Terms and Conditions of PoetrySoup Membership

See also: About PoetrySoup | Privacy Statement | User-Generated Content Moderation

We work very hard to maintain a certain environment here at PoetrySoup. We work hard to keep PoetrySoup a haven, a refuge from external troubles, and a place of poetic encouragement and growth for both adults AND children. As a result, PoetrySoup monitors and restricts certain content and behavior. We delete content that does not adhere to the terms on this page. If you do not like these terms, DO NOT JOIN. If you are already a member and do not agree with these terms, you may delete your account in the Member Area (at the bottom of the Member Area page) at any time. There are many poetry websites to choose from. However, our standards will not change. PoetrySoup is a private website (just like your home is private). However, we open it to the public as long as our standards are upheld.

BY USING THE SITE, REGISTERING AS A USER, OR CONTRIBUTING ANY CONTENT, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. This is a legal agreement between you and PoetrySoup. "You" refers to the person using the Site. If the Site is being used on behalf of an entity by a representative using the Site or Content on behalf of such entity, then "you" also refers to such entity. 

1. AI-generated poetry is not allowed. Use of AI or Chat Gpt Ai will result in the immediate deletion of your account.
2. While we respect our Poets' freedom of expression, certain subjects and content will not be allowed on PoetrySoup. Posting poems containing this content will result in the deletion of your poetry and possible membership suspension for repeat offenders. Examples of unacceptable or prohibited content or subjects are:
   • Sexually Explicit (X-Rated) Language (Not to be confused with sensuality)
   • Pictures of Nudity or Partial Nudity
   • Profanity (Curse Words or Abbreviated Curse Words)
   • Nasty Comments (E.g., "This is CRAP. Your writing sucks.)
   • Name Calling, Cyberbullying or Harassing PoetrySoup Members (See #6)
   • Vulgarity
   • Personal Attacks, Battles, or Slamming Soup Members
   • Do not use or suggest a member's name, account, initials, etc., in poems, blogs, or comments - unless it is positive!!!
   • Hateful Expressions (E.g., "I should have killed her")
   • Racism
3. PoetrySoup will do its best to periodically monitor the contents of the poems and blogs to ensure they remain in good taste. The definition of "good taste" is at the discretion of PoetrySoup. Anything (member or post) that is deemed harmful to the PoetrySoup community will be removed. The following is prohibited: Posting content that is unlawful, malicious, misleading, defamatory, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially or ethnically charged, or otherwise objectionable as determined by PoetrySoup.
4. Poetry content. Inflammatory and derogatory comments or poems about ethnic groups, cultures, alternate lifestyles, entire religious groups, and the like are not acceptable on PoetrySoup. This censorship does not apply to politics! The political arena is fair game. However, writing poems featuring hate speech targeting, for instance, Jewish, Arab, or Islamic people is not tolerated.
5. PoetrySoup is considered family-safe, which means that poets aren't permitted to post poems that contain pornography, adult, or mature content. If your poem has content that you wouldn't be comfortable viewing at work or with family members around, it is probably inappropriate for PoetrySoup.
6. Antisocial or disruptive behavior (as determined by PoetrySoup) is not allowed. You may not incite or engage in the targeted abuse or harassment of others. For instance, putting down members or harassing contest sponsors for their poetry contest results are considered antisocial and bullying behavior. If you have a problem with how a person judges a contest, do NOT enter their Poetry Contests. Do not mention PoetrySoup member names or accounts unless it is positive. Please do not write about or comment on PoetrySoup members unless it is positive. Reacting negatively to offensive comments can get you banned. Report offensive comments to PoetrySoup.
7. Bullying of any kind isn't allowed, and discrimination based on race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender, or identity will not be tolerated. You will be permanently banned for this violation. If you feel someone is attacking you, do not respond in kind. Responding in kind is a violation. Contact PoetrySoup with a screenshot of the violation or proof. We will handle it.
8. Be courteous and contribute positively. If you’re not positively contributing to the community, we reserve the right to temporarily or permanently close your account and delete your poems...without notice. 
9. TROLLS, FLOODING, SOLICITING MEMBERS, AND SPAMMERS BEWARE. Trolling, flooding (posting multiple posts of the same thing), and spamming interfere with our site's operation. A type of spamming or flooding is posting competing websites in comments or soup mail or sending multiple items (comments, emails, advertisements, poems, blogs, etc.) of the same content and often intended to inflame or disrupt the general tranquility of a community. Those who troll or spam are trespassing on our network. We reserve the right to take any legal and technical remedies to prevent trolling and spamming of our network.
10. You may only have one PoetrySoup account. If we can determine that you have multiple accounts, we will delete ALL of the accounts without warning. 
11. You are responsible for your use of our Services, any Content you post using the Services, and any consequences or liability arising therefrom.
12. NO SPAMBOT Web marketing (aka web crawlers, spiders, robots, automated programs, or scripts). You may market your services and talents on PoetrySoup.com. However, you may not use spamming web marketing services (aka web crawlers, spiders, robots, automated programs, scripts) to create unnatural or non-organic traffic to your work.
13. Do not share private messages, like Soup Mail or Emails, publicly (I.E., on blogs, comments, poems, etc.)
14. You may not impersonate any person or entity or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person, group, or entity.
15. Do not post the same poem multiple times.
16. Do not post your email address online (for your safety).
17. Members may post ORIGINAL work only.  PoetrySoup prohibits plagiarism. Posting someone else's poems, even if you have their permission, is prohibited on PoetrySoup.com. Any members who plagiarize will be immediately removed. Using another's work without proper acknowledgment or permission and copyrighting it as your own is a crime.
18. Member acknowledges that due to the nature of the Internet that there are no guarantees of privacy. Soupmail, comments, etc., can be accessed in cases of bullying or personal threats. In these cases, PoetrySoup will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.
19. Remember, people have different opinions. That does not make them wrong. Be considerate of others' opinions.
20. Because PoetrySoup is a public forum, the contents, thoughts, and ideas expressed in individual poems may not reflect the ideology of PoetrySoup. 
21. Members may use this Web site for advertising or generating business for themselves. PoetrySoup will forward potential buyers of your Poetry to your email address only. You will then need to contact them.
22. The poets themselves must enter the poems on this site. By submitting a poem, the poet agrees to allow PoetrySoup and affiliated sister websites to publish their poem online.
23. Poems are published on this site purely for wholesome reading pleasure and with good intentions. If a Poet does not have legal rights to the poem they have posted on PoetrySoup, it will be removed immediately. We guarantee to fulfill such demands within 48 hours. (PoetrySoup reserves the right to investigate whether the person submitting that demand is authorized to do so or not).
24. Protect anonymity. Members are not permitted to collect or store personal data about other users. Additionally, you cannot solicit personally identifiable information from other members or disclose another member’s identity without their written permission.
25. There is no promise, no guarantee, and no warranty that display will be continually available or that works will be stored indefinitely. Members are advised to store their works elsewhere and not to depend on PoetrySoup for storage.
26. PoetrySoup reserves the right to use contact information, including email addresses, from each member to contact him or her about special PoetrySoup offers, membership notices, news, and like activities. General PoetrySoup emails are sent to members about once a week.
27. Individual contact information is not shared. However, complete member databases, NOT including email addresses, may be accessed by affiliated websites.
28. Patronage or donations to the site is not a guarantee of membership.
29. Service can be terminated or suspended at any time and without notice. PoetrySoup reserves the right to do for any reason. If service is terminated, no further access will be allowed to the offending member. Posted works and accounts can be deleted without notice. (Offending blogs, poems, or comments, etc., are deleted immediately).
30. PoetrySoup reserves the right to change any of the terms and conditions of use and membership at any time, without notice.

See also: About PoetrySoup | Privacy Statement