Groups on the eBay site are created and maintained by qualified eBay community members called Leaders who have met the minimum requirements described in the Groups Guidelines. As part of their responsibilities, Leaders develop specific Charters that apply to their Groups. Group members, including the Leader and Moderators, must follow the Group's Charter and all eBay policies, including Your User Agreement, this Groups Usage Policy and the Groups Guidelines.

Groups are independent entities that aren't authorized, sponsored, endorsed or otherwise approved by eBay. Although eBay does enable its community members to participate in the Groups system through the use of its online services, eBay doesn't manage or direct the operations of Groups. While eBay doesn't moderate eBay Groups, eBay may filter posts that include malicious content with an intent to disrupt site operations, such as posts that include spam or unauthorized personal information. There are no "official" eBay user groups.

Leaders, Moderators and Group members aren't employees or agents of eBay. As such, they don't have the authority to bind eBay in any way, and they aren't entitled to any of the benefits which eBay makes available to its employees. Leaders, Moderators, and Group members are solely responsible and liable for materials they post in the Groups.

Within the Groups system, Group members are only allowed to advertise:

• Merchandise found on the eBay site

• Services found on the eBay site

• An eBay Store, My World, or About Me page

Before posting, please refer to a Group's Charter for policies specific to that Group.

Restriced Activities

The following types of postings and behaviors are prohibited within Groups on the eBay Site:

• Posting another individual's contact information and/or email address.

• Posting material containing profanity, vulgarity, disruptive or hostile comments, hate speech, threats of violence or defamatory comments.

• Activities such as discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or disability.

• Posting material (graphic or text) that is obscene or pornographic.

• Using JavaScript, active or other coding, or other actions that interfere with site operations.

• Posting material with the intent to impersonate eBay staff or another Groups member through the use of similar user IDs or any other method or device.

• Encouraging others to violate Your User Agreement or other eBay policies.

• Advertising merchandise, services, or commercial Web sites, including offers to trade, found from sources other than the eBay site.

• "Want ad" posts or posting solicitations of interest in the sale of an item or service.

• Posting of links to listings for charitable solicitations other than those listed through eBay Giving Works.

• Posting content from private emails.

• Posting material that in any way violates a Group's charter, Your User Agreement or other eBay policies, including our values.

• Posting listings reports or member violations; encouraging or engaging in disruptive activity based on suspected violations of other members.

• Discussion or reposting of deleted posts or warning letters; discussion of sanctioned or no longer registered members.

• Only persons 18 or over may use eBay Groups in any way, without regard to whether an adult actually owns the registrations or an underage person has some type of parental/guardian permission.

• Posting of intellectual property, including copyrighted and trademarked materials; altered or unaltered intellectual property; and another individual's non-copyrighted text or images without the permission of the owner of the intellectual property.

• Posting Group logos that include, use or otherwise incorporate the eBay name, trademarks or logos.

• Publication or distribution of eBay Blocked Bidder/Buyer lists, or any list of persons or organizations under suspicion or disfavor (also known as "blacklists").

• Soliciting or requiring any type of fee on the eBay Groups platform as a condition for membership in a Group.

• Refusing to follow a Group leader's or a Group moderator's directions regarding a Group's Charter or activities within a Group.

• Refusing to follow eBay staff instructions.

Notes:

Violations of this Groups Usage Policy, as well as other inappropriate postings and behaviors not listed above may result in action being taken including an immediate post removal, a warning, a sanction from Groups, and/or suspension from the eBay site. eBay and a Groups Administrator may sanction a Group member from Groups without suspending them from the eBay site. eBay may suspend any member from Groups and from the eBay site if they have been previously warned of violations of the Group Usage Policy, Your User Agreement or other eBay policies, though we reserve the right to suspend a member immediately for any reason if deemed necessary. eBay reserves the right to remove any post without warning or notice.

Sanctions and suspensions may range from one day to an indefinite time period. A sanction or suspension of one of a Group member's user ID will apply to all of that Group members' user IDs. The use of false registration information or the creation of multiple accounts for use within eBay's Groups for the purpose of disruption or in order to avoid detection may result in permanent sanction or suspension of all of the Group members' associated eBay registrations.

Due to the variety of eBay Groups, additional policies may be implemented from time-to-time. At our discretion, exceptions to the Groups Usage Policy or the Groups Guidelines may be made for certain eBay-sponsored programs or events.

eBay has its Groups Usage Policy to encourage a safe and enjoyable environment in eBay Groups where there can be open and honest communication among all members.