DealerELITE Community Guidelines – 2025 Edition (12/28/25)

Purpose and mission

DealerELITE exists to connect automotive professionals, enthusiasts, and service providers in a collaborative community that shares knowledge, celebrates innovation, and advances the automotive industry. By participating here, you agree to follow these guidelines to keep DealerELITE a professional, welcoming, and trustworthy space.

1. Be respectful and inclusive

• Politeness first: Communicate courteously and constructively. Disagreement is fine, but personal attacks, insults, bullying, or harassment are not. Respect diverse viewpoints and do not target individuals or groups based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other personal characteristic.

• No profanity, hate speech, or threats: Posts containing swearing, hate speech, derogatory comments, or threats of violence will be removed and may lead to suspension.

• One person, one account: Each member may have only one account; duplicate or impersonating accounts will be banned.

2. Stay on topic – automotive content only

• DealerELITE is dedicated to automotive topics. Post content related to vehicles, dealerships, parts, service, motorsports, technology, and other automotive issues. Off‑topic posts will be removed.

• Keep replies focused on the thread’s subject and avoid hijacking discussions. Start a new thread if your question does not relate to the current topic.

3. Share knowledge responsibly

• Use proper etiquette: Write clearly; avoid all‑caps and excessive punctuation.

• Constructive engagement: Share expertise and be willing to learn from others. Provide constructive feedback rather than negativity.

• Respect privacy: Do not post someone else’s personal information (phone numbers, addresses, financial details, etc.) without their consent. Keep proprietary or confidential information (such as customer data and internal policies) private.

• No illegal or harmful content: Discussions involving drugs or illicit substances, instructions on unlawful vehicle modifications, hate or violent imagery, pornography, or graphic content are prohibited.

• Respect intellectual property: Do not post copyrighted materials or illegal software. If quoting an article, credit the original author and link to the source.

4. Advertising and self‑promotion

• Limit commercial posts: Networking is encouraged, but overt self‑promotion and spam turn the community into an ad feed. Mention your dealership, products, or services only when it genuinely adds value to the conversation; do not flood the feed with sales pitches.

• Transparency: Disclose any affiliation with the product or service you mention. Do not pose as a consumer to promote a business.

• Comply with advertising regulations: Follow federal and state truth‑in‑advertising laws when posting about products, services, or vehicle listings. Avoid making untrue or misleading claims and never plant fake reviews.

• Inventory posting: Occasional posts about unique or notable inventory are acceptable, but continuous listings clog the community and may violate advertising regulations.

5. AI‑generated content and originality

• Label AI‑generated content: Clearly label any images, videos, or text that are wholly or significantly produced or modified by AI. Platforms such as TikTok require creators to disclose AI‑generated or edited content, and disclosure promotes transparency.

• Avoid misrepresentation: Do not use AI to impersonate real people or depict them doing or saying things they did not do. Content that misleads viewers or depicts fake authoritative statements, crisis events, or minors without permission is prohibited.

• Provide human oversight and add value: Use AI as a drafting assistant, but add your own analysis, experiences, and citations. Modern platforms emphasise that AI‑assisted content should deliver unique value and be overseen by humans.

6. Safety, inclusivity, and legal compliance

• No hate speech or discrimination: Discriminatory or abusive language targeting protected characteristics will not be tolerated.

• No threats or incitement of harm: Posts containing threats, violence, or encouragement of illegal activity will be removed and may be reported.

• No fake or misleading information: Do not spread misinformation about vehicles, repairs, recalls, public figures, or crises. Provide sources when making claims.

• Follow the law: Comply with all applicable laws, including those relating to advertising, consumer protection, privacy, and intellectual property. Do not solicit or discuss illegal activities.

7. Consequences and moderation

• Pre‑approval of content: To maintain quality and compliance, all new content is reviewed by moderators before publication.

• Enforcement: Violations will result in escalating actions: removal of offending content, warnings, temporary suspension, and, for repeat or severe violations, permanent banning. Moderators reserve the right to edit or delete any post, photo, or video at their discretion.

• Zero‑tolerance offences: Severe cases—such as threats, hate speech, impersonation, distribution of illegal content, or repeated spamming—may result in immediate removal from the community.

8. Reporting and feedback

• Report violations: Help keep DealerELITE safe by reporting posts or users that violate these guidelines. Moderators will review reports and act accordingly.

• Feedback welcomed: These guidelines will evolve with community needs. Members are encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions to refine and improve our standards.

9. A living document

Community standards must adapt over time. We will revisit these guidelines annually or as needed to reflect changes in law, technology, and member feedback. By participating in DealerELITE, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these rules.

These updated rules blend the original DealerELITE policies (courtesy, limited self‑promotion, and automotive focus) with contemporary best practices on safety, inclusivity, advertising compliance, AI‑generated content, and legal obligations.