can cause those not mentioned in a positive way to feel left out.
Singling out of another member is a blatant attack. It is not expected that everyone will get along perfectly, so when there is a clash, people are expected to ignore each other, be civil, and not attack each other. If you are having continuous issues with a user, please use the block feature, and if it continues, take it to a moderator. In summary; no derogatory, slanderous, defamatory, or abusive content that can reasonably be interpreted to be about another member (whether directly or indirectly).
5. No publicly inciting drama
- Do not have extended disagreements over personal matters publicly.
- Do not bring up past drama by reigniting old arguments, or linking to old threads. This is perpetuating hostility across the forums, and takes attention away from those members who need support.
6. No creating second accounts for the purpose of trolling or evading warnings
- Due to on-going abuse of the privilege, second, third, etc. accounts made to dodge warnings will be banned. The warning issued to the original account is intended to remove you from the situation. Entering into the situation again will only perpetuate drama and cause further arguments.
- Second accounts created to troll or spread negativity will be banned, and the main account issued with warning points. Trolling an eating disorder/mental health support site is completely unacceptable.
- Any accounts to come back from a ban are on a zero tolerance policy. You were banned for a reason.
7. No spamming or topic bumping (‘necrobumping’)
- No posting links to, or advertising any other sites for the purpose of promoting your own product or service, or a specific product or service. Linking to things you personally have found useful and that are relevant are fine within reason. Continual promotion, however, is not.
- No posting multiple links to your own off-site content (for example YouTube channels). Again, it is OK to post such things where appropriate; however, doing this on a large scale is not.
- No posting multiple pictures or irrelevant comments in a thread. Image replies have their place, but posting many and derailing a thread is rude and disrespectful to other posters. Create your own thread for such things.
- No necrobumping. Do not bump old and therefore no longer relevant threads.
8. No posts asking for money
- Due to abuse, posts asking for money are prohibited. Do not promote donation sites, gofundme links, or ask for financial aid.
9. No posts asking for drugs
- Please don't ask for drugs over EDSF. We don't want to be a place where people swap pills nor do we want to encourage illegal behavior.
10. No publicly posting contact details
- Due to instances of members of this site and others being targeted, in order to ensure the safety of everyone, posts found with contact details will be edited and the details removed. This is to maximize safety.
- Only give out contact information over private messages, and only to people proven absolutely trustworthy. Please exercise extreme caution with your contact information. This includes, but is not limited to; phone numbers, WhatsApp, email addresses, Kik usernames, SnapChat usernames, IG, twt, etc. Please note that removal of contact information is not guaranteed as EDSF does not edit or review posts before going live, and posts are not reviewed as a matter of routine, so please use common sense when posting your contact information.
11. No nudity
- Any posts containing any form of nudity will have the relevant pictures removed if found by a moderator. This includes (but is not limited to); general replies, posts in Selfies, display pictures, and signatures. In body check pictures, please be sure intimate areas are covered appropriately. Please note you must be 18 or older to post selfies and/or body check photos.
12. No posting the same content across multiple forums
- Please do not post the same thread across multiple, or knowingly incorrect forums in order to garner more visibility and replies. Any examples of this will result in the deletion of the excess threads.
13. No posting links to another person's social media profiles, or material taken from these
- For reasons of privacy, please do not post links to other member's media channels (i.e. IG, twt, etc.,) or any other content by which their name/location/other information could be garnered from. Respect others.
14. No posting misinformation or disinformation
- For safety reasons, misinformation and/or disinformation in any form (whether pertaining to eating disorders, COVID-19, vaccines, etc.) will be removed. EDSF follows the science whether it's about weight loss or covid.
15. No posts looking for an Ana Buddy or Ana Coach
- Due to a spike in bad actors/fetishists attempting to prey on members of EDSF, for the safety of all members, any posts looking for an Ana Coach, Ana Buddy, ED buddy, etc. will be removed.
These rules may seem extensive but 99% of it is purely common sense. The rules have been thoughtfully constructed, with community feedback, by the moderating team after extensive periods of modding and are intended to keep the community safe and inviting for all members.
