Members agree to conduct themselves in a professional, respectful, and good-faith manner when participating in Long Island Authors programs, events, communications, online platforms, social media groups, email exchanges, messaging threads, and any other member-related activity.

Long Island Authors is intended to be a supportive, professional community for authors, readers, sponsors, vendors, venues, and partners. Members may not engage in conduct that harms, disrupts, undermines, or interferes with the organization, its members, its events, its reputation, or its business relationships.

Unacceptable Behavior

Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to:

1. 1. Harassment, intimidation, bullying, threats, coercion, stalking, or hostile conduct toward any member, guest, organizer, sponsor, vendor, venue representative, reader, or member of the public.
   2. Discriminatory, abusive, profane, obscene, defamatory, degrading, or personally attacking language, whether communicated in person, by email, by text, through social media, or through any other platform.
   3. Mean-spirited, inflammatory, mocking, insulting, or intentionally divisive posts, comments, reviews, or messages directed at Long Island Authors, its members, its organizers, its events, its sponsors, its venues, or its business partners.
   4. Public or private communications intended to embarrass, shame, ridicule, threaten, pressure, or damage another member, the organization, or any person associated with the organization.
   5. Spreading false, misleading, harmful, or unverified claims about Long Island Authors, its leadership, its members, its events, its sponsors, venues, partners, or business practices.
   6. Disruptive behavior at events, including arguing with organizers, interfering with event operations, disturbing other authors or attendees, refusing to follow event instructions, or acting in a manner that reflects poorly on the organization.
   7. Misuse of member contact information, event information, mailing lists, private communications, or internal group discussions.
   8. Any conduct that Long Island Authors, in its sole discretion, determines to be harmful to the safety, professionalism, goodwill, reputation, or orderly operation of the organization.

Unacceptable Communications

Members may not use Long Island Authors platforms, events, contact lists, email threads, group messages, social media pages, websites, or member connections to send communications that are hostile, abusive, mean-spirited, disruptive, deceptive, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate.

This includes direct messages, public posts, comments, emails, texts, social media posts, reviews, or other communications that target, criticize, insult, pressure, or disparage another member, the organization, an event, a sponsor, a venue, or any business partner in a manner deemed unprofessional or harmful.

Constructive feedback is welcome when communicated respectfully and directly through the proper channels. Public attacks, hostile commentary, personal disputes, mean-spirited posts, or attempts to damage the organization or its members are not permitted.

Non-Solicitation and Member Poaching

Long Island Authors invests time, resources, marketing, relationships, event planning, and promotional efforts to build and maintain its author community. Members agree not to misuse their access to the organization, its events, its member network, or its communications for the purpose of diverting, soliciting, recruiting, or poaching members away from Long Island Authors.

Members may not directly or indirectly solicit Long Island Authors members, vendors, sponsors, venues, partners, or event participants for competing groups, competing events, competing services, or outside business opportunities in a manner that undermines, conflicts with, or diverts participation from Long Island Authors.

This restriction includes, but is not limited to:

1. 1. Using Long Island Authors events, meetings, contact lists, social media groups, email threads, or private member communications to recruit members into another author group, event series, promotional program, or competing organization.
   2. Contacting members for the purpose of encouraging them to leave, reduce participation in, or avoid Long Island Authors programs, events, memberships, or services.
   3. Promoting competing events, services, organizations, memberships, or platforms to Long Island Authors members without prior written permission.
   4. Using member relationships developed through Long Island Authors primarily for personal gain, competing business purposes, or to interfere with Long Island Authors’ business relationships.
   5. Attempting to divert sponsors, venues, vendors, advertisers, media contacts, readers, or organizational partners away from Long Island Authors.

Nothing in this section is intended to prevent ordinary professional networking, friendship, collaboration, or lawful independent business activity. However, members may not use Long Island Authors’ membership access, goodwill, events, private communications, or organizational relationships to compete against, undermine, or divert business from Long Island Authors.

Enforcement and Remedies

Long Island Authors reserves the right to review any conduct, communication, post, message, or activity that may violate these Terms of Service.

If Long Island Authors determines, in its sole discretion, that a member has violated these terms, Long Island Authors may take one or more of the following actions:

1. 1. Issue a warning or request that the conduct stop immediately.
   2. Remove or moderate posts, comments, or communications.
   3. Limit or revoke access to online groups, member platforms, events, services, or promotional opportunities.
   4. Cancel event participation, table reservations, listings, memberships, or promotional benefits.
   5. Suspend or terminate membership without refund.
   6. Refuse future membership, event participation, advertising, sponsorship, or promotional services.
   7. Take any other action Long Island Authors deems necessary to protect the organization, its members, its events, its sponsors, its venues, and its business relationships.

Long Island Authors is not required to provide repeated warnings before taking action. Serious, repeated, threatening, defamatory, disruptive, or harmful conduct may result in immediate suspension or termination.

No Refund for Violations

Membership fees, event fees, advertising fees, table fees, sponsorship fees, promotional fees, and other payments are non-refundable if a member is removed, suspended, denied participation, or terminated due to violation of these Terms of Service, event rules, communication standards, or professional conduct requirements.

Reputation and Goodwill Protection

Members acknowledge that Long Island Authors depends on goodwill, trust, reputation, professional relationships, member cooperation, venue partnerships, sponsor relationships, and public confidence. Members agree not to engage in conduct or communications that intentionally or recklessly damage, disparage, disrupt, or interfere with Long Island Authors, its services, events, members, organizers, sponsors, venues, or business relationships.

Long Island Authors LLC