Vulgarian Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 There's a difference between gossiping with your mates and gossiping on here. Gossiping with your mates is like an MSN chat, gossiping on here is like gossiping on Manx Radio. So you think that it is unacceptable to gossip on here because it disseminates rumours quicker? On the isle of man, gossip moves faster than any broadband yet to be invented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Voice of Reason Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 There's a difference between gossiping with your mates and gossiping on here. Gossiping with your mates is like an MSN chat, gossiping on here is like gossiping on Manx Radio. So you think that it is unacceptable to gossip on here because it disseminates rumours quicker? On the isle of man, gossip moves faster than any broadband yet to be invented. There does have to be limits though. I hope no-one would post on here "X is a paedophile". (Well not X, a real name). That may well be gossip and rumour doing the rounds in the pubs but I think most (hopefully all ) would deem it unacceptable behaviour on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 There does have to be limits though. I hope no-one would post on here "X is a paedophile". (Well not X, a real name). That may well be gossip and rumour doing the rounds in the pubs but I think most (hopefully all ) would deem it unacceptable behaviour on the forum. You'd hope people would exercise some self-censorship, but for those who don't we have to selective and discriminating about what we read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I'm new here but FWIW i'm against any kind of censorship or moderation. Forum moderation is a complex issue but as far as this particular case goes, i had heard the same rumours from other people who don't use the forums. Gossip is all it was. Are we to ban gossip on the forums? What is the difference between hearing it from a friend or colleague and hearing it on here? I resent the police intrusion in the matter. I'm sure the police would like to silence speculation and gossip but they can't, and we shouldn't allow them to interfere in this bastion of free speech! Good luck with running your own forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Good luck with running your own forum. It can't be that difficult! I'll start my own forum and i'll beat you at the county... forum finals. (roll montage) How often do you mods actually have to step in? The anonymity of the forum removes the possible consequences that inhibit people from making scurrilous comments in the real world, although a lot of people on here know each other anyway. Even for anonymous people, I imagine most of them moderate themselves, the rest we can surely ignore. Can't we decide for ourselves what is true and what is not? What is based on fact and what is baseless rumour-mongering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I'm new here but FWIW i'm against any kind of censorship or moderation. Tough, the rules were set already, long before you landed. Gossip is all it was. Are we to ban gossip on the forums? What is the difference between hearing it from a friend or colleague and hearing it on here? Surely you don't need that explaining to you, do you? I'm sure the police would like to silence speculation and gossip but they can't, and we shouldn't allow them to interfere in this bastion of free speech! It's not a bastion of free speech. It's a privately run forum with Board Rules. It isn't your neck on the line if things go badly on here. And if the mods seem happy to accept reports from anyone, I'm more than happy, from nowon, to send a "Maybe One To Watch" message via the report function. For the record. I admit to reporting the offending thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 For the record. I admit to reporting the offending thread. I'm Spartacus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I'm new here but FWIW i'm against any kind of censorship or moderation. Tough, the rules were set already, long before you landed. I'm aware of the board rules, thanks. I wonder if the forum would function as well without the rules, or descend into chaos. I am inclined to think that things would carry on much as they are now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMC Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Because of the nature surrounding forums and the fact that most members use secretive user names, you will never be able to control what is posted/written without actively moderating the various topics. People behind screens and hidden from public glare hold a greater sense of daring than those who are upfront and out in the open. The report button is the best way, as many of the moderators, like everyone else, are members who choose which topics to read and contribute to, and as such may not be aware as stated earlier, that an offensive posting has been made within a topic. Having said that, it doesn’t mean that it will be removed or the contributor chastised over the comments, as it might be the case that a particular moderator feels the same way or doesn’t feel it offensive enough to delete etc. After All, they are members also, and as such have the right to agree or disagree with a topic and it's contents. Having said that, I do believe there are a few moderators on MF, so at least one or two of them might act accordingly if they agree on it’s severity !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stavros Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I reported the thread in question, although I assume I was not the only one. We only had one report. Cheers for that. I was trying to dilute my grasslike status. For the record. I admit to reporting the offending thread. I'm Spartacus! I think I see where you're going with this now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 For the sake of debate, what exactly is it about a discourse being on a forum that makes it something that someone has a right to object to and have, effectively, censored? No doubt the same brutal exchange of opinions has gone on numerous times amongst people verbally and, as harsh and tasteless as it was, nobody could stop it... Given that such thoughts and exchange of opinions would be effectively the same, is it almost the point that an internet forum becomes journalism/a source of news itself, that it must be treated and regulated as such? (And is this right?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 No, it is because it is permanent. Gossip lasts only as long as the words are uttered and heard, and only by those in earshot. On here the words last much longer, are available to a wider audience and are capable of carrying a very different interpretation by each audience reading the very same words. Is this really worthy of debate, or have people really forgotton how to gossip properly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 People behind screens and hidden from public glare hold a greater sense of daring than those who are upfront and out in the open. Indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Funny, he said that on here too before he deleted it hastily. How often do you mods actually have to step in? More than you think. Admittedly it's been a lot quieter for us recently though. This time last year we were dealing with a legal threat a week, and that's not really an exaggeration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 No... So how does that differ from journalism, which as P.K. once put it, can easily and frequently be as low-brow as village gossip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.