The following is submitted for discussion. It is offered as a suggested guideline for the organization of Mufonet. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Mutual UFO Network Echomail Distribution Policy and Guidelines by: Len Morgan, 88:4602/0 For future reference, the terms: MUFON, shall mean Mutual UFO Network, a Non-profit corporation, based in Seguin, Texas. MUFONET or MUFONET-BBS, shall mean the Mutual UFO Network Bulletin Board System (MUFONET-BBS), a group of amateur computer systems, electronically linked to form a telecommunication network. ECHO, shall mean any message area that is named by subject and is for discussion of subject matter or the posting of bulletins. MODERATOR, shall mean any person who is given the responsibility to oversee the echo they are assigned to. I. MUFONET GOAL: A. Dissemination of Information. 1. To establish a network of amateur computer operators, for the purpose of distributing files and messages by the electronic media known as "Telecommunications". 2. To electronically transmit, to the General Public, information relevant to the discussion of Unidentified Flying Objects. 3. To inform the General Public of meetings, or seminars about times and dates of such meetings. 4. To post public announcements of any private, public, or government group or agency, relevant to the subject of UFOlogy. 5. To provide an electronic media for the discussion of UFOlogy, by the general public. 6. To provide a place free of censorship of opinions, providing such opinions do not violate the basic rules, set forth in IV.C.1-5, below. II. ESTABLISHMENT OF ECHOS: A. Network Administrator (ZC): 1. MUFON shall establish the position of a Network Administrator for the purpose of making all decisions necessary for the establishment of MUFONET. The Network Administrator shall be responsible to MUFON for direction in matters concerning MUFONET. 2. The administrator duties shall include, but not be limited to: a. Assignment of all Mufonet administrators. b. Acceptance of new MUFONET applicants. c. Assigning of Mufonet Regional Coordinators. d. Additions, corrections, alterations of this document. e. Any additional duties assigned by MUFON. f. Final authority of the MUFONET. B. Net Echo Coordinator (NEC): 1. The Network Administrator shall appoint a Net Echo Coordinator for the purpose of monitoring and coordinating the echo areas. 2. The coordinators duties shall include, but not be limited to: a. Assignment of Moderators. b. Establishment of Echo Rules. c. Approval of Moderator Rules. d. Arbitrating echo disputes. e. Assure that echos meet MUFONET guidelines. f. Establish new echos. g. Discontinue echos. h. Authorize the Pass Through of Non-Mufonet echos. C. Establishment of MUFONET Echo Areas: 1. The Net Echo Coordinator shall establish Mufonet echo message areas, by topic, for discussion of UFOlogy and any related subject. a. The Net Echo Coordinator shall consider adding an echo when not less than two (2) Mufonet Regional Coordinators (RC) have shown support for such echo by sending a netmail message to the Coordinator requesting addition of the echo. A list of RC's can be found in the beginning of the MUFONLST. Discussion for support of the creation of such echo shall be in the MUFON_ADMIN echo, unless otherwise designated by the NEC. b. Such echos shall carry the word MUFON in front of the echo name to distinguish them as official Mufonet echos. c. Mufonet shall permit the retransmission of any echo that is unrelated to UFOlogy, however, such echos shall not carry the MUFON designation in the name. d. Mufonet echos shall be open to the general public, unless specifically designated as "Mufon Members Only" or "Mufon Sysop Only" or any such designation as deemed necessary by the Network Administrator and/or Net Echo Coordinator. e. Mufonet shall carry "mandatory" echos, requiring all system operators to carry such echos. Such mandatory echos shall be specified in other documents for new system operators and/or announced in MUFON_ADMIN echo. Mandatory echos are used for the purpose of notifying system operators or Mufon Members of vital information, or administration of MUFONET to all system operators or MUFON Members. f. Mufonet shall carry "optional" echos. An optional echo is any echo that in not required to be distributed by the system operator. These echo are elective by the system operator. D. Pass Through, Non-Mufonet Echos: 1. The Net Echo Coordinator shall consider adding echos originating outside of Mufonet as "Pass through" echos. a. While it is not possible for Mufonet to force it's criteria of conduct on another network's echo, it still can be considered for pass through distribution on Mufonet, providing, echo policy of said echo closely simulates criteria specified in IV.C.1-5 below. b. Pass through echos shall qualify under the criteria in II.C.1.a. above. c. Pass Through Echos must have the consent of the Moderator of such echo, before being allowed for distribution on Mufonet. E. Discontinuation of Echos: 1. The Net Echo Coordinator shall consider discontinuation of any echo when one or more of the following occur: a. After a search and requests for a moderator, by the NEC, and none can be found, the echo shall be considered to be "abandoned". b. The NEC determines that conduct in the echo is deemed uncontrollable by the moderator and in frequent violation of IV.C.1-5, below. c. At the request of the moderator. d. At the request of two (2) Regional Coordinators. e. The echo is deemed not to be in the best interest or goals of Mufonet. f. When participation drops below a minimum level of five (5) messages per month for three (3) consecutive months. g. No "mandatory" echo shall be discontinued. F. Mufonet Disclaimer for Echos: 1. The following disclaimer shall be posted by all Mufonet moderators as part of their echo rules: a. Opinions given in this echo are not necessarily the opinions of MUFONET, MUFON, it's officers, assistants, administrators, system operators, or members. Users of this echo shall not hold MUFONET, MUFON, it's officers, assistants, administrators, system operators, or members liable for any content of this echo. III. MODERATORS: A. Moderator Duties: 1. Mufonet shall establish a moderator, whose duties shall include, but not be limited to: a. Establish echo rules. b. Keep all users on topic. c. Suspend or ban users who habitually violate echo rules. d. Encourage discussion of topic's of their echo. e. Encourage participation in their echo, by all users. f. Post, or cause to be posted, information that spurs the discussion of their echo topic. g. Post echo rules not less than bi-monthly. h. Post the standard "disclaimer" as provided in II.F.1.a.. B. Moderator Criteria: 1. Moderators shall be selected from an application, including the following criteria: a. Name: Street Address: City: State, Country, or Province: Home Phone: How long at above address: How old are you: BBS Name: BBS Phone: Mufonet Address: How long in Mufonet: Are you a MUFON Member (Not necessary): Mufonet Echo your applying for: Have you Moderated any other echo, If so, what Network: Why do you believe you should be appointed moderator: C. Replacement of Moderator: 1. A moderator shall be considered for replacement by the NEC when one or more of the following occur: a. It is determined that the moderator has abandoned the echo by not participating for 30 days or more and no notice of absence has been given to the NEC. b. The moderator fails to comply with his duties as defined in III.1.a.-g., above. c. The conduct of the moderator is deemed not in the best interest or goals of Mufonet. IV. BASIC ECHO RULES: A. Posting of Press Releases. 1. Press releases from responsible and reliable sources shall be posted in the appropriate echo area, for ALL participants to read. 2. Postings shall contain the source of such information in the heading of each posting. 3. Postings shall not contain information irrelevant to the subject of UFOlogy. B. Public Discussion of UFOlogy. 1. Echo areas shall be open to ALL participants, unless otherwise designated, for discussion. 2. Certain echo areas shall be designated as "Closed" to the general public for the purpose of administration and Mufon Members only. C. User Conduct. 1. Echo participants shall not post any comment or opinion about another persons reputation, character, occupation (past or present), or any comment with intent to discredit, humiliate, or cause harm to their personal or professional character. 2. Users who post about any scientific subject without reference sources that can be independently substantiated, must state that such posting is their "opinion" only. Any posting which has been presented as fact, shall have such evidence attached or shall make such evidence available to any who request such, and/or offer a method of obtaining such evidence. The posting shall include the Acronym IMHO or In My Humble Opinion, or some such verbage, if such posting is unsubstantiated by evidence. 3. Users shall conduct themselves with dignity and respect always being aware of others right to the same. 4. No person shall post using foul, abusive or suggestive language to emphasize or describe another person or their opinions. Such language includes but is not limited to the use of words that in general have been accepted as offensive, degrading or inflammatory. 5. When discussing any argument or evidence presented, the discussion shall remain on that argument or evidence and shall not degrade to personally attacking the individual presenting such evidence or argument. 6. There shall be no "spamming" or excessive posting or cross posting, of the message(s) in multiple echo areas. An example of such is one message sent or cross posted to every Mufonet echo area. 7. No messages containing hi-ascii graphics. These are characters produced that contain more than numeric, alphabetic, or standard keyboard symbol characters. These add size to the message without quality of communication. They only serve to increase the size of mail packets and the cost associated with their transmission. 8. All messages shall be in English format. 9. No posting of Bulletin Board Ad's in any Mufonet echo, unless an echo has been established, by the NEC, for such postings. V. MODERATOR RULES: A. Moderators are free to add additional rules governing their echos providing these rules have been approved by the Net Echo Coordinator. Such rules may include, but not be limited to cross-posting, use of real names, posting of meetings, messages about other echos, etc.. B. Moderators shall not establish any rule that is in conflict with basic rules of Mufonet established in IV 1-5 above. VI. COORDINATION OF MUFONET WITH MUFON: A. It shall be the responsibility of the Net Administrator to coordinate the goals and guidelines with MUFON. A special thanks to Ed Stewart, 88:4602/16 for his help with this document. Without his help and suggestions, it would have been a more difficult task.