Some Guidelines to Keep in Mind
Front Porch Forum’s mission is to connect neighbors and build community. A part of this is providing space for neighbors to discuss local democratic processes. To this end, FPF welcomes neighbors to share their perspectives on local issues. In order to keep discussions respectful, please keep in mind the following guidelines:
- Focus on the issue, not the person: If you disagree with a neighbor, address the idea that you disagree with rather than the person who wrote about it.
- Keep candidate critiques constructive: We accept postings that discuss and are critical of candidates for public office and their actions and statements. However, FPF should not be used for heated, personal attacks against candidates or public officials.
- Take turns: If you’ve already weighed in on a discussion, allow space for others to do the same. Don’t dominate the discussion.
People who do not adhere to the above guidelines may hear from FPF’s team of online community managers. If you do, please keep in mind that during high-volume times we don’t always have the chance to offer detailed feedback about individual postings. We encourage you to consider the above guidelines and revise your posting accordingly.
The tone of the forum is of course crucial and, in the end, up to the participants. Neighbors can set the tone by posting the kinds of messages they'd like to see from others, or respectfully speaking up when they feel someone has stepped out of bounds.