Many things have changed on facebook, from facebook rules to facebook features and processes, to the nature of the facebook user base. There are more ways to control group access and posting, just in time to deal with a significant increase in spammers, scammers, and fraudulent posts. It is, therefore, time to update these rules. The latest edit was on August 10, 2022.

This page outlines my facebook group rules and you should read this entire page before requesting admission to any of my facebook Support Groups. Of course, facebook has its own extensive set of rules and policies that affect your use of the social media giant as a whole and you should read those too. These rules are a simple addendum that applies only to the groups I operate, manage, and administer.

I really do not like rules at all and I wish I did not need these -- but there are always jerks that spoil the brew... The people that take the time to read these rules probably do not need them anyway, and those who need them never seem to read. Blah! But at least I do not have to feel bad when I delete a post and block a spammer from my groups! And that is just what I will do. Spammers, and others who do not follow these rules, are banned as soon as they are discovered -- permanently and without recourse. Do not bother trying to tell me, "But I didn't know!"

Since some of my groups get as many as 50 to 100 new member requests, or more, per day, my team and I do not have the time, nor the interest, in researching every person who asks to join. In most cases we will decline membership to those who seem, in our judgement and for one reason or another, to be spammy. That may not actually be fair but it has cut spamming by over 90% and, for me, that IS fair!

My groups are intended as a safe place to share, explore, engage, discuss, and seek help. You can disagree, take exception, argue your point in any of my groups, but do not get personal about it. The main point is to ask questions, provide answers, share on-topic information, and help each other.

I will no longer be asking admission questions for my groups. Few answered them, and spammers just lied. Instead, I will just delete and block offenders on first offence. Please report any legacy questions still in place that I may have missed (tell me which group!) so I can remove them.

My groups are some of the best on facebook -- the plugins group was listed #9 on Elegant Themes list of the 20 Best WordPress Facebook Groups You Should Join -- and it has little to do with me. It is the wonderful members (like YOU!) who read the rules, follow them, and participate when they can. Together, we all win. Thank you!

My Facebook Group Rules

• Most of my groups are public (can be visited and read by anyone) but they do require you to request access and be approved in order to post.
   
• Unless indicated otherwise, my groups are for English language posts only.
   
• Please do not post help wanted, work wanted, or other job related posts in the specific topical or general purpose groups. All WordPress job posts belong in the WordPress Job Board here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WPJobBoard/. Other job/work wanted posts do not belong in my groups.
  &nbs;
• New members please DO make an introductory post so we can all know who you are, what you do, where you are from, etc. This is NOT required but it is encouraged. Feel free to include contact information like website link(s), email address, or facebook page links. This is allowed once per member in each group even if it may seem off-topic.
• DO NOT post introduction or "Thanks for adding me", or ANY OTHER COMMENT, on the PINNED post(s). Do feel free to "like" the pinned post if you wish, especially if you are not going to make your own introductory post, just so we know you got into the group OK.
   
• Posts must be directly related to group topics only. I manage several groups and break them out by niche or topic so there can be more focus within each group. The group title should make it clear what is, or is not, on topic. No excuses. I delete and block on first offence.
   
• Start new topics in their own thread, not as a comment to someone else's thread. I mentioned this above but it seems it needs its own rule for clarity.
   
• If you post about the same book, theme, plugin, etc. more than once, do so only with reasonable frequency. Some groups have more traffic than others. Your same post should not show up more than about once in 6 to 10 screens (not posts!). If you are posting to dominate the time line your posts will be deleted and you will be blocked from all my groups.
   
• I DO ALLOW, indeed I encourage, self-promotion, commercial advertising links, even affiliate links, information links (to off-group posts, blogs, etc., in most of my groups. If not, it is clearly stated in the pinned post, but those promotional posts, comments, or links MUST BE ON TOPIC for the group.
   
• While it is legitimate to resell WordPress items (core, themes, plugins) under the GPL Open Source licensing, I DO NOT allow such posts in my WordPress groups. If you post such offers, including links to resell sites, your post will be removed and you will be blocked from all my groups.
• When found, I immediately ban spammers. Posts of nudes, sex videos, and the usual childish junk that some people think is cool, and sales/promo posts for off-topic items like sports shoes, sunglasses, and saris, will result in permanent banning from all my groups.
   
• It should go without saying, groups are about sharing, learning, helping, participating. There is, however, no obligation to post, so do not feel pressured. Those who hang out just to read what is being posted by others, or who come to find ideas, information, or help in the threads, or maybe just for the great coffee, are just as welcome in my groups, just as significant to the group success, as those who post. Good members are always welcome whether you post or just read.
   
• Interaction should be civil. It is okay to disagree but do not make it personal. We can all be wrong without being stupid. We can all make mistakes. Typos and misspellings, while they may be pointed out for the sake of correction, are not life shattering, earth-bending, occurrences. Get, and stay, real.
   

Having this single page of rules for all my groups means I can easily update them in one place. And there will probably be updates so check back from time to time. Your comments are welcomed below...

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