This article is based on material authored by members of the news.newusers.questions Moderation Board and nnq-workers mailing list, particularly by Dennis D. Calhoun. The original article was last updated in 2005.

Personals and requests for girlfriends or boyfriends

The newsgroup news.newusers.questions is not the proper place to post "personals" or requests or solicitations for boyfriends, girlfriends, or partners.

However, there are many newsgroups devoted to these specific topics:

• There is a moderated newsgroup for the posting of personal ads named soc.personals.
• There is an unmoderated hierarchy and newsgroup within alt.* named alt.personals, with the related groups:
  • alt.personals.ads
  • alt.personals.bi
  • alt.personals.bondage
  • alt.personals.fetish
  • alt.personals.poly
  • alt.personals.spanking
• You may also have access to a local personals group, such as local.personals, or *.personals, where the * is replaced by your local hierarchy, such as chi.personals or uk.personals.

You might be able to subscribe to these groups by simply clicking on the group name in your web browser. If not, we have advice on how to go to soc.penpals or any other newsgroup.

For more information on finding friends and partners through newsgroups, please read:

• Usenet Personals: Advice for Straights FAQ
• Usenet Personals: Advice for Gay Men FAQ
• A Guide to Social Newsgroups and Mailing Lists, by Dave Taylor