Tell us what you think.

We love getting feedback about your Gather experience. In fact, some great ideas for site enhancement have come from Gather members. If you have a suggestion, send it to feedback@gather.com. We're listening.

Have a question?

If none of our FAQs answers your question, we'll help you one-on-one. Just send us a detailed description of the problem you're having. We can help you faster if you provide the following information:

• What kind of computer do you use: Mac or PC?
• Which web browser do you use: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, etc.?
• What operating system is on your computer: Windows XP, Mac OS X, etc.?

Send your question and computer information to support@gather.com. We'll get back to you soon.

Getting Started

How do I get started on Gather
Below, you’ll find a handful of helpful hints:

Get to know Gather?
A good way to become familiar with the variety of content on Gather is by starting at the homepage, www.gather.com. In the center of the page you'll find a rotating marquee of featured Gather Essentials™ articles, and one additional feature from the Editorial Team. Browse the rest of the homepage for an overview of highlighted Groups, People, Images, Videos, and Articles.

Or maybe you're ready to go exploring! Use the tabs across the top of the page to discover Articles, Images, Video, People, and Groups organized by recent activity, popularity, and community rank (most read, highest rated, and most viewed). Once you find something interesting, click a tag or group, or explore a member's other content. There's something new behind every click. Another option is to use the search tools located at the top of any page.

Create your Gather profile
After joining, visit your profile; it's all about you! What are your interests and affiliations? What makes you unique? The more you share, the easier it will be for others to find and connect with you. Make sure to update your profile often with your most current info and interests.

Create your personal Gather icon
Having an icon is a great idea. Icons personalize your Gather experience and help other members recognize you. Your icon can be a picture of yourself or anything you choose. Whatever image you select, it will represent you on the site - on your profile page, next to any comments you post, and with all content you publish.

To set an image as your icon, simply upload a new image. On the image options page, check the box that reads "Make this image my personal icon on Gather." Save it, and you're all set.

Invite people and make new friends
Gather is a great place for you and your friends to get together and share the important moments of your lives. You can even discover new things about each other! Start by inviting the people you know to join you on Gather.

You may already know lots of people on Gather, or maybe you're looking to make some new friends. The more people you connect with, the larger your network becomes -- and the entire Gather community benefits from the sharing of your thoughts and comments. Use people search to locate folks from your school, work, or community or to find people who share your interests. Then visit their profile page to add them as your friend on Gather.

Feed your interests by joining Gather Groups
Want to connect in a whole new way? Groups are a great way to do it. They're centralized, shared spaces for members to publish articles, images, and video with a common theme or for a common purpose. A group can be anything from a fan club to a writers' workshop to a college alumni club. Use the group search tool at the top of any page and select "search groups" to find groups that interest you. If you have your own special interest, you can also create a group on Gather.

Visit your My Gather page each day
Your My Gather page is where you can keep up with all the recent activity by your friends and groups, plus the stuff you're into. This page also contains your "dashboard", where you'll see alerts for friend requests, new group invitations, and private messages, as well as your Gather Points earnings and a link to your profile page. You'll also learn about the most recent Gather events, and have direct access to your content and account info.

Tell all your friends about your profile
Your profile is like having your own website to showcase your interests and talent, and it's located at username.gather.com. This space details everything Gather-related about you. When you're signed in, there's a link to your profile in the top right corner of all Gather pages. This is where others will find all your Gather contributions: Articles, Images, Video, Comments, People, Groups, profile information, plus a feed of your recent activity. Keep it up-to-date and your friends will flock to your profile to see what's up in your world.

Express yourself
There are plenty of ways to express yourself on Gather. Don't be shy; you don't need a Pulitzer to share your thoughts and ideas. Start off by simply commenting on something that inspired you. See a member you like? Ping that person's profile. Sharing images is a fun way to be creative and show people your view of the world. You can even dive right in by sharing your perspective or poetry in an article. Even video is easy on Gather. So if you've always wanted to be a star, show us what you've got.

Registration

Is Gather free to join?
Yes. Gather membership is absolutely free.

Why do I need to confirm my email address?
Confirming your email address is how we make sure you're a real person and prevent SPAM and other undesirable behavior on Gather. Be sure to take this step right away; your registration isn't complete until you confirm. After 7 days, if you don't confirm your email address, your registration will expire and your username will be released.

Be assured: we respect your privacy. Gather never sells or rents member email addresses. And YOU decide what email communications you wish to receive (if any) on your email preferences page.

The link in my invite or confirmation email isn't working. What should I do? Don't worry; we'll get you set up. One possible problem is the link you received in your email may be disabled. Typically this happens if the link associated with your invitation is incomplete. You can copy the visible link from your email and paste the link URL into your internet browser's address bar. Be sure to copy the entire link and make sure it isn't broken into two or more lines.

1. Use your cursor to highlight the entire link.
2. Copy the link.
3. Place your cursor into your internet browser's address bar.
4. Paste the link into the address bar.
5. Press Enter on your keyboard.

If you've tried the options above and are still having trouble, you can still join Gather here: Join Today - It's FREE! Registration takes about a minute. If you continue to have trouble, please send an email to support@gather.com with a detailed description of what happened after you tried the steps above.

How do I keep Gather emails from going into my spam folder?
If the email is in your spam folder, select the message and mark it as "not spam" or "not junk." Make sure the email address memberinfo@gather.com is not blocked by your spam prevention settings and does not appear on your blocked senders list. Add memberinfo@gather.com to your address book and/or safe email list, plus gather-updates@gather.com for Gather news updates and promotions@gather.com for contest and events information. To ensure you'll continue to receive emails from Gather:

• Outlook Users: From the Actions menu, select Junk E-mail and "Add Sender to Safe Senders List"
• Hotmail, Yahoo and AOL Users: Click the "Add Address" or "Save Address" button or link beside the "From" address at the top of this message
• Users of Other Email Systems: Please follow the software or service-provider's instructions for adding memberinfo@gather.com to your "safe senders list" or "whitelist."

Can I change my username once it's been chosen?
Your Gather username is the only personal info you are unable to update. Your username can be any combination of up to 16 numbers or lowercase letters. Don't use capitals, spaces, symbols, or underscores. Your username is different from your display name, which is how your name will appear on Gather.

If you need to change your username, please contact us at support@gather.com. Email us your existing username and three alternatives for a new username (in case one and two are already in use by other Gather members). We'll notify you when the change has been made.

Will I be able to delete my account?
We'd hate to see you go; however, if you would like to cancel your membership, please email support@gather.com. Be sure to include both your username and your primary email address on Gather. Once your account is closed, all of your content, Gather Points, and preferences will be deleted from Gather. An alternative is to visit your "my account" page on Gather and turn off all your email notification preferences. This will make your account dormant in case you wish to try Gather again in the future.

My Gather

What is a feed, and how does it work?
A feed shows the latest that’s happening with you, your friends, your groups, and the stuff you care about. Gather has 4 types of feeds. The Friends Feed, Groups Feed, and Feed Me are on your My Gather page. Your My Feed lives on your profile page and shows your visitors everything you’ve been up to.

What is a Friend Feed?
Your Friends Feed, located on your My Gather page, shows you what’s new with your friends. You’ll see the articles, images, and videos they publish, as well as what they comment on, the new friends they make, their profile updates, pings they leave and receive, and the groups they join and create. To customize who you see in your feed, just click the “settings” link in your Friends Feed. Select the “selected friends” radio button to add and remove the friends you want to keep up with.

What is a Group Feed?
Your Groups Feed, located on your My Gather page, shows you all the new content added to your groups. To customize the groups you see in your feed, just click the “settings” link in your Groups Feed. Select the “selected groups” radio button to add and remove the groups whose activities you want to keep up with.

What is Feed Me?
Feed Me, located on your My Gather page, is how Gather serves up content about the topics you care about most. Into photography? Big fan of ballet? Just type those keywords into your My Feed space, and you’ll get up-to-the-minute articles, images, and video about the very stuff you love.

What is My Feed?
Your My Feed, located on your profile page, shows your visitors all the public stuff you’ve been up to. They’ll see the articles, images, and videos you publish, as well as what you comment on, the new friends you make, your profile updates, pings you leave and receive, and groups you join and create.

Where do I find all the stuff I’ve published?
Every article, image, and video you publish lives in my My Gather page. There, you’ll also find sections for your profile, comments, friends, and groups. Just think of your My Gather page as your whole Gather world -- right at your fingertips.

How do I access my account settings?
In the dashboard of your My Gather page, you’ll find links to “my account,” “email preferences,” and “guarded viewing.” Through these links, you can update the various aspects of your Gather experience – updating your basic account info, which emails you want to get from Gather, and what types of content (for mature audiences or not) you want to see. You can also access your account from the top of your My Gather page near the search box. To update what you see in each individual feed, click “settings” in the upper right-hand corner of each feed.

Managing Your Account

I'm having trouble signing in. What should I do?
Here are some tips for signing in. Try these first:

1. Remember that your username must be all lowercase letters. Capitals and special symbols are not permitted.
2. Your password may be case-sensitive.
3. Make sure you have "cookies" enabled in the internet browser you are using.
4. Experiment with lowering your browser's security settings.
5. Try using a different internet browser.

If none of that works click the "Forgot your sign-in?" link in the "Sign-In" box. Select the information (either username or password) that you wish to receive. Enter your email address in the field. Be sure to enter the email address associated with your Gather account. If you are requesting your username, we'll display that on-screen. If you've forgotten your password, we'll email you with a link you can use to change your password.

What if I forget my password?
No problem; it happens to the best of us. Visit the "forgot your sign-in" page, check the box next to "password" and type your email into the box provided. We'll email you a link to change your password. Be sure to enter the email address associated with your Gather account.

How do I close my account?
We'd hate to see you go. But if you'd like to cancel your membership, please email support@gather.com. Be sure to include both your username and your primary email address on Gather. Once your account is closed, all of your content, Gather Points, and preferences will be deleted from Gather. Another alternative is to visit your "my account" page on Gather and turn off all your email notification preferences. This will make your account dormant in case you wish to try Gather again in the future.

How do I manage my account?
Managing your account falls into three areas: (1) account information; such as your name, the email address you provided when you set up your account, and your password; (2) your email preferences, which select what you want to be notified about via email; (3) and your profile page, where you describe yourself. By joining Gather, you've created a Gather account. Your next step is to set your email preferences and fill out your profile page. These pages can be updated at any time.

How do I change Gather settings like my display name and password?
To change the details of your Gather account, visit your personal "my account" page. You can change your display name, password, email, location, Guarded Viewing preferences, and notification email settings. Your "my account" page can be accessed by clicking on "my account," located in the upper right-hand corner of any page. The account options you may customize are as follows:

• First Name/Last Name - Your first and last name will create your “display name” on Gather. This is how your name is displayed on your profile and with your content. To best build your Gather brand, make sure this is how you want others to know you. Your first and last name can be updated at any time on your "my account" page or your profile page.
• Location - Your location is displayed along with your display name. It can be your city and state, metro area, region, country -- it's up to you. There is a 45-character limit for location. Your location can be changed at any time on your "my account" page or your profile page.
• Username - Your username is used to log in to your account on Gather, and cannot be duplicated by another member. Your username also acts as the prefix to your profile URL (username.gather.com), which is public on Gather and is visible to other members. Don't forget that your username is visible to other members. Members cannot currently change usernames. If you need to change your username, please email support@gather.com. Usernames can use up to 16 numbers and/or lowercase letters. No capitals, spaces, symbols, or underscores.
• Password - Your password is a security feature used while signing in, and should be kept completely to yourself. Your password must be 5 to 8 characters, is case-sensitive, and is completely private. Use it to sign in, redeem Gather Points, and create an advertising account. You may change your account password by clicking on the change password link on the my account page.

What is Guarded Viewing?
Gather has a feature to allow members to either block content or allow content intended for mature audiences. In order to view this content, which may include nudity, graphic violence, or crude language, the member must be 18 years of age or older. This feature is located on the my account page.

Why do you need to confirm my age to turn off Guarded Viewing?
In order to view content intended for mature audiences, the member must be 18 years of age or older. This feature is located on the my account page.

Member Profiles

What's a profile?
Your profile is all about you. Describe yourself and post some articles, images, and videos to let folks know what you're all about. What are your favorite pastimes? Your interests and affiliations? The more you share, the easier it will be for others to find and connect with you. Make sure to update your profile often with your most current info and interests.

How do I create my profile?
After signing in, go to the profile page from My Gather to create the information you'd like to share with other Gather members. You can also click the "my profile" link on your My Gather page and the username.gather.com link located at the top right of every page. Each section of your profile has an "edit" link that will let you change your info at any time. You can also spotlight any image, article, or video you've published by clicking "spotlight this" next to your content.

Do I need to fill out all of the information requested?
Not at all. The information on profile page is optional, and you determine who gets to see it -- from particular friend sets you've created to everyone on Gather. "Just Me" makes your information private, but still lets Gather display relevant information to you. The more info you fill out, the more other Gather members will be able to get to know you.

What should I include on my profile?
Profiles allow people to get to know each other better. Don't be shy; people want to know you! Even your existing friends might learn something new. Your basic information can help you reconnect with long lost friends or discover your soul mate. Sharing your favorite book, band, or vacation spot may strike up a great conversation. And you never know who might stop by to say hello from school. Keep in mind that sharing your information with Gather members is intended to be fun. Please carefully consider what you share online. We have controls in place that allow you to decide exactly what information is public and what's available only to the people you identify as friends, family, or colleagues (or whatever you want to name your friend sets). In the end, you need to exercise common sense about what personal information you choose to share.

How do I update my profile?
Update the info in your profile by visiting your My Gather page and clicking the "my profile" link. Make sure you don't just set it and forget it! Update your profile often to let others know what's new with you. Each section has an "edit" link that will let you change your info at any time.

Can I control who can see my profile information?
You decide who can view each part of your profile by setting the "Who Can View" options beside each question. Share your information with everyone on Gather, or just your friends. "Just Me" makes your information private, but still allows Gather to display relevant info to you.

How will this information be used?
This information lets others get to know you and search for you by different info in your profile. But your profile info must be public for others to find you; that means only items shared with "Everyone" can be used to refine options in people search. Some items in your profile are also used to display relevant information to you on Gather, such as advertising. Your information is never shared or sold to anyone, so rest assured that your privacy will be respected.

How do I change my Gather icon?
To change your icon, use the "change icon" link on your profile. Simply browse for the image you wish to make your Gather icon and upload it. You can also go to your profile and view your image gallery. Select the image you want as your new icon and click "edit." On the image options page, check the "Make this image my personal icon on Gather" box. Save it, and you're all set.

Icons are optional, but having one is a great idea. Icons personalize your Gather experience and help other members recognize you. Your icon can be a picture of yourself or anything you choose. Whatever image you select, it will represent you on the site on your profile page, next to any comments you post, and on all content you publish. Make sure to choose an image that will be recognizable in a small format. Sometimes icons display only 60 pixels wide. A subject that fills the image, like a close-up of your face, is the best choice. Remember that square icons display best, horizontal icons sometimes display very small, and vertical icons can be too tall to display properly.

What are pings?
Pings are notes that other Gather members can leave on your profile. You can also leave pings on other people's profiles. It's a great way to say "hi" to someone you know and meet others who interest you.

Can I control who can ping me?
By default, any Gather member can ping you. You can control your ping settings using the "edit settings" link at the top right of the "ping me" area of your profile. Choose to let just your friends ping you, or restrict pings by unselecting the "allow pings on my profile" checkbox. Want to know when you get a new ping? Just leave that option on in your email preference settings. You can also choose to approve pings before they appear. If you turn this option on in your email preference settings, you'll be notified when new pings need your review.

Can I delete unwanted pings?
Yes. You can delete any ping posted to your profile, plus any ping you post on someone else's. Just click the "delete ping" link under the member icon image. But realize that once a ping is deleted, it's gone forever!

What is a feed and how does it work?
A feed shows the latest that’s happening with you, your friends, your groups, and the stuff you care about. Gather has four types of feeds. Your My Feed sits on your profile page and shows your visitors what you’ve been up to. Everyone can see your My Feed, but they can only see the things they have permission to see. The other feeds (Friends Feed, Groups Feed, and Feed Me) live on your My Gather page.

What is a spotlight, and how does it work?
A spotlight is a place for you to feature your content. Just click the “spotlight this” link beside the content you want to feature. All of your visitors can see your spotlight, but they can only see the things they have permission to see. To turn a spotlight off, just click the “spotlight off” link. The content will be removed from your spotlight, but will still be available in your profile. Your spotlight can hold a maximum of 5 items. Once you add 6th item, the oldest one will be removed from your spotlight.

Can I view my profile as others see it?
In your dashboard, click the “View Profile as: public” link to see your profile as others see it. Others’ view of your profile differs from your own view, so it’s sometimes helpful to see yourself through another person’s eyes.

Search

How does search work?
Using the search tool at the top of every page, you can search for articles, images, video, people, and groups. You can then refine your results or used the advanced search options to find more specific results.

How do I search for content (articles, images, video)?
Use the search tool at the top of every page to find articles, images, or videos you’re interested in. Searches for a particular type of content retrieve results for all content types. And your results will also show the most popular tags and groups used in the items found in your search. Refine the search by selecting the tags and groups that interest you. Or, remove these refinements by clicking the items shown in the “refined by” section.

How do I search for groups?
Use the search tool at the top of every page to find groups you’re interested in. The search engine will check groups by name, groupspace URL, tags, and description. Your results will show the most popular tags and locations used by the groups found in your search. Refine the search by selecting certain tags and groups. Or, remove these refinements by clicking the items shown in the “refined by” section.

How do I search for people using profile information?
Use the search tool at the top of every page and its refine options to find people by the info in their profiles. Your results will show the most popular interests, affiliations, and information for the people found in your search. Refine the search for more specific results, or remove these refinements by clicking the items in the “refined by” section. The more interesting and complete your profile, the easier it is for others to find and connect with you! Be aware that only public information (profile info set to “Everyone”) will be searchable.

How do I search for a particular Gather member?
To find a specific someone, use the advanced search options under "search people". Only content that matches all the requested information will be found. The “search terms” field considers all these information categories. Providing information in other categories will narrow your search.

How can I refine my searches?
Refine your search by selecting tags and groups from the lists provided after your search results have been retrieved.

How can I remove refine options in my searches?
To remove search refinements, simply click the items that you want to remove in the “refined by” section. You’ll then get broader search results.

I’m looking for a particular article/group/member and can’t find it. Why not?
There are a number of reasons why you might not be able find something or someone on Gather. Are you sure you searched by the correct name or title? If it’s an article, image, or video, it may have been deleted by the author. If it’s a group or piece of content, it’s possible that it’s applied with mature settings, so you’d need to be signed in and have your Guarded Viewing turned off to see it. And if a group you’re looking for is private, it may not be visible to you unless you’re first invited to join that group.

Inviting

How do I invite others to Gather?
Inviting friends, family, and colleagues to Gather is a great way to keep in touch and grow your Gather network with new friends. Inviting also earns you valuable Gather Points -- and with Gather's new Invite features, it's now easier than ever! You can now import email addresses directly from other email programs.

Simply click the Invite tab and then "invite friends," where you will have the option to select an email account to import from. You have access to a standard invitation message that is preloaded and ready to go, but you can also customize it as needed. Finally, click the Send Invites button and your invites will be sent from the email address you registered with Gather. You can change your email address at any time in your settings page. And remember: inviting new members to Gather.com is one of the ways you can earn Gather Points™. You can also bring new members to Gather by using a personal invite link. Simply click on the Invite tab and "personal invite links" sub-tab to check out the various link options available. They include text banners, graphic banners, and standard links. These new link options enable you to invite others to join Gather from virtually anywhere on the net. People simply click on your personal invite link to join you here on Gather!

Who should I invite to join?
Invite anyone! Bringing your offline friends online will help you keep in touch with the people in your world easier than ever. Invite your family, your friends – anyone. And remember that you can create as many different friend sets as you need in order to share particular content with particular friends.

What are the benefits of inviting people?
The more people who join Gather, the larger and more diverse the community becomes, and the site's content becomes more varied, too. Not only will you be able to find anything your friends publish, including their comments, but you'll also have access to their friends. And connecting is a two-way street; inviting more people increases the number of people who will want to read your articles and give feedback on your content – and the easier it becomes to keep in touch with each other’s lives.

What happens if I invite someone who doesn't join?
Your invitation remains open until the recipient joins. A reminder may be sent after 5 days from your initial invitation. You'll earn points whenever they do decide to join, as long as they use your invitation to do so. Anyone can register using a different email address than the one the invitation was sent to -- but they need to register via your invitation for you to be credited with the registration. Your friends, family, and colleagues can't become part of your My Friends network unless they register with Gather.

I’ve received an email notification from Gather that indicates that some of my invitations couldn’t be sent out. What can I do to get them sent?
Occasionally, we come across some contacts who can’t receive their Gather invites. This may be due to one of the following reasons:

• The contacts are already members of Gather. Use the search people option to locate them.
• You've already invited the contacts to join Gather. A reminder may be sent to them after 5 days of your initial invitation.
• You've exceeded the number of invitation reminders you can send out to these individuals. You can only send up to 3 Gather invitations to the same person.
• You've exceeded the number of invitations you can send using a customized invitation message. You can copy the unsent email addresses listed within your Gather notification email and try setting up a new invitation email.

Can I use an invitation link?
You can invite people to Gather using your blog, website, email, or IM. Under the "Invite" tab, click “personal invite links” to see your options. You can choose a standard link URL, a text banner option, or graphic banner options in three sizes. When you copy one of the link options, be sure to copy it exactly as it’s displayed for the invitation to work correctly.

Connecting With Friends

What are Friends on Gather?
Friends are the people you've connected with on Gather, also known as My Friends. Invite as many people as you'd like to join. You can choose to be notified when they join Gather so you can connect at that time. You can also search for people already on Gather using the "search people" option located at the top of the page. If you're interested in making a current member your friend, simply click the "Add as Friend" button on the member's profile page and send a friend request; you then have the option to organize your friends based on how you know them by adding them to a friend set or by creating a new one. The member will receive your friend request and he or she can accept or decline.

What is My Friends?
The My Friends page lists all of your connections on Gather. Check out your Friends Feed on your My Gather page to find out what your friends are up to. If you want email updates on what they're publishing and doing on Gather, simply choose the desired notifications on your email preferences page or click the "friend settings" link near each of your friends on this page. Whenever content or comments are published, new connections are made, and profiles are updated, these details will show up in your Friend Feed; you can also choose to get an email letting you know.

What are friend sets?
Friend sets are a simple way for you to organize your friends based on how you know them. We've started by suggesting Friends, Family, and Colleagues, but you may change these or create your own. Friend sets are optional and private; only you can see how you’ve organized your friends.

Friend sets also let you control who appears in your Friend Feed and share what you publish with selected friends. Have a picture you only want your coworkers to see? Now that's easier than ever.

When you accept or send a Friend Request, you'll be asked how you know this person. By clicking your friend sets in the list, you can associate each person with the friend sets you make. You can change these at any time from your My Friends page by clicking the "friend settings" link under the icon of each friend listed.

How do I create or change friend sets?
On your My Friends page, you'll see all your friend sets listed on the left side of the page. Click the "edit friend sets" button below the list to add, change, or delete any friend set. On the Edit Friend Sets page, simply select the friend set you wish to edit from the list on the left. Then add or remove people from the selected friend set using the lists of people provided. The people on the left are not part of the selected set, and the people on the right are part of the selected set. Make your selections, then click Save before editing a different set.

What is a Friend Feed?
Your Friends Feed, located on your My Gather page, shows you what’s new with your friends. You’ll see the articles, images, videos they publish, as well as what they comment on, the new friends they make, their profile updates, pings they leave and receive, and groups they join and create. To customize who you see in your feed, just click the “settings” link in your Friends Feed. Select the “selected friends” radio button to add and remove the friends whose activities you want to keep up with.

How do I connect with someone who's already a Gather member?
Just search. You can find specific members by searching for their first name, last name, city, state, or username on the search people page. You can also find and connect with other friends/family through the site by surfing your social network to discover people you know who've already joined Gather that you have missed. You can visit their profile pages and request to be connected by clicking the Add as Friend button.

Is it important to connect with friends?
Connecting expands your personal network (My Friends), as well as your readership. The more people you're friends with, the more personal networks you join. The result? More people read, comment on, and rate your work, and others get the same benefits for their own work. It all adds up to the best experience for each Gather member. And if you also bring your offline friends online, you can more easily keep up with what’s new in each other’s lives.

I keep getting emails every time one of my friends comments, connects, or publishes. How do I turn that off?
If you'd rather not receive updates as soon as something occurs in your network, simply uncheck all the boxes concerning notification emails on your email preferences page and click Save.

How do I remove a connection?
To remove a connection at any time, simply click "friend settings" beneath the member icon in your My Friends list or on that person's profile page. Then click the "remove friend" option.

Groups

What are groups?
Want to connect in a whole new way? Groups are a great way to do it. They're centralized, shared spaces for members to publish articles, images, and video with a common theme or for a common purpose. A group can be anything from a fan club to a writers' workshop to a college alumni club. It can be public and visible to all Gather members, or private and only visible to its members. The same goes with content: group members can publish articles, images, or video to the group only or make content accessible to everyone.

How do I find a group I'm interested in?
Use the search tool at the top of every page and select “search groups” to find groups that interest you. The search engine will check groups by name, groupspace URL, tags, and description. Your results will show the most popular tags and locations used by the groups found in your search. Refine the search by selecting certain tags and groups. Or, remove these refinements by clicking the items shown in the “refined by” section.

How do I join a group?
After you've found a group you'd like to join, click its name to go to the group's homepage. You'll see the Join This Group link on the left-hand side of the page. If the group membership is moderated, your membership request will be sent to the group owner and moderator/s. You'll receive an email after your request has been reviewed, letting you know if you've been accepted. If the group membership is not moderated, you'll be able to participate in the group immediately after joining.

What is a Group Feed?
Your Groups Feed, located on your My Gather page, shows you all the new content added to your groups. To customize the groups you see in your feed, just click the “settings” link in your Groups Feed. Select the “selected groups” radio button to add and remove the groups whose activities you want to keep up with.

How can I create a group?
Simply click the Create a Group button under the Groups tab in the main menu. The group creation page is straightforward and easy to use. Give your group a name, a unique username, and a brief synopsis, and list a few tags so others can find you. We recommend that you also give your group a description and a group icon to spark interest in potential members.

How do I create a custom banner for my group?
To give your group a unique look, create a JPG or GIF image that's exactly 990 pixels wide by 220 pixels tall. On the Group Settings page, use the Browse button to find the image on your hard drive. Then simply click Save, and the image will replace the standard Gather banner at the top of your group pages. Additionally, the image should be 72dpi, any color palette, and will be covered in part on the top and bottom by Gather's navigational features. This space may not be used for commercial purposes, may not infringe on any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, or other proprietary right of any party (unless you are the owner of the rights or have the permission of the owner to post such content), and it may not contain adult content. No group owner will be allowed to sell or profit from this space without prior written consent from Gather, and Gather shall have the right to remove any banner that is objectionable or otherwise violates Gather's User Terms of Service Agreement.

Download the complete groupspace banner specifications.

Who can post to a group?
A group's owner (who is also the group creator) has full group permissions. The owner determines who can post, who the moderators will be, and what specific permissions the moderators will be given (accepting/declining members, accepting/declining content, etc.) The owner can structure the group so that only certain group members can post, or so that any group member can post.

How do I invite others to a group?
If you're the owner of a group or a group member with permission to invite, you'll have an Invite Members link in the left-hand column on the group page. You'll be able to invite current Gather members to your group and also email group invitations to people who are not yet Gather members. And you'll earn Gather Points for recruiting new people to sign up.

How do I publish to a group?
Posting an article or image to a group is just like posting content to the rest of the Gather community. The only difference is that group owners place permissions on their group that either allow or prevent other members from publishing to it. When a group owner has set the group to allow others to publish to it, you go through the typical publishing process and simply select the group you want to publish to. The list of groups you belong to will be listed in the content options. The groups will also show if they are public or private and whether or not they’re moderated. If your group is moderated, your content will be reviewed and accepted if it meets the moderator's guidelines.

What can I do in a group?
Group permissions vary by group, and are determined by the group owner. Many groups allow all members to publish articles, images, and video, see all content, and comment on each other's work. Some groups allow all members to invite others to the group, as well. Group members may also be given permission to moderate content posted by other members. But again, all permissions are assigned on a group-by-group basis. Always contact the group owner if you have questions or concerns.

How do I remove content from a group, but keep it in my list of content?
If you'd like to remove an article, image, or video you've published to a group but keep the content on Gather, just change the publishing settings. Simply click "edit" next to your name on your content page. You may remove any or all groups from the share list. Make sure you click Publish to save your changes.

Do articles, images, or videos that I post to a group belong to me or to the group?
Everything you publish on Gather (as long as it's yours to begin with) remains yours. The owner of a group may remove content from the group as he or she sees fit, but any content deleted from a group will still be available in the list of content on your profile.

I received an email that my article/image/video has been removed from the group. Why did that happen?
The owner or designated moderator of a group may remove content from the group, but it's still available under your own profile. If you have any questions about a particular group's publishing policies, always contact the group owner.

Why can't I publish to a group?
Here are several reasons that may keep you from publishing to a group. First, you must be a member of a group before you can publish. Second, some groups only allow certain members to publish content. You can find out the specific details of member permissions in the group's description or by contacting the group's owner.

What's the difference between an owner and a moderator?
A group's owner is the creator of the group and has control over all aspects of the group. A moderator is a member who has been given permission by the owner to accept, reject, and/or delete group content and/or moderate group membership.

How do I publish content to more than one group?
You probably belong to several groups, and several of them might enjoy your new content. To publish content to more than one group at a time, simply check off the boxes of each group in "Publish this content to the selected group(s)" at the end of the publishing process. Be sure your content fits each group's theme or requirements before posting.

How do I set a group icon?
Setting your group icon is as easy as visiting your Group Settings page and uploading the image you want to represent your group. If you'd like to change the icon later, return to this page and upload a new image; the old one will be replaced.

How do I feature articles in a group?
To feature content in a group, you must first be the group owner or moderator. Then, go to the group's homepage and click Content Settings in the article listing; from here you can choose the content you want to feature.

How do I manage my group members, settings, etc.?
To manage your group, visit the Group Settings link on the left-hand side of your group page; manage your group members via the Member Settings link on the Group Members page. You can update them at any time, assigning and reassigning permissions to each of your members. If you remove someone from the group, they may join at a later time. If you block someone, they're not eligible to rejoin unless the owner or a moderator removes the block. Keep in mind that if a member is no longer part of the group, his or her content will remain in the group unless it is removed via the Content Settings link.

What are Advanced Member Settings in groups?
Advanced Member Settings allow a group owner to assign special privileges to select members. A group owner might decide to allow certain members to moderate content and other members, feature articles, images, or video, or participate in other group activities.

How can I give individual group members advanced privileges?
To assign advanced privileges to group members, you must be the group owner. Simply click the Member Settings link on your group's homepage. You can assign general privileges, which apply to all group members, plus individual privileges for those who you want to moderate content and members, and other group activity.

How do I remove myself from a group?
To remove yourself from a group at any time, simply click "remove" under the group icon in your My Groups list or on your My Page.

Can I delete a group I created?
To delete a group, send a request to support@gather.com.

Commenting

What is commenting?
Interested in starting or joining a discussion? Commenting is a great way to do it. Write a comment about a member's content or in response to comments others have made. Just type your comment in the box under the content's "rate this" section and click "Post." Careful: you won't be able to edit it once it posts, so be sure to double check it before publishing. And always remember to respect others with whatever you have to say.

Where can I find comments I've made?
Comments you've made will appear in My Feed (in your profile), in your Friend Feed, and under "comments by me" in the Comments menu, with the most recent first.

Where can I find comments others have made?
You can find comments another member has made by clicking Comments on his or her profile. Comments posted by your friends also appear on the Friends Feed of your My Gather page.

Why should I take the time to comment?
Comments are a great way to contribute to the Gather community and build your network at the same time. Every comment includes a link to the commenter's profile, so others will see you and check out what types of content you've published.

How do I respond to a comment?
Simply scroll down to the comment section in the article, image, or video you're viewing and write your own comment in the window. Make it clear that you're responding to something already said, possibly with a brief quote from the previous comment or a name reference. If you'd rather respond privately, you can send a private message.

How do I remove a comment I've posted?
Simply click "delete" immediately following the posted date at the bottom of your comment.

Can I remove a comment someone else has made on my content?
After a comment has been posted, the content owner can remove it, but this action is irreversible. Once a comment is removed, it will remain on the comments page of the comment writer. A note indicating how many comments have been removed by the content owner will appear on the content display page.

Can I edit a comment after I've posted it?
Comment editing is not available at this time. It's a good idea to reread your comments before posting.

Can I put images or links in a comment?
Some HTML may work in comments, but HTML as a rule is not currently supported in the comments section.

Can I choose who can post comments on my content?
Each time you publish an article, image, or video, you can choose which Gather members can comment on it. Either all site members can comment, only your friends can, or no one is allowed to comment on your content, including yourself.

Can I approve the comments made on my articles, photos, and videos before they appear?
By default, any Gather member can comment on your content. But you can restrict commenting to Gather members who you’re friends with, or turn off the comment option entirely by unselecting the "allow comments" checkbox. You can also choose to approve all comments before they appear; if you do, you'll be notified when new comments require review.

I've posted a comment, but it doesn't show up in the discussion thread. Why?
There are a couple of reasons why your comment might not be showing up. If a content owner has chosen to review comments before they appear, your comment can't be seen by others until it has been approved. Your comment status can be reviewed at any time on your "my comments" page of My Gather. Another possibility is that your comment has been removed by the content owner. This comment will remain visible for others to see, based on the content-viewing permissions, only in your "my comments" page.

I'm unable to post a comment on a content page. Why?
If you're unable to post a comment, either you must be connected to this Gather member to post a comment, or the member has disallowed comments. The content display page will indicate if any restrictions have been set.

I can see three different statuses associated with my comments on My Gather's "my comments" page. What do they mean?
Depending on the permissions members have placed on their content, your comments can be: (a) in review, (b) declined, or (c) removed. "In review" comments need the content author's approval. "Declined" comments have been refused by the content author and won't become public (but will still remain on your "my comments" page under My Gather). "Removed" comments were once posted for others to see, but have been removed by the content owner. (These are still visible to others on your "my comments" page and under "comments by me" in the Comments menu based on the content-viewing permissions). Approved comments are live and visible to everyone.

If someone removes my comment, will I be notified?
No. If your comment has been removed, you won't receive a notification. And if someone has removed your comment, this action can't be reversed. This comment will remain visible for others to see, based on the content-viewing permissions, only on your "my comments" page.

Is there any indication that my comments have been removed or deleted?
Yes. A note indicating how many comments have been removed by the content owner will display on the content display page. Nothing will be shown for comments deleted by the comment writer. Removed comments will remain visible for others to see, based on the content-viewing permissions, only in the comment writer's "my comments" page. Comments deleted by the comment writer will not be visible anywhere on Gather.

If I choose to restrict or require approval for comments on my content, can I go back and change these settings later?
Yes, you can edit these options at any time. If you have any comments pending approval when you make changes to these settings, you'll still need to approve them before they appear.

What impact will comment restrictions have on my content?
If you restrict or disable your commenting options, your content may not be viewable on the Most Discussed content pages and might not be eligible for some Gather-sponsored contests. Remember: you can remove unwanted comments from your article at any time. Gather encourages all members to allow open discussion and debate on their content.

Private Messaging

What is private messaging?
Private messaging is private member-to-member communication that exists solely inside the Gather community. Use private messages to communicate with other Gather members conveniently, keeping your personal email address private. Want to know more? Learn just how important your privacy is to us here.

Someone keeps sending me messages I don't want. Can I block that person?
You sure can. Gather doesn't want you to be bothered by messages from people you don't want to hear from. Each time you receive a message, a "block this sender" link will appear beside the sender's name. To block the sender, just click the link. The sender will not be notified that his or her messages are being blocked.

How do I know what a member's username is?
You can find a member's username by searching for the member on Gather. A username is the first part of any member's gather.com URL.

When should I send a private message instead of just posting a comment?
When you'd like to communicate with a member one-on-one, send a private message. When you'd like to critique or create dialogue about a member's content, post a comment. Private messaging helps build private relationships, and commenting benefits the entire Gather community.

Publishing

What types of content can I publish on Gather?
In short: anything you wish -- if it's yours. Have an interesting story to tell? Want to share your favorite recipe or show off that fantastic picture you just took? Have a video of your dad's birthday party? Gather is the place to show it off. You can publish almost anything, from haiku to horticulture.

Do I still own the rights to the content I publish?
Yes. You own and are responsible for all of your original content on Gather. Anything you create on Gather is copyrighted by you as soon as you publish it, as long as the content is legally yours.

For more information on copyright law, please see the United States Copyright Office's circular.

How do I know if something I want to publish is "intended for mature audiences"?
If your article or image were a movie, would it be rated R? If the answer is yes, or if you think your piece would get an even more mature rating, then your piece is probably intended for mature audiences.

Any of the following content is considered to be intended for mature audiences: nudity, crude or indecent language, or graphic violence.

It's your responsibility to correctly classify any content you publish on Gather. The Gather Editorial Team reserves the right to add adult settings to your work, or in extreme cases, to delete material that violates the Gather Editorial Policy. Please see the Gather User Terms of Service Agreement for more information.

Can I quote something someone else wrote or publish an image that's not mine?
That depends. According to the standards of Fair Use, you can reprint brief quotations of copyrighted material. But you must give proper credit to the original source and use it as an addition to your own original content. Understand, though, that you're responsible for everything that you publish, including any material that may infringe on the rights of others, as is stated in the Gather User Terms of Service Agreement.

For more information on copyright law, please see the United States Copyright Office's circular.

How do I get compensated for publishing on Gather?
Being part of such a community is reward enough. But you'll also get Gather Points™ just for participating online. Inviting new users and submitting outstanding content will earn you points. The more people you invite to join and the more valuable content you submit, the more points you acquire. Gather Points are your currency to purchase goods and services from your favorite Gather partners. Top earners can even exchange their points for cash.

What are the rules of Fair Use when quoting another author?
When publishing a portion of someone else's content, it must be for the purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, according to the United States Copyright Office. There's no clear definition of what constitutes Fair Use, but acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material is no substitution for obtaining permission. As a general guide, only quote specific lines or passages from another source, not the entire piece. Also, you must use the cited material as an addition to your own original content. You should familiarize yourself with the copyright laws to make sure you don't infringe on the rights of the original publisher.

For more information on Fair Use in copyright law, please check out the United States Copyright Office's Fair Use guide.

How do I edit something I've already published?
Go to your My Gather page (username.gather.com) and visit your “my articles,” “my images,” or “my video,” or any individual article, image, or video you've published on Gather. There you have the choice to edit or delete the content. Click "edit" located near your name or near the small picture if it's an image or video. Make your changes and republish the content by clicking Save. Gather will stamp your content with the date you made the modification, but no one in your network will receive any notices about your content being edited, and you won't lose any ratings or comments.

Can I delete content that I've published?
Of course -- any time you wish. Go to your My Gather page (username.gather.com) and visit “my articles,” “my images,” or “my video,” or any individual article, image, or video you've published on Gather. There you'll see the option for editing or deleting. Click "delete," located near your name or near the small picture if it's an image or video. Delete the item and it will be removed from Gather.

How do I get more people to read my articles, view my images, or watch my videos?
There are many ways to increase your readership on Gather. One way is to invite more people to Gather and into your My Friends network. Another is to create the best content you can. Write your best articles, publish your best images, and show your best videos. You can even highlight your favorite content by adding it to your spotlight. Just click “spotlight this link” beside your favorite article, image, or video and it will be the first thing others see when they view your profile. Of course, you can always add privacy restrictions, but you get the idea. Also, if you comment on others' content, more people will know your name and check out your profile and content. Use descriptive tags to make it easier for people to find your work -- and always use tags that really describe what you're publishing.

How do I publish content to select groups or friends?
To publish content to a group, first join the group. Then, when publishing your content, you can choose who can view it. If you choose "Everyone," your choices will be all of Gather and a list of the public groups you belong to. Just click the names of the groups in the "My Groups" list to add them to the "Publish to these groups" list; your content will be shared with these groups. Clicking a group name under "Publish to these groups" will remove that group from the list. All members of these groups will now see your new content in their Group Feed. Be sure your content meets the requirements of the groups you select before publishing.

If you set your viewing preference to "private," only selected friends or your private groups will be available. Your content will also be visible for these friend sets to view in their Friend Feed. To publish to selected friend sets or the private groups, just click the names of the groups in the "My Groups" or "My Friend Sets" list to add them to the "Publish to" list.

Remember that when you share content privately, only the selected friends or members of the selected private groups can see your work.

For moderated groups, your content will be reviewed before it's accepted or declined, so you may not see it posted in the group right away.

Can I publish content to both a private and a public group?
No. Content can't be posted simultaneously to private and public groups. If you really need to publish something to both public and private groups, you'll need to publish the content again to a different audience.

Can I publish content to both a group and my selected friend sets?
No. Content can't be posted simultaneously to groups and friend sets. If you really need to publish something to multiple audiences both public and private, you'll need to publish the content again to a different audience.

Can I import my blog?
RSS tools are available. If you would like to import your blog, please email support@gather.com.

Publishing Articles

How do I publish an article?
It's easy to publish articles on Gather. From the main options across the top of every page, click Publish, then "Publish an Article." Next, type in or cut-and-paste your article. Add a title, choose tags, and add an image if you want. Then set the options, such as selecting who can view it. Please check the appropriate descriptions for content involving subject matter than can be described as adult content. Then, click Publish and you're done.

If I’m publishing a lengthy article, can I save a partial version?
Yes. You can begin publishing an article and come back any time to finish it. Click "Save as Draft" whenever you want to stop. When you're ready to work on it again, click on Publish and your draft will appear in a box at the top of the "Create Your Article" page. Click "edit" next to your draft and continue working on it. You can do this as many times as you want. When you're ready to publish your article, remember to format it and add tags, assign it to a group if applicable, and select who can view the article. Share your article with any groups you're allowed to publish to. Please check the appropriate descriptions for content involving subject matter that can be described as adult content. Don't forget to click Publish when you're done.

What do the editing tools mean in the "Create Your Article" box?

• Clear. Click on this button to clear the contents in the article window.
• Cut. Highlight text, and then click on the scissors to remove the text from your article. Cut text can be pasted elsewhere.
• Copy. Highlight text, and then click on the copy button to hold your text in the editor so it can be copied elsewhere in your article.
• The Paste button is used to insert text you have copied from elsewhere. Position your cursor in the section of your article where you would like your copied text to appear. Left-click your mouse, and then left-click on the paste button.
• Click the Undo button to reverse your last edit.
• Click the Redo button to reverse an undo.
• Use this button to create a Numbered list. Position your cursor in the text you would like to organize as a list, and then click the numbered list button. Repeat this process until your list is complete.
• Use this button to create a Bulleted list. Position your cursor in the text you would like to organize as a list, and then click the bulleted list button. Repeat this process until your list is complete.
• Indent your text by clicking on this button. Position your cursor over text to be indented, and then left-click the indent button until the text is positioned as you wish.
• Reverse indented text by clicking on this button.
• Use the Link button to add a clickable URL to your text. Position your cursor in the text where you want the URL to be located, left-click the link button, and then enter the URL of the address you are linking to. You can select the "launch in new window" option if you would like the link to open in a new browser.
• Delete the link from your text with this button. Position your cursor on the link, then click the delete link button.
• Click the Paste as text button to display a popup. Paste your content into the popup to purposefully remove all formatting.
• Paste from Word button will display a popup to paste your content into but will specifically clean up Microsoft Word formatting and maintain as much as possible.
• Use the Remove formatting button to remove all previous formatting. If content has formatting applied that you wish to remove, highlight the text and then click this button.
• Edit HTML Source. This will display a popup that allows you to enter your own HTML source code, or, if you already have an article in the Editor, this popup will allow you to see the HTML source code and make granular changes.
• Resize Editor vertically. This allows you to resize the Editor on the Publish page that you create your article in. If the size is changed, it will be remembered with a cookie for you so it is the same next time you visit the Publish page.

What HTML tags are allowed in articles, captions, and comments?
If you know how to use them, the following HTML tags are recognized in articles: <a>, <b>, <i>, <u>, <br>, <p>, <em>, <strong>, <blockquote>, <img>, <font>, <span>, <div>, <pre>, <ul>, <ol>, <li>, <table>, <tr>, <td>, <thead>, <tbody>.

What HTML attributes are allowed in articles, captions, and comments?
If you know how to use them, the following style attributes are allowed: Font-weight, Font-style, Text-decoration, Color, Margin, Width, Height, Float.

How do I add an image to my article?
Adding images to your articles can take your content to the next level. Use the Add Images to Your Article button just below the text editor window to access the article image upload page. There you can add as many images as you need. When you're done, use the Return to Article Editor button to finish your article. Once your uploaded images are available, you can use the small images that appear beneath the text editor, or click any image to access it in a larger version. Simply click and drag the individual images into the article editor and they'll display inline with your text. Displaying inline images in an article works in Internet Explorer and Firefox if pop-ups are enabled. If you'd like the image to be attached to the article but not appear in it, then uploading the image is all you need to do. As always, don't publish copyrighted material unless it's your own.

Publishing Images

How do I publish an image?
Click Publish, then click the Publish Images button. Click Browse to select an image file from your computer. Your file will begin uploading and processing automatically, and the status will display while this is happening. At the same time, you can create your caption, select tags, and choose settings for your image. The progress bar will indicate when your image is fully uploaded. The image will be uploaded into your Gather image gallery. The next step is to select viewing options, and share your image with any groups you're allowed to publish to. Make sure you are applying the appropriate settings if your image is intended for mature audiences. Don't forget to click Publish to save and publish your work. Repeat for each image you'd like to include. If something goes wrong, you can cancel and start over during the upload.

How do I add or change my icon?
Icons personalize your Gather experience and help other members recognize you. Your icon can be a picture of yourself or anything you choose. Whatever image you select, it will represent you on the site -- on your profile page, next to comments you post, and with content you publish. Once you've uploaded an image, check "Make this image my personal icon on Gather." Make sure to choose an image that will be recognizable in a small format. Sometimes icons display only 60 pixels wide. A subject that fills the image, like a close-up of your face, is the best choice. When deciding what image to choose, remember that square icons display best, horizontal icons sometimes display very small, and vertical icons can be too tall to display properly.

To add or change your icon, use the "change icon" link on your profile. You can also go to your My Gather page and view the image gallery on your “my images” page. Select the image you want as your new icon and click "edit" beneath the thumbnail. On the image-editing page, check the box that reads "Make this image my personal icon on Gather." Save it, and you're all set.

How do I make the best quality image?
Here are some guidelines for the best quality images and speedy uploading and processing. Your image file must be JPG format and the file size can't exceed 1.5 megabytes or 1800 pixels in width or height. During processing, we convert your file and change the image size so it displays properly. The full size an image will display on Gather is 550 pixels wide. We recommend that you save your JPG (Jpeg) file with a resolution of 72 dots per inch (DPI), and resize the image to 550 pixels wide before uploading.

What are the rules of Fair Use when publishing an image?
When publishing a portion of someone else's content, it must be for the purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, according to the United States Copyright Office. There's no clear definition of what constitutes Fair Use, but acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material is no substitution for obtaining permission. As a general guide, only use a small number of images or portions of images from another source, not the entire album or image. Also, you must use the copied image as an addition to your own original content. You should familiarize yourself with the copyright laws to make sure you don't infringe on the rights of the original publisher.

For more information on Fair Use in copyright law, please check out the United States Copyright Office's Fair Use guide.

Publishing Video

How do I publish a video?
Go to the Publish tab and click the Publish a Video button. Then click "Browse" to select a video file from your computer, in any of the following formats .avi, .mpg, .mpeg, .mov, .wmv and .asf, or .wav or .mp3 audio files, up to 100 megabytes. Upload the videos, one at a time, into your Gather video gallery. Your file will begin uploading and processing automatically, and the status will display while this is happening. At the same time, you can create your title and caption, select tags, and choose settings for your video. Please check the appropriate descriptions for content involving subject matter that can be described as adult content. Then, click Publish, and you’re done. Repeat this process for each video you want to upload. And if something goes wrong, you can cancel and start over during the upload.

How do I make the best quality video?
Gather processes your video file and converts it to Flash format. Keep in mind when editing your video that we use the frame three seconds into it for the thumbnail image that everyone sees. Follow these guidelines to publish the best quality video on Gather:

• Frame rate above 12 frames per second (FPS), 30 FPS preferred
• Bitrate 250 kps
• Frame ratio 4:3
• Resolution 640 x 480 pixels
• Non-interlaced

What is “embed code,” and how do I use it?
Embed code allows you to share a video published on Gather on other websites that allow you to post HTML. To embed a video on another site, simply copy the HTML code from the “embed code" box and paste it on the new website. You can share videos created by other members, unless they are private. In that case, the embed code is only available to the member who published the video.

What are the rules of Fair Use when publishing a video?
When publishing a portion of someone else's content, it must be for the purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, according to the United States Copyright Office. There's no clear definition of what constitutes Fair Use, but acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material is no substitution for obtaining permission. As a general guide, only use a small portion of video from another source, not the entire piece. Also, you must use the video as an addition to your own original content. You should familiarize yourself with the copyright laws to make sure you don't infringe on the rights of the original publisher.

For more information on Fair Use in copyright law, please check out the United States Copyright Office's Fair Use guide.

Editorial Policy

What is Gather's editorial policy?
Gather's editorial policy is different from that of most media sites online. Our editors' job is not to edit the content before it's posted. Instead, they highlight the best of what the community rates and views to help the broader audience find the best, most interesting articles, photos, and other content. Gather's editors help maintain a healthy and constructive environment on the site. When a member of the Gather community flags content as inappropriate, The Gather Editorial Team makes sure the content has been rightfully flagged. Underlying all of this is a strong belief in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which allows you the freedom to say whatever's on your mind 24/7 on Gather.

To learn more, read the Gather User Terms of Service Agreement. Also, remember that you are responsible for everything you publish on Gather, including any material that may be offensive or infringe upon the rights of others as is stated in the Gather User Terms of Service Agreement.

Who owns the content on Gather?
You create it? You own it. It's just that simple. Anything original you create and publish on Gather is copyrighted by you as soon as you click Publish. By publishing content on Gather, you're giving Gather Serial Rights to your content. This basically means you're lending your content to Gather, who may use your content for marketing and related purposes -- but only as limited to Gather. For instance, you might see your writing featured in a weekly email promoting the content type you've published. You can edit or delete any of your content at any time.

If you publish content that's not your own, you must give proper attribution to the author. But don't just cite the author's name. You need to add a little something of your own. Introduce the piece or snippet of content and comment about why you think it's worth sharing. For more information on Fair Use in copyright law, please check out the United States Copyright Office's Fair Use guide.

Keep in mind that by publishing content online, your written word and images fall under copyright law, so it's important that you educate yourself about its basic principles. For extensive information on copyright law, please see the United States Copyright Office's circular.

What can I publish on Gather?
The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Free speech is what Gather is all about. Gather is a place where you can publish just about anything you want: reviews, poetry, opinion, images, advice. In regard to your own original content, what you can publish is limited almost entirely by your imagination. Remember: if you're publishing a portion of someone else's work, make sure to give proper attribution and introduce and discuss the content you're presenting, in compliance with the standards of Fair Use.

Please be aware that there is certain material that Gather does not permit. Most prohibited content is due to United States or international treaty law, or is prohibited in order to keep the service usable for all members. Keep in mind that you are responsible for everything that you publish on Gather, including any material that may be offensive or infringe on the rights of others as is stated in the Gather User Terms of Service Agreement.

What does it mean when my content shows the statement "This has been reported by the community as potentially inappropriate"?
Gather members may report content to The Gather Editorial Team if they believe that the content is potentially inappropriate or violates Gather's Terms of Service. Content with this flag has been reported for the reasons displayed and will not be available publicly on Gather until editorial review is complete. Gather's Editorial Team performs regular review of reported content to determine if it is in violation of Gather's Terms of Service.

What does it mean when my content shows the statement "This has been restricted by the Gather Editorial Team for violations of TOS"?
Gather's Editorial Team performs regular review of reported content and if deemed in violation of Gather's Terms of Service, the content is blocked from view on Gather and can only be accessed by the member who published it. You may edit your reported content to correct a violation or delete the content. Contact Gather at support@gather.com to resolve reported content. Learn more here.

Do you censor what I can read and see on Gather?
Your contributions to Gather are not edited or censored. The Gather Editorial Team may add adult settings to your work if you haven't flagged it properly yourself. Gather also reserves the right to remove content or members who engage in any "inappropriate, defamatory, infringing, obscene, libelous, or unlawful content," or "restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying Gather." Learn more in the full Gather User Terms of Service Agreement.

Tags

What are tags? How do they work?
Think of tags as an index of all the content on Gather. You can click on tags to browse any content -- articles, images, or video -- they relate to. Just found an article you really liked? Click on one of its tags to find related information. Want more people to find your pictures? Include tags that relate to the subject of your image. See a fantastic video and want to know more? Use the tags to explore related content. Tags can be words or phrases; always make sure your tags are directly related to what you're publishing.

Can I add or delete tags after I publish something?
Yes. To add or delete tags after you've published content, click "edit" from your article, image, or video. On this edit page, you can update your tags. For images and videos, once you’ve added your tags, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save. For articles, once you’ve added your tags, click Continue at the bottom of the editing page, and then Save at the bottom of the article settings page.

What's the best way to select tags for what I publish?
Tags are to make it easy for members to search for content they have an interest in. Ask yourself what your content is really about. If you could describe your content in a handful of words, what would they be? Then choose those words that most closely describe your content. Remember netiquette and do not tag spam.

Rating

How do I rate content on Gather?
At the bottom of an article, image, or video, just click one of the stars that corresponds with your rating: 1-10, with 10 representing some of the best content you've seen. You can only rate each article, image, or video once, and you're not able to change or remove your ratings.

Who can rate content on Gather?
Registered Gather members rate content on Gather. Any member who's signed in to Gather can rate content, but members are not allowed to rate their own work. Ratings are averaged to allow the most popular and best-rated work to rise to the top, where they'll be featured in the Highest Rated category for Articles, Images, Videos, or Contributors. For any article, image, or video to display on one of the Community Picks, it must receive three or more ratings.

Can I change a rating I left on an article or image?
No. Currently there is no way to change a rating.

Can I find out who gave one of my articles or images a bad rating?
The rating system is anonymous, and each Gather member can only rate each piece once.

How can I get my ratings to improve?
Members who publish often get better ratings and a higher readership overall. Why? Because when someone finds an article, image, or video they like, they're inclined to seek other content by the same author. Also, the more you publish, the more likely people are to see your content. So publish often and you'll quickly build a following.

Another important factor in building your ratings, readership, and rankings: your network. By adding friends on Gather and inviting your friends, family, and colleagues to join Gather, you'll become more visible and more popular on the site. Every time you contribute content, it will appear on the homepage of everyone in your network, and your friends on Gather will get an email reminding them of your new content (if they have their preferences set to receive it).

Can I control who can rate my content?
Yes. If you don't wish to allow ratings on your content, you can unselect this option. But if you turn off the ability for others to rate your content, it can't be listed on the highest-rated content pages and won't be eligible for any Gather-sponsored contests. Please be aware that you won't be able to change this setting later.

If I disable my content ratings, can I turn them back on later?
No. If you turn off the ability for others to rate your content, you won't be able to change this setting later. This is Gather's policy in the interest of fairness, because members use ratings to suggest the site's best content, and these recommendations sometimes help determine contest winners.

Rankings

What are rankings?
Rankings are the basis for Gather's hot lists. Want to find the most popular content on Gather? The most read contributors? Where your own content stands? Check out the rankings lists.

You can find rankings in the submenus for the following main menu pages: Articles, Images, Videos, People, and Groups.

In what different ways can rankings be sorted?
Community Picks are divided into several categories. Articles are sorted into the following categories: Highest Rated, Most Read, Most Discussed, and Featured. Images and Videos are ranked by Highest Rated, Most Viewed, Most Discussed, and Featured. People are sorted into Highest Rated, Most Viewed, Most Discussed, and Featured. Groups are listed by Recent, Popular, and Featured. Each ranking can additionally sort by day, week, and month. The more ratings you have on a piece, the higher it will be listed. Highest rated lists require multiple ratings before that content will be added to the list. A single rating will not add your content to this list.

Can I tell how many people have viewed my articles?
Yes. Just go to that content page under your My Gather main menu.

Gather and Syndication

What is RSS?
Have you seen the acronym RSS, or the orange icon that looks like this ()? RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, provides you with the ability to subscribe to content you like to read frequently, and contain that content in a "reader." The latest versions of all browsers, including Internet Explorer 7.0, Firefox 2, and Safari 2.0 have built-in RSS readers. Additionally, websites like Yahoo!, Google, MSN, Rojo, and others offer the ability to aggregate your RSS feeds on a single webpage. Instead of jumping from one bookmark to another, you can review new content from your favorite sources in your RSS reader.

How do I subscribe to RSS Feeds on Gather?
Gather allows you to subscribe to recent articles from your favorite authors and groups with the click of a button. Next to every list of recent articles, there is an orange button that looks like (). When you click on the button, a window opens that allows you to select how you want to read your feed. Here is a rundown of the options:

• To put your feed into your browser's RSS reader, click on this icon. Click on the RSS reader that you would like to add to your subscriptions and follow the instructions. The feed will be saved as a bookmark, so you might want to create a special folder for your bookmarks called "My Subscriptions" and save your RSS links there.
• Google Reader Google has an RSS reader that is very simple, and is connected to its popular email program. You can find out more about it at www.google.com/reader.
• My Yahoo! Built into My Yahoo! is the ability to customize your homepage with any RSS feed. Your favorite Gather content can become part of your Yahoo! experience once you click on the My Yahoo! box.
• Newsgator An RSS reader independent of a specific browser type. Available at newsgator.com
• Bloglines Bloglines offers a tool for creating a blog, or for incorporating the things you read via RSS into your blog. Their coordinates are www.bloglines.com.
• AOL has an RSS Feed Reader that lets you subscribe to the latest information from your favorite news sources, blogs and other websites. It collects all the new headlines and summaries in one place so you don't have to hunt them down. Learn more at aol.com.

Can I submit my RSS Feed to Gather?
Gather has a feature that enables individuals and media companies to use RSS feeds to automatically picked up content and publish it on Gather. If you're interested in participating in this new feature, please contact support@gather.com.

What are Digg and Del.icio.us?
Bookmarking is a popular and effective way of organizing information on the web to make it more accessible. A bookmark is simply a link to an item on the web, along with information that helps the community categorize it. Social bookmarking sites like Digg and Del.icio.us facilitate finding popular content by organizing these links topically or by counting the number of links to a particular item to show their popularity. Bookmarking high-quality content on Gather on these services helps others across the Internet to find the best content by your fellow Gatherers more frequently. It helps our best authors reach a broader audience, as well.

We have added buttons to Gather content to make it easy to bookmark them on two of the major sites, digg.com and del.icio.us. To submit Gather content -- articles, images, or video -- to one of these sites, just click on the relevant Digg or del.icio.us button located above and below the content. You will be taken to a submission form on the site you have selected, where information to the content you want to bookmark may already be filled in. Simply complete the remainder of the form and the content will be bookmarked! Note that these sites require registration the first time you submit to them. While digg.com is only for bookmarking articles, del.icio.us also bookmarks images, so you'll find del.icio.us buttons on all Gather images, as well.

We ask all Gather users to be good netizens when submitting content to bookmarking sites. Please make sure the bookmarks you create are of general interest and good quality. Also, never submit any Gather content that has restricted access. This includes content marked adult, or content that is published only to private groups or connections.

What is a permalink?
A permalink is simply a web address, or URL, that will always point to that specific Gather content item, even as our site grows and changes. To obtain a permalink for an article, image, or video and use it in an article, find "permalink" above or below the content, right-click (control-click for Apple users) it, and select "Copy shortcut" (Internet Explorer), "Copy link location" (Firefox), or "Copy link" (Safari) from the menu. Then paste it into our publishing tool to link to offsite blog content.

How do I share Gather content with friends outside of Gather?
There are several ways to share content with friends outside of Gather. You can email content by clicking "Email to a friend," located below each piece of content. Or, click "Permalink to this content," located below the content. This brings you to the top of the page so you can copy the URL and send it to friends. When they follow the link to the URL, your friends will be brought to Gather to see the content you picked. Once on Gather, they can browse other content, as well. To share videos on other sites, simply copy the HTML code from the "embed code" box below the video tags and paste it on the new website. You can share videos created by other members, unless they’re private. In that case, the embed code is only available to the member who published the video.

Gather Earnings Program

How does the Gather Earnings Program work?
Each member earns Gather Points™, which are Gather's currency for rewarding members for valuable site participation. Each Gather Point is equivalent to a frequent flyer mile. For top contributors, Gather offers a cash program instead of points. Anyone earning over $50 in points in a calendar month will have the opportunity to receive cash. Cash earners can request payments anytime they like via check or PayPal®.

Our algorithms will change over time. Our compensation will evolve as the Gather community does. One thing's for sure: the bigger we get, the more you'll earn.

How do I become part of the cash program?
Once your monthly points earnings exceed $50 in points in a calendar month, you're invited to become part of the cash program. You can request a payment from Gather at any time, available via check or PayPal® payment. Invitation to the cash program will be at Gather's discretion.

How do I become a Gather Points™ partner?
Gather welcomes a variety of points partners. If you're interested in becoming Gather's latest addition, simply contact advertising@gather.com.

Can I donate my Gather Points to a charity?
Yes! We offer charities (registered 501c3 organizations) that are active on Gather the ability to accept points donations from members. We'll transform these points into cash for the charity, so that your school, church, soccer team, environmental group, public radio station, or other not-for-profit can grow just by joining and participating on Gather. If you know of a charity you'd like to recommend, and for complete details, please contact support@gather.com.

Can I donate my points to another member?
No, it's not possible to donate your points to another member at this time. You may, however, donate your points to one of our affiliated charitable organizations.

If I live outside of the United States can I participate in the points program?
All members can earn points. Currently, Gather members who reside outside of the United States are unable to redeem Gather Points for gift cards or cash compensation. We are researching ways to broaden our Earnings program to include all members, and aim to make it available for all members in the future. However, you will never lose points once you have earned them. So the points you earn now will be useful to you when we expand the program.

Gather Points™

What are Gather Points™?
Gather Points are Gather's currency for rewarding its members for site participation, especially for highly rated, popular content. Each Gather Point has a value similar to a frequent flyer mile -- currently about $.02 per point.

What can I redeem them for?
Gather Points can be exchanged for gift certificates and goods from participating points partners. Keep track of the latest points partners and offers here.

How much are my points worth?
Sharing what you have is always a good rule of thumb, and that's Gather's approach. A portion of the Gather advertising revenue is returned to its members as Gather Points™. As Gather grows, there will be more members, more advertisers, and therefore more revenue to share. Each point has a value similar to a frequent flyer mile.

How do you determine how many points I earn?
We use different algorithms to determine which individual user activities are creating community value. Certain metrics -- for example, invitations that recruit new members, plus article, image or video views and ratings, and group membership growth -- are just some of the activities that help us understand how much value individual members are creating for the community. The more value you provide, the more points you'll earn.

How do I earn more Gather Points?
We want to give Gather members incentives to do the very things that make Gather a better place. To earn more, publish content of high quality. Invite your friends, family, and colleagues to Gather. Build great groups. Maintain a healthy, respectful, playful conversation with other Gatherers.

How do I redeem my points?
Click the Gather Points link in the dashboard on your My Gather page. This will take you to earnings.gather.com, where you can redeem Gather Points™ for offers by designated Gather Points partners. Each Gather Points partner has different rules governing card redemption. We suggest you review the merchants’ websites to learn the specifics for redeeming their gift cards. Have fun shopping!

Can I change my name or address on an order?
No, your name is the only information you are unable to change on an order. It's the name you provided in your W-9 and it can't be changed. You may, however, change the address of the recipient if you want to send an item as a gift.

Will my points expire?
Currently, Gather Points have no expiration date. We'll notify you in the future if that policy changes.

Can I view my earnings history?
No, your earnings history isn't available at this time. But you can access your order history at earnings.gather.com.

Is this transaction secure?
Absolutely. Our transactions are secured by GeoTrust technology. GeoTrust is a leading global Certificate Authority for secure e-business transactions. Patented smart seal technology provides fast, reliable, and user-friendly website identity authentication.

Is my information private?
Yes. We don't share your information with anyone -- not even Gather Points partners. For more information about our privacy policy, click here.

Can I cancel an order? Return an order?
No, once an order has been sent for processing, it can't be cancelled, nor can it be returned. For assistance with your order, contact support@gather.com.

Can I order more than one item?
No, it's not possible to order more than one item in the same transaction at this time. If you'd like to order more than one item, please place a separate order for each item desired.

How long will it take to process my Gather Points order?
You should expect to receive your Gather Points order within 21 days. If you haven't received your order within that time period, please contact support@gather.com.

How do I view my order history?
To view your order history, reference your Earnings Account Info under earnings.gather.com.

I haven't received my order from Gather. What do I do?
If you haven't received your gift certificate, gift card, etc., please contact us at support@gather.com with a brief explanation of the problem you're having.

Cash

How do I earn cash instead of points?
Once you earn $50 in a calendar month, you'll be eligible to earn cash, subject to Gather's discretion. Cash earners can request a payout at any time, via check or PayPal. In the beginning, those in the cash system will earn just a little. But as the Gather membership grows and advertising revenue increases, those on the cash system could earn a living on Gather alone.

How do you determine how much cash I earn?
Just like with Gather Points earners, we use different algorithms to determine which activities are creating community value. Invitations that recruit new members, plus article, image, or video views and ratings, and group membership growth are just some of the activities that help us understand how much value individual members are creating for the community. The more value you provide, the more cash you'll earn.

How do I cash out my earnings?
You can request to cash out your earnings at any time, either via a check from Gather or a PayPal payment -- whichever you prefer.

How does PayPal® work?
Anyone with an email address can send or receive secure online payments via PayPal. If you have an existing PayPal account, you can use that address to receive Gather payments. You'll receive an email from PayPal notifying you that you have money waiting. If you don't already have an account set up, you'll need to create one either now or at that time. To create a PayPal account now, click here.

How long will it take to process my check order?
You should expect to receive your check within 21 days. If you haven't received it within that time period, please contact support@gather.com.

How long will it take to process my PayPal® order?
You should expect to receive your PayPal payment confirmation within 21 days (most likely much sooner). If you haven't received your PayPal payment within that time period, please contact support@gather.com.

Why do I need to submit an IRS Form W-9?
If you've received over $600 in cash payments from a Gather account or have redeemed Gather Points™ offers valued at over $600 in the same calendar year, you must provide us with information on IRS Form W-9. You may have your requests sent to any address or PayPal account, but you'll be required to use the taxpayer name on file to receive your requested payment. To change your information, download the IRS Form W-9 and submit an updated copy to Gather. For assistance with this, contact support@gather.com.