Frequently Asked Questions

Is HSD safe for children?
(Adapted from a post by James Thayer, one of HSD's former administrators.)

In a sense, as with most things, the answer is both yes and no.

When we say "yes, it is safe", we are in many senses giving credit to the forum's prestigious moderation staff. Between all of them, they generally keep a 24-hour watch on the content which passes to and fro on the forum. In addition, most of the users on the forum are of Christian background and belief. Hence, most of the moderation issues don't have to do with objectionable content, but rather with lack of content - discussions getting off-topic, etc. Such issues are, obviously, no need for concern.

So is there any content that might cause concern? Unfortunately, yes. HSD is mainly dedicated to NCFCA/Stoa topics and events, but other issues are discussed as well. In addition, while most of the users are of the Christian faith and morality, not all are. In many cases, this will result in children or students being exposed to atheist, agnostic, or other worldviews which they may not be used to, or which the parents may (understandably) not wish them to be exposed to at this impressionable stage of their lives. On the other hand, this also opens up a very real opportunity for them to share and debate their faith with people from different backgrounds and worldviews.

So, is it worth it?

The answer is two-fold. At first glance, it doesn't seem all that productive for a bunch of inexperienced teenagers to sit around and argue about global policy. But if you were to ask frequent users what they've gotten out of being on HSD, the answer might surprise you; many of the greatest and most successful figures in the NCFCA and Stoa have greatly shaped by the community here. Then we come again to the moderation staff. While it's possible something might "slip through the cracks" every once in awhile, our staff does everything they can to make HSD a user-friendly and user-safe environment.

So what can I do to keep from throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Simple: usergroups.

HSD is divided into a number of sections. Most of them are "safe" discussions of debate and speech events; some of them may include more controversial topics. When you create an account, you get to select what usergroups you want it to be a part of. If you want to avoid certain sections, you can just set the usergroups so the account can't see them.

There are two usergroups in particular to think about:


 * Public Discussion: This usergroup shows sections that are designed for everyone, not just homeschool debaters. As always, these sections are still moderated carefully, but you're more likely to encounter different worldviews and ideas.


 * Controversial Topics: This usergroup includes sections for discussing more controversial topics, like evolution, predestination, gun control, etc. Again, these sections are still moderated carefully, but they are the most likely place to find theologically and morally questionable material.

If you set the usergroups so that you're comfortable with them, and make sure any changes are subject to parental supervision and consent, there shouldn't be any concerns about what children are viewing on the forum.

Is HSD affiliated with the NCFCA or Stoa?
No. HSD is about the NCFCA and Stoa, but it is run and moderated by highschoolers, and is not under the control or authority of NCFCA/Stoa in any way.

Adding a picture (avatar) to your user
1. Upload a picture to an image host. The easiest host is probably imgur.com; you can either upload an image from your own computer, or give it the link to an image somewhere else on the internet.


 * Why should I use an image host instead of just finding an image link somewhere? It costs money to maintain a web server. If you just give HSD the link to an image on another website, everyone who uses HSD will be using that website's server without actually seeing the website - which is a net cost to them. This is called "bandwidth theft", and while it's not illegal, it's generally considered impolite. Plus, image hosts are more reliable.

2. Get the link to the image. If you used imgur.com, just copy the text in the box labeled "Link (email & IM)", on the upper right hand side of the screen after you upload an image.

3. Give the link to HSD. Click here to go to the avatar settings for your account, and paste the link in the box labeled "Link off-site". Now click Submit. That's it!

NOTE: If you plan to upload a recognizable photo of yourself, and you're still in high school, make sure to ask your parents first!

NOTE 2: Images of any size will work, but be aware that if your image is larger than it needs to be, it may take a long time to load for people with slower connections. It's better to make it smaller by cropping or resizing it first.

Adding a signature to your posts
Click here to go to the signature settings for your account. You can type anything you want, as long as it's not longer than 300 characters. (You also can't put images in signatures.) When you're done, click "Submit".

NOTE: Some users find it annoying when signatures take up a lot of vertical space, so you may want to avoid writing something with a lot of line breaks.