Frequently Asked Questions

Login and Registration Issues

Why do I need to register?
TDK Online services are available only to Democratikans. Registration allows Administrators to ensure that all users are resident in The Democratika, either on the Discord server or NationStates region. This restriction ensures that content on TDK Online is high-quality, contingent and relevant. On an aside, it also doubles as a useful spam prevention measure.
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What is GDPR?
GDPR, or the General Data Protection Regulation, is a law in the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland which concerns the storage and protection of users' personal data. As TDK Online is hosted in the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, it complies wholly with the GDPR. If you wish to make a request in line with GDPR, please use the "Contact Us" button at the bottom of the page. If anything happens to your data stored in TDK Online which requires your attention, you will be informed by the email address on your account. Administrators may also attempt to make direct communications with you via the usual channels. If you do not log in for 2 years, the personal data on your account (not your posts) will be erased in line with GDPR.
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Why can’t I register?
If the registration facility is unavailable or missing, registrations may be temporarily disabled. This will only happen in exceptional circumstances; please check the announcements. If your registrations are not being approved, please make sure you are in either The Democratika Discord server or NationStates region. If this is the case, please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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I registered but cannot login!
Your registration must be approved by an Administrator, who must manually verify that you are resident in either The Democratika Discord server or NationStates region. For technical and security reasons, it is not possible to automate this. It generally does not take more than 12 hours for registrations to be verified; while you wait, you may continue to participate in the Discord server or NationStates region as normal. If you wait more than 24 hours and you have not received any communication, please contact an Administrator.
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Why can’t I login?
Please ensure your username and password are correct. If you are still unable to log in, your next course of action should be to reset your password with the I forgot my password utility. If the problem persists or the I forgot my password utility is not available or does not appear to be working correctly, there may be a technical issue. Please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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I registered in the past but cannot login any more?!
Your account may have been deactivated, either because you were banned or left The Democratika. If neither of these is the case, please contact Akarea in the first instance as this may be a technical issue.
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I’ve lost my password!
Don’t panic! While your password cannot be retrieved, it can easily be reset. Visit the login page and click I forgot my password. Follow the instructions and you should be able to log in again shortly.
However, if you are not able to reset your password, contact an administrator.
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Why do I get logged off automatically?
If you do not check the Remember me box when you login, TDK Online will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the Remember me box during login. This is not recommended if you access TDK Online from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university computer lab, etc.
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What does the “Delete cookies” do?
“Delete cookies” deletes the cookies created by phpBB which keep you authenticated and logged into TDK Online. Cookies also provide functions such as read tracking if they have been enabled by an administrator. If you are having login or logout problems, deleting cookies may help. These cookies are functional only, and do not track you or your actions across websites.
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User Preferences and settings

How do I change my settings?
Visit your User Control Panel; a link can usually be found by clicking on your username at the top of the page while you are signed in. This utility will allow you to change all your settings and preferences.
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How do I prevent my username appearing in the online user listings?
Within your User Control Panel, under “Board preferences”, you will find the option Hide your online status. Enable this option and you will only appear to the administrators, moderators and yourself. You will be counted as a hidden user.
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The times are not correct!
TDK Online times are in UTC by default. To change your timezone, visit your User Control Panel and change your timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Timezones can only be changed by registered users.
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I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!
If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still incorrect, then the time stored on the server clock has somehow wound up incorrect. Please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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Is TDK Online available in other languages?
TDK Online is offered in English only. We have no plans to translate TDK Online into other languages at this time.
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What are the images next to my username?
One of these will be your flag, if you have set one in the User Control Panel. Subsequent images will be stars, which reflect years of service.
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How do I display a flag?
Within your User Control Panel, under “Profile” you can add a flag by uploading an image.
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What is my rank and how do I change it?
Ranks, which appear below your username, indicate the number of posts you have made or identify certain users, e.g. moderators and administrators. You cannot directly change the wording of any ranks as they are set by an administrator. Your rank will increase through continued high-quality participation.
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When I click the email link for a user it asks me to login?
To prevent malicious emails from anonymous users, emails are only revealed to registered users.
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Posting Issues

How do I create a new topic or post a reply?
To post a new topic in a forum, click "New Topic". To post a reply to a topic, click "Post Reply". You need to register before you can post a message. A list of your permissions in each forum is available at the bottom of the forum and topic screens. Example: You can post new topics, You can post attachments, etc.
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How do I edit or delete a post?
You can edit a post by clicking the edit button for the relevant post. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic which lists the number of times you edited it along with the date and time. This will only appear if someone has made a reply; it will not appear if a moderator or administrator edited the post, though they may leave a note as to why they’ve edited the post at their own discretion. Please note that you cannot delete a post once it has been replied to, and that you may only edit your own posts.
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How do I add a signature to my post?
To add a signature to a post you must first create one via your User Control Panel. Once created, you can check the Attach a signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio button in the User Control Panel. If you do so, you can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box within the posting form.
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How do I create a poll?
When posting a new topic or editing the first post of a topic, click the “Poll creation” tab below the main posting form; if you cannot see this, it is not possible to create polls in the particular area of TDK Online you are posting in - polls are generally only allowed in Discussion areas. Enter a title and at least two options in the appropriate fields, making sure each option is on a separate line in the textarea. You can also set the number of options users may select during voting under “Options per user”, a time limit in days for the poll (0 for infinite duration) and lastly the option to allow users to amend their votes.
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Why can’t I add more poll options?
You have reached the upper limit for poll options. If you feel you need to add more options to your poll than the allowed amount, contact an administrator.
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How do I edit or delete a poll?
To edit a poll, click to edit the first post in the topic; this always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote, users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if members have already placed votes, it can no longer be deleted. This prevents the poll’s options from being changed mid-way through a poll. Furthermore, you may only edit your own polls.
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Why can’t I access a forum?
Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post or perform another action you may need special permissions. Contact a moderator or administrator for more information.
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Why can’t I add attachments?
For security reasons, direct attachments are disallowed throughout TDK Online. Most media can be embedded through the use of provided tools such as TDK-IH.
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Why did I receive a warning?
If a warning was issued, you will have received communication as to why. If you require clarification please contact a moderator or administrator.
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How can I report posts that break the rules?
You should see a button for reporting posts next to the post you wish to report. Clicking this will walk you through the steps necessary to report the post. A moderator or administrator will take action.
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What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?
This allows you to save drafts to be completed and submitted at a later date. To reload a saved draft, visit the User Control Panel.
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Why does my post need to be approved?
If you are new in The Democratika, you will be placed into the "Newly Registered Users" user group. In this group, your first few posts must be manually approved to prevent spam from yet unproven members. After some participation this restriction will be limited.
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How do I bump my topic?
By clicking the “Bump topic” link when you are viewing it, you can “bump” the topic to the top of the forum on the first page. However, if you do not see this, then the time allowance between bumps has not yet been reached. Topics may also be "bumped" by replying to them, but circumventing the bump time allowance this way is not permitted.
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Formatting and Topic Types

What is BBCode?
BBCode is a special implementation of HTML, offering great formatting control on particular objects in a post. TDK Online implements BBCode because it is a standard across the web. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML, but tags are enclosed in square brackets [ and ] rather than < and >. For more information on BBCode see the guide which can be accessed from the posting page.
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Can I use HTML or JavaScript?
No. For security reasons, it is not possible to post code on TDK Online and have it rendered as HTML or executed as JavaScript. Most formatting which can be carried out using HTML can be applied using BBCode instead. As for JavaScript, additional security considerations are necessary. If you have an idea on how TDK Online functionality can be enhanced with JavaScript, please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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Can I use Emoji?
TDK Online supports all Emoji in the current UTF-8 standard. If you don't know what this means, please interpret this answer as "Yes".
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Can I post images?
Yes, images can be shown in your posts. You may upload custom images to TDK Online using the TDK-IH tool. To use the image in your post, use the BBCode [img] tag with the generated permalink.
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What are global announcements?
Global announcements contain important information and you should read them whenever possible. They will appear at the top of every forum and within your User Control Panel.
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What are announcements?
Announcements often contain important information for the forum you are currently reading and you should read them whenever possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted.
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What are sticky topics?
Sticky topics within the forum appear below announcements and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them whenever possible.
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What are locked topics?
Locked topics are topics where users can no longer reply and any poll it contained was automatically ended. Topics are usually locked for a handful of reasons; A support topic may be locked once the issue is resolved, whereas a story topic may be locked once the final chapter has been published.
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What are topic icons?
Topic icons are author chosen images associated with posts to indicate their content.
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User Levels and Groups

What are Administrators?
Administrators are members assigned with the highest level of control over the entirety of TDK Online. These members can control all facets of the service, including setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc.
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What are Moderators?
Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who look after the forums from day to day. They have the authority to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Moderators are present to keep TDK Online tidy, high-quality and civil.
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What are usergroups?
Usergroups are groups of users that divide the community into manageable sections administrators can work with. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual permissions. This provides an easy way for administrators to change permissions for many users at once, such as changing moderator permissions or granting users access to a private forum.
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Where are the usergroups and how do I join one?
You can view all usergroups via the “Usergroups” link within your User Control Panel. If you would like to join one, proceed by clicking the appropriate button. Not all groups have open access, however. Some may require approval to join, some may be closed and some may even have hidden memberships. If the group is open, you can join it by clicking the appropriate button. If a group requires approval to join you may request to join by clicking the appropriate button. The user group leader will need to approve your request and may ask why you want to join the group. Please do not harass a group leader if they reject your request; they will have their reasons.
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Can I become a usergroup leader?
A usergroup leader is assigned by an Administrator.
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Why do some usergroups appear in a different colour?
It is possible for an administrator to assign a colour to the members of a usergroup to make it easy to identify the members of this group.
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What is a “Default usergroup”?
If you are a member of more than one usergroup, your default is used to determine which group colour and group rank should be shown for you by default. You may change your default usergroup via your User Control Panel.
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What is “The team” link?
This page provides you with a list of TDK Online staff, including administrators and moderators and other details such as the forums they moderate.
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Private Messaging

I cannot send private messages!
Please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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I keep getting unwanted private messages!
You can automatically delete private messages from a user by using message rules within your User Control Panel. If you are receiving abusive private messages from a particular user, report the messages to a moderator or administrator so that they can take action.
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I have received a spamming or abusive private message!
Please accept our most sincere apologies that this has been allowed to happen. You must contact a TDK Online moderator or administrator so that they can take action.
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Friends and Foes

What are my Friends and Foes lists?
You can use these lists to organise other members of TDK Online. Members added to your friends list will be listed within your User Control Panel for quick access to see their online status and to send them private messages. Subject to template support, posts from these users may also be highlighted. If you add a user to your foes list, any posts they make will be hidden by default.
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How can I add / remove users to my Friends or Foes list?
You can add users to your list in two ways. Within each user’s profile, there is a link to add them to either your Friend or Foe list. Alternatively, from your User Control Panel, you can directly add users by entering their member name. You may also remove users from your list using the same page.
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Searching the Forums

How can I search a forum or forums?
Enter a search term in the search box located on the index, forum or topic pages. Advanced search can be accessed by clicking the “Advance Search” link which is available on all pages on the forum.
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Why does my search return no results?
Your search was probably too vague and included many common terms which are not indexed by phpBB. Be more specific and use the options available within Advanced search.
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Why does my search return a blank page!?
This shouldn't happen, but if it does it is likely a PHP engine bug. Please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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How do I search for members?
Visit the memberlist and click the “Find a member” link.
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How can I find my own posts and topics?
Your own posts can be retrieved either by clicking the “Show your posts” link within the User Control Panel or by clicking the “Search user’s posts” link via your own profile page or by clicking the “Quick links” menu at the top of the page. To search for your topics, use the Advanced search page and fill in the various options appropriately.
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Subscriptions and Bookmarks

What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?
With bookmarks, you can be notified when a bookmarked topic is updated. Subscribing, however, will notify you when there is an update to a topic or forum on TDK Online. Notification options for bookmarks and subscriptions can be configured in the User Control Panel, under “Board preferences”.
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How do I bookmark or subscribe to specific topics?
You can bookmark or subscribe to a specific topic by clicking the appropriate link in the “Topic tools” menu, conveniently located near the top and bottom of a topic discussion.
Replying to a topic with the “Notify me when a reply is posted” option checked will also subscribe you to the topic.
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How do I subscribe to specific forums?
To subscribe to a specific forum, click the “Subscribe forum” link, at the bottom of page, upon entering the forum.
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How do I remove my subscriptions?
To remove your subscriptions, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to your subscriptions.
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Attachments

What attachments are allowed on TDK Online?
TDK Online supports image attachments of types JPG/JPEG, PNG, GIF and WEBP. (BMP support is intentionally ommited due to considerably increased file size for no practical increase in quality versus formats with lossless compression such as PNG) Please use TDK-IH to upload your image and generate a permalink, then embed the image into your post. TDK-IH will also make your images available to embed into NationStates as well as other places on the internet. Use of TDK-IH is only permissible to resident Democratikans who agree to the TDK-IH Terms of Use.
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How do I find all attachments?
Open TDK-IH and click "browse uploaded images".
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phpBB Issues

Who wrote this software?
This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyright phpBB Limited. It is made available under the GNU General Public License, version 2 (GPL-2.0) and may be freely distributed. See About phpBB for more details. TDK Online's various modifications to the basic phpBB code have been written by Akarea, and are hosted in line with the GNU GPL v2.
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Why isn’t X feature available?
Please contact Akarea with suggestions.
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Who do I contact about abusive and/or legal matters related to TDK Online?
If you are a Democratikan, please contact Akarea in the first instance. If you are a visitor, please use the "Contact Us" button at the bottom of the page.
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How do I contact an administrator?
For general issues with TDK Online, please use the "Contact Us" button at the bottom of the page. For other technical issues, please contact Akarea in the first instance.
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