I found an offensive message/topic. What do I do?
Mark it for moderation. Click on the "Message Detail" link right above the message, select a reason, and submit it. This will inform the moderators that you believe that the message is violating the TOS, and they will act on it if they agree with you. Your account must be at least level 15 before being allowed to mark messages for moderation.

What actions can the moderators take on a marked message?
If the moderators find a message to be violating the TOS, there are several actions they can take.

• Delete Only: The moderators can delete a message or topic from the boards with no additional penalty to the poster. This often happens for very minor or technical violations, but should not be seen as a warrant to continue the same behavior.
• Notification: In addition to deleting the message, the moderators can notify the user of the infraction, reducing their Karma by three at the same time. This is done for more severe violations, and the user will receive a system notification when this happens. It is hoped that by notifying the user of their moderation, they will understand what it is they've done wrong and can correct their behavior.
• Warning: If a TOS violation is repeated, severe, or intentional, the moderators can place a warning on the user's account, which leaves them at Level 5 for two days. While warned, a user cannot create topics and can post very few messages per day, and 10 Karma is also deducted from the user.
• Suspension: If a TOS violation is repeated, severe, or intentional, and the user has shown a clear disregard for the site rules, they can be suspended, preventing them from making any more posts. Suspended users are reviewed by an administrator, who can permanently ban them from the site or take other less severe action if they feel that the user deserves a second chance.

If a marked message is not a TOS violation or the marking feature was used abusively, the moderators can also choose to ignore or de-prioritize any further marked messages from that user, or even suspend them if the need arises.

There's another user on the boards who is harassing/annoying me. Can you stop it?
If that user is violating the TOS, you can alert the moderators simply by marking that user's messages for moderation. If the user is not violating the TOS, they have as much right as you to post messages on the board.

Can banned accounts be restored?
No.

Accounts are only banned for intentional or repeated TOS violations. In the case of the former, the user intentionally got their account banned, and in the case of the latter, they were warned repeatedly about it. There's no excuse for either kind of behavior.

The only case in which a banned account will be restored is if the banning was found to be accidental or as the result of a misunderstanding. These cases are few and far between, and generally only apply to the banning of users who accidentally report that they are underaged.

What is a usermap and what does it mean?
Each account may have a "usermap" associated with it that tracks all accounts that were used from a shared computer at some point over the past 60 days. If any one of the accounts on a usermap are banned, the administrator may also ban any other accounts on that list. As many people do have multiple accounts, this adds a layer of accountability to those users.

My brother/cousin/friend/roommate posted those messages, not me! Why did you ban me?
The Secret Level accounts are the sole responsibility of the account holder. Any messages posted on an account are assumed to be from the account owner, and any TOS violations committed will count against that account. Futhermore, any accounts listed on a usermap are considered to be under the control of account holder, so if one account is banned for severe TOS violations, they all risk the same punishment.

Why did my message get moderated when another message that said the same thing didn't?
The The Secret Level message boards are, for the most part, self-moderated by its users. Any user with a regular account can mark messages for moderation, and then only those messages marked are reviewed by the site's moderators to see if they do indeed violate the Terms of Service.

If your message was deleted by a moderator, that's because another board user marked your message, and the moderator found it to be in violation of the TOS and deleted it. Messages are looked at one at a time and not compared to other messages on that same board. If your post violated the TOS, it will be deleted. If you see someone else's post that violates the TOS in the exact same way, you have the ability to mark that message for moderation as well.

What can I do if I feel that a moderation was unfair?
For up to 14 days after your moderation, you can contest it. From your user preferences page, view your moderation history and then select the moderation you wish to examine. If you feel your message did not violate the TOS or that the moderation was too harsh under the circumstances, you can send it to the moderator who originally deleted it along with an explanation. If your argument is successful, the moderator can overturn their own decision and restore some or all of your lost Karma, and even return your post to the boards. Should you not agree with the moderator's contest decision, you can appeal the moderation directly to an administrator. However, if your appeal fails, you will lose the right to contest any further moderations for up to one month.

I have a right to free speech! What right do you have to delete my messages?
Yes, you may have a right to free speech, but not here. When you signed up for the The Secret Level message boards, you voluntarily gave up the right to certain kinds of speech in return for the ability to use the boards. If you do not feel that you can follow the rules here, you have the right to create your own message boards and make your own rules there. The Secret Level is a private business, and if you'd actually read the Bill of Rights, you'll see that "Freedom of Speech" applies to the government, not here.

How long do posts stay on the boards?
The daily purge process removes older topics from boards every night at 4AM The Secret Level time. Depending on how many messages a board has, the following schedule is followed:

• Under 100 Messages: 30 Days
• 100-250 Messages: 20 Days
• 250-500 Messages: 15 Days
• 500-1000 Messages: 12 Days
• 1000-2500 Messages: 10 Days
• 2500-5000 Messages: 7 Days
• 5000-7500 Messages: 6 Days
• 7500-10000 Messages: 5 Days
• 10000-12500 Messages: 4 Days
• 12500-15000 Messages: 3 Days
• 15000-30000 Messages: 2 Days
• 30000-50000 Messages: 1 Day
• Over 50000 Messages: 1/2 Day

How long will my account last if I stop using it?
Level 0, 1, 10, and 11 accounts are removed from the system after 30 days without a login. Level 15 accounts are removed from the system after 90 days, and level 20 accounts after 180 days. Once an account is higher than level 20, it will not be purged.

When are account levels updated?
Account changes for gaining higher levels or coming off of Warned status take place every night shortly after midnight The Secret Level time. Karma for the day is also awarded at this time.

For more information...
Try the following help files:
Getting Started
Board Basics
Rules and Standards
Additional Features
Getting Additional Help