Why is there a word filter?

Do you here at ATS condone censorship?
This is just a test....

# # Bull# Mother #ing Asshole Son of a Bitch Crap God Damn

Ok, I guess I know which are the "bad" words now.

I never quite understood that. I too run a forum, with absolutely no censorship.

[Edited on 21-8-2003 by Satyr]

ATS has a broad audience interested in conspiracy topics (!) and includes younger posters who ought not to be subjected to rude words.

A more caring Forum than your other one, perhaps.

See here also:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Our attention to moderation, decorum, and censure of inappropriate "colorful" words helps to make sure that we're not on typical lists of site that get banned from school libraries.

Kids use those words more than you think. Even if they don't, they hear them constantly. Or have you forgotten your old school days? The ones who really have a problem with it are their parents (who are often oblivious to the fact that their kids use these words while not in their presence anyway)....not the kids.

BTW, I'm not trying to be difficult or anything. I'm just strongly against censorship.

A more caring Forum than your other one, perhaps.

Not on your life, actually! I've seen my members give expensive computer peripherals away, and pay shipping. Nice people, they are. They really like to help people out.

[Edited on 21-8-2003 by Satyr]

I've never really understood that, you can show a picture or link worth burnt or chopped up bodies but you're not allowed to say f**k or boll*cks. If you think you can shield people from "bad" language then you don't live in the real world.

Yes, Satyr, I warned you.

The fact that you have no idea what is socially acceptable to use in front of ladies and children as well as properly reared adults is plenty explanation why a censor is needed.
"Adult content" is nothing of the sort, it should be stated as "Ill-mannered, ignorant, redneck, gutter-trash content."

including moderation itself

what i mean is, yes, it's acceptable and a great idea in itself to try to keep the posts grammatically inoffensive, but really, you think kids are going to be looking or even going to have access to this site? are you forgetting that schools are state owned and have little to no interest in allowing children in viewing an unbiased exposure of the events around them. that's considered contamination in some of the more fascist of institutions.

but there's nothing totally wrong with throwing in a colorful metaphor every now and then for flavor. yes, it's stupid and pointless to have a paragraph with fock being used as 1 out of 5 words... but that doesnt happen here that often.

but with all that said, i understand the logic and its not like you can or want to invent BBcode that would be smart enough to "decide" how much of what it would censor.

I guess ideally, it would be an option in the user panel that would default to on, and would make you agree that you were 18 to turn it off.

Not forgetting that when you hit the reply button, all the original language is visible, until the Topic gets too long.

Actually, Alni, you'd be surprised at the ages of some of the cildren that have come here. What brought them? Boy, I'd like to know, I'd like to think UFO searches instead of them being little jaded conspiracy theorists.

As far as "colorful" language, the "F" word is not acceptable at any time, anywhere. It is certainly not needed when you are typing. You can't blurt out a word in anger while typing. And even if there aren't any children here now (although there are, and you don't know who might be lurking) there are ladies here, and there are actual mature "adults" that prefer to have discussions with other mature "adults" who have the ability to communicate as a mature "adult".

I have to admit, though, there are times when the colorful substitutes are a riot in my mind. Example, we used to have a guy here named Kano (A true legend among those who've been here for a couple years or more) who'd use words like "farkin'" that for some reason, I found to be hilarious. Hard to explain. Maybe it's just me, and if that's the case, maybe I should go talk to someone!

Dr Farkinfark, at your service.

Well, I don't give a flying farvenugen how you say it.

[Edited on 21-8-2003 by Valhall]

actually, i prefer to use funny-sounding psuedo-curse words too. i dont think it's a mental defect; it's naturally funny stuff. people laugh at puns every day and these are not all that different from that idea! nothing wrong with a motherfudging focker right?

thanks for the surprise though, TC. im very intrigued and pleasantly surprised to learn that children have been exposed to the information presented here. perhaps the generation that will replace the incumbents will be something to notice after all...

Originally posted by AlnilamOmega
perhaps the generation that will replace the incumbents will be something to notice after all...

Actually... they will
www.millennialsrising.com...

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Yes, Satyr, I warned you.

The fact that you have no idea what is socially acceptable to use in front of ladies and children as well as properly reared adults is plenty explanation why a censor is needed.
"Adult content" is nothing of the sort, it should be stated as "Ill-mannered, ignorant, redneck, gutter-trash content."

Originally posted by Hyperspace

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Yes, Satyr, I warned you.

The fact that you have no idea what is socially acceptable to use in front of ladies and children as well as properly reared adults is plenty explanation why a censor is needed.
"Adult content" is nothing of the sort, it should be stated as "Ill-mannered, ignorant, redneck, gutter-trash content."

I'm feeling left out *sniff* *sniff*

Originally posted by William

Originally posted by AlnilamOmega
perhaps the generation that will replace the incumbents will be something to notice after all...

Actually... they will
www.millennialsrising.com...

Originally posted by John Nada
I've never really understood that, you can show a picture or link worth burnt or chopped up bodies but you're not allowed to say f**k or boll*cks. If you think you can shield people from "bad" language then you don't live in the real world.

I have trouble with this too. IMO it's really the best example of people creating their own cage around themselves. We create the language, along with the specific meaning for each word. Then pick out some of these words that were never there in the first place and make an effort not to say them.

For example are instances like the word "Poop, Dung, Dookie" and "SH*T". All four words mean the exact same thing, yet one is considered to be worse than the others?!?!

Or if you compare "SH*THEAD" and "Steamy Diarhhea Mouth" it shows a good example where the actual "BAD" word(s) starts to become an issue of individual boundry instead of universal boundry.

I think it can only make life more confusing to understand, similar to the thinking that nudity requires censorship and/or manipulation resulting in making it seem taboo, when in fact everyone having self awarness knows that being nude is the "Natural" state of being versus our created "Normal" standards.

I thought it was pretty evident why from the beginning of this post.

Read carefully:

Our attention to moderation, decorum, and censure of inappropriate "colorful" words helps to make sure that we're not on typical lists of site that get banned from school libraries.

Is that really hard to understand?
It has NOTHING to do with protecting the "children" it has to do with getting past filters. My kid knows more "profane" words than I do! I don't think anyone here is trying to be PC for the sake of it. Just doing what needs to be done to keep the site off of "Black Lists".

My personal favorite... FEWKIN'...

Taken, stolen and MUCH used by me from the gREAT one Roger Zelazny. He is the Author of the "Amber" books... REQUIRED reading when you find yourself dealing with deadbeats, bums, incompetents and libs in day to day life. ( Allow me to point out that I DO NOT connect ANY two of the aforementioned list together by virtue of association within the list!)



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