Messageboard Censorship

[Matt Alan]

Here's a fun topic. "What are your views on online messageboard censorship?"

What do I mean by that topic? Well, tell me what YOU think the topic means and your viewpoints/opinions on said topic.

^^ Come on guys, lets see where this discussion takes us!

[Chinomi]

I hate censorship.
Censorship is for *********.
Freedom of speech, you *********.

*********. *********. *********.

http://www.drakken.it/forum/images/smiles/emoticon-0143-heart.gif

EDIT:: Plus you have to be 13 to join most communities. And I honestly think that's a ripe age to be confronted with language that they've probably already heard a million times in real life. They can decide whether or not they want to use it themselves.

[Pyrend]

****, that's right. I mean, I'm 13 now and I've been exposed to swearing and the like since elementary school. (Might be like that because I'm from New York, Staten Island that is)

Freedom of Expression, for ******* the win.

[Moose]

"Fuck No" to censorship.

[Matt Cruea]

It seems pretty ridiculous. Let's test:

Shit
Piss
Fuck
Cunt
Cocksucker
Motherfucker
Tits
Damn
Hell
Dick
Cock
Fuckshit

[ig.]

Congratulations, your board considers you a potential criminal.

Perhaps it's time to start acting like one?...

[Klaymen1]

Should I feel pity for the person who censors others words? How scared of the real world they must be...

[Matt Cowlrick]

It seems pretty ridiculous. Let's test:

Shit
Piss
Fuck
Cunt
Cocksucker
Motherfucker
Tits
Damn
Hell
****
Cock
Fuckshit

Somewhere along the line, the fart, turds and twat went missing. What happened, man??

[River Kanoff]

Censorship is up to the people who run the board. I, myself, just don't swear at all, thus, nothing to censor. Who cares what everyone else does?

[Shintarou Inuzuka]

I'm not sure why, if people have to be 13 or older to join, language censorship even exists. Of course, the idea of not allowing things like pornography makes sense since most parents would probably not want their middle-school-aged kid looking at porn (not to mention the fact that the board owner would probably get in serious trouble with the law), but as far as language? I don't see any reason for censorship. In fact, I don't even know why there IS a concept of "swear words" when their synonyms are barely considered questionable if they even are at all -- not to mention the fact that what is considered offensive and what isn't varies from time to time and from place to place (e.g. American English doesn't consider "bloody" even slightly offensive). When's the last time someone saying "SHIT!" or "FUCK!" (try saying that on basic cable or a network show and you'll be hearing from the FCC's lawyers) rather than "Darn it!" (not even mildly offensive) caused someone to go out and commit crimes? How is referring to one's dick different from referring to one's penis? How is taking a shit different from taking a dump? They mean the same thing, so it's silly that one word for it is considered offensive and another isn't even thought of as slightly shocking. The thing is that society itself created this system and told people what words they should find offensive, and it makes really no sense.

It may be the result of the ********* (they changed their name to an unpronounceable symbol) being more intellectual property-obsessed than the RIAA and the MPAA combined, or it might just be some idiots who decided one day, "hey, let's make a list of words that kids shouldn't say or hear but are fine for adults." (The latter is how I personally think this came to be since it's considered far more shocking for kids to say such words than adults and because it's sometimes referred to as "adult language.")

[timdalton007]

Personally I beleive firmly in free speech and am dead set against censorship. Yet I undertsand the need for rating systems and the like. Maybe something like that should be used (example: this thread for people above such and such an age).

But in practicality: A lot of it depends on what is in a particular message, image, etc. If it is something that is obviously obsence or offensive to a vast majority then yes it should be removed.

timdalton007

[Tom]

I hate censorship in general and that goes for on message boards as well.

[Chinomi]

But you guys, look:

*********
Fuck Shits
Fuckshitz

********* is censored.
But not Fuck or Shits. ?!

[Shintarou Inuzuka]

Shhhhhh !! Don't tempt them!

[Matt Cruea]

Censorship is also wrong when it needlessly targets one group or person.

[Tom]

Censorship is also wrong when it needlessly targets one group or person.
Bias censorship is discrimination! SOMEONE is a Mattist.... ¬_¬

[Matt Alan]

Bias censorship is discrimination! SOMEONE is a Mattist.... ¬_¬

I formed a cult called "Mattism" during a Fall 2003 concert. I had drunken followers who would cheer my name when I gave the "HAND OF FREEDOM" sign. We also made t-shirts (found paint and wrote "FOLLOWER OF MATTISM '03" and "I <3 MY CULT" ) on them.

I love freedom! :D

[Ran]

I, myself, just don't swear at all, thus, nothing to censor. Who cares what everyone else does?

Nice! I Guess we're on the same Boat huh? lol

I'm not a Swearing Type of Person either (Unlike Masaka lol!) Even when Im angry I just say Some other words lol

But Overall Swearing doesnt bother me.

People can censor it if they want ^^

~Ran

[ig.]

I formed a cult called "Mattism" during a Fall 2003 concert. I had drunken followers

I stopped reading on account of the lameness right about there.

[Matt Alan]

I stopped reading on account of the lameness right about there.

If I was you, I woulda stopped at the word "concert". I applaud you for making it a few more words. XD

[Zankoku no Yami]

On one hand, i am for censorship because 1) I don't like hearing people constantly swear 2) i dont like God ******, and I censored that myself and 3) I dont like hearing it directed towards people in a way to insult them or what not, becuase really, the person who uses such words against others, is actually immature.

But on the other hand, I dont mind it so much if its just joking around or for comical or serious things. Or even words like 'hell' 'damn' 'shit' really arent that bad. They are mostly used to exagerate your meaning or to show your frustration.

But over all, i don't really care for cursing and use it at its bare minimum.

Well, thats what I think at least =3

[MaNa Shuffle]

I like and hate Censorship.

=D

Different forums have different rules...in a way.

[Shintarou Inuzuka]

What I think there is a place for censorship for, building on the argument I made before, is racial/ethnic/homophobic/etc. slurs and insults. Such terms for people are completely rooted in needless hatred towards groups of people who quite frankly don't deserve it. I mean, certain words that were arbitrarily picked to be bad where their synonyms are not considered bad I don't see any reason for censoring (even if it is used as an insult since if you censor out all insults it's pretty much Draconian censorship), but things like slurs bashing an entire group for no good reason -- using those words speaks volumes about the type of person someone is, and those hurt not only the person you're directing the insult at but innocent people as well.

I'm not that great at explaining myself ^_^;; My argument's gonna get hacked to bits.

[Scarlet Rhapsody]

Really depends on the board. If it's privately owned and funded by a handful (or one) people, it's really up to them to make the rules, within reason that is.

I can understand censorship to a degree. For example, cosplay.com has guidelines on what you can and cannot post in the galleries. I rather have it that way so cosplay.com doesn't turn into myspace attention whore central.

[Mat Growcott]

I wouldn't mind swearing so much if everybody didn't use it all of the time. I mean, you're sitting there in college, you're trying to write whatever, and some guy keeps saying "Fuck this and fuck that" every couple of seconds. It's unfunny, not witty and makes you look stupid imo. Also, maybe i'm weird like this, but if a girl is swearing all the time i find myself completely unattracted to them <_>.

If stupid people cut down on it...then i really couldn't care less. So sometimes, it's nice to go on a forum and find that people have given up swearing on it because it comes out stars, simply so i don't have to read "LOLZORS, He was a fcuking cnt and i bet i could fcuk his fcukin eyes off...LOLZORS!!111!"!"!!"

[Gabi Star]

It seems pretty ridiculous. Let's test:

Shit
Piss
Fuck
Cunt
Cocksucker
Motherfucker
Tits
Damn
Hell
Dick
Cock
Fuckshit

The first half of that list are lyrics from Family Values... I think...

[Matt Cruea]

The first half of that list are lyrics from Family Values... I think...

What the fuck is that?

[ig.]

Nabisco Tit-eating twat