Is moderation and censorship a good thing?

[esbo]

Do you enjoy the fact that when you join a forum you become a second class citizen denied free speech

and freedom to choose what you read?

 

So can we take an a vote on this ie indicate is you prefer censorship or freedom of expression?

 

So vote either "freedom" or "censoeship" at the end of your post (or otherwise).

 

Also give your reasons if you wish too.

 

My vote - freedom!!!

Edited March 16, 2012 by esbo

[Phi for All]

!

Moderator Note

When you make a claim here and people refute it with evidence (aka, something you have to read), you need to read it or stop making the claim. You also need to refrain from using logical fallacies as arguments. You also need to stop making personal attacks on other members. We attack ideas here, not people.

All of this was in the rules you agreed to when you joined. Unfortunately, you chose not to read them or abide by them. Now you have the freedom to do something else for the next week.

[hypervalent_iodine]

Oh, I personally love it. I sometimes put duct tape over my mouth just so I can pretend as though I'm being censored.

 

[Moontanman]

Yeah, I like the duct tape thing too, even better is screaming na na na na na and holding my fingers in my ears....

[doG]

Moderation is an essential function of internet forums. Many usenet groups of yesteryear became unusable for the trolls destroying members conversations.

 

I will add something extra for you though esbo. This is a private forum with its own rules that you agree to when you join. There is NO right of free speech here. That posts are moderated here does not mean any rights are violated. It's a private forum, you have no rights. They can ban you just because they don't like your moniker if they want to. If you want a forum that doesn't have these features then start your own. There are plenty of free forum sites on the web and you can make your own rules.

[Phi for All]

They can ban you just because they don't like your moniker if they want to.

I get what you mean here, but the only reason we'd be allowed to do that is if the moniker was offensive in some way. We actually have a very strict set of guidelines we have to follow when it comes to suspensions and banning, unless someone is spamming advertising or posting porn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I've learned here is that too many people want the freedom NOT to educate themselves. They disdain what they don't understand and refuse to do anything about it. It's much easier to sneer than to study, but it's intellectually dishonest.

[doG]

I get what you mean here, but the only reason we'd be allowed to do that is if the moniker was offensive in some way.

I know you have your own set of rules as moderators that keep you all from being dicks but they're rules that you all made as a team here, not rules enforced on you by someone else.

 

FWIW, his/her whole free speech claim is what bit me so I needed to make a point

[Appolinaria]

I sometimes put duct tape over my mouth just so I can pretend as though I'm being censored.

 

Oh baby.

[pantheory]

Moderation of some sort is mandatory to enforce whatever rules have been agreed upon, whether formal or not.

 

I've seen great forums like this one that give a lot of latitude for free expression. On another forum I saw and experienced what I knew to be many moderator misinterpretations, injustices, and censorship.

 

Bottom line, moderation is needed to enforce the rules, but that rarely includes censorship in most forums, in my opinion.

 

Oh baby.

And now all that's needed besides the duct tape is censorship, punishment, black leather, and XXX

//

Edited March 16, 2012 by pantheory

[John Cuthber]

Esbo wasn't censored by us. We let him express his opinion. It's not been deleted, it's still there.

In fact we asked for his opinion on things. In particular we asked how he explained things which, to us, only make sense because of evolution.

 

He censored his own replies.

If he had not done so we would all have been happier.

So yes, it looks like censorship is a bad idea.

Esbo, stop doing it.

[swansont]

Do you enjoy the fact that when you join a forum you become a second class citizen denied free speech

and freedom to choose what you read?

 

"Free speech" in the context of e.g. the US Constitution is a restriction on the government's power to censor. SFN ain't the government.

 

In the context of the rules of the site, you are not free to post untruths and fallacious arguments. In short, the price of participation is a certain amount of intellectual integrity.

[Moontanman]

Censorship