Proof required for Gray Area topic?

Below is a quote from a thread I was following

**Staff Alert**

"The OP has made incredible claims to our membership and will need to provide proof of those claims to staff in the next 24 hours."

The thread is closed for staff review
I am a bit puzzled by this decision as the claims made were in the Gray Area
As far as I understand there is no need to provide proof of claims in the Gray Area

As far as calling the claims "incredible" ... Yes they certainly are ... but they were made in a respectful manner
Why is proof needed in a Gray Area thread and am I missing something?

Hmm. I personally thought that Skunkworks was the place for that. I'm pretty sure you can post anything there other than outright hoaxes. But I could be wrong, just a thought

The Gray Area Description


The first part of the description seems to lean towards that, but then at the bottom it says it "involves unproven claims..." so I'm stumped I guess.

a reply to: DuckforcoveR
Possibly the staff thought that one was approaching "hoax".

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: DuckforcoveR
Possibly the staff thought that one was approaching "hoax".

that's the only thing it can be... I always thought "Grey Area" was pretty much for any old nonsense and claims and experiences and what have you.

Put my name on the "responsibility" form and don't censor as much please. Fingerprints and urine samples available through my counsel, Jerry Steering esq., the rest published here already.

The thread ArtistPoet is referring to is of great interest to me, and even hoaxes are, from an academic viewpoint.
A "hoax" tag on select threads if you must would surely be enough warning.

Gray Area is for personal encounters or experiences.

Example: Someone posts a thread about a UFO landing and a alien species exits the craft and talks to them.

Or:

A person claims to of had an encounter with MIB's, CIA, NSA, etc, etc, etc.

However, while no proof is required, the ATS Terms and Conditions still apply:

Posting information intentionally that is misleading or incorrect, Identity Spoofing (pretending to be someone you are not) and Right Of Community Management applies in all cases in this forum too.

The claims made can not be proven and rely on anecdote
Yet to claim it is an "Hoax" surely requires proof it is indeed a Hoax

a reply to: eriktheawful

In this case, would it be possible to change the classification of such files rather than cut them off?

It seems that Deny Ignorance would require to gather information.

a reply to: eriktheawful

(pretending to be someone you are not)

The Op claimed to be "Tasked" by the Illuminati
How do you prove this is true or not

a reply to: wisvol

Each thread/post is treated differently, depending on the concern over it.

Exactly what is wrong with the thread that the OP of this thread is talking about, is NOT something I, or any other staff member will talk about as it is the long standing policy of ATS Staff to not talk about staff action with members, unless it is with the member it concerns (IE the OP of the thread in question), and even so, it is done in private.

ETA: and as the question has been answered (and we do not discuss staff action in public, nor with those it did not involve):

Thread closed.

a reply to: artistpoet

"The OP has made incredible claims to our membership and will need to provide proof of those claims to staff in the next 24 hours."

Pretty clear…

This isn't romper room. You want blind beliefs go to Disneyland or Sunday School.