Profanity and Censor Circumvention on the Rise

reply to post by DontTreadOnMe


My apologies, I should have been clearer, I meant if the source was external to ATS.

reply to post by chukka

It depends, really. Is the source all that great? Is it the only source for the information?
You could paraphrase, and put in a warning that the source contains graphic language, profanity, etc.

In a quote, I would avoid all profanity, knowing that words such as bastard and ass are not on the list of words not allowed. If it's on George Carlin's list, it probably won't fly here.
The other day, a member posted a video with profanity in the title, and I had to trash it.


Does that help?

reply to post by DontTreadOnMe


Thankyou, much clearer now.

thanks for this . i have been very concerned by all the extremely nasty & distasteful comments that are posted recently.

shame ATS has gone this way.

snoopyuk

In regard to SHTF, I am having trouble coming up with an alternate expression that would convey the same meaning concisely. Any suggestions? This is a useful term, if a bit off-color. Maybe an exception?

Probably the most ridiculous topic that is being discussed on a forum full of ridiculous topics. Don't we have enough censorship to worry about right now, we have to start wondering if something like 'SHTF' is "allowed"??

Please. I actually like profanity and believe a moderate amount of it should be allowed so long as it's not directed at anybody. People are passionate about their topics/opinions on here and using passionate language goes hand-in-hand with expression. Way to bend to the whim of censorship guys, just keep pointing at your T&C and move along without hardly even discussing the issue until a few people decide enough is enough and choose to circumvent this moronic filter just to get their point across. Almost every other board I'm apart of allows foul language at this point and punishes those who abuse it, why can't it be like this? Seriously? I may be in the minority here but believe this has to be said.

reply to post by BrokenVisage


And...

reply to post by luminaut


As stated earlier, these types of lame censor circumvention are under discussion and likely won't produce a definitive change in the Terms and Conditions for some time.

On obvious profanity and censor circumventions there is no room as long as the Terms and Conditions prohibit them. There are plenty of other sites online where posters are able to happily get as filthy-mouthed as they like.

Just not here.

reply to post by luminaut


How about
WTTC When the time comes
WIAGW When It all Goes Wrong
WTFLS When the Fat Lady Sings

Edit to add

I've been thinking about the censorship issue.
I think one of the problems is that threads are moderated entirely differently depending on which mods are around at the time, so a post that is fine one minute will be removed the next.
Obviously mods are all individual people so they have different opinions on what is acceptable, but sometimes they don't even seem to be reading from the same book let alone the same page.
Do the mods receive guideline? If so how detailed are they? Or is it all down to personal feelings.

I wonder if it wouldn't be helpful to give the forum a rating (like the movie rating system so for example

G - General Audiences - All ages admitted. There is no content that would be objectionable to most parents. These films may contain beyond polite language but no swearing. As with violence it must be mild, if any, without any blood or gore. Nudity must be natural and non-sexual.

Or

PG - Parental Guidance Suggested - Some material may not be suitable for children under 10. These films may contain milder swear words, brief smoking, crude/suggestive humor, natural non-sexual nudity, short and infrequent horror moments and/or mild violence. Usually no drug use is acceptable in this category. Topless men may be present but topless woman are not usually acceptable unless in an educational or scientific context.

From wiki link

At the moment it seems that ATS hovers somewhere between G and PG but the mods want it to be below even a G rating

reply to post by davespanners


You're right that each mod has a different approach to the Terms and Conditions. This is why any actions on posts are generally discussed among those logged on at any given time.

Sometimes there's only a few, other times there's plenty and that can also make a difference in what happens.

The T&C's are fairly concise but never completely so. This is why terms such as WTF and SHTF have been left alone so far. Then there are other forms, such as the term 'fracking' popularized by a recent TV show. What we as individual staff are left with is having to decide what's allowable and what's not and it's not something anyone can decide on their own.

So... you see our dilemna. The T&C's say no profanity or censor circumvention but there are so many variables that much of it slips through regardless.

The one thing which IS certain are those instances which can only be described as 'in your face'.

Whenever I've had the urge to swear I've gone for self censoring, such as...

'This profanity filter really gets on my snips'

Is that circumvention or preemptive self censorship?

reply to post by March of the Fire Ants




Got no problem with that at all, MotFA.

reply to post by masqua


Just out of curiosity, may we meep? As in "After researching the OP to this thread it is my sincere opinion that whoever wrote the things in that link is out of their meeping head."

I ask because there is quite the "meep" based subculture on ATS and I'd hate to find out that it's a bad thing!

~Heff

Originally posted by theability
can we ban the trolls why we are at it?

Seriously they are on the rise in large numbers!

I agree!

I am guilty lately of this and must apologize for it however perhaps the mods ought to also consider going after those who provoke as part of the campaign to keep it under control? I don't often but I tend to curse when something effects my livelihood and a bunch of clueless kids support it and give me grief over it.

I for one don't mind the misspelling and acronyms used in place of the words as they in my mind tend to tone it down, and as it is fairly common speech these days. However I do see how it could get out of control if left completely unchecked so apologize for my contributions in the heat of the moment.

Originally posted by Hefficide"After researching the OP to this thread it is my sincere opinion that whoever wrote the things in that link is out of their meeping head."

I ask because there is quite the "meep" based subculture on ATS and I'd hate to find out that it's a bad thing!

~Heff

It's about the same as "out of their freaking head", in my opinion. Never saw that draw a warn (unless it was directed at a member, perhaps).

reply to post by hawkiye


On those who troll, it's best to not answer them at all. If it's bad enough, just alert the post and let staff deal with it.

Originally posted by March of the Fire Ants
Whenever I've had the urge to swear I've gone for self censoring, such as...

'This profanity filter really gets on my snips'

Is that circumvention or preemptive self censorship?

Tickle you, kumquat!

And who are you calling "lint licker", you cooty queen?

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


I am now totally verklempt.

Originally posted by masqua
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

 

I am now totally verklempt.

You may have just shown your age. LOL.

I miss the good old days of SNL. Mike Meyers was genius.

Ooops... I was assuming that if you didn't post the actual curse word, and went more along the lines of a c**** word, it was alright.

I haven't done it much, but I know I've done it at least twice.

I shall take better care to just write (censored) in future.

Oops, double post.