Is your freedom of expression being compromised on the internet?

[Solitary man]

This is about freedom of speech, and the phenomenon of heavy handed site moderation which imposes great restrictions on our natural inclination to express ourselves openly and freely, and without hindrance.

So far on this site I have had no problems at all as regards freedom of expression, and that's wonderful. But on a few other sites in the past and at present I have noticed that there seems to be a predilection among site owners and site moderators to impose restrictions of what people can say. Sometimes this is in the best interests of all site members, whilst at other times it looks and feels like the owners and moderators are off on a gratuitous power and control trip; attempting the strangulation of all those who dare exercise freedom of thought and expression.

I try to be as diplomatic and innocuous as possible on internet forums, but I also like to challenge people to think and be honest with themselves and others. At times I think this has been misconstrued as troublesome or provocative behaviour, when in fact it has just been an attempt to stimulate discussion, polemic, and debate. The generation of forum activity usually requires a little directness, and a no nonsense, let's get to the heart of this issue approach.

Have you ever felt that you were being penalised for asking perfectly legitimate questions, but in a direct, and dare I say it, confrontational manner; but with good intentions? Have you ever experienced the oppressive measures that can be imposed as a result of exercising freedom of speech, such as petty and unnecessary thread deletions, and gratuitous site bans?

Some site managers make it clear that there is no freedom of speech on their site, actually stating that specifically and verbatim.

Has freedom of speech become the first and most obvious casualty of the internet era? And should we tolerate it?

 

[fox]

If you decide to enter some group.. online or "real life".. and when you enter are told are restrictions of what you can say and do.. and not forced to enter the group, there are others you can go without restrictions... is it really hindrance of freedom expression over all? As for me, I do not think so...

 

[Lost Drifter]

I used to frequent a discussion forum for backpackers for a number of months but just gave up due to the sheer elitism of the site administrators and moderators. It wasn’t so much that threads or topics were controversial, more that the few power holders (five moderators and one administrator) would belittle or close any discussion that didn’t fit in with their own ideals. I’m talking something as trivial as the powers preferring one travel destination but should someone disagree or suggest an alternative they would be put down and chased out because they dared to do different. The core members would of course agree with the powers (out of fear) and it came to the point where new members were discouraged for joining because of a strict probation period where the powers, high on their authority, would essentially make them jump through hoops to prove their worth. I was a former moderator on the site, I know it’s an extreme example but I soon called it a day when sub-forums for privileged members were set up which contained nothing but self-praise and bitching about those not given access.

It was a simple forum for backpackers, not some secret service, but it was clear that those in charge simply wanted some power and authority in their lives to lord over others. You could always argue that if you don’t like it then you can leave, it’s all free after all, but it’s frustrating to learn that the community you should be a part of is run by dictators and slaves who are quick enough to criticize anyone who sets up a similar alternative. The way I see it is that freedom of speech is fine within reason but if you are not willing to entertain discussions or new opinions then you shouldn’t be running a discussion group open to the public. Discussion groups are for discussions, not for a sounding board to preach to the masses and condemn those who don’t follow.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

If i actaully say whats really on my mind (sometimes) anywhere....
Jesus would have to resuracted.

There's nothing on my FB account other then general knowlege quotes.
When you google my name...nothing comes up other then an abstract
image of sassy's ass from FB....which is a good thing.
And a recorded of my married and deviorce...if you actaully knew my full
name to begin with.lol

Hell, I attend support groups...which is suppost to be an open forum
so that i can express whatever the **** I need to express to get the ****
out of me. I dont..... becuase my annominity had been broken which
turns into twisted gossephs.
Years later some people had come to realized what turth had actaully
happened...but it's like fucken Years later and the past is in the past
and I dont really give a **** about it anymore oneway or the other.

Actaully I been thinking...(Oh **** Im thinking.lmao)
of the crazy experinces in my life and what ive been expose to.
Alot of it had made me really sick. Things I hope that will not wrap me
forever. Yet i also know what ive been expose to is realtively child's play
to a lot of people.

So whatever bubble i was living in got totally bursted.
Yet, i never thought i was living in a bubble to begin with becuase I was exposed to some really sick ****
that will make your hair turn white...I got some serious grays.lol

As i see it...whatever i say it anywhere... it isnt going to mean a hell of beans
oneway or the other to anyone. So I dont really say anything.
The actaul...actaul details or truth of it all.

i mean the fucken curse words i write...Do I actaully speak or express myself
like this in real life? Or is it becuase I do it on purpose on ALL just to see
and test this forum's boundaries or leadway on freedom of expression?

Uncel Sam has my ass pinned...They can track me through my credit cards
and know where Ive been. If they really want to...they can pin my ass
exactly 24/7 through cell phone becuase of the GPS. Retrieve all my text
messages. So I dont talk much about the fucken gevernments...ect...ect.lol

 

[Solitary man]

I used to frequent a discussion forum for backpackers for a number of months but just gave up due to the sheer elitism of the site administrators and moderators. It wasn’t so much that threads or topics were controversial, more that the few power holders (five moderators and one administrator) would belittle or close any discussion that didn’t fit in with their own ideals. I’m talking something as trivial as the powers preferring one travel destination but should someone disagree or suggest an alternative they would be put down and chased out because they dared to do different. The core members would of course agree with the powers (out of fear) and it came to the point where new members were discouraged for joining because of a strict probation period where the powers, high on their authority, would essentially make them jump through hoops to prove their worth. I was a former moderator on the site, I know it’s an extreme example but I soon called it a day when sub-forums for privileged members were set up which contained nothing but self-praise and bitching about those not given access.

It was a simple forum for backpackers, not some secret service, but it was clear that those in charge simply wanted some power and authority in their lives to lord over others. You could always argue that if you don’t like it then you can leave, it’s all free after all, but it’s frustrating to learn that the community you should be a part of is run by dictators and slaves who are quick enough to criticize anyone who sets up a similar alternative. The way I see it is that freedom of speech is fine within reason but if you are not willing to entertain discussions or new opinions then you shouldn’t be running a discussion group open to the public. Discussion groups are for discussions, not for a sounding board to preach to the masses and condemn those who don’t follow.

Oh man, I could write a book incorporating what you have written in your post, as those experiences are so similar to my own. I'm not going to give examples or go into detail, as I'd be here all day. Suffice to say, I created a thread on a site about 3 years ago, the title of which went something along the lines of "Have you noticed that there is a sickness running through this forum?", and in the OP went on to highlight the rampant and tangible megalomania and control freakery that was resident and widespread throughout the forum; not just among the moderators, but among many of the regular posters as well. The thread was swiftly deleted by a moderator after just a few posts.

I too have noticed that many site moderators are essentially petty-minded people with a very strong need for power and control in their lives, and of course they have their daily power and control needs partially satisfied with (usually heavy-handed and grossly unfair) forum moderation. Many of them act like fascists; revelling in the power, status, and authority which their position provides, the sad part being that they often tend to abuse their position of power and with impunity, and I can't emphasize the word "power" enough, as this seems to be what all of this bad behaviour is about.

There is also a very disturbing group dynamic on many forums, and many so-called "newbies" are often treated with great hostility and animosity upon entry. And if one person takes a disliking to you, and for whatever reason, sooner or later another will join in; usually a friend and ally of the original antagonist, and then another will join in, and before you know it you have essentially what is a gang of bullies on your tail attempting to give you a hard time and intimidate you off the forum.

And then you have the phenomenon of site moderator and regular poster collusion, where they both work together to harass people they do not like off the site. On some sites some of the moderators are the worst offenders, and if you make a complaint it's just ignored and not acted upon by other moderators who are too afraid to take a stand against moderators who are abusing their position of power, or regular posters who are persistent bullies. In the end I have just walked away in disgust, as you know that no matter how many times you point out the unfairness and inconsistencies of what is going on, you can't win, as the whole system is rotten and corrupt.

 

[LoneKiller]

I was on a forum once where if you spoke your mind and a mod didn't share your views they would delete your replies. They would argue you with you to the point of being abusive. They would have their say in a rude manner, then lock the thread so that their word was final.

Is this what you mean Solitary?

 

[Poguesy]

I was on a forum once where if you spoke your mind and a mod didn't share your views they would delete your replies. They would argue you with you to the point of being abusive. They would have their say in a rude manner, then lock the thread so that their word was final.

Sounds like A Lonely Life

 

[LoneKiller]

I was on a forum once where if you spoke your mind and a mod didn't share your views they would delete your replies. They would argue you with you to the point of being abusive. They would have their say in a rude manner, then lock the thread so that their word was final.

Sounds like A Lonely Life

Not even close. The mods here act like human beings, not animals like some I've seen.

 

[Limlim]

If you want to see what a true free speech site is like, check out 4chan.

You'll quickly find that the problem with people being able to say whatever they want, is that they will say whatever they want. And some of it is just downright gross.

That said I can only repeat that an internet forum is hosted on a server that someone owns and pays for. Free speech doesn't really apply inside someone elses house. Or rather it does, but you'll be quickly asked to leave.

However I would argue that on a government run site that has a forum, it could be said that you should be able to exercise free speech there. Though I doubt it would work.

 

[Felix]

Freedom on the internet... Is threatened.

Under the excuse of copyright infringement.

And yes Limlim, if you want total freedom you'll have to stand the sometimes 'unpleasant' toughts of others... but how cool is total freedom? It's really up to you if you want to pay the price or not.

 

[Solitary man]

I've been on sites where there has been virtually no moderation and thus total freedom of speech, but the problem has been that many people have abused that freedom and used it to bully, abuse, and harass other posters.

At the opposite end of the spectrum where FOS is virtually non-existent, the problem of bullying and abuse still exists, it's just that it is carried out by those who are either in a position of power, or those in cahoots with those in a position of power, usually both (moderator-regular poster collusion).

Clearly with freedom comes responsibility, and moderators should be carefully vetted and and be put through a trial period to ensure that they are selected on the basis of possessing the right personality characteristics and aptitudes for the job, otherwise you are just going to have a whole new raft of power hungry megalomaniacs seeking positions of power to exercise a fascistic, heavy-handed, and grossly unfair style of moderation which shall cause posters to leave the site, and sustain the site's poor reputation as an oppressive regime.

It's very unfortunate that nerdy/geeky egotistical megalomaniacs and control freaks with perhaps no real position of power IRL are permitted to gain access to positions of power, authority, and responsibility on the internet, and then abuse those positions and use them to run roughshod over people on the internet as means of nourishing their daily power and control needs, and bolstering their ailing self esteem.

As the old adage goes: "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."

But realistically, it's not the power that is the problem; it's the people who have very foolishly and unwisely been given positions of power which they are not suitable to hold.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

lmao....

i was in a forum that one of the mods was hitting
on my GF.....Except his didnt lnow i was me sometines
return ny GF pm tp him.. hahaaaaaa

talk about abuse of power and decitfeful ********.

and of course the stupid bs of him telling ne
if i had problems with him it should be in
Pm for his private bashing......

well......you know me.
**** that ****....
i randomly posted crap all over the forum
in verious sections of the forum...
some members read it before my account was
deleted and banned.lmaohi

 

[Ak5]

Yes of course. And I blame Sci-Fi. Quick! Spread the word before he deletes my post!!!

/sarcasm

 

[Callie]

Apparently, it is (d)

 

[Sci-Fi]

I've been on sites where there has been virtually no moderation and thus total freedom of speech, but the problem has been that many people have abused that freedom and used it to bully, abuse, and harass other posters.

That's why most sites, even this one, have basic rules and guidelines that members have to adhere too. Or else you have total chaos and a place where people don't feel comfortable. Usually though, it's the ones who kick up the biggest stink who, well, are the ones that stink. I've been on sites where people make Nazi mod comments, I've never experienced it myself so I never knew why they would say that. After becoming a mod on some sites I saw why, and 99% of the time the person deserved it. A lot of the sites I'm on several other members are on as well, and you know what I've seen, their slime trail follows them. All you have to do sometimes is look back through a persons posting history and that usually speaks louder than anything.

Plus there is no such thing as freedom, even in the real world. Sure you can say whatever you want about a person but you better watch they don't come back and sue you for it.

 

[Felix]

lmao....

i was in a forum that one of the mods was hitting
on my GF.....Except his didnt lnow i was me sometines
return ny GF pm tp him.. hahaaaaaa

talk about abuse of power and decitfeful ********.

and of course the stupid bs of him telling ne
if i had problems with him it should be in
Pm for his private bashing......

well......you know me.
**** that ****....
i randomly posted crap all over the forum
in verious sections of the forum...
some members read it before my account was
deleted and banned.lmaohi

I've never been banned... by a human being (I'm talking about that robot thing here that bans for no reason). I should go to a forum someday and do something to get b&... just to see how it feels like.