Why Do The ATS Censors Seem To Be Applied In An Arbitrary Manner ?

I was censored , and given a warning a few days ago for implying the use of a 4-letter word .

I typed the first letter of the word , followed by 3 ***s .

A link was inserted into my post , explaining the 'circumvention' of censors . I went and read the thread , which states that the 'censors' are automatic .

I need an explanation concerning this , as I see other posts who use this same tactic of using ***s to spell out the VERY SAME word , and they DO NOT get censored or warned .

So , how can it be said that these are 'automatic' censors ?

There is a thread on the front page right now , where this word is spelled using the asterisks . The post has not been 'snipped' or warned for using the very same style that I did .

There are also posts on this forum which use very explicit descriptions of sexual acts , which DO NOT get censored .

So , are these censors indeed automatic , or does it come down to the Mod's own personal decisions ?

How is it that one post is censored , while the next is not ? I would be hard-pressed to believe that this is done 'automatically' .

good point
i really dont know
srry
maybe u can send a message 2 the mods about it//

reply to post by okbmd


The truth is that the MODS can't be everywhere. They don't see every post. It really does require someone to point it out.



Don't take the enforcement personally and realize that the others who don't get caught are just playing the odds.

Just help to keep this place clean and substantive.

reply to post by okbmd


It could be a member already knows that word is not gonna work and they use *** without the need to be censored...
On a stick
with chicken..needed more lines..

ETA ...Gotcha ..sorry I did not read it properly...or I hurried...



[edit on 5-7-2010 by Doc Holiday]

reply to post by okbmd


I see a lot of this too. Like Loam said, the mods can't be everywhere. Surprised you got a warn for it though, many mods will just edit out the bad stuff and leave it at that. Guess you caught the mod on a bad day or something or maybe someone hit the "warn" button and was really upset so the mod felt the need to take more severe action.

Whenever I feel the need to cuss on ATS, I censor myself and just type in < Snip> to let the members know that I feel strongly enough about the subject to curse but, don't want to offend anyone by typing out the actual word I am thinking. Most people can figure it out anyway through the context in the sentence.

[edit on 7/5/10 by FortAnthem]

reply to post by loam


Yes , I realize the Mods can't be everywhere , but the thread I was linked to says that the censors are 'automatic' , implying that there is a system in place that filters out the use of such tactics and style .

I have seen the same word spelled with a 'v' instead of a 'u' , with all the remaining letters in place , and it doesn't get censored .

I am not taking it personal , I just feel that the rules should be applied evenly , and that maybe there is room for improvement in the area of what is censored and how this is accomplished .

reply to post by Doc Holiday


Maybe you misunderstood , or I wasn't clear enough .

I used the *** myself , and was censored . Someone else comes along and spells it exactly as I did , with the *** and does not get censored .

This would appear to be arbitrary .

reply to post by okbmd

Originally posted by okbmd
...maybe there is room for improvement...

Indeed, it never seems fair when something appears inconsistent or arbitrary. But the folks around here really are generally trying to do their best.

Frankly, however, the best 'improvement' always comes from a consistent commitment to monitor ones own behavior. Just focus on contributing in a clean and honest way. The rest will take care of itself.



[edit on 5-7-2010 by loam]

I know. I spelled the breed of my dog once and got censored immediately. I have a shihtzu, and spelled it the way it sounded. Turned out that combination of sh letters INSIDE of a word wasn't even allowed. I had to look up the other way of spelling it.

reply to post by okbmd


You seem to be misunderstanding the concept. What you are referring to is not the automatic censors. The automatic censors pick up the actual word and censor it with a '#' symbol.

What you are actually referring to (and what you seemed to have been warned for) is censor circumvention. This is when members attempt to circumvent the profanity censors by replacing a letter or letters with a symbol or alternative symbol.

Members attempting to bypass the censors with "Cu#se" style words or "Cvrse" style alternate spellings will receive a warning and ATS points deduction.

Mod Edit: Profanity/Circumvention Of Censors – Please Review This Link.

So you were not caught by the auto censors but by a manual staff edit. And as others pointed out, staff cannot be everywhere. Sometimes things slip by. If you notice a post in violation, hit alert.

Again, the censors are automatic with some words. For those that circumvent the auto censors, a staff member will manually remove them.

watch- i bet this thread will get closed because you are not supposed to "complain" . they say you are supposed to u2u a mod directly...don't want the people to up-rise and revolt.

reply to post by AshleyD


Okay , that clears things up a bit . But , I do have one question .

You said " The automatic censors pick up the actual word and censor it with a '#' symbol. "

Does this mean that when and if a poster spells out the word correctly , in it's entirety , the automatic censors will automatically censor the word with a # , and the poster gets no warning or point deduction ?

To me , this seems that it would just be a clever way to 'beat the system' , with no penalties imposed .

Which brings up the point again , that there seems to be room for improvement with this system .

I am not complaining , just trying to get a grip on how everything works . Learning as I go . Thanks .

reply to post by okbmd

To me , this seems that it would just be a clever way to 'beat the system' , with no penalties imposed.

A member can still be warned even if they depend on the '#' to pick up the slack. The announcement thread addresses profanity and circumvention.

So if they type it out and the auto censors pick it up or if they try to circumvent the censors, both can result in staff edits and actions.

Hope that helps. It's best to simply come up with a more intelligent expression instead of resorting to profanity.

reply to post by AshleyD


She is always three steps ahead of me.


But the best way to "beat the system" is not use such words in the first place. Or expand your vocabulary...

*wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Say no more*

Originally posted by okbmd
reply to post by Doc Holiday

 

Maybe you misunderstood , or I wasn't clear enough .

I used the *** myself , and was censored . Someone else comes along and spells it exactly as I did , with the *** and does not get censored .

This would appear to be arbitrary .

You were not censored. The staff was just enforcing the T&C which you agree to.

1b.) Profanity: You will not use profanity in our forums, and will neither post with language or content that is obscene, sexually oriented, or sexually suggestive nor link to sites that contain such content. You will also not use common alternative spellings or net-speak alternative for profane words.

The fact that you were actioned and another wasn't is irrelevant. You are responsible for your posts. It was a violation. We didn't see the other. We can't be everywhere.

Originally posted by intrepid

Originally posted by okbmd
reply to post by Doc Holiday

 

Maybe you misunderstood , or I wasn't clear enough .

I used the *** myself , and was censored . Someone else comes along and spells it exactly as I did , with the *** and does not get censored .

This would appear to be arbitrary .

You were not censored. The staff was just enforcing the T&C which you agree to.

1b.) Profanity: You will not use profanity in our forums, and will neither post with language or content that is obscene, sexually oriented, or sexually suggestive nor link to sites that contain such content. You will also not use common alternative spellings or net-speak alternative for profane words.

The fact that you were actioned and another wasn't is irrelevant. You are responsible for your posts. It was a violation. We didn't see the other. We can't be everywhere.

Not trying to be smart, but that makes the posters assumption of arbitrary, much less of an assumption and more of a reality. There is something else not quite right with the responsibility rules as in "sexually suggestive" as in innuendo. This whole site is based on innuendo in its broader term as allusion or insinuation, and if more than one person insinuates the same that could be a conspiracy. There is more, how do you allow a picture to be posted without comment.. as in the five word rule for posts? I've see it here at ATS and I would have allowed it myself if it was a forum belonging to me, as being totally appropriate and said more than words could say, and it was inserted by a forum moderator no less.

Y'know, wouldn't it just be easier to have a system where the forum censors swear words automatically? Like, if someone drops an f bomb, the forum's filter just replaces the word with "****" or something.

Then again, a bunch of people here are all uptight about swear words. "Nurrrrgh, explicit language denotes lack of intelligence" is what they say. Yeah, well, flashy words get the point across pretentiously.

I find it stupid that coarse language is categorised as an EXTREME T&C VIOLATION. I would consider an EXTREME T&C VIOLATION to be something like posting child porn, or porn in general. Also, racist things.

... But foul language?

[edit on 6-7-2010 by Whine Flu]

reply to post by Whine Flu


I think it’s great that they have these rules...

Many other conspiracy forums (and forums in general) are full of childish name calling, swearing, and one line responses... making a sensible adult conversation almost impossible...

Is it really going to kill you to have to curb your language a little?

After all, if someone came up to me in the street shouting and swearing i would probably just walk away, uninterested by their ramblings...

Obviously you are going to get those who claim it is some kind of infringement against their right to express themselves... But they could use that argument to justify any action that is anti social or rude... in the words of Bob Marley...

"You can’t please all the people all the time"

These forums are moderated through SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT of rules based on the Moderators Biases.

It's only human nature.

P.S. THIS IS NOT a Free Speech site.

P.P.S. This site allows insults only if you insult people the mods don't like.

[edit on 6-7-2010 by PunisherSupreme]

reply to post by PunisherSupreme


Seems a pretty strong opinion given that you've been here less than a month.

Needless to say, I disagree - I've never had this problem, and the only people I know who have, are those who have some kind of grudge.

I've seen dozens of posts similar to yours over the past few years, and IMO they are all wide of the mark.

By quite some distance.

best thing to do if you think you are being unfairly treated, is use the complaints function, or bring it up in the "issues" thread.