Censorship on dpc? - DPChallenge Forums

06/20/2003 03:30:13 PM · #1

One of my forum posts has been deleted without my approval or knowledge. Who did it and why?

magnetic9999

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

06/20/2003 03:37:57 PM · #2

which one ? what thread? i'll see if i can help you find it.

06/20/2003 03:41:16 PM · #3

It is in the Harry Potter thread in Rant. It was where I mentioned that the author had herself revealed in pre-publishing publicity that one of the major characters dies.

The post itself is not, of course, important. The "editing" of it is.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/20/2003 03:48:34 PM · #4

I don't know who but I'm guessing the why is because the thread obviously stated that they weren't interested in knowing anything about the book's plot and you went in and told information about the book. Maybe they don't care if it's from the author or not.

06/20/2003 03:55:48 PM · #5

And that gives someone the right to censor me from talking about widely known and well-publicized information?

Message edited by author 2003-06-20 15:56:21.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/20/2003 03:58:42 PM · #6

Looks like it. I wouldn't spend too much time feeling badly about not being able to spread Harry Potter information, but that's just me.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/20/2003 04:03:07 PM · #7

I don't care about that post at all. It is the fact that our posts -- yours and mine and everyone else's here --, posts that are not slanderous or pornographic or racist or violent -- can be subject to deletion on a whim. That IS censorship no matter how you cut it.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

06/20/2003 04:13:31 PM · #8

I was not involved in the decision, but your post might be construed as technically violating section 4.2(vi) of the user agreement, prohibiting "harassment" of other members, much as if you had posted a picture of a big spider in a thread called "No Spiders Please!"

If the person wanted no info on the story, then to post such info in their thread seems somewhat rude and unnecessary. If that's not what happened then forget about it ....

06/20/2003 04:29:51 PM · #9

That would be a VERY broad interpretation of that rulein my judgement. But I guess it could be so. It seems awfully rude not to ask me to edit it first, though, don't you think?

Who makes those judgements? Does there have to be a complaint first, or is it by the whim of whoever is reviewing the posts? Is there an appeal mechanism? If I make a complaint, will it automatically cause a post to be deleted? Are First Amendment rights considered important on this site?

Inquiring minds who are concerned with freedom of speech need to know each of these things. Your assistance is requested.

Message edited by author 2003-06-20 16:30:54.

magnetic9999

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

06/20/2003 04:39:32 PM · #10

i agree with you, actually. it was pretty dumb to hide your post. I'm not sure who did it ...... sort of undermines my arguments about us being fair and level-headed. sigh.

on a more humourous note, since when did First Amendment rights apply to Canadians (non-citizens)? :)

Message edited by author 2003-06-20 16:39:47.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

06/20/2003 04:42:34 PM · #11

Originally posted by Jak:

It is entirely left to the whim of the particular moderator who hid your post (we basically never delete posts, though they can be edited). I'm not sure I really follow the logic of whoever hid it though but I assume it was more of a sensitivity to the idea that people don't like spoilers rather than an positioning statement on censorship.

I'm not quite sure why you bring up anything to do with the First Amendment and rights to freedom of speech, on an international site, particular posting from outside the US, although its fun to blow things out of proportion, isn't it ?

dwoolridge

06/20/2003 04:50:23 PM · #12

Just start a new thread: Major character in new Harry Potter book dies?!

bamaster

Canon EOS-D30

06/20/2003 04:52:09 PM · #13

Colonel Mustand kills him... with a candlestick... in the kitchen.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

06/20/2003 04:58:56 PM · #14

Originally posted by Jak:

And that gives someone the right to censor me from talking about widely known and well-publicized information?

Actually, based on this thread I went and read the other one.

Normally I dislike posts being hidden, edited or otherwise removed.

But frankly I think you were just deliberately trolling and this further bout of histrionics doesn't really improve my opinion of the matter.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

06/20/2003 05:53:03 PM · #15

I used "First Amendment" as shorthand. We DO have similar rights up here in the uncivilized north, you know, but I doubted most Americans would understand if I used those terms.

No, I wasn't trolling but you ARE entitled to your warped opinion of what was going on in my mind.

And if you think that complaints made when freedom of speech is violated are "histrionics" then I have to say you probably deserve to lose the liberties that Bush and Ashcroft are not so slowly taking from you.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

06/20/2003 05:56:52 PM · #16

Originally posted by Jak:

And if you think that complaints made when freedom of speech is violated are "histrionics" then I have to say you probably deserve to lose the liberties that Bush and Ashcroft are not so slowly taking from you.

Its okay, I'm a legal alien. We don't have many rights in the first place.

And if you don't think its over the top to be ranting about not being allowed to spoil a Harry Potter book, then I think you might need to adjust your perspective somewhat. It is mostly certainly not something that would be considered a freedom of speech issue by a rational person, so I can only assume its something else.

HBunch

HP PhotoSmart 315

06/20/2003 06:09:34 PM · #17

marbo

Nikon D5000

06/20/2003 06:28:51 PM · #18

Sorry to butt in on this rant but i must be the last person on the planet to know who is killed off in the new book.
Could someone please PM me who it is.

Diversq

Canon EOS-10D

06/20/2003 06:35:11 PM · #19

Originally posted by hbunch7187:

it's a private web site. if they don't like what's going on, they CAN and WILL change it.

I completely agree with this. Freedom of speech is fine but when you intentionally are spoiling something just hoping that it will be edited so you can scream about your rights is another. I didnâ��t want to know and reading that post I assumed it would be free of spoilers. Unfortunately using brilliant wisdom you got me and now I know something I didnâ��t want to. Personally I would like to see a voting system in place so I could exercise some of my rights and vote your trolling butt out of here!

justine

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

06/20/2003 07:10:36 PM · #20

Actually, it was either Drew or Langdon (Drew I think) who said that this isn't the United States, it's a private web site. Which means, that if they (or people they have appointed) don't like what's going on, they CAN and WILL change it.
-----------------------
hbunch7187That's how it should be. IMHO.
:P

Message edited by author 2003-06-20 19:10:52.

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

06/20/2003 07:18:52 PM · #21

Note: This represents my personal opinion. This post does not represent an offical position of the site, and I am not an attorney.

I want to respond to a couple points here:

1. I don't think Jak was trying to stir up trouble with his post. I think it was poor judgment to post a spoiler (even one revealed by the author) in a thread discussing the desire to avoid spoilers, but I do not believe there was any sinister motive.

2. To Jak: It doesn't matter who did it -- your argument seems to be with the decision and not the person -- and you know why. You may not agree with the reason, but the reason is obvious.

3. There is precent for administrative action on spoiler posts. In one of the Matrix threads I edited a post that contained a spoiler when I user requested that I do so. In that case, a spoiler warning was added to the post; but the post was left visible as there was other content in the post that was relevant to the discussion at hand. In this case, however, there was no other content in the post, and the thread was specifically anti-spoiler. While I might have still just edited to add a spoiler warning, I can certainly see why the post would have been hidden (to prevent further discussion of the spoilers or additional spoilers revealed in the thread). If you want to start a new discussion regarding HP Spoilers, you are more than welcome do to so - please just post a spoiler warning on the subject line or prominently at the beginning of your first post.

4. The Terms of Use agreement for the site sets a choice of venue of Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, so the US Constitution does apply even to non-US nationals located outside the US.

5. This site is privately owned. Just like any business, Drew and Langdon have a right to decide what goes on here. The First Amendement (or foreign equivalent) does not give any of us the right to come on here and post whatever we want. It only gives us the right to create our own web site, write whatever we want there, and then wait for everyone to come and read it.

-Terry

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

06/20/2003 10:36:46 PM · #22

To the moderators:

The RANT forum is designated as UNMODERATED. There should be no moderation of that forum, IMO, without prior discussion of the issue at hand.

Azrifel

Fujifilm X100VI

06/21/2003 07:31:19 AM · #23

Originally posted by dwoolridge:

Just start a new thread: Major character in new Harry Potter book dies?!

They all die in the end.........

aurora