Brother_Bliss

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

A large part of the way that the JWTalk Community is organized is by using a built in feature of the software called Member Groups. Various reading and posting permissions can be edited on a member by member basis, or they can be done by a much easier means by using Member Groups. The groups are given certain permissions and restrictions, and then members are assigned to that group. The use of Member Groups is one of the ways that helps the Team here on the Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community keep the community clean and safe for our brothers and sisters around the world. 
 
We get asked from time to time what these group names mean. You might see them under a members avatar when viewing a post on a PC, or on their profile if you click through to see it. Some of the Member Groups are highlighted in red or bold type and so are the members of that group when you see them in the list of Online Users. So the following is an explanation of the primary Member Groups we use for the majority of accounts here at JWTalk.
 
Guest - An unregistered person or search engine bot viewing the forum. Most of our visitors are guests.
 
Now, if a guest applies for membership, and that membership gets approved, then they become a Recent New User.
 
Recent New User - A brand new member. They are subject to content moderation. They can only post. Only key members only forums are available to them. Their Inbox can hold 25 messages.
 
After they've introduced themselves and made a few posts, they get automatically upgraded to a Level 1 of 2 Limited Access User.
 
Limited Access Users - These members are still subject to content moderation. They can use signatures and can upload a cover photo on their profile. They can also now post status updates and create photo albums in the Photo Gallery. They are able to read and participate in the Zoom forum. Their Inbox can hold 50 to 100 messages. 
 
As most Limited Access Users are still relatively newer to the Community, we still need some time to get to know them. After some time has passed and they have made several meaningful contributions to the board, the Team will begin discussing if it's time to give them a Full Access account.
 
Full Access Users - These members are not subject to content moderation and we are trusting them to behave. They can create Clubs. They can manage file versions and also submit URL's in the Files Library. They can read and participate in Comfort & Support forum and the Forum Games forum. Their Inbox can hold 250 messages and they can upload attachments in private messages.
 
Those groups make up the bulk of memberships here at JWTalk. We also have groups called "Inactive Account", "Application Denied", and "Incomplete Registration" that are used solely for management purposes. 
 
This brings us to the Team which is made up of 3 groups in addition to the administrator. Team members appear in bold type in the Who's Online block.
 
Community Assistant - These are selected elders who help keep an eye on the community and who help address sensitive issues in Confidential Talk. They help alert the rest of the Team to issues and concerns they might see. However they don't have Moderator functions available to them.
 
Community Moderator - Moderators can Approve posts waiting in the queue, as well as Edit, Hide, Split, and Move them around. They can see all Clubs without joining. They participate in certain Team activities. Their Inbox can hold 500 messages.
 
Community Manager - These members are Moderators who take care of extra duties behind the scenes. Managers can add or remove Moderators as needed. They are the ones who make decisions on adding new features, hosting, spending donated funds, etc. They respond to messages sent through Contact Us form submissions or to the Support email, and address feedback from appointed men in the congregation. Their Inbox can also hold 500 messages.
 
Finally, we have groups for inactive members or members facing disciplinary action. There are very few of these, but we define them using Member Groups for very important reasons. They include the following.
 
Former Member - A deactivated account of a person who wants it to be clear to the members and any visiting guests that they have voluntarily left the community. They can no longer read or interact with anyone. Former Members can reactivate their account in the future if they change their mind.
 
Restricted User - A member who caused problems and would not abide by the Community Membership Policy even after repeated admonition. They are restricted from posting anywhere or interacting with anyone, therefore they cannot give Reactions, post Status Updates, or use the Private Messenger. They can still read some of the Member forums but not the Clubs, Comfort & Support, or the Zoom forum. Basically, a soft-ban and indefinite time-out.
 
BANNED USER - Accounts with this label we are convinced are apostates or opposers. We consider them dangerous. They cannot see or do anything at all within the community, and we strongly discourage you from interacting with them outside our community.
 
We appreciate all members who help keep their eyes on what goes on in the Community and who either use the Report button or the Confidential Talk forum to bring matters to our attention. In reality, we're community moderated, self moderated discussion forum, and each one of you play a valuable part in keeping JWTalk the safest online gathering place for Jehovah's Witnesses since 2006!
 
 
 

Our Copyright and Image Policy Explained
 
Our Community Membership Policy prohibits uploading copyrighted content to the community when you do not have a license or permission to do so. This is the member's responsibility, and senior members who have earned our trust are allowed to submit content without any oversight or approval process. Since we are on an "honor system", we generally assume that such uploaded attachment is either an original work, was taken from a site that offers the content for free, or the member has a license or permission to distribute it. However, there is one particular type of content that you might sometimes see here that obviously doesn't fit this description, and thus raises the following question:
 
QUESTION: "We sometimes see quotations from the publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses, excerpts from the New World Translation, or artwork from the literature on topics/replies at JWTalk? Does the organization endorse this?"
 
This is a very good question. We should start by saying that that the Branch doesn’t “endorse” any website or service that it does not manage or operate directly. To “endorse” means “to recommend, or to publicly express support or approval of." So the Branch is not going to endorse Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or even JWTalk. However, we have responded to indirect email requests from the Branch to remove content, and we have removed features and made policy changes after having direct discussions regarding the community with a Branch-assigned Circuit Overseer. None of this constitutes an “endorsement”, but we are confident that when they are concerned about some facet of JWTalk or it’s community, they won’t hesitate to reach out to us directly.
 
Quotations and Excerpts from Literature
 
Some individuals have the mistaken view that you cannot quote publications or the Bible itself because it’s copyrighted. This springs from a misunderstanding of copyright laws and what they are intended to do for the copyright owner, and maybe never having heard of “fair use” laws either. We’re not going to get deep into these here, as plenty of information is available for you to research on the internet. Plus, laws may vary from country to country. So here is the simplified version:
 
Copyright laws say it is not okay to completely copy someone’s work. These laws make it illegal for someone completely replicate someone else’s work and redistribute it. This means you cannot reproduce an entire book, chapter, or article and share it, whether you do so by means of a copy machine, by downloading and publicly redistributing an electronic version, by typing it out on a discussion board, or even by copying it all by hand. This likewise applies to copying music and video (bootleg), or even artwork (forgery).
 
Fair Use laws says you can quote or take a small excerpt from a person’s work and comment on it. A quotation can be anywhere from a single sentence to a couple short paragraphs. Fair Use also allows someone to take a small portion of some other work and create something of your own based on that work. For example, a new song may momentarily use a sample from an older song or some movie dialogue. Or, while it is illegal to upload and redistribute someone else’s video, you can create an original video of yourself giving commentary or critique of the original video. Movie reviewers do this all the time.
 
What about uploaded images?
 
Images are copyrighted as well. A graphics designer could be hired to create unique logos, icons, charts and graphs just like an artist or photographer could be hired to create beautiful pictures. It would be wrong to copy these materials and redistribute them elsewhere. This is why images are included among the other products mentioned in the "Terms of Use" at JW.org and within the JW Library app, which says “You may not post on the Internet any artwork, electronic publications, trademarks, music, photos, videos, or articles from our websites.”
 
Because of this, we have a strict policy about not uploading any electronic publications, multimedia, or images from JW.org, JW Library, or it’s associated publications as downloadable file in our Files Library, or as an attachment to any Post or Reply within the community. We are serious about enforcing this, and if a member Reports a post to us containing such an uploaded attachment, we delete the attachment immediately and send a message to the member reminding him not to do that again.
 
However, we will occasionally allow screencaps or images that have been written on with a digital pen or marked up with arrows or other additional markings. A member might need such visual representation to explain something he doesn’t understand about an image, chart, or graph. Likewise, another member may find it necessary to make notes over an image or graph to help make his reply clear. Uploading screencaps or images that have been marked up in this manner falls under Fair Use and so there is no need for other members to report these to us.
 
What about embedded images?
 
Sometimes the image you see displayed is NOT actually copied and uploaded to JWTalk’s server, but has rather been embedded. Embedding is a common practice on websites, blogs, and forums. Most community software, including the software we use, has a built-in function to automatically display media when a member pastes the link into the post. For example, a user may paste a YouTube link, and it will automatically display the video’s title screen and can be played right from the post. Likewise, a user may paste an image link, and the image will automatically be embedded into the post.
 
Embedding images means that no copy is made on the post providing the link (the link is just HTML code pointing to the image or other material), therefore it does not give rise to liability for copyright infringement, unless your site deliberately creates the impression that you are somehow affiliated with or endorsed by the site to which you are linking. We, on the other hand, make every effort to make it clear that JWTalk.net is not an official website of Jehovah's Witnesses, nor are we endorsed, sponsored, or maintained by any legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses.
 
Our policy regarding the automatic embedding of images is that a member may embed ONE image only, and may only do so if embedding that image is absolutely necessary to the coherency of his post or reply. You can tell if an image has been automatically embedded or illegally uploaded to our server by either mousing over it on a PC, or by long-pressing on it with your mobile device. If a file location says it’s at “jwtalk.net/uploads” or “jwtalk.net/files” and it is infringing, then you should report it. If the file location says it’s at “jw.org” or “akamaihd.net/assets” (JW.org uses Akamai services for content distribution) then it’s not an illegal copy and you don’t have to report it to us.
 
Requesting Removal of your content
 
While the above explanation uses the example of copyrighted content from JW.org, the same principles apply to all copyrighted materials. If you are the copyright holder of content that has been submitted by a member without permission, we're pretty easygoing about addressing disputes. Please read our DCMA Copyright Takedown Policy for information about how to prepare and submit a takedown notice.
 
 
 
 

JWTalk Community Forums - How Do We Stay Organized?
 
JWTalk is an internet forum, commonly called a discussion board. We're an online community where brothers and sisters can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. Discussion boards differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are permanently archived and available for reading.
 
A discussion board like JWTalk has a tree-like structure of forums and sub-forums that are designed to categorize various topics of discussion. Simply stated, a topic is a single conversation also referred to as a thread, and a forum is a folder or container for similar topics that fall within a certain category. Each new discussion someone starts is called a topic/thread and can be replied to by as many people as so wish. Participant have to register with JWTalk and subsequently log in to post messages. However, on most of our forums, users do not have to log in to read existing messages. Most of our forums are publicly visible, while just a few of them are members only.
 
Forums predate modern Social Media by decades. Modern social media is like micro-blogging, focusing on the individual, making small, usually impulsive comments, with no regard for or method to categorize the comments. Social Media also affords less privacy. It only takes a few clicks to discover your interests and leanings, which area you live in and more. Forums on the other hand allow you to be relatively anonymous. Forums are much better suited for richer, long form discussions. A typical forum thread it will include a number of participants and often incorporates rich media (e.g. videos, pictures, polls, and more), and has tools better suited for responding and replying to people.
 
The popularity of Social Media has impacted discussion boards in that new members to internet forums often don't think about how the various forums in the community act as categorizations for discussion topics. So in this post and the ones that follow, we hope to give some helpful explanation as to how we categorize threads here at JWTalk, so that when you decide to start a new topic for discussion, you will have a better understanding as to which forum you should post your topic.
 
Please continue reading to get a better idea of which topics belong in which forums...
 
 
Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood
 
This forum description reads: "A public forum for items of interest to all of Jehovah's people who visit our site as guests, such as new audio & video content on JW.org, poetry, illustrations, and non-firsthand experiences that you feel compelled to share. (Publicly Visible)"
 
It's called "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood" for several reasons. This forum is publicly visible to unregistered guests visiting our community, so it is literally available to the whole association of brothers around the world. Therefore, it can be used to start topics of discussion when new audio and video material become available to the public on JW.org. In addition, some members like to share encouraging poetry and experiences that have been passed to them from other sources, and they in turn would like to share it here with their brothers and sisters.
 
What shouldn't be posted in Worldwide Brotherhood? If a field ministry experience is a personal one, then it should be shared to the Our Meetings, Our Ministry, and Our Life as a Christian forum which is visible to members only. Likewise, discussions about literature that we are currently considering at our meetings, such as the Watchtower lesson for the week, the weekly Bible reading, and the book we're considering at the Congregation Book Study should also go in the "Our Meetings" forum. Don't post news journalism from JW.org here, as we have a separate forum for JW News. Please check if another forum is a better fit for your topic of discussion.
 

Our Meetings, Our Ministry, and Our Life as a Christian
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for registered members only to discuss anything related to our lives as Jehovah's people, including our meetings, the field ministry, personal achievements and experiences. (Members Only)"
 
The title of this forum is clear. Anything that has to do with our gatherings, whether it is at the local congregation or at an assembly, most likely should be discussed in this forum. Also anything related to our ministry, such as personal field ministry experiences, help with how to answer a Bible student's questions, pioneering, etc. Organizational arrangements, such as supporting the LDC, making donations, and theocratic appointments, are topics that would belong in this forum. Discussions about maintaining our integrity regarding medical challenges, political neutrality, and peace and unity in the congregation are also fitting for this forum.
 
What shouldn't be posted in Our Meetings & Ministry? Non-firsthand experiences that you cannot verify but are encouraging nonetheless should go in the "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood" forum. Personal struggles that are impacting your emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health and well-being should get posted in "Comfort, Consolation, Support, & Recovery". Technical questions on how to use JW Library or Watchtower Library on your device should go in "Computers, Tablets, Mobile Devices, & Apps".
 

Bible Research, Personal Study, and Scriptural Discussion
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for discussing the Bible, our literature and current understandings, and gems from your personal study and research. This is a theocratic forum for building faith in God's Word and trust in his faithful and discreet slave. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is for those who like to dig into the scriptures and share the fruits of their personal study or family worship with their brothers and sisters. It is also okay to ask for assistance in understanding difficult passages, Bible prophecy, or our current understandings and teachings. Your topic should start with the valuable information you have already covered, and not be just a means of asking silly questions or having other community members do your homework for you. Your purpose in starting a topic in this forum should be to share the results of your personal in-depth bible study and why you think it was beneficial to dig into that topic and why you think it's of value to others on JWTalk, or to request assistance on getting a satisfying answer to something you have been studying deeply but are still having difficulty in understanding fully.
 
What should not go in Deep Research? Do not post curious questions and elementary musings in Deep Research, especially regarding questions that the bible doesn't answer or speculations that we cannot prove scripturally. Please don't ask for help answering a question without FIRST visiting JW.org and the Watchtower Online Library and trying to find the answer yourself. Instead, start a discussion using what you've already learned, and then together we can appreciate and expand on that.
 

Comfort, Consolation, Support & Recovery
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for discussing personal health issues. Talking about your problems can help you deal with your feelings. You are not alone. Discuss personal spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health issues in here. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is where we can discuss issues that we are struggling with that is negatively impacting our personal health and well-being. This could be a physical or mental condition, sickness, or disease. Personal health and well-being can also relate to how you are feeling emotionally over a situation that is perhaps taxing your spirituality, your meeting attendance, and the quality of your prayers. Since we discuss very personal sensitive issues in this forum, we only allow Full Access members to view these discussions, as well as an occasional Limited Access User if we see fit.
 
What should not go in Comfort & Support? Generally speaking, issues that are not your own, such as a difficulty your Bible student is having, which would be better suited for "Our Ministry, Our Meetings, and Life as a Christian", as would struggling to grasp a Bible teaching or Witness stance on matter. Any poetry should go in "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood". Remember that the Staff will move posts to the appropriate forum.
 

Introduce Yourself and Welcome One Another
 
The forum description reads: "A members only forum where you can introduce yourself to the rest of the community, as well as get to know your brothers and sisters from all around the world here on JWTalk Forums. (Members Only)"
 
This is fairly obvious. We love to get to know our brothers and sisters from all around the world, so when you join JWTalk, or shortly thereafter, take the time to introduce yourself to the community. We're eager to learn about you and why you have made the truth your own.
 

JW.org Press Releases & Other JW Related Articles
 
The forum description reads: "A public forum for sharing news about Jehovah's Witnesses from JW.org as well as other media sources who report POSITIVE information that we all love to hear and share with our brothers and sisters. (Publicly Visible)"
 
That should be descriptive enough. This forum is for sharing positive news reports from secular sources about Jehovah's organization and his people worldwide, especially those that give a good witness. Articles from the newsroom at JW.org should be shared and discussed here.
 
What should not be posted to JW News? We will not entertain apostate propaganda in the news media here, so negative journalism regarding Jehovah's people should not be shared.
 

Secular News in the Mainstream Media
 
The forum description reads: "A public forum for discussing secular news from around the world, whether the mainstream media is in the form of articles or videos. Please remember to link to the source. (Publicly Visible)"
 
This forum is for discussion current news and events from around the world that you obtained from reliable mainstream news outlets. Remember that our News forums are public, and so we want to be giving a good witness and maintaining our nuetrality in our comments in such topics.
 
What doesn't belong in Secular News? News from alternative sources, such as heavily biases outlets and not-so-trustworthy sources, "fake news" etc. Watch out for op-ed pieces and independent blogs that pass themselves off as news as well.
 

Alternative News from Offbeat Sources & Sensitive Topics
 
The forum description reads: "A private forum for unsubstantiated 'news' stories and opinion pieces from alternative journalistic-like articles and videos produced by bloggers and commentators that they promote on their 'alternative' media and 'independent' news sites. This is also where we might move more sensitive subjects. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is for discussing news topics that are not reported in mainstream outlets but can only be found at alternative "news" sources, and if you don't trust the mainstream media then you'll probably want to post your news here. This forum is private, and so in addition to having a place available for those who are disposed towards a conspiracy-theorist mentality, whether slightly or embarrassingly, we sometimes move topics for discussion that are very sensitive in nature here as well.
 
What does not go in the Alt.News forum? Mainstream news, or JW News that would be encouraging to a larger, worldwide audience. These other news categories have their own dedicated forums.
 
 
The following Hobbies & Special Interest forums are VERY self-explanatory (Publicly Visible):
 
Computers, Tablets, Mobile Devices, & Apps is a publicly visible forum for discussing computers and mobile technology of all sorts, including how to use our official JW apps & software.
 
Book, Movies, TV, YouTube, Music, & Theater is a forum for discussing Arts & Entertainment.
 
A Banquet of Well-Oiled Dishes is a forum for discussing food, beverages, diets, recipes, dining in, and dining out.
 
 
Forum Games, Riddles, & Trivia (Publicly Visible)
 
Forum Games, Riddles, & Trivia is for turn based forum games. Moderated Users cannot participate here because most of these games are turn-based games and played in real time, and by the time a Staff member gets around to approving a Limited Access Users post, several other Full Access Users may have already taken a turn.
 
What should not be posted in Forum Games? Jokes or anything that isn't a game/riddle/puzzle that is time sensitive or depends on players taking turns.
 
 
General Discussion & Everyday Chit Chat (Publicly Visible)

General Discussion & Everyday Chit Chat is a forum for anything that doesn't already have a forum. The forum description reads "The "everything else" hangout lounge - A public forum for discussing personal interests, ask questions, post jokes & silly stuff, or anything else that doesn't fit have a dedicated forum. This is our off-topic general discussion area here at JWTalk. (Publicly Visible)" 
 
What shouldn't go in the General Discussion forum? Anything theocratic. All theocratic topics will be well suited for one of our Jehovah's Witness Discussion Forums. Also, don't flood this forum with several posts about the same subject matter. You may want to consider forming and moderating your own club if you have a particular passion for a certain topic.
 
 
Clubs
(Deprecated )
 
The Clubs feature has been removed, and previous clubs have been converted into subforums.
 
 
Community Organization & Site Development

Member Support & Community Feedback (Members Only) is for discussion site suggestions, ideas for new features, or to report bugs and other technical issues with using the site.
 
Confidential Talk with the Moderators (Private) is a forum where only you and the moderators can see the topic you start. We encourage you to use this to discuss concerns you have about the community that you want to bring to our attention. This is also where you would request account deactivation or reactivation if you should decide to return.

 

JWTalk Community Forums - How Do We Stay Organized?
 
JWTalk is an internet forum, commonly called a discussion board. We're an online community where brothers and sisters can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. Discussion boards differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are permanently archived and available for reading.
 
A discussion board like JWTalk has a tree-like structure of forums and sub-forums that are designed to categorize various topics of discussion. Simply stated, a topic is a single conversation also referred to as a thread, and a forum is a folder or container for similar topics that fall within a certain category. Each new discussion someone starts is called a topic/thread and can be replied to by as many people as so wish. Participant have to register with JWTalk and subsequently log in to post messages. However, on most of our forums, users do not have to log in to read existing messages. Most of our forums are publicly visible, while just a few of them are members only.
 
Forums predate modern Social Media by decades. Modern social media is like micro-blogging, focusing on the individual, making small, usually impulsive comments, with no regard for or method to categorize the comments. Social Media also affords less privacy. It only takes a few clicks to discover your interests and leanings, which area you live in and more. Forums on the other hand allow you to be relatively anonymous. Forums are much better suited for richer, long form discussions. A typical forum thread it will include a number of participants and often incorporates rich media (e.g. videos, pictures, polls, and more), and has tools better suited for responding and replying to people.
 
The popularity of Social Media has impacted discussion boards in that new members to internet forums often don't think about how the various forums in the community act as categorizations for discussion topics. So in this post and the ones that follow, we hope to give some helpful explanation as to how we categorize threads here at JWTalk, so that when you decide to start a new topic for discussion, you will have a better understanding as to which forum you should post your topic.
 
Please continue reading to get a better idea of which topics belong in which forums...
 
 
Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood
 
This forum description reads: "A public forum for items of interest to all of Jehovah's people who visit our site as guests, such as new audio & video content on JW.org, poetry, illustrations, and non-firsthand experiences that you feel compelled to share. (Publicly Visible)"
 
It's called "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood" for several reasons. This forum is publicly visible to unregistered guests visiting our community, so it is literally available to the whole association of brothers around the world. Therefore, it can be used to start topics of discussion when new audio and video material become available to the public on JW.org. In addition, some members like to share encouraging poetry and experiences that have been passed to them from other sources, and they in turn would like to share it here with their brothers and sisters.
 
What shouldn't be posted in Worldwide Brotherhood? If a field ministry experience is a personal one, then it should be shared to the Our Meetings, Our Ministry, and Our Life as a Christian forum which is visible to members only. Likewise, discussions about literature that we are currently considering at our meetings, such as the Watchtower lesson for the week, the weekly Bible reading, and the book we're considering at the Congregation Book Study should also go in the "Our Meetings" forum. Don't post news journalism from JW.org here, as we have a separate forum for JW News. Please check if another forum is a better fit for your topic of discussion.
 

Our Meetings, Our Ministry, and Our Life as a Christian
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for registered members only to discuss anything related to our lives as Jehovah's people, including our meetings, the field ministry, personal achievements and experiences. (Members Only)"
 
The title of this forum is clear. Anything that has to do with our gatherings, whether it is at the local congregation or at an assembly, most likely should be discussed in this forum. Also anything related to our ministry, such as personal field ministry experiences, help with how to answer a Bible student's questions, pioneering, etc. Organizational arrangements, such as supporting the LDC, making donations, and theocratic appointments, are topics that would belong in this forum. Discussions about maintaining our integrity regarding medical challenges, political neutrality, and peace and unity in the congregation are also fitting for this forum.
 
What shouldn't be posted in Our Meetings & Ministry? Non-firsthand experiences that you cannot verify but are encouraging nonetheless should go in the "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood" forum. Personal struggles that are impacting your emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health and well-being should get posted in "Comfort, Consolation, Support, & Recovery". Technical questions on how to use JW Library or Watchtower Library on your device should go in "Computers, Tablets, Mobile Devices, & Apps".
 

Bible Research, Personal Study, and Scriptural Discussion
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for discussing the Bible, our literature and current understandings, and gems from your personal study and research. This is a theocratic forum for building faith in God's Word and trust in his faithful and discreet slave. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is for those who like to dig into the scriptures and share the fruits of their personal study or family worship with their brothers and sisters. It is also okay to ask for assistance in understanding difficult passages, Bible prophecy, or our current understandings and teachings. Your topic should start with the valuable information you have already covered, and not be just a means of asking silly questions or having other community members do your homework for you. Your purpose in starting a topic in this forum should be to share the results of your personal in-depth bible study and why you think it was beneficial to dig into that topic and why you think it's of value to others on JWTalk, or to request assistance on getting a satisfying answer to something you have been studying deeply but are still having difficulty in understanding fully.
 
What should not go in Deep Research? Do not post curious questions and elementary musings in Deep Research, especially regarding questions that the bible doesn't answer or speculations that we cannot prove scripturally. Please don't ask for help answering a question without FIRST visiting JW.org and the Watchtower Online Library and trying to find the answer yourself. Instead, start a discussion using what you've already learned, and then together we can appreciate and expand on that.
 

Comfort, Consolation, Support & Recovery
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for discussing personal health issues. Talking about your problems can help you deal with your feelings. You are not alone. Discuss personal spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health issues in here. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is where we can discuss issues that we are struggling with that is negatively impacting our personal health and well-being. This could be a physical or mental condition, sickness, or disease. Personal health and well-being can also relate to how you are feeling emotionally over a situation that is perhaps taxing your spirituality, your meeting attendance, and the quality of your prayers. Since we discuss very personal sensitive issues in this forum, we only allow Full Access members to view these discussions, as well as an occasional Limited Access User if we see fit.
 
What should not go in Comfort & Support? Generally speaking, issues that are not your own, such as a difficulty your Bible student is having, which would be better suited for "Our Ministry, Our Meetings, and Life as a Christian", as would struggling to grasp a Bible teaching or Witness stance on matter. Any poetry should go in "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood". Remember that the Staff will move posts to the appropriate forum.
 

Introduce Yourself and Welcome One Another
 
The forum description reads: "A members only forum where you can introduce yourself to the rest of the community, as well as get to know your brothers and sisters from all around the world here on JWTalk Forums. (Members Only)"
 
This is fairly obvious. We love to get to know our brothers and sisters from all around the world, so when you join JWTalk, or shortly thereafter, take the time to introduce yourself to the community. We're eager to learn about you and why you have made the truth your own.
 

JW.org Press Releases & Other JW Related Articles
 
The forum description reads: "A public forum for sharing news about Jehovah's Witnesses from JW.org as well as other media sources who report POSITIVE information that we all love to hear and share with our brothers and sisters. (Publicly Visible)"
 
That should be descriptive enough. This forum is for sharing positive news reports from secular sources about Jehovah's organization and his people worldwide, especially those that give a good witness. Articles from the newsroom at JW.org should be shared and discussed here.
 
What should not be posted to JW News? We will not entertain apostate propaganda in the news media here, so negative journalism regarding Jehovah's people should not be shared.
 

Secular News in the Mainstream Media
 
The forum description reads: "A public forum for discussing secular news from around the world, whether the mainstream media is in the form of articles or videos. Please remember to link to the source. (Publicly Visible)"
 
This forum is for discussion current news and events from around the world that you obtained from reliable mainstream news outlets. Remember that our News forums are public, and so we want to be giving a good witness and maintaining our nuetrality in our comments in such topics.
 
What doesn't belong in Secular News? News from alternative sources, such as heavily biases outlets and not-so-trustworthy sources, "fake news" etc. Watch out for op-ed pieces and independent blogs that pass themselves off as news as well.
 

Alternative News from Offbeat Sources & Sensitive Topics
 
The forum description reads: "A private forum for unsubstantiated 'news' stories and opinion pieces from alternative journalistic-like articles and videos produced by bloggers and commentators that they promote on their 'alternative' media and 'independent' news sites. This is also where we might move more sensitive subjects. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is for discussing news topics that are not reported in mainstream outlets but can only be found at alternative "news" sources, and if you don't trust the mainstream media then you'll probably want to post your news here. This forum is private, and so in addition to having a place available for those who are disposed towards a conspiracy-theorist mentality, whether slightly or embarrassingly, we sometimes move topics for discussion that are very sensitive in nature here as well.
 
What does not go in the Alt.News forum? Mainstream news, or JW News that would be encouraging to a larger, worldwide audience. These other news categories have their own dedicated forums.
 
 
The following Hobbies & Special Interest forums are VERY self-explanatory (Publicly Visible):
 
Computers, Tablets, Mobile Devices, & Apps is a publicly visible forum for discussing computers and mobile technology of all sorts, including how to use our official JW apps & software.
 
Book, Movies, TV, YouTube, Music, & Theater is a forum for discussing Arts & Entertainment.
 
A Banquet of Well-Oiled Dishes is a forum for discussing food, beverages, diets, recipes, dining in, and dining out.
 
 
Forum Games, Riddles, & Trivia (Publicly Visible)
 
Forum Games, Riddles, & Trivia is for turn based forum games. Moderated Users cannot participate here because most of these games are turn-based games and played in real time, and by the time a Staff member gets around to approving a Limited Access Users post, several other Full Access Users may have already taken a turn.
 
What should not be posted in Forum Games? Jokes or anything that isn't a game/riddle/puzzle that is time sensitive or depends on players taking turns.
 
 
General Discussion & Everyday Chit Chat (Publicly Visible)

General Discussion & Everyday Chit Chat is a forum for anything that doesn't already have a forum. The forum description reads "The "everything else" hangout lounge - A public forum for discussing personal interests, ask questions, post jokes & silly stuff, or anything else that doesn't fit have a dedicated forum. This is our off-topic general discussion area here at JWTalk. (Publicly Visible)" 
 
What shouldn't go in the General Discussion forum? Anything theocratic. All theocratic topics will be well suited for one of our Jehovah's Witness Discussion Forums. Also, don't flood this forum with several posts about the same subject matter. You may want to consider forming and moderating your own club if you have a particular passion for a certain topic.
 
 
Clubs
(Deprecated )
 
The Clubs feature has been removed, and previous clubs have been converted into subforums.
 
 
Community Organization & Site Development

Member Support & Community Feedback (Members Only) is for discussion site suggestions, ideas for new features, or to report bugs and other technical issues with using the site.
 
Confidential Talk with the Moderators (Private) is a forum where only you and the moderators can see the topic you start. We encourage you to use this to discuss concerns you have about the community that you want to bring to our attention. This is also where you would request account deactivation or reactivation if you should decide to return.

 

JWTalk Community Forums - How Do We Stay Organized?
 
JWTalk is an internet forum, commonly called a discussion board. We're an online community where brothers and sisters can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. Discussion boards differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are permanently archived and available for reading.
 
A discussion board like JWTalk has a tree-like structure of forums and sub-forums that are designed to categorize various topics of discussion. Simply stated, a topic is a single conversation also referred to as a thread, and a forum is a folder or container for similar topics that fall within a certain category. Each new discussion someone starts is called a topic/thread and can be replied to by as many people as so wish. Participant have to register with JWTalk and subsequently log in to post messages. However, on most of our forums, users do not have to log in to read existing messages. Most of our forums are publicly visible, while just a few of them are members only.
 
Forums predate modern Social Media by decades. Modern social media is like micro-blogging, focusing on the individual, making small, usually impulsive comments, with no regard for or method to categorize the comments. Social Media also affords less privacy. It only takes a few clicks to discover your interests and leanings, which area you live in and more. Forums on the other hand allow you to be relatively anonymous. Forums are much better suited for richer, long form discussions. A typical forum thread it will include a number of participants and often incorporates rich media (e.g. videos, pictures, polls, and more), and has tools better suited for responding and replying to people.
 
The popularity of Social Media has impacted discussion boards in that new members to internet forums often don't think about how the various forums in the community act as categorizations for discussion topics. So in this post and the ones that follow, we hope to give some helpful explanation as to how we categorize threads here at JWTalk, so that when you decide to start a new topic for discussion, you will have a better understanding as to which forum you should post your topic.
 
Please continue reading to get a better idea of which topics belong in which forums...
 
 
Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood
 
This forum description reads: "A public forum for items of interest to all of Jehovah's people who visit our site as guests, such as new audio & video content on JW.org, poetry, illustrations, and non-firsthand experiences that you feel compelled to share. (Publicly Visible)"
 
It's called "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood" for several reasons. This forum is publicly visible to unregistered guests visiting our community, so it is literally available to the whole association of brothers around the world. Therefore, it can be used to start topics of discussion when new audio and video material become available to the public on JW.org. In addition, some members like to share encouraging poetry and experiences that have been passed to them from other sources, and they in turn would like to share it here with their brothers and sisters.
 
What shouldn't be posted in Worldwide Brotherhood? If a field ministry experience is a personal one, then it should be shared to the Our Meetings, Our Ministry, and Our Life as a Christian forum which is visible to members only. Likewise, discussions about literature that we are currently considering at our meetings, such as the Watchtower lesson for the week, the weekly Bible reading, and the book we're considering at the Congregation Book Study should also go in the "Our Meetings" forum. Don't post news journalism from JW.org here, as we have a separate forum for JW News. Please check if another forum is a better fit for your topic of discussion.
 

Our Meetings, Our Ministry, and Our Life as a Christian
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for registered members only to discuss anything related to our lives as Jehovah's people, including our meetings, the field ministry, personal achievements and experiences. (Members Only)"
 
The title of this forum is clear. Anything that has to do with our gatherings, whether it is at the local congregation or at an assembly, most likely should be discussed in this forum. Also anything related to our ministry, such as personal field ministry experiences, help with how to answer a Bible student's questions, pioneering, etc. Organizational arrangements, such as supporting the LDC, making donations, and theocratic appointments, are topics that would belong in this forum. Discussions about maintaining our integrity regarding medical challenges, political neutrality, and peace and unity in the congregation are also fitting for this forum.
 
What shouldn't be posted in Our Meetings & Ministry? Non-firsthand experiences that you cannot verify but are encouraging nonetheless should go in the "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood" forum. Personal struggles that are impacting your emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health and well-being should get posted in "Comfort, Consolation, Support, & Recovery". Technical questions on how to use JW Library or Watchtower Library on your device should go in "Computers, Tablets, Mobile Devices, & Apps".
 

Bible Research, Personal Study, and Scriptural Discussion
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for discussing the Bible, our literature and current understandings, and gems from your personal study and research. This is a theocratic forum for building faith in God's Word and trust in his faithful and discreet slave. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is for those who like to dig into the scriptures and share the fruits of their personal study or family worship with their brothers and sisters. It is also okay to ask for assistance in understanding difficult passages, Bible prophecy, or our current understandings and teachings. Your topic should start with the valuable information you have already covered, and not be just a means of asking silly questions or having other community members do your homework for you. Your purpose in starting a topic in this forum should be to share the results of your personal in-depth bible study and why you think it was beneficial to dig into that topic and why you think it's of value to others on JWTalk, or to request assistance on getting a satisfying answer to something you have been studying deeply but are still having difficulty in understanding fully.
 
What should not go in Deep Research? Do not post curious questions and elementary musings in Deep Research, especially regarding questions that the bible doesn't answer or speculations that we cannot prove scripturally. Please don't ask for help answering a question without FIRST visiting JW.org and the Watchtower Online Library and trying to find the answer yourself. Instead, start a discussion using what you've already learned, and then together we can appreciate and expand on that.
 

Comfort, Consolation, Support & Recovery
 
This forum description reads: "A private forum for discussing personal health issues. Talking about your problems can help you deal with your feelings. You are not alone. Discuss personal spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health issues in here. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is where we can discuss issues that we are struggling with that is negatively impacting our personal health and well-being. This could be a physical or mental condition, sickness, or disease. Personal health and well-being can also relate to how you are feeling emotionally over a situation that is perhaps taxing your spirituality, your meeting attendance, and the quality of your prayers. Since we discuss very personal sensitive issues in this forum, we only allow Full Access members to view these discussions, as well as an occasional Limited Access User if we see fit.
 
What should not go in Comfort & Support? Generally speaking, issues that are not your own, such as a difficulty your Bible student is having, which would be better suited for "Our Ministry, Our Meetings, and Life as a Christian", as would struggling to grasp a Bible teaching or Witness stance on matter. Any poetry should go in "Encouragement for the Worldwide Brotherhood". Remember that the Staff will move posts to the appropriate forum.
 

Introduce Yourself and Welcome One Another
 
The forum description reads: "A members only forum where you can introduce yourself to the rest of the community, as well as get to know your brothers and sisters from all around the world here on JWTalk Forums. (Members Only)"
 
This is fairly obvious. We love to get to know our brothers and sisters from all around the world, so when you join JWTalk, or shortly thereafter, take the time to introduce yourself to the community. We're eager to learn about you and why you have made the truth your own.
 

JW.org Press Releases & Other JW Related Articles
 
The forum description reads: "A public forum for sharing news about Jehovah's Witnesses from JW.org as well as other media sources who report POSITIVE information that we all love to hear and share with our brothers and sisters. (Publicly Visible)"
 
That should be descriptive enough. This forum is for sharing positive news reports from secular sources about Jehovah's organization and his people worldwide, especially those that give a good witness. Articles from the newsroom at JW.org should be shared and discussed here.
 
What should not be posted to JW News? We will not entertain apostate propaganda in the news media here, so negative journalism regarding Jehovah's people should not be shared.
 

Secular News in the Mainstream Media
 
The forum description reads: "A public forum for discussing secular news from around the world, whether the mainstream media is in the form of articles or videos. Please remember to link to the source. (Publicly Visible)"
 
This forum is for discussion current news and events from around the world that you obtained from reliable mainstream news outlets. Remember that our News forums are public, and so we want to be giving a good witness and maintaining our nuetrality in our comments in such topics.
 
What doesn't belong in Secular News? News from alternative sources, such as heavily biases outlets and not-so-trustworthy sources, "fake news" etc. Watch out for op-ed pieces and independent blogs that pass themselves off as news as well.
 

Alternative News from Offbeat Sources & Sensitive Topics
 
The forum description reads: "A private forum for unsubstantiated 'news' stories and opinion pieces from alternative journalistic-like articles and videos produced by bloggers and commentators that they promote on their 'alternative' media and 'independent' news sites. This is also where we might move more sensitive subjects. (Members Only)"
 
This forum is for discussing news topics that are not reported in mainstream outlets but can only be found at alternative "news" sources, and if you don't trust the mainstream media then you'll probably want to post your news here. This forum is private, and so in addition to having a place available for those who are disposed towards a conspiracy-theorist mentality, whether slightly or embarrassingly, we sometimes move topics for discussion that are very sensitive in nature here as well.
 
What does not go in the Alt.News forum? Mainstream news, or JW News that would be encouraging to a larger, worldwide audience. These other news categories have their own dedicated forums.
 
 
The following Hobbies & Special Interest forums are VERY self-explanatory (Publicly Visible):
 
Computers, Tablets, Mobile Devices, & Apps is a publicly visible forum for discussing computers and mobile technology of all sorts, including how to use our official JW apps & software.
 
Book, Movies, TV, YouTube, Music, & Theater is a forum for discussing Arts & Entertainment.
 
A Banquet of Well-Oiled Dishes is a forum for discussing food, beverages, diets, recipes, dining in, and dining out.
 
 
Forum Games, Riddles, & Trivia (Publicly Visible)
 
Forum Games, Riddles, & Trivia is for turn based forum games. Moderated Users cannot participate here because most of these games are turn-based games and played in real time, and by the time a Staff member gets around to approving a Limited Access Users post, several other Full Access Users may have already taken a turn.
 
What should not be posted in Forum Games? Jokes or anything that isn't a game/riddle/puzzle that is time sensitive or depends on players taking turns.
 
 
General Discussion & Everyday Chit Chat (Publicly Visible)

General Discussion & Everyday Chit Chat is a forum for anything that doesn't already have a forum. The forum description reads "The "everything else" hangout lounge - A public forum for discussing personal interests, ask questions, post jokes & silly stuff, or anything else that doesn't fit have a dedicated forum. This is our off-topic general discussion area here at JWTalk. (Publicly Visible)" 
 
What shouldn't go in the General Discussion forum? Anything theocratic. All theocratic topics will be well suited for one of our Jehovah's Witness Discussion Forums. Also, don't flood this forum with several posts about the same subject matter. You may want to consider forming and moderating your own club if you have a particular passion for a certain topic.
 
 
Clubs
(Deprecated )
 
The Clubs feature has been removed, and previous clubs have been converted into subforums.
 
 
Community Organization & Site Development

Member Support & Community Feedback (Members Only) is for discussion site suggestions, ideas for new features, or to report bugs and other technical issues with using the site.
 
Confidential Talk with the Moderators (Private) is a forum where only you and the moderators can see the topic you start. We encourage you to use this to discuss concerns you have about the community that you want to bring to our attention. This is also where you would request account deactivation or reactivation if you should decide to return.

 

Uploading a profile photo (also known as an avatar on forums and social media) is actually quite simple using your PC. At the top right hand corner of any page on JWTalk you will see your current photo and Display Name. Click that photo and you will be taken to your public profile page. In fact, you can click on anyone's photo, including your own, to visit a person's public profile page.
 
When you get to your profile page, your current photo will be displayed towards the left of the cover image, and there will be a little grey icon on the bottom left hand side of your profile photo. Click that icon and you will see a pop-up window with several options for setting your photo.
 
The following video explains how to add a picture/avatar to your JWTalk account. You have your choice of 1) uploading a photo, 2) grabbing one off the web using a URL, or 3) using your Gravatar account*. Watch the tutorial now...
 

* Gravatar support has been removed. Also, while we've changed the appearance of our community, the basic functions are the same.
 
On mobile, the process is very similar. You will click the Menu on the upper right hand corner, then choose Account, and then choose Profile. The little gray icon will be to the left of the cover photo even though your current picture is centered. Click that icon to upload a photo, and then choose the appropriate app on your mobile device to do so.
 
This is where some mobile users have some difficulty, as not all apps on your device will be user-friendly or cooperative. I know on Android, Files by Google works the best. I'm not sure about Apple devices. If you are having touble, a Staff member will be happy to help you. 
 
The community feels closer and more enjoyable when we can put a face to the name, and so we look forward to you uploading your profile picture here in our Jehovah's Witnesses online community