🗨️ Welcome to Our Community

At Israel.com, we value the diverse perspectives and thoughtful contributions of our readers. Our comment sections and feedback channels are designed to foster meaningful dialogue about Middle East news and current events while maintaining a respectful and constructive environment for all participants.

This policy outlines our guidelines for reader feedback, comment moderation standards, and our commitment to creating a space where diverse viewpoints can be shared respectfully and productively.

📋 Community Guidelines

What We Welcome

• Thoughtful Analysis: Well-reasoned opinions and analysis based on facts and evidence
• Diverse Perspectives: Different viewpoints that contribute to a nuanced understanding of issues
• Constructive Criticism: Feedback about our coverage that helps improve our journalism
• Personal Experiences: First-hand accounts that add context and human perspective to stories
• Factual Corrections: Corrections to errors in our reporting, with supporting evidence
• Respectful Disagreement: Civil discourse that acknowledges the complexity of Middle East issues

Community Standards

• Respectful Tone: All comments should maintain a civil and respectful tone toward other users
• Fact-Based Discussion: Arguments should be supported by credible sources when making factual claims
• On-Topic Engagement: Comments should relate to the article or topic being discussed
• Original Content: Users should provide their own thoughts rather than copy-pasting from other sources
• Identity Transparency: Users should represent themselves honestly and avoid impersonation

🚫 Prohibited Content

Content We Don't Allow

• Hate Speech: Content targeting individuals or groups based on race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or other protected characteristics
• Personal Attacks: Ad hominem attacks, insults, or harassment directed at other users or individuals mentioned in articles
• Misinformation: Deliberately false or misleading information presented as fact
• Spam and Self-Promotion: Repetitive content, excessive self-promotion, or commercial advertising
• Threats and Violence: Content that promotes, threatens, or incites violence against any person or group
• Doxxing: Sharing private personal information about individuals without consent
• Copyright Violation: Posting substantial portions of copyrighted material without permission

⚖️ Moderation Process

How We Moderate

• Pre-Moderation: Comments on sensitive topics may be reviewed before publication
• Post-Moderation: Most comments are published immediately and reviewed afterward
• Community Flagging: Readers can flag inappropriate content for moderator review
• Automated Detection: AI tools help identify potential violations for human review
• Editorial Review: Senior editors review appeals and complex moderation decisions

Moderation Standards

• Consistency: We apply our guidelines consistently across all content and users
• Transparency: Users receive clear explanations when content is moderated
• Proportionality: Moderation actions are proportionate to the severity of violations
• Context Sensitivity: We consider cultural and political context when making moderation decisions
• Appeal Process: Users can appeal moderation decisions through our formal process

⏰ Response Times and Support

Our Commitments

• Moderation Response: Comments flagged for review are assessed within 4 hours during business hours
• Editorial Feedback: Substantive feedback about our coverage receives a response within 48 hours
• Technical Issues: Technical problems with commenting are addressed within 24 hours
• Appeal Reviews: Moderation appeals are reviewed within 72 hours
• Policy Questions: Questions about our policies are answered within 24 hours

Peak Period Management

• Breaking News: Additional moderators monitor comments during major breaking news events
• Controversial Topics: Enhanced moderation for articles on highly sensitive subjects
• Holiday Coverage: Modified response times during major holidays with advance notice
• Weekend Support: Limited moderation support available on weekends for urgent issues

👤 Account Management

Account Actions

• Warnings: First violations typically result in warnings and educational responses
• Comment Removal: Individual comments that violate guidelines are removed with notification
• Temporary Suspension: Serious or repeated violations may result in temporary comment suspension
• Permanent Ban: Severe violations or persistent policy abuse can result in permanent account bans
• Appeal Process: All account actions can be appealed through our formal review process

Account Features

• User Profiles: Optional profiles allow users to share background and expertise
• Comment History: Users can view their comment history and moderation status
• Notification Settings: Customizable notifications for replies and moderator messages
• Blocking Tools: Users can block other users to avoid unwanted interactions
• Privacy Controls: Comprehensive privacy settings for account information

📝 Editorial Feedback

How to Provide Feedback

• Article Comments: Comment directly on articles for specific feedback about that story
• Email Feedback: Send detailed feedback to our editorial team via email
• Correction Requests: Use our dedicated correction request system for factual errors
• Story Suggestions: Submit story ideas and tips through our news tip portal
• General Feedback: Share overall thoughts about our coverage through our feedback form

What Makes Good Feedback

• Specific Examples: Point to specific articles, quotes, or sections when providing feedback
• Constructive Suggestions: Offer suggestions for improvement rather than just criticism
• Supporting Evidence: Provide sources or evidence when challenging factual claims
• Clear Communication: Express feedback clearly and professionally
• Respect for Deadlines: Understand that breaking news requires rapid reporting that may be updated

🔒 Data and Privacy

Information We Collect

• Account Information: Username, email address, and optional profile information
• Comment Data: Text of comments, timestamps, and associated metadata
• Technical Data: IP addresses, browser information, and device identifiers for security
• Interaction Data: Comment likes, replies, and user interaction patterns
• Moderation Records: History of moderation actions for policy enforcement

How We Use This Information

• Comment Display: Publishing approved comments with usernames on our website
• Moderation: Enforcing community guidelines and identifying policy violations
• Security: Preventing spam, abuse, and fraudulent activity
• Communication: Sending notifications about comment replies and moderation actions
• Analytics: Understanding community engagement to improve our platform