Cincy Discord Community Rules & Guidelines

Thanks for being part of Cincy Discord! This page outlines the expectations we have for all members — both online and at in-person events. It’s here to help clarify what kind of space we’re trying to create and what behaviors we aim to avoid.

Cincy Discord is built on mutual respect, thoughtful conversation, and real-world connection. These rules exist to help keep the community safe, friendly, and welcoming to all. By participating in any part of this community, you agree to follow the rules below.

📄 Core Rules

Be kind and respectful. No harassment, personal attacks, insults, or trolling. Disagreements are okay — being cruel is not.
Don’t post harmful or offensive content. That includes hate speech, slurs, extreme or inflammatory comments, or any attempt to provoke others. Advocating for, celebrating, or joking about the death of another person is strictly forbidden and will result in a permanent ban.
Repeated negativity is disruptive. Even if you aren’t breaking a specific rule, constantly bringing the mood down, using the server primarily to vent or complain, or rejecting all advice or support from others can create an unhealthy dynamic and discourage participation. If your presence consistently drains others or derails conversations, we may step in to protect the overall health of the community. Members who rarely participate but repeatedly jump into conversations to criticize, complain, or escalate conflict may be subject to moderation. We value consistent, constructive engagement — not drive-by commentary that discourages others from posting.
Stay honest. Do not knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Claims about people, organizations, or events must be backed by reliable sources. Misleading or falsified evidence will be dealt with severely.
No unsolicited DMs or friend requests. If you want to message someone privately, ask for permission publicly in the server first.
No unnecessary pings. Only tag people (including staff) when it’s directly relevant to the conversation. Repeatedly pinging people for no reason is not allowed.
Stay on topic. Use opt-in spaces for serious or controversial discussions. For memes, excessive banter, or long-running jokes, please use the 🤪︱off-topic channel.
Differing opinions are welcome, but don’t bash what others enjoy. Repeatedly ‘yucking someone’s yum’ or making fun of someone’s interests is not allowed.
No NSFW or creepy content. That includes sexual jokes, flirty behavior, or suggestive usernames/images. This is not a dating server. Repeated sexual jokes or turning conversations sexual will lead to corrective action.
Use spoiler tags. For any content that could be considered a spoiler (TV, movies, games, etc.), wrap the text in ||spoiler tags||. Fake spoilers are not allowed either.
Respect privacy. Do not post or request someone’s personal info (doxxing), repost deleted content, or share screenshots from private messages without consent.
Think before you post — avoid excessive deletions. While it’s okay to occasionally delete or edit a message, frequently posting and then quickly deleting messages can make conversations hard to follow and frustrating for others. If you make a habit of this, we may reach out and ask you to reconsider your posting style.
No advertising or self-promotion without approval. This includes buying/selling posts, server invites, crowdfunding links, and pet-related posts such as adoption, rehoming, or sales. Ask a Mod or Admin before posting anything promotional.
You must be 18 or older to be in this community. If you believe someone is underage, report it privately to the Admins — never publicly.
Follow Discord’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.
https://discord.com/guidelines
https://discord.com/terms

These rules apply to all Cincy Discord spaces — public channels, private messages, and in-person events.

🛡️ Harassment Policy

Cincy Discord is committed to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone. We do not tolerate harassment in any form, including on the server, in DMs, or at meetups.

Harassment based on identity — including race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, appearance, or background — is not tolerated.

Harassment may include:

Threats or encouragement of self-harm
Sexually explicit or violent content
Discriminatory jokes, slurs, or imagery
Unwanted comments on lifestyle, identity, appearance, etc.
Deliberate misgendering or outing
Posting or threatening to share personal info
Sexual comments or advances
Intimidation, stalking, or continued contact after a request to stop or refusal to respect personal boundaries
Trolling, baiting, or deliberate disruption

This list is not exhaustive. A repeated pattern of subtle or dismissive behavior may also be considered harassment, even if individual actions seem minor in isolation. If someone sets a boundary — online or in person — it must be respected immediately. Retaliating against someone for reporting harassment, or organizing others to do so, will also result in moderation action. Keep in mind that people can edit or delete messages — screenshots are helpful when reporting but are not required.

✉️ Direct Messaging & Privacy

Do not send random DMs or friend requests. Ask in the server first.
If someone sends you a DM or friend request without asking — especially if it feels out of the blue — you have two options:
- Call them out publicly in ❗︱report-unsolicited-dms-and-frs
- Report them privately using the 📞︱request-a-chat-with-the-admin ticket system
Reports are anonymous. The person reported will not be told who submitted it.
We appreciate when people report this behavior. People shouldn’t have their inboxes flooded just for participating in the community.
If you want to move a conversation to DMs, always ask the person publicly first. If they say no, respect that.
Continued contact after being told to stop is considered harassment.
All server rules apply to DM conversations.

⚖️ Conflict Resolution

Not every disagreement is a rule violation — but when conflict becomes repetitive, disruptive, or personal, staff may step in to help resolve the issue. Depending on the situation, moderation staff may choose to handle the matter privately through a ticket, or publicly in the conversation where the issue occurred. We reserve the right to address behavior publicly when it directly impacts the wider group or takes place in a public channel. This helps reinforce our community standards transparently and lets members know that things are being handled. Our goal is always to be fair, not to embarrass or shame anyone.

If you’re having an issue with another member, open a ticket using the 📞︱request-a-chat-with-the-admin system. Our team will listen and determine whether we need to intervene or mediate.
We may offer mediation, where a neutral moderator helps both parties understand each other’s perspectives and work toward resolution.
You do not have to handle things on your own. Please don’t feel obligated to ignore or mute someone if the situation is bothering you — let us know so we can help.
Do not campaign against another user, complain about them in public channels, or try to get others to take your side — especially in channels the other person cannot access.
If you’re genuinely looking for advice about a situation, remove names and identifying details, or check in with a mod before posting.

If someone continues to make the server feel unpleasant or hostile for others, we may remove them even if no single message breaks a rule.

🏛️ Witch Hunts

We don’t allow witch hunts or callout campaigns — whether it happens here or elsewhere.

This includes:

Public accusations or vague posts aimed at a specific person
Threads encouraging others to shame, report, or “take down” someone
Posting identifying info of another user without consent
Bringing drama or beef from another community into this one

If you’re in another server that’s actively engaging in this kind of behavior — especially against our community or members — you may be removed from Cincy Discord, regardless of how involved you appear to be. We do this not to punish, but to keep this space free from targeted hostility and unnecessary conflict.

If you see this kind of behavior elsewhere, the best option is to report it to their staff or leave that space. If something seems like it might affect our community, open a ticket and talk to the admin team privately.

🔒 Illegal Content & Piracy

Do not organize, promote, or participate in anything illegal.
No buying, selling, or trading of dangerous/regulated goods: weapons, drugs, military gear, etc.
No pirated content, copyright violations, or sharing of ripped media.

🔍 Controversial Topics & Debate Guidelines

Debate and serious topics are allowed in opt-in channels only. In those spaces:

Be clear. Avoid vague takes like “I can’t believe people think X is okay.”
Be constructive. Give reasons for your viewpoint.
Be respectful. Disagree politely. No baiting or inflammatory language.
Posts must contribute to discussion, not derail it.
Positive, thoughtful dialogue will be highlighted.
Sharing news or opinion pieces is allowed, but they must include clear context.

Mods may remove access to debate channels if rules are repeatedly broken.

👤 Suggestions & Feedback

If you have ideas, feedback, concerns, or questions for staff, please open a private support ticket using the 📞︱request-a-chat-with-the-admin channel. Please do not DM Admins or Moderators directly — using the ticket system helps ensure we see your message and can respond appropriately as a team.

If you disagree with a moderation decision:

Ask questions via the ticket system
A different mod will review and respond
Be respectful, even if you’re frustrated

⛔ Ban Appeals

Bans may be appealed after 3 months via the Ban Appeal server
Appealing does not guarantee unbanning
We only respond through the ticket system, not in the main server

Submit an appeal: https://cincydiscord.com/appeal

Thank you for helping us make Cincy Discord a place where real community can grow — both online and offline.