Altering Quotes to change content PROHIBITED

Recently we've received a number of complaints from users about members altering the content of quotes to change content. Even though in many cases this is done as a "joke" it actually is done to cause disruption and many times anger.

Editing a quote to single out one phrase or sentence is fine. Editing someone's words to alter the content of the quote is not. And this action has now been added to the rules to help prevent it from happening further.

To further explain. Taking a statement from one member's post, such as:

This message is for everyone

And changing it to read:

This message is for no one

Is against the rules and should never be done -- as a joke or for other intent.

Shortening a long quote like this:

This message is for everyone: The ONLY thing to do when you see spam on the site is to hit the report button. Please don't respond, send me a PM, or start a thread here. All of those things simply make my job twice as hard.

Thanks a bunch!

To single out only part of the quote to respond to -- like this:

All of those things simply make my job twice as hard.

Thanks a bunch!

Is fine. But leave the original post author's words INTACT for the part that you quote.

To do otherwise simply causes folks to get angry -- we even get complaints from other members not involved in the quoting when they see this happen as they see this as inherently wrong.

Thanks.
TDPRI

The rule in the posted rules reads like this:

ALTERING QUOTED COMMENTS:
Editing someone's words to alter the content of their quote is not permitted. Editing a quote to single out one phrase or sentence or to shorten the quote is permitted. But when you quote another member's post leave the original post author's words INTACT for the part that you quote. This applies to "jokes" as well as for any other reason.