Disciplinary Action:
A member may be issued either a warning or an infraction if deemed warranted by an admin or mentor (usually from guideline noncompliance). Infractions range from 1 to 10 "points", depending on the severity of the violation; warnings carry no points. If a member accrues 8 or more infraction points, he or she will be automatically banned from Physics Forums for a period of 10 days. If a member receives any infraction after having returned from a temporary ban, that member will then be banned permanently. Obvious, incorrigible spamming or trouble making will be met with a permanent ban.
"Member banning" is the process of permanently or temporarily removing a person's membership from a particular community or group. It is usually necessary when a member repeatedly violates the community's rules or engages in behavior that is harmful or disruptive to other members.
Infraction points are a way for a community to keep track of a member's rule violations. They are usually given when a member breaks a rule, and the severity of the infraction determines the number of points given. For example, a minor rule violation may result in 1 or 2 points, while a more serious violation may result in 5 or more points.
Yes, infraction points can be removed. Some communities have a system in place where points are automatically removed after a certain period of time, while others may allow members to appeal their points or request for them to be removed. However, if a member continues to break rules, their points may not be removed and could lead to a ban.
In most cases, no. Once a membership is revoked due to a ban, it is unlikely that a refund will be given. This is because the community has already invested time and resources into the member and their actions have warranted a ban, making it unfair to other members who have not violated the rules.
No, there may be other consequences for rule violations such as temporary suspensions, loss of privileges, or warnings. Banning is usually a last resort for severe or repeated violations and is not the only course of action that a community can take to enforce their rules.