Board Usage Policy

Using the public chat, help and discussion boards on eBay can be informative, helpful and entertaining. People receive support, learn about eBay and their collecting interests, and meet new friends on the boards. When members abide by the principles found in the eBay Community Values, the boards are a positive and enjoyable experience for all members.

By following the rules listed below the entire community will continue to find the boards helpful, educational and an enjoyable place to meet and converse with other members. Courteous and respectful postings are expected from all participants.

Messages posted to the eBay chat, help or discussion boards by eBay community members are solely the opinion and responsibility of the person posting the message. eBay is not responsible for messages left by eBay members. You are responsible for your own posts.

Grounds for Immediate Post Removal, Board Sanction and/or eBay Suspension

The following types of postings are cause for immediate post removal, warning, board sanction and/or suspension from the site. Other inappropriate postings not listed below may also warrant removal and/or suspension from the site. eBay reserves the right to remove any post without warning or further notice.

• Posting contact information about another individual.
• Posting material containing profanity, vulgarity, hate speech, disruptive or hostile comments, interpersonal disputes or threats of violence.
• Posting material (graphic or text) that is obscene, pornographic or adult in nature.
• Using JavaScript, active or other coding, making repetitive posts, or other actions that interfere with site operations.
• Posting material with the intent to impersonate eBay Staff or another member through the use of similar IDs or any other method or device.
• Encouraging others to violate eBay policies or the eBay User Agreement
• Advertising merchandise, listings, services or commercial web sites, including offers to trade, or charitable solicitations.
• Refusing to follow eBay staff instruction or direction.
• "Wanted" posts, or posting solicitations of interest in the sale of an item or service.
• Posting private emails.
• Posting material that in any way violates the eBay User Agreement or Community Values.
• In the title of a threaded discussion: Posting user ID's in a derogatory manner, posting URLs, item numbers, or web sites, or violating any other board posting policy.
• Inappropriate threads started in Community Help Boards, i.e. eBay policy commentary started in the Community Help Registration Board.
• Posting item listing reports or member violations. To report suspected violations, please use our online forms:
  http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/contact_inline/index.html
• Discussion or reposting of deleted posts or discussion of those who are no longer registered members.
• Only persons aged 18 or over may post to the boards, without regard to whether an adult actually owns the registration or parental/guardian permission.
• Reporters and third party representatives need permission from Legal prior to posting or emailing members in their official capacity.
• Posting copyrighted items without the permission of the copyright owner.
• The use of false registration information or creating multiple accounts for use on eBay's boards to avoid detection or which results in disruption on the boards.

Notes

eBay may sanction a member from the boards without suspending them from the site. eBay may suspend any member from the boards and from the site who has been previously warned of board policy violations, though we reserve the right to suspend a member immediately depending on the violation. Sanctions/suspensions may range from 1 day to indefinite. A sanction or suspension of one ID will apply to all IDs of that member and may, at our discretion, apply to members of the same household. The use of false registration information or creating multiple accounts for use on eBay's boards for the purpose of disruption or to avoid detection may result in permanent sanction or suspension of all associated registrations without prior warning.

All warnings and suspensions are in accordance with the guidelines set out in the eBay User Agreement and the eBay Trust and Safety guidelines.

Please note that due to the variety of eBay boards, additional policies may be implemented on specific boards. At our discretion, there may be exceptions made for certain eBay sponsored programs or events.