So it got to bugging me.........

[Ironhorse]

Last month I posted in the Classifieds section an ad for a new home business opportunity. I found today that the topic was closed by admin because I am accused of it's being "spam". First of all, it is not spam, it is a legitimate home internet business, the ad was offering it as an opportunity to others to be agents or just to be shoppers, at a discount for items bought or savings. NOTHING was said to me by admin about the topic, it was just closed,no discussion, no opportunity to defend the program, nada. Instead I was made to feel like I was doing something shady and underhanded and trying to take advantage of people, and I resent the hell out of that. I've deleted my ad for videos for sale, wouldn't want to be accused of spamming. And will be deleting my ad for the home business so as not to "offend" anyone. I'm not sure if I'm more sad, insulted or frustrated. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/sad3.gif Everyone is entitled to a hearing, so I thought.

[Sandman]

Ironhorse, Your classifieds for selling movies were not a problem. The business opportunity was. I get spam emails regarding business opportunities every day. I don't want to see that on this web site and I'm sure everyone else around here will agree.

After your "business opportunity" was put on here, someone else posted a similar ad for something else that looked like a pyramid scheme. If I allow one, they will start piling up and this board will be filled with spam. I removed the one that was posted after yours and that member wrote back and told me had she not seen your business opportunity she would not have posted hers. So, I removed both of them to be fair. I had not even seen yours until this other member called it out to me.

The Classifieds section is in the "Local Topics" forum, meaning that classifieds posted must be for local businesses and local people selling stuff local to our area. Again, your movies were a valid thing to post.

As far as not being contacted, please understand that I am very busy and admin this site on my free time. I do not email a member every time a topic is closed or moved. I did, however, post to that thread to let everyone know why it was being closed. If you needed further discussion on the topic, you could have sent me a PM.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Ironhorse:
First of all, it is not spam, it is a legitimate home internet business, the ad was offering it as an opportunity to others to be agents or just to be shoppers, at a discount for items bought or savings.

And for the record, most spams are legitimate companies. Ligitimate companies sell Viagra, for example. It still doesn't make it right for those companies to send spam.

[Summer]

Oh for Pete sake. I saw that poster who accused you of spamming but didn't think anything of it as I didn't think it was really serious. But now that it is banned it puzzles me too. I have read other posts where people promoted their businesses - lots of them - what the heck?! Dang, don't withdraw your video advertising - I was interested in some of those. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/shout.gif

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Summer:
Oh for Pete sake. I saw that poster who accused you of spamming but didn't think anything of it as I didn't think it was really serious. But now that it is banned it puzzles me too. I have read other posts where people promoted their businesses - lots of them - what the heck?! Dang, don't withdraw your video advertising - I was interested in some of those. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/shout.gif

Spamming has always been against forum policy. The others that you see promoting businesses are for LOCAL businesses. I agree with you that Ironhorse shouldn't have removed her movies for sale though... that was no problem.

[Ironhorse]

So, let's see, Avon and Watkins are local businesses? I see, just like my business venture is local. It would have taken just a minute or two to send a heads up that the topic was being closed and telling the person to go there to see why, just a minute or two.

Summer, I sent you a PM.

[Sandman]

Ironhorse, it can be difficult distinguishing the differences between a local business and a non-local one. But I have to use my best judgement when doing so. When members complain, I have to take action. Members did complain about your post, so I took action. Nobody has complained about recent Watkins or Avon ads. But if I remember correctly, a few of those were removed several years ago also.

And I did take a minute or two to reply to the post to tell you why it was removed. Otherwise you wouldn't have started this topic. If you needed further clarification, you could have PM'd me or started this topic. I'm taking the time to respond to you now that you asked me to.

Don't take this personal. I'm just trying to run local forums without a bunch of non-local classifieds on it. Your ad was up there for several weeks before I removed it and you had no replies, so obviously nobody else on the forums were interested in it. Again, nothing personal... you add a lot of great things to these forums. That just happened to be a topic that was on the edge of being considered spam. It's not like I suspended you or anything... I just closed the topic since members asked me to. If I left that up, something slightly more spammish would have made its way to the forums and it would get worse and worse. In fact, that did happen. Two classifieds were removed. The other one that was removed was titled "Make Big Profits" and talked about selling stuff at swap meets.

[Ironhorse]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sandman:
Ironhorse, it can be difficult distinguishing the differences between a local business and a non-local one. [QUOTE]

And that's why I feel some questions should have been asked BEFORE taking action. And I HAD received inquiries on the ad, just not on the board. Doesn't matter. I won't be posting anything like that, personal OR "spam" again. And there have been Avon and Watkins ads and others more recently than a couple of years ago. If I see something I think might be spam, I just don't read it, like any other classified ad I'm not interested in. Would be interesting to know who "complained".

[John @ 3300ft.]

This is Sandman's World.
You just live in it.
http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

[Kahlua Kid]

I thought Spam is when someone unknown just starts posting and posting and posting and posting the same junk mail...

One ad isn't spam? Or at least I wouldn't think it spam.

[Mysteefied]

I just happened across this and found it kinda interesting, It brought up a few questions for me.

I thought spam was when an e-mail was sent to quite a lot of people, I didn't realize that if you posted to a forum that was considered spam unless you sent an individual mail to each person. What is the difference? Just wondering

Also, I am wondering, if it was put in "Classified" section, wouldn't that be the place to put it?

Also, wouldn't it be considered local if a local person is posting it?

Again, just wondering.

[John @ 3300ft.]

http://oakhurstforums.com/eve/tos

[Sandman]

SPAM can be on a forum, not just in an email and it only takes one to be considered SPAM.

I dont think Ironhorse intentionaly posted this thinking it was spam. She does not spam our forums. But the post did make others think that it was okay to post their money making ideas.

I hate these get rich quick things and money making pyramids. I'm not saying that is what Ironhors's post was, but it encouraged others to post things like that. I guess it was just the wording.

I suggest that we have one thread for money making ideas and leave it at that. I'll avoid it and others that want to avoid it may also do so. I'll create a thread like this in Tips & Advice since that is a more appropriate place.

If you glance through the classifieds section, you will see a bunch of local things for sale and jobs, etc. That is what the forum is for.

[Sandman]

Here you go... Get Rich / Save Money / Free Stuff (http://oakhurstforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3296097234/m/5231092761/r/#)

[Kahlua Kid]

Thanks Sandman - I think its good to offer a solution. I totally agree that Ironhorse wasn't spamming! But I can see where others would think they can.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Kahlua Kid:
Thanks Sandman - I think its good to offer a solution. I totally agree that Ironhorse wasn't spamming! But I can see where others would think they can.

Exactly! I dont think Ironhorse did anything wrong. I encourage her to post her savings ideas in the new thread.