Online Media Usage Policy

COPA strives to provide a constructive environment for discussion of the ownership, operation, and enjoyment of Cirrus aircraft, in accordance with our mission statement. Above all, we are committed to the safe operation of Cirrus aircraft. We present information via our website, magazine and other media to promote discussion among, and for the entertainment of, our members. Naturally, we want members to find the COPA forum, blogs and articles useful and enjoyable.

This policy describes a standard of behavior intended to improve the online experience for all COPA members. By and large, they are based on commonsense notions of good manners and mutual respect. We recognize that online interaction creates unique problems not seen in face to face interactions. When conflicts arise, we rely foremost on our members' goodwill and good sense to maintain decorum. These guidelines form a basis for adjudicating the more resistant issues. Keep in mind though, as with all social media, the ultimate nature of the online experience depends on you: COPA members and contributors.

Civility

COPA-hosted social media (forums, wikis, blogs, etc.) are designed to exchange and debate ideas. Personal attacks ("flaming") are not tolerated. Personal attacks are defined as any attempt to short-circuit the debate by diverting attention to the shortcomings of the other debating parties rather than their arguments. We encourage you to challenge other points of view but please do so in a respectful and thoughtful manner. Think before clicking on the "send" button: is this something you'd feel comfortable saying in person?
COPA materials are often read by families of members. Explicit, obscene or vulgar language is not appropriate and COPA may remove any material containing such language. Similarly, writings that solicit or offer (whether directly or implicitly) sexually explicit, X-rated, or similar 'NSFW' content may be deleted without notice.
As a matter of policy, COPA does not preview or approve member content. However, your participation grants COPA the right to modify or delete material to conform to these guidelines. For instance, a misplaced post will be relocated to the appropriate forum without notice.

Intellectual Property

Member contributions are intended to be shared within COPA. Do not copy, reproduce, or post them outside the COPA community without express permission from COPA or the author.
Do not publish copyrighted materials on COPA unless you are the copyright holder. Examples include photographs, news articles, etc. If you don't own it, post or embed a link to the content but do not copy or upload it.
By contributing material to COPA online media, you (a) represent that the content of your post is your own material and you have the right to post it, and (b) you grant a nonexclusive license to COPA to reproduce your material in any manner it sees fit, in any media or form, including the right to edit or alter your material without limitation. For example, the material you submit may be used alone or in combination with other material and reproduced on a website, in a magazine article or in any other media. COPA has no obligation to attribute the content to you in any such reproduction.

Forum Posting Best Practices

Use meaningful subjects. Make it easy for readers to decide whether or not to read your post. Subjects like "Need help", or "Look at this!", or others that are intentionally vague in order to attract attention, are considered bad form. Unclear subjects may be modified to improve clarity.
Post in the appropriate forum. Read the forum descriptions and choose the forum appropriate to your topic. Posts placed in the incorrect forum may be relocated without notice. Individual forums may have additional guidelines.
Avoid duplicate posts on the same issue. Post your message only once in the most appropriate forum. The desire to reach the largest possible audience is not a valid reason to clutter up the forums. Essentially duplicate posts and the associated thread may be removed without notice.
Political commentary does not belong on the COPA forums, all discussion directed toward a particular political party, politician, or that leads to divisive political debate and/or controversy, will be removed from the forums, repeat offenders risk the suspension or revocation of their member privileges in accordance with COPA’s bylaws. Political discussion that is germane to aviation is allowed, however, the rules of civility still apply, if you are unable or unwilling to articulate your opinions and carry on a debate without violating these tenets, you risk having your post removed.
Use "Conversations" or email for personal messages. You may be pleased to see one of your friends post after a long absence. A forum message such as "Hey Vlad, long time no see! How are things with the family?" does not add meaningfully to the public discussion. Send Vlad an email, start a conversation, or put comments on his profile instead.
Posts that constitute advertising of either personal or business nature must be made on the Marketplace forum. When a thread becomes predominantly marketing-oriented, perhaps due to participation of a vendor, it may be relocated to the Marketplace forum. Individuals affiliated with aviation-related organizations are requested to list their affiliation in the footer of their personal profile.
Before posting, please ask yourself: "Will this post help my fellow COPANs with the safety, understanding, utility or enjoyment of their airplane or COPA?" If you can answer "yes" to this, then please post. If not, then please refrain from posting, or post it on the "Off-Topic" forum. Similarly, before replying, ask yourself: "Does my reply offer meaningful advice or significantly contribute to the conversation?" If you can answer "yes" to this, then please reply. If you cannot, consider clicking Like, sending a private message, etc.
Respect the privacy of fellow members. Certain personal information is available on the online member database. Do not post additional contact or other personal information without permission. This includes information gleaned from Internet searches or aviation tracking sites.
When discussing public figures, e.g., actors in our ecosystem such as CFIs, vendors or air traffic controllers, accord them the same respect as you would a fellow COPA member.

Forum Moderation

Forum software allows readers to flag offending posts through the "Flag as Spam/Abuse" facility made visible by clicking on the gear symbol at the bottom of each post. Moderators may remove the offending language or the post or even the thread containing it, inform the originator of an offending post, ask the author to delete the post, or propose another conflict resolution approach
The light moderation performed by COPA volunteers is largely dependent upon member notification, and cannot be considered definitive or consistent. Prior posts that have not been deleted cannot be assumed to be in conformance with COPA policy, and do not establish a precedent with respect to moderation./li>
Discussion of COPA policy on moderation may take place on the COPA Organization or Website Help, Discussion forums. Reposting of material deleted or quarantined by moderators is not allowed.
Failure to comply with the guidelines, or a recurrent pattern of offenses may result in being banned from COPA. Members removed as a result of this policy shall have their most recent annual dues payment refunded pro-rata.
If you feel that you are being attacked or harassed, avoid retaliating, use the "Flag as Spam/Abuse" feature which automatically notifies the moderation team.

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