We're glad you joined us. These Guidelines, based on our user agreement, and Privacy policy, summarize out basic ground rules.

1. Your username is posted with your opinion
Your opinions are posted with the name you chose when you subscribed (not your real name).

2. Privacy
See Privacy for full details of how your personal information is protected. We suggest that you not post your mailing or e-mail addresses or phone number. ConsumerReports.org may contact you about the content of your opinions.

3. Our use of opinions you post
The opinions you post here may be used by ConsumerReports.org as set forth in our User Agreement, and we reserve the right to copy or quote them here or in other media.

4. Your own good judgment
We can't vouch for the accuracy, quality, or good sense of messages posted here, and we don't claim to read or evaluate all of them. You must use your own common sense and good judgment to decide about the usefulness of what you read in Consumer Opinions. Please keep in mind that these opinions in no way constitute a scientific sample. You should treat the advice you get here the same way you would the advice of any stranger.

5. Show respect
Everybody expects respect for fellow participants, and for wide differences in point of view. Everybody expects language that's appropriate for general conversation, with nothing insulting, racist, obscene or sexually explicit. Remember, you are solely responsible for what you post.

If you see an opinion that is offensive, off-topic, or incorrect, please bring it to our attention using the buttons under the text of the opinion.

6. Stay on topic
We'll likely remove off-topic postings. We encourage you and other users to bring off-topic or otherwise inappropriate opinions to our attention.

If you see an opinion that is offensive, off-topic, or incorrect, please bring it to our attention using the buttons under the text of the opinion.

7. No copyright materials
Post only material that is yours or is in the public domain -- material original to you; material in the public domain; material whose copyright you own. Please only post copyrighted materials of others if you have their explicit written consent.

8. No solicitations
No advertising, solicitations or spamming (posting the same opinion more than once can be a kind of spamming). The contents of Consumer Opinions cannot be used for any commercial purpose.

9. Removing opinions
We reserve the right, though we do not have the obligation, to remove without notice any posting which we consider to be in violation of these Guidelines, or to diminish the value of the community.

10. Making changes
We don't change or edit your opinions. As long as you are a subscriber, you can change opinions you have posted.

11. U.S. laws apply
We follow the laws of the U.S., where ConsumerReports.org is registered. Do not suggest or encourage illegal activity; we will cooperate with law enforcement officials as appropriate.

12. E-mail from us
ConsumerReports.org may occasionally communicate with you by e-mail for Consumer Opinions - related purposes. Your participation in User Reviews indicates your agreement to accept these e-mails.

13. Guidelines may change
These guidelines, like our User Agreement, may change without notice.