General Discussion Of Moderation Procedures 12.0

I've said before that I don't believe EvC Forum should serve as a refuge for the easily offended, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't place any limits at all on offensive content. We almost never delete posts here, I can't even remember the last time we deleted a message, and rather than editing a post to remove any content we usually just hide the offending portion.So Adminnemooseus has just expressed a reluctance to edit the HEWG post with the cute picture to avoid giving the impression of censorship, but AdminPD did go ahead and hide the image. Do members have any strong feelings about whether inappropriate prurient content should be hidden or not? Keep in mind that moderators do wish to avoid leaving open the possibility in people's minds that content was actually removed rather than hidden, which can become an issue when it involves members who are charging the moderator team with bias.

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--	Percy
	EvC Forum Director

i think it's generally acceptable to have a reasonable standard of decency. but then we have a reasonable standard of a lot of things here and that doesn't always work out because there are a few levels of reasonable here.i think if the content is hidden, that is acceptable. it's available to those who want to see it and hidden for those at work or with tender sensibilities. often, off topic posts are deleted, i think this should be amended.

I can understand the attempt to not edit or remove posts for this very reason. The policy helps to show an honest attempt by the moderation team to be without bias.brennakimi made an excellent point, and I experienced his very point thanks to HEWG. I was at work and viewing that post, though I don't stand much chances of a reprimand I was somewhat mad. I go to EvC at work because I can always claim to be educating myself if caught. There is no need for pictures of semi naked women practicing sign language.I would prefer if EvC moderation would follow AdminPD, regardless of the attemt to leave posts un-edited if HEWG continues I will be unable to visit EvC from work.

Whoa, is that ever a strong argument! What's more, many companies, including mine, block sites with potentially offensive content, and I don't want EvC Forum to start getting blocked.Case closed for me. Any counter-arguments?

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--	Percy
	EvC Forum Director

Only that if you remove the banal and offensive as a legitimate reply, many people will be left with nothing to say.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Including me!For the record, I am only suggesting mod edits for such things that might be interpreted as mildly pornographic. I just think this site is best served by using ones vocabulary to express distaste in opponents, if Christina Aguilera has an opinion I am sure she is welcome to sign up and say it. No need for pictures.

Personally, I can see an argument about removing inappropriate and offensive content of this sort completely (but not until I get home and have a chance of checking it out myself -- my curiousity is picqued): even if hidden, I suspect that the troll retains some satisfaction that people will still check out his handiwork despite the warnings and be offended. Stuff has been deleted before, if I recall correctly, and no one claimed censorship.At any rate, I would have no objection to the complete removal of material of the type that is being described here. I wouldn't call it censorship. Maybe prudish (I haven't yet seen the offensive post yet -- people constantly walk by my open office door, so I'll have to wait a bit before I check it out), but that is up to those who determine the standards of this board.I also, by the way, wouldn't have any objection to leaving it up, either. Hiding it for the sake of people using more or less public terminals seems to be a good idea in any case.

I think any 'normal' employer would have no problems with the picture that HEWG posted. The problem from my perspective, and possibly others, is my employer is the government. As such policy and procedures (aka - rules and red tape) could get me into trouble.Sorry to all if I sound like I am making a bit deal out of something minor. It is minor. EvC has been a pretty safe haven for reading at work and I am just expressing that I would like to keep it that way. The only issue would be that its hard to explain that viewing an offensive picture was an accident when I return to the site each day.

Hi brenna, The only two typical occasions where posts are deleted by mods are 1) in the case of blatant spammers, and 2) when a third party posts in a Great Debate that hasn't been opened to the general audience. AFAIKT, those are the only times posts have been deleted since I've been playing on this board (which puts it back a bit). There may have been exceptionally rare individual instances, but it certainly doesn't equate to something that needs ammending, IMO. Hiding is a good middle ground - and is something that can be removed if necessary or justified.

I know it might be quite a tast but moreoever, I would like to see a system where NO post can be deleted, that each update is versioned and if someone goes on an I QUIT MASS DELETE spree, the record can be preserved.

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Of course, biblical creationists are committed to belief in God's written Word, the Bible, which forbids bearing false witness; --AIG (lest they forget)

content deleted after clarificationEdited by nemesis_juggernaut, : No reason given.

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"It is better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare." -Ravi Zacharias

It was graffiti, you spray over and clean up graffiti. He was flinging feces, you clean up shit. And I was at home and my young son walked up just as the image was rendering on my large monitor.That pissed me off!I would have been happy to see HEWG suspended forever. I suspect that if HEWG returns you can expect him to crank up the shock value now that he has learned how to use images (and unfortunately learned precious little else).Percy have you ever seen goatse on Slashdot?

Unfortunately, I've seen Goatse. *shudders* Never seen this "Slashdot," and if its anything like Goatse, I never want to. Whatever you do, DON'T post the image. I'm sure the name is sufficient enough for any curious members to track down themselves.In an old forum that I belonged to, people thought it was hilarious to act as if they were linking you to something that would corroborate their oh-so brilliant post. When you opened the link, there was Goatse, in all its horror.Then I found EvC and didn't have to deal with nearly as much childish antics.

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"It is better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare." -Ravi Zacharias

Really? You see, Admin's post agree's with Vacate--that image should be hidden if on this site.You're arguing that it should be left visible. Is that what you think a democracy is? It isn't. EvC is not a democracy if this is how it's actually run.

I was arguing that Percy should have the last word, since I understood him to essentially be saying, "your dilemma at work doesn't constitute an emergency on my part."I have gone and changed it. Thanks for clarifying.

quote:

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But in the final analysis, those in positions of authority have the final word

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Yes, in a Democracy we vote for elected officials, but we are not the elected officials, and we don't pass or enforce laws-- they do. So, yes, I think this site is run like a Democracy.

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"It is better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare." -Ravi Zacharias