Frequently Asked Questions
The Basics
Get recommendations
Train Babbledog about your interests by browsing through Babbledog, posting, commenting, searching, and voting. It fetches content tailored to your interests.
Read
Dig through Babbledog's vast heap of threads.
Vote
Vote up stuff you like and down stuff you don't like.
Post
Share cool content with the world.
What is Babbledog?
Babbledog is a personalized, social, news site. You can find and share content of interest, interact with folks through live chat, and get recommendations about what else you might like. The more you teach Babbeldog about what you like, the better the recommendations get.
Why should I use Babbledog?
Use Babbledog because you are interested in what's new, chatting with others, and browsing a website that tailors itself to your likes.
The Front Page
What's all the stuff on the first page?
The
bubble wall, popular
causes, list of top scorers, and options about what to do next are on Babbledog's front page. Also, in the top right corner are links to sign in and
register and the
score. The front page offers a quick glance at what's happening in Babbledog. You can click on most of the items to go deeper into Babbledog.
The Bubble Wall
What's the list of stuff in the margin of some pages that scrolls stuff?
That list is the bubble wall. It shows what's currently happening in Babbledog, from new messages to what people are reading. Click on an item on the wall to go to it.
Bubble wall? Are you serious? Is doesn't look like bubbles at all. What kind of a name is that?
We call it the bubble wall because it bubbles what's happening into a column where you can easily view it and because it bubbles the most recent items to the top.
Registering
Why register?
Registering for a full account saves your preferences, the choices you make, your score, and your progress on the site overall. It also means you can participate fully in Babbledog, since we reserve access to some features for registered users only. You will be able to edit your profile and preferences. If you're likely to use Babbledog regularly—and especially if you've spent a lot of time browsing or want to post—you should register in order to take advantage of Babbledog's customization. If you're afraid to commit fully, you can create a temporary account that will exist until you log out. Signing up is free.
Why don't you allow anonymous users?
We think an online community is better when its participants have the option of establishing identities for themselves instead of just being anonymous. Because of certain regulations, like the
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we need to know people using Babbledog are at least 13 years of age. Registered users must declare they are old enough to legally use the site.
How can I register?
On the
registration page, fill out the form to register. Choose a screenname, agree to our terms of service, and, if you are at least 13 years old, check the box indicating that. You will need to complete the reCAPTCHA to prove to us you are a real human. (While reading this page counts as proof enough, since we don't know that you've been here, you will have to do reCAPTCHA.) If you would like a full account, please choose a password and give us an email address, too. Otherwise, you will not be able to log in later. If you are not yet 13, please return when you're old enough.
Why do I need to give you an email address?
We ask for one unique email address per account because you will log in with an email address and if you forget your password, we will send you an email so you can regain access to your Babbledog account. We also offer you the option of receiving important information and news via email about Babbledog.
Why use an email address for a login?
Since many other Babbledog users will know your username, using it as a login for your account does not make your account secure. Sure, people might know your email address, but it is less likely someone will be able to guess the email address you use for Babbledog.
Why can't people younger than 13 use Babbledog?
Because of the
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States, we cannot legally collect any personal information from people younger than 13 years of age. Thus, we cannot allow them to register on Babbledog.
What's a good screenname?
Your username will appear publicly on your posts and comments, so you should pick one with which you are comfortable. Whether you pick one that easily identifies you is up to you. Names must only contain a-z, A-Z, 0-9, _, -, or a space. Screennames are unique. If someone else has already chosen one you would like, please choose another one. We ask that you do not deliberately choose a name in order to represent someone else falsely. For example, don't pick Kate Winslet unless you are Kate Winslet.
What's a secure password?
While you may not want to keep your Babbledog account as secure as you would like to keep your bank account, you should still choose a good password to prevent someone from using your account without your consent. Strong passwords usually contain a mix of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. Using a password that might be obvious for someone else to guess, like your birthdate or street address, is risky. We encrypt passwords. Not even those of us working on Babbledog see anyone's password.
I forgot my password. Now what?
Request a password reset. We'll send you an email with a link you can follow to reset your password. The link expires in about 60 minutes. Make sure emails from
support@babbledog.com aren't getting filtered out as spam in your email account. The link to request a password reset is also in the sign in box.
Tell me more about reCAPTCHA.
We use a CAPTCHA (Completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart) to prevent non-human entities, like bots, from generating fake, spam, or malicious Babbledog accounts. We chose
reCAPTCHA, which came out of work at Carnegie Mellon University, because we like the idea of being able to contribute productively to book digitization instead of just forcing people to waste time and energy jumping through another registration hoop. Also, it has an audio component for sight-impaired members of the Babbledog community. Besides,
another great apporach we considered had not been completely programmed yet.
I'm a bot. Why don't you want me to use Babbledog?
Although we realize that actively discriminating against bots is wrong in certain circles, since they're computer programs frequently used for malicious purposes, we don't think their activity in Babbledog would be conducive to the kind of community we hope to build.
Profile
What information should I put in my profile?
Once you have registered, you can edit your profile. You should include information to let other Babbledog users know a little bit about you, but not information you wouldn't want the world to know.
Do I need to provide my full name?
No, you do not need to give the Babbledog community your full name.
How can I add a photo to my profile?
You can add a picture to your profile by uploading a photo or getting an image from another website. Upload by browsing for an image on your computer and uploading it to our server. To use an image from a website, put the URL of the image in the Image URL box and clicking Fetch Image. You might need to right click or control click on an image in order to copy the image's URL. To comply with copyright and licenses, we ask that you only choose photos to which you own the rights, are using with the permission of the rights owner, or which use one of many licenses allowing people to freely use the images, like a
Creative Commons arrangement or
GNU Free Document License.
Can I remove my profile image?
Of course! Check the box next to "Remove profile image" in the "change image" options and then click "ok."
What is the "other profiles" box?
We give you the option to share the URLs of websites or profiles you might have elsewhere, like a blog,
del.icio.us account, or
Facebook profile. Click "edit links," enter a URL in the box, and click "Add URL." To remove a URL, click remove next to the URL when they appear above the submission box. You can enter several URLs. Be sure to save your changes.
What are the Recent Responses?
The Recent Responses list shows comments you have made in Babbledog. Other people can view this list.
The "Posted by" list shows my posts, right?
Yes. Other people can view this list, too.
What URL should I give people for my profile page?
URLs for profile pages follow the pattern of http://babbledog.com/user/screenname. If you want to visit Babbledog's profile, you should go to:
http://babbledog.com/user/babbledog/.
Causes
What are causes?
Causes are a way for you to visually indicate some of your interests.
How can I support a cause?
To support a cause, anytime you see one you aren't supporting, click Support, which appears below the cause.
Where can I view causes?
You can view causes on Babbledog's front page, on
Causes, in the causes section of your profile, on other user's profiles, on individual cause pages, and in search results.
How can I stop supporting a cause?
To remove a cause, simply click Drop below the cause.
Can I make a cause?
Absolutely! Via the
create a cause page, you can upload an image to turn into a cause. Be sure to complete the text fields on that page because that will help other people find and support your cause. The first box shows you how the image you have chosen will look as a cause. Blanks to upload an image from your computer or fetch an image from a URL are below that box. The next blank requires you to title your cause. You can link your cause to a website. Explaining your cause in the description box will help people decide whether to support it or not. Tags allow you to attach keywords to your cause. Babbledog's search engine uses the text fields to retrieve your cause when people search for particular words.
How can I encourage other people to support my cause?
By publicizing your cause, you can encourage other people to support it. Tag posts with your cause. Support your cause to add it to your profile page. Invite folks to support it by emailing them via the Invite link on a cause's page. Tell other Babbledog users about it. Display the widget found on a cause's page on your website or weblog.
There's a cause widget I can display on my website or blog?
Yes! To get it, click the Widget button on a cause's page. A popup box will open showing what the widget looks like for that specific cause and giving you the code you need to copy and paste into the code of your website or weblog in order to display the widget. The widget provides an image and link to the cause in Babbledog. Visitors to your website or blog can click the widget to go to the cause's page in Babbledog.
What does the Invite button on a cause's page do?
The Invite button on a cause's page gives you the option of emailing people to tell them about any cause in Babbledog you think might interest them. Babbledog does nothing with the email addresses. We won't spam them.
How can I label posts with a cause?
Through the Share link on a thread or the Share dialog box when posting, you can add the thread to a cause you are supporting. More specifics about that are in the
Posting section.
How do you select the causes for the front page?
Babbledog displays the most popular causes on its front page.
If I create a cause, does that make me by default the community manager for that cause?
At this point in time, cause creators are just the people who create a cause. We do not require them to have any duties beyond creation.
What are my responsibilities as a cause creator?
When you create a cause, you are only responsible for creating that cause. How much you want to popularize the cause, how many threads you what to link to it at creation, etc., are up to you.
Do I need to find everything in Babbledog related to the cause I created and Share the threads with that cause?
It is entirely up to you whether you seek posts in Babbledog to share them with your cause.
Many cause images use logos. Does that mean those organizations are endorsing Babbledog?
Many people who create causes use images easily recognizable as being associated with that cause. In many cases, that might be a logo, like an official company shield. The use of those graphics for a cause does not constitute an endorsement of Babbledog by that organization.
Settings
Why can't I change my screenname?
In order to keep contributions by users consistent, we do not allow people to change their usernames.
Do I need to provide my full name?
No, you do not need to give the Babbledog community your full name.
Why do you want my birthdate?
United States laws require us to confirm that all of our users are at least 13 years of age and anyone viewing mature content is at least 18 years of age. Your birthdate is one way we confirm your age.
Why do I need to give you an email address?
We ask for an email address because you will log in with an email address and so that you can reset your account's password if you ever forget it. We also offer you the option of receiving important information and news via email about Babbledog.
What is Email Opt-In?
Checking Email Opt-In means you agree to receive general announcements and news about Babbledog. Some important email we will send to all users, regardless of whether they have opted in or not.
What is Mature Opt-In?
To the best of our ability, we try to filter out pornographic and other adult content to prevent people younger than 18 from viewing it. If you would like to see content we consider to be for mature users, check the box indicating you're at least 18 years of age, then opt-in for mature content.
I saw something I consider to be mature content, yet I don't want to see it. What can I do?
If you find content you consider to be for adult eyes only, especially if it is pornographic, please look at the Mature Opt-In setting in your profile. If you have checked the box, uncheck the box. If you have not opted in for mature content, please write to
support@babbledog.com with information about what you saw. It would be helpful for us if you could include the URLs of the page you were viewing as well as the URL of the entry with adult content.
I found objectionable content on another website. Can you do anything about that?
Babbledog and its creators are not responsible for content on websites outside of Babbledog's domain.
Posting
How can I post something?
Click the post button near the top of most pages to go to
create a story.
What kinds of things should I post?
Did you read an interesting news article? Would you like to discuss the video you watched? Has the latest journal issue inspired some deep thinking? Want to recommend that hilarious comic strip you read? What about that beautiful photo? Have a funny story? Do you have a question you'd like someone else to answer? Would you like advice? Those are all examples of things you could share via Babbledog.
Do I need to fill in all of the blanks on the posting page?
You do not need to complete all of the blanks on the posting page. A title is required for each post. If you're linking to something on the Web, please include a URL. The description gives you the opportunity to write about what it is you're sharing. Use the tags box to add some keywords or categories to your submission.
What are tags?
Tags are used by a number of websites, like photo sharing, video, and social bookmarking sites, as a way for people to add some keywords or categories to the content. These extra words will help others within Babbledog and through search engines find what you write. You can choose important words from your description, text from the item to which you're linking, or use words not in the article. For example, if you're writing about job trends, you might want to use employment and job trends as tags. You could use astronomy as a tag for news about the discovery of a new star.
How can I add an image?
There are two ways to add images: by uploading one or getting one from another website. Upload a photo by browsing for an image on your computer and uploading it to our server. To use an image from a website, put the URL of the image in the Image URL box and clicking Fetch Image. You might need to right click or control click on an image in order to copy the image's URL. To comply with copyright and licenses, we ask that you only choose photos to which you own the rights, are using with the permission of the rights owner, or which use one of many licenses allowing people to freely use the images, like a
Creative Commons agreement or
GNU Free Document License.
What's the preview?
The preview gives you an opportunity to see what your story might look like once it is live. It's a good idea to proofread what you wrote before clicking post.
How can I link a thread and a cause?
After you finish posting, Babbledog gives you the option to immediately connect your story to a cause. You will see a popup box showing causes you support you can click on to link it to the post. Babbledog will show the cause or causes it thinks fit best first. To view more causes, click the link "show all," which appears above the box showing the causes. Babbledog will show all causes if it makes no specific recommendations. Click on as many causes as you think are appropriate to the thread.
How long do threads last?
Posts users make should remain in the system indefinitely, unless they violate the
Terms of Service.
Is there some place I can view the threads I've written?
Such a list is on your profile page.
Bookmarklet
What if I'm browsing the web and find something I'd like to post on Babbledog. Is there a shortcut to do that?
The bookmarklet, found on
create a story, is a shortcut to creating a new thread in Babbledog.
How do I use it?
After you install it in your browser by dragging the link to the appropriate toolbar, click on it from any website and Babbledog will magically fill in the title and link boxes and put any text you've selected into the description. You might need to sign into Babbledog before completing your post.
Reading
How can I read threads?
You can read posts by browsing through Babbledog.
Where is the link in a story?
The title of a thread is where the link to another site would be. Not all stories link to other sites. In those cases, the title links to the thread page in Babbledog.
How can I read the comments in a thread?
Click the Discuss or comments link to go to the post's page and read the comments. If many people have commented, you might need to click Older Comments to read them all.
What's the column In pictures ... ?
The column In pictures ... highlights some images from items in Babbledog.
What's the More like this ... column?
Babbledog magically gathers items similar to the one you are viewing and displays them in a column on the thread page.
What are the links Recommended, Popular, and New?
The list of threads via the
Recommended link are posts Babbledog thinks you might want to read based on your activity on the site. The items under
Popular are stories which other people have been reading and on which they have been commenting.
New features entries people have recently put in Babbledog.
Comments
How can I comment on a story?
To comment, click the Discuss or comments link. On the post's individual page, there is a form into which you can type your comment. Press enter or Submit when you are finished.
How long do comments last?
Comments should remain in the system indefinitely, unless they violate the
Terms of Service.
How can I get back to comments I've made?
A list of the comments you've made is available on your profile page.
HTML Tags
What HTML tags can I use in a comment or post?
The HTML code we allow in post descriptions, comments, and profile paragraphs is as follows:
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|
| a | anchor, as in <a href=""> |
| b | bold |
| blockquote | indents text to be a blockquote |
| br | break |
| center | centers text |
| code | indicates the following text is computer code |
| del | for revision control, it indicates text that has been deleted |
| em | italics |
| href | paired with a, it comprises the rest of the code for a link |
| i | italics |
| li | list item |
| ol | ordered/numbered list |
| p | paragraph |
| pre | pre-formatted text |
| strong | bold |
| tt | teletype |
| ul | unordered list |
How can I put a link in the text?
If you use the complete URL, Babbledog should link it automatically for you. For example, "Here's a great site:
http://babbledog.com!" You can link text by using HTML like this: <a href="http://babbledog.com/">
Here's a great site!</a>" Babbledog supports these URI schemes: http, https, and ftp.
Emoticons
Can I put smileys in Babbledog?
Yes! Here's how to do it:
| Name | Characters | Emoticons |
|---|
| angry | :-@ :@ @-: @: |  |
| confused | :-S S-: :s |  |
| crying | :'( )': |  |
| devil | >=) (=< >:) (:< |  |
| disappointed | :-| :| |: |-: |  |
| don't tell | :-X :x |  |
| eye roll | 8-) (-8 |  |
| embarrassed | :-$ :$ $: $-: |  |
| hot | B-) (-B (H) (h) |  |
| I don't know | :^) (^: |  |
| kiss | :-* *-: :* *: (k) |  |
| love | (L) <3 |  |
| open mouth | :-D :D |  |
| sad | :-( :( ): )-: |  |
| sleepy | |-) (-| |  |
| smile | :-) :) (: (-: =] [= |  |
| surprised | :-O :o o: O-: |  |
| thinking | *-) (-* |  |
| tongue out | :-P :p :P :-P |  |
| wink | ;-) (-; ;) (; |  |
Voting
What does voting on a thread do?
Babbledog examines your votes in order to improve its recommendations for you. It will look for items similar to those you have voted up and not recommend as highly those similar to what you have voted down.
Flagging
What happens if I flag a thread?
Flagged content should disappear from your recommendations.
Sharing
Is there a way to send a post to someone?
Through the Share link on a thread, you can email an item to someone.
Recommendations
How do recommendations work?
Babbledog uses what you read, your searches, and on what you vote and comment to figure out what kinds of content you might like to see. It displays those on the
Recommended list.
How can I improve or change the recommendations?
Babbledog learns what you like by seeing what you do on the site. Posting, reading and commenting on various threads, searching, and voting will also change what Babbledog recommends to you.
What if I don't like the recommendations?
The more you interact with Babbledog, the better your recommendations should become. If you don't believe that's the case, please write to us:
support@babbledog.com.
Can I prevent someone else from seeing my recommendations?
As you might guess, Babbledog uses cookies to store some information about you and your preferences on your computer. The best way to prevent someone from seeing your recommendations is by establishing an account with us and remembering to log out each time you finish using Babbledog. When you log out, Babbledog alters those cookies so no one else can view your recommendations. If you choose not to register and you use a shared computer, you should clean out the cookies when you finish using Babbledog.
Searching
Can I search Babbledog?
Babbledog has a search engine you can use to find content of interest. It's near the top of most pages.
Score
A score? Is Babbledog a game?
Your score indicates how much information you have given Babbledog in order to get optimal recommendations and fully participate in the community. Various actions, like
registering an account,
posting, reading,
commenting,
voting, and
creating and supporting causes increase your progress. To some people, Babbledog is a fun game.
How can I get on the list of top scorers?
Earn more points than the person on the bottom of the list by participating in Babbledog. Too bad you won't get points for reading the help. You're the first person to stop by in a while. It gets lonely here.
Jobs
Babbledog is really cool and I'd love to work on it. Are you hiring?
We might be. Check out
the jobs page.
Policies
What are Babbledog's terms of service?
Please read our
terms of service.
Does Babbledog have a privacy policy?
Yes,
right here.
Contact Us
I have a question not on this list.
Please write to us at
support@babbledog.com. It might be something we'll add to this list.
I have a suggestion.
Excellent! We welcome suggestions. Please write to
support@babbledog.com.
How can I contact the team?
You can write to us at
support@babbledog.com.
