To clarify,
Existing/new MLUKFC members would not pay extra to use the forums, that is part of the full membership "perk" if you like.
Non-members using the forum would be asked to make a small contribution towards upkeep so that:
1. members fees are not wholly funding our site/operations
2. we can monitor unacceptable messaging because of registration method
3. a fee therefore tends to weed out much of the malicious posting (see 2)
4. if you are a student (age no barrier) or young person the fee would reflect that.
This has all come about because during the last 3 to 4 months we have had disturbing and vitriolic messages on the forums and via PMs to Meat and others. We cannot sit back and allow the website or its key persons (Meat and the members) to be abused. We are not going to tolerate it.
We have also spent an inordinate amount of time dealing with queries from non-members who have on occasions pretended to be members in order to get meet and greets. This wastes everyone's time since they obviously had no intention of becoming a member and we spend time checking them. We also answer general queries from non-members and do so in the hope that at some time they will join us.
Our alternative ideas allow continued access to the full site via a small contribution. We would have to establish ground rules which if broken would result in removal of access.
We want this exciting forum to continue but there must be greater exercise of responsibility. It's too easy to abuse from the safety of the computer, I doubt many would say the same things face-to-face.
Mike
|