The Colchester Times encourages lively discussions and creative contributions. However, to ensure a positive and engaging experience for all, you must adhere to the following Community Guidelines.
These guidelines form part of the legal agreement between you and The Colchester Times. By interacting with the community features, namely commenting on articles and submitting stories, you agree to abide by these guidelines at all times.
Respect others
Be kind and courteous to fellow community members. Personal attacks, harassment, or threats against individuals or groups will not be tolerated, and such comments will be removed and the user may be banned from the site. In exceptional circumstances, we will not hesitate to contact the police or other relevant authorities.
Stay on topic
Discussions should remain relevant to the article or topic at hand. Off-topic or disruptive comments may be removed at our discretion.
Keep it civil
Debate and differing opinions are welcome, but all discussions must remain civil. No excessive swearing, inflammatory language, or behaviour intended to provoke hostility.
No hate speech or discrimination
We have a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech, discrimination, or content that targets individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic. Such content will be removed, and offenders may be banned.
No illegal or harmful content
Do not post or submit anything that promotes illegal activity, violence, self-harm, or any form of abuse. Such content will be swiftly removed and reported to relevant authorities.
No spam or self-promotion
Comments should contribute meaningfully to discussions. Spam, advertisements, or excessive self-promotion are not be permitted and will be removed.
Political dicussions
Political discussions are allowed in news article comments, but they must remain respectful and constructive. No name-calling, excessive hostility, or baseless conspiracy theories. Healthy debate is welcome; personal attacks are not.
Submission guidelines
If you wish to submit a story, you can do so via our contact form. However, please ensure it aligns with the satirical and comedic nature of The Colchester Times. Submissions are reviewed by our team before publication, and we make no guarantee that submissions will be published.
Moderation and enforcement
The Colchester Times reserves the right to remove any content that violates these guidelines or is otherwise deemed inappropriate. We may also ban users who violate these guidelines or engage in harmful behaviour. Our decisions are final and not open to appeal.
We also reserve the right to contact the police or other relevant authorities in cases of illegal activity, threats, or other serious offences. Where this is necessary, your name, email address, IP address, device data, and information surrounding the incident will be provided to the authority or agency in accordance with our Privacy Policy.