• New Site Q & A

1. Getting Immediate Help
   
   
2. Required Guidelines and Policies
     Cafe Guidelines
     Copyright and Trademark Policy
     Promotional Items
     Do's & Don'ts
     Moderator Oath
     Required Files
     Rules & Etiquette Guidelines
   
   
3. Moderating Freecycle
     Organisational Chart
     Instructional Video
   
   
4. The "Files"
   
   
5. Notices
     Seasonal Notices
   
   
6. Responses
   
   
7. Pass The Torch
   
   
8. Volunteering
   
   
9. Translations
   
   
10. UK Moderators Manual
    
    

The following HTML code is for the Freecycle Logo that includes the registered information beneath it. This registered logo works well for groups that have long front page descriptions and need to conserve space:

Additional Logo information that conforms to the new European ® guidelines can be found at Photobucket.

To read the full modified text for the new ® instructions, read on!
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We are doing a really good thing here. And, we are also learning as we go, which means there will always be evolution and change. Because the Freecycle concept is unique and amazingly successful, there are many who have and who would try to use it for personal gain and profit. For that reason, The Freecycle Network® is incorporated as a nonprofit organization, and the Freecycle name and logo are both trademark protected. We need to do our best to properly use the Freecycle trademark so that we don't lose the right to it.

In legalese, the use of the term "Freecycle" denotes a gifting service which is officially approved by the nonprofit organization "The Freecycle Network," and one that the public can expect to adhere to certain standards. The Freecycle Network must approve any email list or web site that uses the term "Freecycle" in its name and provides any sort of exchange service. (A relevant point for us to note internally is that we have to demonstrate a "concerted" effort.)

When using the term "Freecycle" please do the following:

1) While "The Freecycle Network" is a trade name, it also functions as a service mark -- i.e., a source indicator -- so it is okay to use an R or ® with it.

For example: The Freecycle Network® or The Freecycle Network(R)

When used as a trade name (think proper name), the term "Freecycle" may be used in place of "The Freecycle Network" to allow sentences to be more concise.

For example: While The Freecycle Network has been growing by leaps and bounds, Freecycle also remains true to its core mission.

2) In all other cases, the term "Freecycle" must be used as an adjective, never as a noun or verb. For example:

• Do not say "I'm a freecycler." Do say "I'm a Freecycle member."
• Do not say "Keep on freecyclin!" Do say "Keep on recyclin', my Freecycle friends!"
• Do not say "Freecycling group." Do say "Freecycle group"
• Do not say "Please Freecycle." Do say "Please join a Freecycle group."
• Do not say "There are 10 freecycles in this state." Do say "There are 10 Freecycle groups in this state."
• Do not say "freecycle's membership." Do say "The Freecycle Network's membership."(Note: new groups may use the word Freecycle in their group name/title, but should not be approved with any variations of the word Freecycle in their name, title or description, like freecycler, freecycling, freecycles.)

3) Attribution Statement. (This is fancy-speak for a statement attributing ownership of a trademark to someone at the bottom of emails, etc.)

At the bottom or within the body of all official Freecycle web sites, articles, press releases, automatic notices, and group home pages the following trademark attribution should appear (the horizontal lines are nice because they separate it from your content but they're not necessary):

1. Log into the Yahoo and go to the group page
   
2. Click on Management on the left
   
3. Click on Messages on the right
   
4. Next to Subject Tag and Footer, click Edit
   
5. Enter the text above in the Footer box (you can create the lines by using a series of dashes (-) or underscores (_) but don't let them extend too far or they'll wrap to the next line in some email programs
   
6. Click the Save Changes button

4) The term "Freecycle" in text must always be capitalized to set it off from the surrounding text. Example: Freecycle groups are great!

5) Local groups need to use the official Freecycle logo. It must include an (R) symbol or ® and appear exactly as it does on http://www.freecycle.org. It is okay to put adornments around it and behind it. Never put anything over any portion of the logo or otherwise obscure the basic form of the logo or the ® symbol.

6) E-mail addresses with the word "Freecycle" in them. One should consider using something explanatory in addition to the word "Freecycle" in their e-mail address or ID for clarity's sake. Example: FreecycleSpringfield@hotmail.com.

7) On your local Yahoo group sites, articles, press releases & automatic notices: The first "prominent display" or introduction of the mark (i.e., the first time you use the term Freecycle in a document) needs to be distinguished from other text with an (R) or ®. This is in addition to the above attribution statement (the footer-note statement in point 3). So, a Freecycle group site should have an (R) or ® by the logo at the top and an (R) or ® by the first use of The Freecycle Network (or of the word Freecycle, whichever comes first. The other instances of Freecycle can be without an (R) or ® marking, though it is still important to capitalize or color them to show they are not just common words.

A Sample Freecycle Group has been created to demonstrate how a group should look once it's set up properly. Please feel free to join and check out the group description and files. It's not a live group.

A. In HTML, use this HTML code: "Freecycle®" (without the quotes) to create this: Freecycle®
B. For plain ASCII text documents, in email, and in files in a Yahoo group, use "Freecycle(R)" (without the quotes).
C. For other documents, use any method available to create the (R) superscript or ® symbol.
D. There's no need to use the ® mark more than once per document.
E. Do not use the ® mark in email addresses, email subject tag lines (such as [freecyclemytown]), group names, or URLs.
F. Do be sure to include the footer in item 3 above, whenever possible. TIP: If you are sending an email and wish to add the ®, it makes sense to use the (R) version rather than the superscript (R) symbol (even if you know how to generate the ASCII version) because many email programs will not display it right to the recipient.

8) OPTIONAL: For further information about trademarks and how to use them properly, see:

http://www.inta.org/info/faqs.html
http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

Questions and Answers:

Is it okay for individual email addresses or URLs to include the term "Freecycle"?
Yes, but please make sure the word is accompanied by something explanatory, like FreecycleMytownMod.

Do personal emails about Freecycle need to use the (R) mark or trademark attribution?
No. Having the attribution in email list footers is enough.

Where are the most common places that "Freecycle" use should be checked?

• Group description/home page (Management / Description and Appearance / Description - Edit) Group email footer text (Management / Messages / Subject Tag and Footer - Edit) Group welcome message (Management / Membership / Welcome Message - Edit) All automatically sent notices -- especially the Freecycle Etiquette document Press releases or other stand-alone documents
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