Community Guidelines

Effective Date: January 1, 2025

Last Updated: January 1, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to the BaseballZeus community! These Community Guidelines establish the standards of behavior and content that we expect from all users of our platform. By participating in our community, you agree to follow these guidelines and help create a positive, respectful, and educational environment for all users. MM Trade LLC ("we", "us", or "our") reserves the right to enforce these guidelines and take appropriate action against users who violate them, including content removal, account suspension, or permanent banning.

2. Our Community Values

2.1 Respect and Civility

We believe in fostering a community built on mutual respect where all users feel welcome to participate. Our community values include:

Respectful Communication: Treat all community members with courtesy and respect, regardless of their background, experience level, or opinions about baseball or sports analytics.
Constructive Dialogue: Engage in meaningful discussions that contribute to the learning and enjoyment of all community members. Disagreements should be handled professionally and focus on ideas rather than personal attacks.
Inclusive Environment: We welcome users from all backgrounds and experience levels, from casual baseball fans to professional analysts. Everyone should feel comfortable participating in discussions.
Educational Focus: Our community is centered around learning about baseball analytics, statistics, and sports prediction. We encourage sharing knowledge and helping others understand complex concepts.

3. Prohibited Behaviors

3.1 Harassment and Abuse

The following behaviors are strictly prohibited:

Personal attacks, insults, or derogatory comments directed at other users
Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or other protected characteristics
Threats, intimidation, or bullying of any kind
Doxxing or sharing personal information without consent
Trolling or deliberately provoking negative reactions

3.2 Illegal Activities

Users must not engage in or promote:

Illegal gambling or betting activities
Copyright or trademark infringement
Fraud, scams, or deceptive practices
Hacking, phishing, or other malicious activities

3.3 Spam and Manipulation

The following behaviors are considered spam or manipulation and are prohibited:

Commercial Spam: Excessive promotion of commercial products, services, or websites unrelated to baseball analytics or our community's interests.
Vote Manipulation: Attempting to artificially inflate or deflate the popularity of content through fake accounts, coordinated voting, or other manipulative tactics.
Repetitive Content: Posting the same or substantially similar content multiple times across different discussions or threads.
Off-Topic Content: Consistently posting content that is unrelated to baseball, sports analytics, or the educational focus of our community.

3.4 Inappropriate Content

The following types of content are inappropriate and prohibited:

Adult Content: Sexually explicit content, pornography, or other adult material that is inappropriate for our educational platform.
Graphic Violence: Excessively violent or disturbing content that does not contribute to baseball or sports discussions.
Illegal Substances: Promoting or discussing illegal drug use or other controlled substances.
Gambling Addiction: Content that promotes problem gambling or fails to acknowledge the risks associated with gambling activities.

4. Content Standards

4.1 Quality Expectations

We expect users to contribute high-quality content, including:

Thoughtful Contributions: Share content that adds value to discussions and helps advance understanding of baseball analytics and sports prediction.
Well-Researched Information: When sharing statistics, analysis, or predictions, provide sources and context to help others understand and verify the information.
Clear Communication: Write clearly and coherently, using proper grammar and formatting to ensure your contributions are easily understood.
Relevant Topics: Keep discussions focused on baseball, sports analytics, statistical analysis, and related educational topics.

4.2 Source Attribution

To maintain transparency and respect intellectual property:

Cite Your Sources: When sharing data, analysis, or insights from other sources, provide proper attribution and links when possible.
Original Content: Clearly distinguish between your original analysis and content you've found elsewhere.
Respect Intellectual Property: Do not share proprietary content, copyrighted material, or confidential information without proper authorization.

4.3 Educational Value

Our platform prioritizes educational content:

Learning-Focused: Prioritize content that helps community members learn about baseball analytics, statistical methods, and sports prediction techniques.
Beginner-Friendly: When discussing complex topics, consider providing explanations or resources that help less experienced users understand the concepts.
Constructive Criticism: When critiquing analysis or predictions, provide constructive feedback that helps improve understanding rather than simply pointing out errors.

5. Responsible Gambling Discussion

5.1 Educational Context

Discussions about sports betting and gambling must align with our educational mission:

Educational Purpose: All discussions about sports betting and gambling should maintain an educational focus, emphasizing understanding of probability, risk management, and analytical methods.
Risk Awareness: Acknowledge the risks associated with gambling and betting activities. Avoid promoting gambling as a guaranteed way to make money.
Problem Gambling Resources: Be aware of and willing to share resources for users who may be struggling with gambling addiction.

5.2 Prohibited Gambling Content

The following gambling-related content is prohibited:

Real Money Coordination: Do not coordinate real money betting activities, share betting tips for profit, or facilitate actual gambling transactions.
Unlicensed Operators: Do not promote or link to unlicensed or illegal gambling operators.
Guaranteed Wins: Avoid claiming that any prediction system or strategy guarantees profits or wins.
Underage Gambling: Do not provide gambling-related advice or encouragement to users who may be under the legal gambling age.

6. Privacy and Personal Information

6.1 Protecting Privacy

To protect the privacy of all users:

Personal Information: Do not share your own or others' personal information, including real names, addresses, phone numbers, or financial information.
Account Security: Protect your account credentials and do not share login information with others.
Private Communications: Respect the privacy of private messages and do not share private conversations without consent.

6.2 Data Protection

To ensure data protection:

Sensitive Data: Be cautious about sharing any data that could be used to identify individuals or violate privacy rights.
Third-Party Information: Do not share information about third parties without their consent, including personal details about players, coaches, or other public figures beyond publicly available information.

7. Enforcement and Moderation

7.1 Moderation Approach

Our moderation approach is designed to maintain a positive community:

Community-Driven: We encourage community members to self-moderate by reporting inappropriate content and maintaining high standards of behavior.
Progressive Enforcement: We typically use a progressive approach to enforcement, starting with warnings and escalating to temporary or permanent bans for serious or repeated violations.
Context Consideration: We consider the context and intent behind content when making moderation decisions, recognizing that discussions about sports can be passionate.

7.2 Reporting Violations

To report violations of these guidelines:

How to Report: Contact us at [email protected] with the subject line "COMMUNITY GUIDELINES VIOLATION."
Information to Include:

Specific content or behavior that violates guidelines
Username of the violating user (if applicable)
Screenshots or other evidence (if available)
Explanation of how the content violates our guidelines

Response Time: We will review reported violations within 48-72 hours and take appropriate action.

7.3 Appeals Process

Users who believe they have been unfairly penalized may appeal moderation decisions:

Appeal Process:

Contact us at [email protected] with "MODERATION APPEAL" in the subject line.
Provide your username and details about the moderation action.
Explain why you believe the action was inappropriate.
We will review the appeal within 5 business days.

Final Decisions: Our moderation decisions are final after the appeals process is complete.

8. Consequences for Violations

8.1 Warning System

For first-time violations:

First Violation: Users typically receive a warning for first-time violations of community guidelines, along with an explanation of the specific guideline that was violated.
Educational Approach: We may provide resources or guidance to help users understand how to participate appropriately in our community.

8.2 Temporary Restrictions

For more serious or repeated violations:

Content Removal: Violating content will be removed from our platform.
Temporary Suspension: Users may face temporary account suspension for violations or more serious infractions.
Feature Restrictions: We may restrict access to specific features (such as commenting or posting) while allowing continued access to other parts of our service.

8.3 Permanent Consequences

For severe or repeated violations:

Account Termination: Serious violations or repeated offenses may result in permanent account termination.
IP Banning: In extreme cases, we may implement IP-based restrictions to prevent creation of new accounts.
Legal Action: Illegal activities may be reported to appropriate law enforcement agencies.

9. Special Considerations

9.1 Professional Users

For users with professional roles:

Industry Professionals: Users who work in sports analytics, journalism, or related fields are held to higher standards and should disclose potential conflicts of interest.
Commercial Interests: Users with commercial interests in sports betting, analytics, or related industries should be transparent about these relationships.

9.2 Educational Institutions

For academic users:

Academic Use: We welcome educators and students using our platform for academic purposes and encourage sharing of educational sources.
Research Ethics: Users conducting research should follow appropriate ethical guidelines and obtain necessary permissions.

9.3 Media and Press

For media professionals:

Journalist Standards: Media professionals should follow standard journalistic ethics when participating in our community.
Attribution: When using community content for reporting, proper attribution should be provided.

10. Community Leadership

10.1 Positive Role Models

To foster a positive community:

Leading by Example: Experienced community members are encouraged to model positive behavior and help newcomers understand our community standards.
Mentorship: We encourage knowledgeable users to mentor those who are new to baseball analytics or sports prediction.

10.2 Community Feedback

We value community input:

Guideline Input: We welcome feedback from community members about these guidelines and how they can be improved.
Community Suggestions: Users can suggest improvements to our community features and policies.

11. Updates and Changes

11.1 Guideline Evolution

To keep our guidelines relevant:

Regular Review: We regularly review and update these guidelines to address new challenges and improve our community environment.
Community Input: We consider feedback from community members when updating guidelines.
Transparency: Material changes to guidelines will be clearly communicated to all users.

11.2 Notification Process

To ensure transparency:

Advance Notice: When possible, we will provide advance notice of significant changes to community guidelines.
Effective Date: All changes include a clear effective date and explanation of what has changed.

12. Contact and Support

12.1 Questions About Guidelines

If you have questions about these Community Guidelines or need clarification about what is or isn’t allowed, please contact us at [email protected] with "COMMUNITY GUIDELINES QUESTION" in the subject line.

12.2 Reporting and Support

For reporting violations or seeking support:

Violation Reports: [email protected] (Subject: "COMMUNITY GUIDELINES VIOLATION")
Appeals: [email protected] (Subject: "MODERATION APPEAL")
General Questions: [email protected] (Subject: "COMMUNITY GUIDELINES QUESTION")

13. Legal Framework

13.1 Terms of Service

These Community Guidelines supplement our Terms of Service and should be read in conjunction with those terms. In case of conflict, our Terms of Service take precedence.

13.2 Applicable Law

These guidelines are governed by the laws of Colorado, United States, and users agree to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

13.3 Dispute Resolution

Disputes related to community guidelines enforcement are subject to the dispute resolution procedures outlined in our Terms of Service.

Remember: These guidelines exist to help create a positive, educational, and respectful community for all users. When in doubt, treat others as you would like to be treated and focus on contributing value to our shared learning experience.