Terms of Use
Be respectful
Each user must treat others with respect. You must express your opinion and/or disagreement with an idea without insulting, stigmatizing, or engaging in cyberbullying toward other participants.
One account per user
Participation in the Forum is intended to be transparent and honest; therefore, we do not allow users to have multiple accounts on the Forum or to share their account with others.
Review existing sections before posting
Before posting your message, please take the time to review the different discussions on the Forum to ensure you are posting in the appropriate section. Your message may be moved without notice by the moderation team if it is in the wrong section.
No advertising or solicitation
Our forum does not allow the posting of advertisements (including personal, commercial, or non-profit advertising). Hyperlinks posted on the forum must be for informational purposes; otherwise, they will be considered advertising.
No illegal, obscene, or defamatory content
Posts containing illegal, violent, obscene, or discriminatory content are not permitted on the forum.
Privacy protection
Personal data refers to information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. A person is identifiable when they can be identified, directly or indirectly, for example through an identification number or one or more factors specific to them. For this reason, users must not disclose their names, addresses, or phone numbers, nor those of others (including other participants), on the Forum. Users must create a pseudonym that does not allow them to be identified on the forum.
The email address used to register on the forum will be stored in a database for the duration of the forum only and will then be dissociated from the data.
Metadata may be collected during your visits to the forum website: IP or MAC addresses and cookies.
During the registration process, you will be asked a few demographic questions. These questions are general and will be used solely for research purposes.
By participating in the forum, you consent to the collection, storage, transfer, and use by the Genetic Discrimination Observatory team of the information you have posted and the data collected on the Forum.
Confidentiality:
Your information will remain anonymous and confidential. No information that could identify you will be published. The posts you make on the forum will be associated with the themes and questions discussed, but personal data will remain anonymous during and after the forum. Your personal information will not be shared with other participants or third parties during or after the forum. Your anonymized information will be archived for the duration of the project.
Copyright-protected information:
All content on the forum, including posts created by participants, is the property of the Centre of Genomics and Policy (CGP) at McGill University. By agreeing to participate, you waive and/or agree to transfer to the CGP all copyright you may hold in relation to the posts you make on the forum.
Legal responsibilities
The Forum team and the Genetic Discrimination Observatory team cannot be held responsible for the content of information posted on the Forum. All information posted by users cannot be verified and may contain inaccuracies or content that does not comply with the Forum rules. Advice provided freely on the Forum should not be considered legal or professional advice. Participants are responsible for their actions both on and off the Forum. For any legal or health-related issues, it is recommended that you seek the services of a qualified professional. The Genetic Discrimination Observatory is the sole owner of the content published on the Forum. By participating, you waive any copyright on your posts.
The moderation team
The moderation team ensures that the forum runs smoothly in accordance with the established rules, which it may interpret and enforce as needed. It has the authority to review and evaluate posts made on the forum, and to disable user accounts or remove posted content without prior notice.
The general moderation procedure in case of a rule violation is as follows:
- A warning by email;
- Another warning by email along with a temporary suspension of access to the forum for a few days;
- A final email notifying of permanent suspension.
The moderation team may modify this procedure at any time or proceed directly to step three (permanent suspension) without notice depending on the severity of the violation. Users may communicate with the moderation team regarding a warning as long as the exchange remains brief, respectful, and private. However, the team's decision is generally final and not subject to appeal. Any person who sends insulting messages to the moderation team in response to a warning will be permanently excluded from the forum.
Information and Disclaimer
When you access the forum, you will be presented with a short news article on the topic of GD along with one or more related questions. Once you have completed your reading, you will have the opportunity to express your views by responding to the question. You may post your opinion in the form of comments and interact with other participants by replying to their comments. You may enter and exit the forum as you wish and as often as you like. A moderator will be responsible for relaunching and closing discussions on a given question.
The forum will run for a period of 4 to 8 weeks. During this time, you are strongly encouraged to express your views on the questions presented and to interact with other participants. You can access the forum at any time by visiting the forum website (forum.gdo.global) using an internet-connected device (e.g., desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet).
Forum guidelines (this information will be available on the forum website at all times during the forum):
- Although GD is a sensitive topic that may lead to strong opinions, all participants must treat others with respect. Express your opinions or disagreements politely and civilly, avoiding stigmatization or cyberbullying.
- Before posting a comment, review existing comments to ensure your message is in the correct section and relevant to the discussion. Comments may be moved without notice if posted in the wrong section.
- The forum rules prohibit posts intended for solicitation or advertising (including personal, commercial, or non-profit). Content and links must be informational; otherwise, they will be considered advertising.
- The forum rules prohibit illegal, violent, obscene, or discriminatory content.
- The forum rules prohibit participants from posting personal addresses or phone numbers, whether their own or those of others.
- Failure to comply with forum rules may result in permanent exclusion (and any other legal consequences).