The Register operates a hybrid moderation policy. Here's how it works.

The vast majority of comments will appear on the site automatically. This is because we trust you to follow the house rules.

But just in case....we have a mechanism for readers to report comments. The moderators will continue to deal with any comments and/or commenters reported to them, and decide whether the comments breach the house rules and should be removed from the site.

Some commenters – typically amounting to less than five per cent of all commenters – will continue to have their comments moderated before they appear on the site.

This group includes people who have previously had offensive or libellous comments removed, or who have been frequently reported by other commenters. If comments are reported, the editors will examine the comment as soon as possible, and decide whether it contravenes the house rules. If it does, it will be removed. If it breaks the law, it will be removed. (Breaking the law and breaking house rules might not always be interchangeable.)

If it sounds like we're a bit obsessive about the house rules, you're right. We want El Reg's comment forums to remain a lively, stimulating and noisy place to hang out. We don't want the forums to turn nasty and uncivil.

So I guess you want to know what the house rules are? Well read on.

1. Firstly and perhaps most importantly: Moderation is at our discretion. We publish what we feel is fit for publication. If comments are published without moderation, we still reserve the right to pull them at any time. The vast majority of comments posted will end up on the site. We try to be broad-minded and consistent – but in the end if we don't want it on our site, it doesn't go up or stay up. Correspondence will rarely be entered into on individual decisions.

If you're one of the small group who is subject to moderation, bear in mind that comments may take longer to appear at different times of the day or when we are very busy (especially at the weekend) - all comments are moderated individually. If your comment doesn't show up immediately, be patient - we often have a backlog to work through.

Queries and complaints should be directed to Reg Forums. Several moderators look after the threads and each uses his or her own judgment (comments on individual stories are not usually moderated by the author).

Technical issues should be addressed to the Reg Webmaster.

2. When posting a comment, think about what you're saying and remember you're addressing real people. Be legible and intelligible. Be polite. Animated debate is great - nasty arguments and abuse, not so much. (And try and rein in your pedantry... 'tis human to err, especially when pointing out the errors of others.)

3. Be pertinent – redundant comments repeating what others have said are liable to be reported and deleted. Try to stay on topic. Read the article before you post, and read the thread too.

4. No trolling - it's OK to be provocative, but trolling is another matter.

5. No spam, no links to porn – don't pimp your own website, blog or business. If you're linking to something that may be seen as naughty, help your fellow commenters by adding a NSFW note.

6. We're thick-skinned, but... if you slag off The Register or its writers your comment may get canned - this is our house, after all. Requests for writers to be sacked or for stories not to have been published are unlikely to hang around for long. Use your common sense.

7. That person who doesn't hate the company you hate... they're not a corporate shill. Don't accuse them of it. Similarly, no one is paying our writers to be nice, or horrible, about anyone. Don't accuse them of it either. Oh, and the moderators are not Nazis. Don't be silly.

8. Please post your comment in the comment box, not in the title field. Currently we allow posts of up to 2,000 characters, which is quite a bit longer than most forums, but try not to post enormous essays or margin-busting links.

9. If we suspect that your comment may be libellous, we will reject it. We err on the side of caution. Remember we are subject to UK libel laws.

10. Post no personal details about others, please. And don't post your own contact details. How do we know they are yours? When posts containing personal details are flagged up to us, we will delete them.

11. Don't be a racist arsehole, a homophobic wanker, a xenophobic idiot or a sexist pig. You know when you're crossing a line – if you don't, learn.

12. We're grateful for corrections. In fact, we've got a new reporting mechanism for corrections. This is what it looks like.

So, don't be upset if your corrective comment doesn't appear in the forums – we're not ignoring it. We're just busy round the back giving the offending hack a good talking-to.

13. If you want to take issue with the content of a story, you can email the author by selecting their byline link at the top of the story. They will usually be happy to help, if you're courteous. (Please be courteous.)

14. Do use the 'report comment' button – we take note of each one and often withdraw comments after complaints, and we're grateful for your assistance as spam and other unwelcome things do sometimes slip through – but don't abuse it. A differing opinion does not make reasonable grounds for reporting a comment. You may end up getting flagged if you continually file unwarranted reports.

15. If you are persistently abusive in any way you will be flagged. Your comments will be pre-moderated and may not appear on the site. In very rare circumstances we'll zap your account.

16. We do not have time to edit comments. If you are abusive in an otherwise sensible, insightful post, we may reject the entire comment. Sometimes we'll alert you to this. If your comment is rejected, feel free to edit it yourself and resubmit.

17. We take the law very seriously. Please don't threaten the posters, Reg staffers or anyone else with violence, pain, maiming, etc. If you do, this could be reported to the authorities, and we will fully cooperate with any investigations they choose to pursue.

18. Once again - moderation is at our discretion. Having your comment published on this site is not one of your human rights.

These guidelines are subject to revision. We always welcome your comments and appreciate it when you respect the forums, the moderators and each other. Above all, don't get too upset... it's just the internet. ®