# MAC Color Collections sub forum now member only 07/09/2014



## Janice (Jul 9, 2014)

Hey Specktrites! 

  Effective today the Color Collections forum will be members only. Our heart, our mission, is to be a resource of information and to share that information freely. We want both old and new to the hobby to be able to find the answers they seek here. We hope that as they use our resource they will come to appreciate the wonderful community we have and decide to stay for awhile and eventually turn into the very person who once helped them by helping newer members. This is the intended cycle of a community, it’s a beautiful thing. 

  Recently we have been plagued with absolutely criminal examples of people seeking internet “fame”, page views ($$), and followers and have zero qualms with stepping on the backs of our members to attain it. 

  While we dealt with this as a site when we first opened our doors back in 2004, we don’t think it’s fair for this to happen to our members who put so much at risk to share this information with their friends at Specktra. We appreciate the time, effort, and risk our members take to share information with one another and thus have made the decision to close the color collection forum to visitors and IP ban (perma ban) those who we find exploiting our community by stealing member images, removing user watermarks, and posting them with their own watermarks without any credit to the source or image owner. 

  This is NOT about keeping content on Specktra. We stand for what we believe in - which is CREDITING SOURCES. It’s the RIGHT thing to do and Specktra has a long history of giving credit to anything we share with the community. Stealing an image (using an image without first gaining permission from the owner), slapping your watermark on it, and posting it as your own when you did not take the picture not only shows you have no personal integrity but is detrimental to the ENTIRE beauty and blogging community. Asking the original poster or image owner for PERMISSION to use their image is the RIGHT thing to do. Saving the image and posting it on your instagram or blog with NO credit to the original owner HARMS the entire beauty community and provides members with no incentive to continue sharing their information.

  We are aware this will not prevent those who are truly determined from gaining what they seek but Specktra leadership will do our best to no longer allow our community to blatantly be taken advantage of. We hope that as you see an increase in the number of newbies on the forum you will welcome them as you were welcomed when you first joined. We truly strive for Specktra to be a supportive place for those who love beauty and cosmetics. If you know of a member who is misusing their membership privileges to take images and information please let any staff member know and we will handle the issue immediately. 

  As always, thank you for your support. We’re incredibly happy to host you and hope you know how much we love that you've made Specktra your community of choice to discuss your passion.


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## Janice (Jul 9, 2014)

I would like to clarify that this does not apply to company images. These have been provided to websites, bloggers, etc via company press relations under explicit consent to distribute/disseminate.


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## alexisweaver (Jul 9, 2014)

Wonderful post and idea! Hopefully this will resolve some forum issues.

  Thank you


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## elegant-one (Jul 9, 2014)




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## CarmenK (Jul 9, 2014)

Yayyy this is awesome!


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## PeachTwist (Jul 9, 2014)

Super happy with this, glad everyone else is too!


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## Lipstickdiva420 (Jul 9, 2014)

This was much needed for the longest Thank You!!!


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## Monica (Jul 9, 2014)




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## BrainsAndBeauty (Jul 9, 2014)

Wonderful idea!!!! :eyelove:


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## Dolly Snow (Jul 9, 2014)

Wonderful news


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## miss0annette (Jul 9, 2014)

I love this!


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## sarabeautime (Jul 10, 2014)

I think it is an appropriate action taken by you, thanks for being so sensitive about the rights of the forum members.





  Does this apply to only MAC Color Collections?
  Why not apply it to the other brands as well? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Just an idea.


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## deadSAVVY (Jul 10, 2014)

This is great news! Long overdue. Thanks ladies


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## NaomiH (Jul 10, 2014)




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## Lipglass*Lover* (Jul 10, 2014)

*~*I love it!! YAY!!!!*~*


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## DILLIGAF (Jul 10, 2014)

sarabeautime said:


> I think it is an appropriate action taken by you, thanks for being so sensitive about the rights of the forum members.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


  I think it's because the MAC color collections is where we've had the most issues.


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## SlugPower (Jul 10, 2014)

I do not care about MAC nor does it interest me. You can check my activity and see that I barely go there, if I go at all. Such, I will not bring you problems. However, there is something I will point out.

  IP ban may solve some people, but it won't solve others and it may bring trouble to innocent people. I for one, have dynamic IP. This means that every few days my IP gets re-assigned and my old one gets to a new person (when I say days, I say the automatic shift, I actually know how to switch whenever I'd like). That's the way my net provider works. Under the assumption someone with the same system I do is troublesome for this site, they'll be IP banned for a few days but some days after they'll be free to do whatever they'd like. Perhaps this will stop them from continuing to meddle right away, but it will not stop them from meddling them on a new collection. You will also risk someone innocent from accessing to the forums for a few days.


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## jchait (Jul 10, 2014)

So happy to hear this! Thank goodness!


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## Monica (Jul 10, 2014)

sarabeautime said:


> I think it is an appropriate action taken by you, thanks for being so sensitive about the rights of the forum members.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


  The color collection forum is where the thieves target. The other brands dont seem to get as crazy in regards to early release information.


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## breatheonbeat (Jul 10, 2014)

yay!


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## Spectacular (Jul 11, 2014)

I was confused about what was going on at first (visited the site without logging in) but I'm happy for the effort. I felt badly that some members were frustrated by the thefts and it seemed like their complaints were being dismissed. I think little steps here and there in things like this will help curb the problem a lot over time.


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## Sexy Sadie (Jul 12, 2014)

Well, then that subforum will be closed for me...


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## Janice (Jul 12, 2014)

Sexy Sadie said:


> Well, then that subforum will be closed for me...


  Hi Sadie, that's fine if you don't want to visit the Color Collection forum, but I want to make sure you understand that the forum is only not visible to non-logged in visitors. As you posted from your account you have an active membership on the forum and will be able to view the subforum without any issues.


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## Paint&Ink Chick (Jul 20, 2014)

Great idea, especially after all the Instagram mess.


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## Queenesq (Jul 20, 2014)

I've been reading this website for years.  I refused to participate on this site in the past due to the negative comments and activity. I'm happy to see the new procedures put into place.


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## Ajigglin (Jul 20, 2014)

Wow! Hopefully things will cool out around here.


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## QueenOfSwords (Aug 19, 2014)

When will users who have now just exceed their 10 page post (by going back to old MAC pages) be able to access the PRESTIGED MAC color collection page?  I feel isolated.


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## Kristin Bacon (Aug 19, 2014)

QueenOfSwords said:


> When will users who have now just exceed their 10 page post (by going back to old MAC pages) be able to access the PRESTIGED MAC color collection page?  I feel isolated.


Now i haven't been on as much lately, but i may be confused, and hopefully someone more knowledgeable will correct me if I'm wrong, but are u talking about the premium mac chat? as that is pay for only. Because of some of the things that had been going on on here a while back, they made a mac premium chat where anyone who chooses to pay can use it. I have not done this yet, altho i may still. But as long as u are a member on Specktra and signed in you should see everything anyone else who's a non paying member can. except the clearance bin, that's 50 posts or if u join. Now if u have become a premium member i don't know anything about that and will shut up lol.


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