A personal attack is an attack directed at a person (or group of people), rather than at a post or argument itself. This is, of course, somewhat subjective. Basically, be kind to one another, or at the very least, keep it civil. Very few people want to read lengthy flame wars. If someone attacks you, we ask that you use the “Report a Post” button rather than responding in kind. Attack the argument, not the person. Threats, whether serious or not, will be treated harshly. Keep in mind that it isn’t always apparent when a threat is meant as a joke. The same applies to doxxing (revealing private information about individuals), or threats to dox someone. Wishing harm upon others, suggesting suicide, etc., will also be treated very harshly. Trolling can be tricky to define, but in very general terms it is posting for the sole purpose of generating a negative reaction from people. Again, this is quite subjective, especially since the intent is a big part of what makes a post a troll. It can be difficult sometimes to determine if someone is posting an opinion they truly believe in, simply making a light-hearted joke, or trying to get a rise out of people. Please keep that in mind when you post. If you believe someone is trolling, we ask that you use the “Report a Post” button rather than engaging. 2+2 has very specific rules about promotional posts. Posters with a product or a company can create a branded account, but they can only create a thread about it in the relevant forum and are not allowed to promote outside of that thread. Posts should be informative, and a poster who promotes a product or company should only do so if they’re prepared to answer questions about it. Try to avoid taking threads off in completely different directions, of course with the exception of OT (off-topic) or chat threads that are made for more free-flowing discussion. We understand that threads will naturally evolve in different directions at times, depending on the thread topic. Use your common sense. This includes reposting something deleted by a moderator, or posting on another account to get past a temporary ban. *** Please keep in mind that many forums will have specific rules in addition to these. ***

• Try to be kind, helpful, and respectful, and contribute to meaningful and productive discussion.
• Try to use descriptive titles for new threads, and the appropriate [tag] in forums that use them.
• Try to post in the correct forum.
• Before starting a new thread, have a look and see if there is an existing thread that would be suitable for your post.
• Don’t post anything you’re likely to want to delete later. Every post potentially becomes part of a greater conversation, and removing them later can harm the integrity of threads. We typically do not delete posts upon request, but will occasionally edit or delete posts if deemed necessary.
• Try to ignore bothersome members. If there is someone on the forum that bothers you, the best option is to block him/her.
• Report problematic posts/posters. Not only is this better than starting an argument about the quality of a post, but it also helps moderators, who do not read every thread on our forums. The reason a problematic post remains is quite often because a moderator isn’t aware of it.
• Treat mental health issues seriously. None of us know what others are going through, and we shouldn’t treat others’ struggles lightly. If you see someone who seems to be having mental health issues and you don’t know how to respond, report the post.
• If you have an issue with, or questions about, moderation, it is best not to derail threads with moderation discussions. Some forums have designated threads for discussing moderation issues, and/or you can also send a mod a private message - each forum’s moderators are listed at the bottom of the forum page.