The Forum Ban Ladder & How It Works!

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Guardian
The Last Skyrbender
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How does Wolfhome enforce rules, and what is the Ban Ladder?

I broke a rule... now what?

Wolfhome, as you may know, has a Ban Ladder to keep the chat safe and healthy for all users at all times. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the chat and community happily! Communication is key in a community like Wolfhome and we suggest to always be cordial when approaching problems you may have with other users. Remember to treat others how you wish to be treated!

Wolfhome's Ban Ladder is set up in a way that ensures all users are treated fairly and not immediately banned. We typically go by the 3-Strikes Rule, but depending on how serious the issue is, a Permanent Ban may be given. Also if you receive a Permanent Ban on chat, your forum account will be permanently banned as well. Also, please note that our chat is based in the United States and follows US Laws.


As its name suggests, the Ban Ladder means that you will take steps leading up to certain ban lengths. Under normal circumstances, the Ban Ladder follows this format:

1st Infraction: Reminder - A Reminder is given for the first offense you commit or the first offense you commit after your previous probationary period. Please note that this does not apply to offenses that automatically result in a ban. Depending on the severity of the infraction, reminders may be skipped and a higher step on your ban ladder can be placed.
2nd Infraction: Naughty Gram ("NG"/E-mail Warning) - An NG or Naughty Gram is a warning message that is both e-mailed to you and sent through chat message. You will receive it if you break a rule within four months of your Reminder. These are sometimes coupled with reminders as we try to diffuse the situation as it is happening before realizing you are due for an NG (it takes a few minutes of investigating on the forum).
3rd Infraction: 24 hour ban - A 24 hour ban is issued if you break another rule within four months of receiving an NG.
4th Infraction: 3 day ban - A 3 day ban is issued if you break another rule within four months of receiving a 24 hour ban.
5th Infraction: 1 week ban - A 1 week ban is issued if you break another rule within four months of receiving a 3 day ban.
6th Infraction: 2 week ban - A 2 week ban is issued if you break another rule within four months of receiving a 1 week ban. They have a refresh rate of six months.
7th Infraction: 1 month ban - A 1 month ban is issued if you break another rule within six months of receiving a 2 week ban. 1 month bans have a refresh rate of six months.
8th Infraction: Permanent Ban - Permanent Bans are only issued if you break a rule that immediately results in a Permanent Ban or if this is the next step on your ladder. Permanent Bans have to be appealed and will have a probationary period of six months upon release.
You may be asking yourself: What are refresh rates and the probationary period?
Refresh rates are the amount of time it takes for an infraction to fall off of your record. After it has fallen off, it no longer counts against you and is viewed as old and irrelevant. This means that if you were banned for one month and then seven months after you were released you committed another infraction, you would not be banned again. Your ladder has reset and you are on the first step, which is a Reminder. It is based off the most recent prior infraction you have. Probationary periods are technically the same thing, but are used to describe a user's placement on the Ban Ladder. If you break Rules during your refresh period, you will move up a rung on the Ban Ladder.

These are the refresh rates for each step in the ladder:
  • Reminders, NG, 24 hours, 3 days, 1 week - 4 months
  • 2 weeks, 1 month, Perm - 6 months
It is important to know that while you are banned your probationary period does not progress. It would simply go on "vacation mode" while you are banned until you are released.

For example: User A earns their two week ban. They come back, are two months into their probationary period, and commit another infraction they will be banned again, though with a one month ban. Their probationary period is two of six months completed and will not progress to a third month while they are banned. Therefore, when they come back from being banned for the second time, their ban ladder will still be at two of six months.


** Please note, if we find that you are purposefully abusing the probationary periods, full action will be taken against your account.

It is important to us that every member of our community has the chance to learn the Rules prior to being barred from the Chat or Forum permanently. The Ban Ladder provides our members with that chance. Please keep in mind, there are exceptions to this of course. Many infractions can result in larger ban lengths, and/or an automatic Permanent or Chatlands Wide Bans.

What if I think my punishment is unjust?
Everytime you are warned or banned, you will also receive a NG explaining why in order to alleviate any confusion. If you feel your warning or ban is unjust, please fill out and submit a Problem Ticket. All Problem Tickets are reviewed by the Administration so we can clear up any confusion as quickly as possible.

What if I see someone else breaking the rules? Why are they not punished as well?
Please remember that if you see something occurring on the forum that is violating a rule of Wolfhome, you should report it to a Forum Moderator. If there are no Forum Moderators online at the time, you may send it to an Administrator who is not on the Forum Department and they will relay the information. You may view the Forum Moderator Team here and Forum Administrator Team here.

It is also important to remember that if it seems that a user breaks a rule and gets away with it, it is likely that the situation is being posted for opinions or being handled in a private manner. Sometimes behavior will be considered borderline, and instead of outright punishing the user involved, the Administrator will post logs of the situation so that the rest of the Administration can vote on what action is necessary.

PLEASE REMEMBER: The Wolfhome Administration cannot be everywhere at once, so it is up to YOU, as a user, to report any rule breaks or suspicious activity to the Wolfhome Administration Team quickly. We will follow up on all reports as soon as we can, and we will take necessary and appropriate action as required.
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