• You will need an E-Mail address, so you can get an MSN Passport.
• If you already have an MSN passport or a HOTMAIL.COM E-Mail address, you can use that address as MSN will already have your details.

Disclaimer

• This community exists to support anyone who has a problem dealing with Child, Youth and Family Services.
• The information provided by this community has a particular application to New Zealand. 
• Some information may be applicable in Australia, United Kingdom, Canada and even the USA and other parts of the world.  The extent of application will depend on the circumstances and legal jurisdiction concerned.
• However, any advice or information given by this community MUST NOT replace a competent legal advisor, familiar with Child Care and Protection case law in the particular legal jurisdiction concerned.  We strongly recommend that you have legal representation and advice for any legal proceedings that involve your children.

Community Membership 

• Membership of this community is free and open to all who abide by the Rules of Conduct.
• Joining this community does not mean you have become a Member of PANIC.
• To become a member of PANIC itself, you need to complete a membership form and pay the low annual subscription fee.
• For more information about joining PANIC please refer to the Contact details of the group nearest you.

• Please respect the privacy of your children and yourself.
• If you wish to identify your children, or any other person, on any messages simply use a letter of the alphabet to identify them.  (The Family Court does this.)
• Please do not give peoples names in your stories.  (The Family Court doesn't.)
• Please do not use your family name to identify yourself on the membership list or in any messages you may post on message boards.
• We recommend that you use a pseudonymn (False Name).
• We recommend that you do not display your E-Mail address.
• Please adjust your membership settings accordingly.
• We recommend you review and follow the MSN Communities Code of Conduct.
• Messages that do not comply will be deleted without further warning.
• Members who do not follow the code of conduct will be banned.

MSN Web Communities
Code of Conduct

• Respect Others
  
• Keep it Legal
  
• Play Nice
  
• Don't Spam
  
• Take it Personally
  
• Accept Responsibility
  
• Uphold the Code
  
• Protect your Privacy

As part of Microsoft's commitment to making MSN a great place to meet and interact with others around the world, you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Your commitment to this Code of Conduct in all bulletin board services, chat areas, news groups, forums, communities, personal web pages, calendars, photo albums, file cabinets, electronic mail postings and/or other message or communication facilities (including any contents of any of these services or facilities) designed to enable you to communicate with the public at large or with a group (collectively, "Communication Services"), ensures a positive experience for all our users.

Specific communities, chats, and discussion groups may also have additional guidelines which govern your use, so be sure to review them in addition to this Code of Conduct. Microsoft is not responsible for the content or activities in any user-created, non-Microsoft managed Communication Service.

The Communication Services' Web sites are general purpose sites and are designed for use by individuals that are 13 years of age or older.

All activity on MSN.COM (including the Communication Services) is also governed by the MSN.COM Terms of Use. To read the MSN.COM Terms of Use, please click here.

Respect Others

• We encourage everyone to treat each other with mutual respect. Do not use the Communication Services to threaten, harass, stalk, or abuse others participating in any Communication Service.
• Microsoft reserves the right to remove communities and chats that advocate or encourage expressions of violence, bigotry, racism, hatred, or profanity.
• Microsoft encourages our users to create their own chats and communities. Hosts or Microsoft may remove postings that are deemed inappropriate, offensive or that violate guidelines or this Code of Conduct. Hosts or Microsoft may also eject or ban any user from their area who behaves in a manner deemed inappropriate, offensive or who violates guidelines or this Code of Conduct. By participating in a user-created area, you agree to be bound to the rules of that area.· We offer you the opportunity to categorize the areas of the communications services you set up, however, Microsoft reserves the right to change or re-categorize the areas as it deems necessary to uphold this Code of Conduct.

Keep it Legal

• Microsoft does not allow any illegal activities. You cannot use the Communication Services to publish, post, distribute, or disseminate defamatory, infringing, obscene, or other unlawful material or information, specifically, but not limited to, child pornography, bestiality and incest. Also, you may not use these services for chats relating to illegal drugs.
• You may not use any of the Communications Services for the purpose of linking to external sites that violate this Code of Conduct.
• Do not upload files or post messages that contain photos, music, software or other material protected by intellectual property laws, rights of privacy or publicity or any other applicable law unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents. Microsoft is not responsible for any use of anything you say or post.
• Do not post any materials (including software and other information) that could harm (or is designed to harm) other users' computers or would allow others to inappropriately access software or Web sites.

Play Nice

• Microsoft does not tolerate disruptive activity online, such as persistent off-topic comments and postings or statements that incite others to violate this Code of Conduct or participate in illegal activities. Our participants want to chat and post on the Communication Services in a positive environment.
• Microsoft does not allow the posting of destructive features, use of computer programs that contain such features, or access to any content that contains destructive features such as: viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or bots for the use of scrolling, showing multiple screens, and other activities that can be disruptive to online communication.
• Falsely impersonating a Microsoft employee, agent, manager, host, or any other person with the intent to mislead or cause harm to others is forbidden.
• While we have provided you with the ability to self-rate and categorize the user-created areas of the Communication Services, Microsoft reserves the right to change the rating or re-categorize all user-created areas.

Don't Spam

• Please don't "spam" through the Communication Services, none of our users like it. To spam includes sending identical and irrelevant submissions to many different discussion groups, mailing lists, chats or communities. Usually such postings have nothing to do with the particular topic of the group or are of no real interest to those on the mailing list. To spam also includes misrepresenting the source of anything you say or post. Spamming and scrolling in chat rooms are serious violations of online etiquette.
• Microsoft reserves the right to ban a user at any time, without notice, from any or all Communication Services for spamming.

Take it Personally

• The Communication Services areas may be used to provide supplemental information regarding your own business (provided you do not use spam to provide this information); however, the Communication Services areas are not designed to be used as the primary mechanism for operating your business or providing core information about your business. Any use of the Communication Services for commercial purposes is solely at your own risk and Microsoft has no liability for such use.
• Any space provided to you in any Communication Service is for your own personal use. You may not sell, license, give away, exchange or barter any space provided to you within any Communication Service for any purpose including, without limitation, selling, licensing, exchanging or bartering space for advertisements.

Accept Responsibility

• You are responsible and liable for all your activities while participating in the Communication Services areas. Remember, you are responsible for anything you say or post and for protecting your own computer system. We recommend you install a virus protection program on your computer.
• Microsoft offers our users the ability to create their own Communication Services areas (e.g. chats, communities and personal web pages). Microsoft takes no responsibility for the ratings, content, nor any activities resulting from the content or otherwise, in these areas. The creators or hosts of these user-created areas are required to agree to and uphold this Code of Conduct before creating their Communication Service.
• The Communication Services areas are not designed as the primary places to store any materials; you are responsible for creating backups of materials you post to any Communication Service such as photos, documents and software. Microsoft is not responsible for loss of, access to, or deletion or alteration of any materials included in any Communication Service.
• Microsoft reserves the right to remove at any time, without notice, any user-created Communication Service (or any particular posting).
• Some Communication Services may post Internet website links in their area. Please be advised that Microsoft is not responsible for the content on the websites associated with the links you may view.
• Some content and links on the Internet may contain adult content and may not be suitable for children. We encourage parents to join their children as they surf and explore the Internet.
• You are responsible for any actions you may take based on advice or information you receive online. Use your own good judgment when evaluating information provided through any Communication Service, remember that the information provided could be from people at any age and experience level. The decision to conduct transactions with anyone is your own and you should conduct your own research prior to making any decisions.

Uphold the Code

• In helping to make the Communication Services a great place to meet and chat, you must do your part to uphold this Code of Conduct.
• Microsoft reserves the right to immediately terminate or suspend access to any Communication Service for violations of our Code of Conduct.
• Microsoft also reserves our right to amend or change the Code of Conduct at any time without notice. You agree to periodically review this document to ensure you are doing your part.
• Microsoft is not obligated to send users or hosts a warning before deleting any content.

Protect your Privacy

• We caution you against giving out personally identifiable information (such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, names and addresses, telephone numbers, driver license numbers) to strangers online, which may be used for illegal or harmful purposes.
• Some personal information you provide to Microsoft may be stored outside of the country in which you reside.
• To read the MSN Privacy Statement please click here.

Thanks for following this Code of Conduct and joining MSN Communication Services!