Guidelines for posting comment on this website
Introduction
These guidelines set out the general principles and mechanisms which ePolitix.com applies to the running of the Blogs sections of our website. Users should keep in mind that they are not an exhaustive list of our requirements.
Definitions
A 'blog article' is a page of text within ePolitix.com created by a user via the process of submitting it using the form on our Blogs page. Each article has its own unique URL.
A 'blog comment' is a comment submitted by a user via the form that exists on each blog article page. Any comments will be displayed on the individual article page from which they are submitted.
Who can be a blogger?
At present our articles are posted by members of parliament and peers, parliametnary researchers and ePolitix.com's editorial team.
If you have a particular interest in taking part in this new service, please let us know at blogs@ePolitix.com.
Who can comment on the articles?
Anyone can submit a comment for publication alongside an article. We welcome such comments from all our users, although they should in general not be used for commercial purposes (Eg to highlight particular products).
Articles
Our responsibilities to article contributors
1) ePolitix.com will provide login passwords which will allow you to submit your own articles for publication in the Blogs section of our website.
2) We will seek to ensure any articles that you submit to us are published promptly, although outside normal office hours there may be a reduced service.
3) We will check any user comments that are submitted about your articles to ensure they meet our editorial standards (see below).
The responsibilities of article contributors
1) Contributors should ensure that their articles comply with any legal requirements (for example, ensuring they are not libellous or defamatory).
2) Contributors should avoid the use of pornographic, insensitive or socially unacceptable language and terms.
3) In the interests of promoting reasonable debate, users should avoid personal abuse.
4) Passwords should be kept secure to ensure that no articles can be submitted falsely using the author's name. In the event of such an instance, the article will be deleted and a new password issued. However, ePolitix.com cannot be responsible for events resulting from a failure to keep the password secure.
Comments
Our responsibilities to comment contributors
1) ePolitix.com will allow comments that express a contrary opinion to those of the article author.
2) We will seek to check and publish your comments as soon as our resources allow.
The responsibilities of comment contributors
1) As with article contributors, anyone submitting a comment should ensure it is both legal and decent.
2) Personal abuse must be avoided - however strongly you may feel about a subject.
Final decisions
Our role
1) ePolitix.com will check all articles and comments prior to publication. The final decision on what will and will not be published rests with ePolitix.com in all cases. We may decline to publish some articles or comments in their entirety.
2) We may edit items prior to publication. This may include corrections for spelling or grammar. Any changes that we do make will not alter the original meaning intended by the author.
3) Where we edit an item, we will highlight this in the text. A "..." indicates text that has been removed, while any re-written text will be placed in [these brackets].
4) If ePolitix.com edits an article or comment in a way which the author objects to, we will in the first instance seek agreement on an alternative form of wording. If no agreement is possible then the article or comment can be removed from the website at the author's request.
5) If an article contributor objects to any comment that we have decided is acceptable for publication alongside their article, we will listen carefully to their views. However, the final decision on what is published rests with ePolitix.com and we will not remove a comment simply because it expresses an opinion contrary to the views of the article author.
Impartiality
1) ePolitix.com takes no political stance on the messages contained within articles or comments. This service is provided as part of our ambition of helping to promote dialogue between politicians, the public and other stakeholders.
Feedback
ePolitix.com welcomes feedback from all our users. If you have any thoughts on these guidelines or other aspects of our service, please email us at blogs@ePolitix.com.
