terms-of-service definition online
How to prohibit &quot;Discussion of Illegal Activity&quot; -- but only the bad kind?
<p>Online forums often have rules that say &quot;Discussion of illegal activity&quot; is prohibited.  By this, they want to prevent users from using the forum from doing things like planning crimes, or (in the case of a game) sharing ways to cheat.</p>
<p>However, the phrase is really too broad.</p>
<p>Taken literally, a user could not ask if something that happened to them was illegal, or if a venture they're planning would violate copyright. A gamer could not explain why a certain trick was prohibited - even if the game had been repaired so that the trick no longer worked.</p>
<p>I understand the sentiment. An article of &quot;scams to avoid&quot; is also a list of &quot;scams you can try&quot;.</p>
<p>What's a better way to say &quot;Planning or instructing on how to commit illegal activity is prohibited, but informing on how prevent or avoid illegal activity is allowed&quot;?</p>

<h2>It isn’t too broad</h2>
<p>English is not interpreted in isolation but in context. You understand that “discussion of illegal activity” means “doing things like planning crimes, or (in the case of a game) sharing ways to cheat”. So does everybody else.</p>
<p>Including the other things you mention in the phrase are a stretch and obviously so. Therefore, that’s not what it means.</p>

<p>We decided on &quot;Instructional (as opposed to informational) discussions of illegal activity&quot;.</p>
<p>I'm not entirely satisfied with that, but it will do for the first draft.</p>
