Birddie .. post #293. Heart'Song was a regular contributor here since 2001, with over 500 pictures in her gallery. Many attracted over 50 comments each .. some over 100. ALL positive. When the TOS was last changed here, the rules were applied retrospectively to pictures that already existed and which, at the time of posting, had been within the TOS at the time. 2 years later, someone complained about 5 of Heart'Song's pictures. None of them contravened the letter of the new, tighter, rules, except the part that allows the discretion of the Mods to decide suitability over and above the actual rules themselves. So far so good. Unfortunately, the first Heart'Song knew about the 5 'offending' images was when she couldn't access Renderosity one day. She called the Admins here who told her she'd been banned for 3 days and 5 pictures had been deleted for violating the TOS. I guess this was the crossroads. She could have said "Fair enough" and walked away (I wish that she had). But as the pictures were only against the new TOS because the Mods said they were, no element in them actually broke the actual rules, she decided to query it. She did so, privately, by discussing it with officials here. I do not know the details of those discussions. But there was clearly some disagreement about interpretations and, as is her perfect right, Heart decided to air the issue publicly. This is the place for such discussions. There were three threads on the issue because each got 'hi-jacked' by other members, and the Mods locked them before Heart got a sensible, consistent answer to her question about what was, and was not, allowed. Although tempers rose a little, all the posts were within the TOS. In the first thread, two of the Mods couldn't agree on their interpretation of the rules. I don't blame them at all .. it was good to see them thinking the matter through 'in the open', but it was clear that the case was causing some disagreement. Next thing we know, Heart has been banned permanently, her entire gallery has been deleted, and new draconian (and ill-thought out) rules are put in place. That is why a number of us are rather .. ummm .. upset. No disrespect, but there is some history here. I'm sure when things have simmered down we'll all reach a sensible compromise. After all, we do this hobby for fun. And the Admins and Mods are sensible, thoughtful people who keep this place safe and profitable (no crime in that). They've gone too far in this case, but I'm sure common sense will prevail in due course. mooch