ATS allowed in governmental buildings while other sites aren't

Originally posted by SphinxMontreal
He's squeezing it out for a buck and also increasing speculation about the site, which is a win-win for the Corp. It's classic marketing strategy, at the same time providing digestible content.

Seriously? To "stomp" out such odd speculation, I've just disabled all banner advertising on this thread, for guests and members.

Now if he would just stop with the bad analogies like house parties, bars, sexual predator neighbors and stop acting like some jilted Conspiracy Chick when someone suspects his organization of underhanded dealings.

Let me know how you would react if people constantly came to your place of business and proclaimed lies about you for all to hear.

This is why other "staff" members have chimed in and used the "having a bad day" argument for scrubbing legit material from threads.

We have a general policy that only Admin respond to ATS criticism such as this.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

15). Posting: You will not Post any material that is knowingly false, misleading, or inaccurate.

That's a problem. How is an opinion 'knowingly false, misleading, or inaccurate'?

Seeing as you seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time 'deflecting criticism' in this type of thread and getting rather annoyed in the process , you might want to add 'inflammatory' to the above characteristics. That should cover it.

reply to post by mdwarren


Don't wait for me. I might be late....

Originally posted by D377MC
That's a problem. How is an opinion 'knowingly false, misleading, or inaccurate'?

When it's never been proven after dozens of people trying for more than six years, the targets of the accusations never exhibit actions to substantiate the accusations, and the targets constantly deny the accusations.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by D377MC
That's a problem. How is an opinion 'knowingly false, misleading, or inaccurate'?

When it's never been proven after dozens of people trying for more than six years, the targets of the accusations never exhibit actions to substantiate the accusations, and the targets constantly deny the accusations.

I was being rather more technical, any opinion in essence is subjective, which thereby precludes it from being 'knowingly false, misleading, or inaccurate'.

Well, after reading this thread from the beginning, i must admit that it seems rather derailed to me.

I believe that paranoia has gotten the better of some people on here. And this to me seems ridiculous.

If these members, that are insinuating, that ATS is a goverment run disinformation site, truely believe this, then why are you still on this site? Or are you under the impression that by merely stating the same thing a hundred times, that it will eventually be accepted as fact?

Seriously, all those members that believe this site is in any way controlled, or influenced by goverment, or tptb, why still bother then with it? It seems imho, that these members are either here to find something, no matter how out of context it seems, and serve it as proof, or are indeed agents themselves, just stirring the pot from time to time.

I must admit that after reading SO's first couple of replies, it did come across as a tad bit aggressive and harsh. However, after reading all of the content, and pondering about it for awhile, i must admit that he is indeed correct, albeit the delivery is not sugercoated, and some mind find that not to their liking.

Although the content of this site is entirely user generated, there is a definate need for structure and order. I have had a thread or two deleted, wich in retrospect was my own mistake, i have had a couple of threads locked, wich was not because of me, but because of other members going off topic, derailing the thread and eventually have it closed. Now if this type of behaviour is left unchecked, and unreprimanded, we will have chaos here.

Because of this, the hard work the mods and admins put in, to ensure the smooth operation off this site, i also understand SO's, responses to some of the posters here.

We are all free to speak our minds, but, a little bit of common sense, decency, decorum and respect, will help alot in ensuring unnecessary acusations, and trollish remarks to be made.

As to whether ats is a cia site? Well, no. How can i be sure? Because SO said so.

. Would the site owner really lie, knowing that if it was true, and someone, in some miraculous way could proof this, that he would risk the whole site, by telling a lie?

No, just accept that ATS is a site for everyone, from the humble janitor, to the international jet setter.

As conspiracies tend to go, eventually in all conspiracies, people will in the end allways turn on the person that brought the conspiracy to light in the first place.

It is a figure 8 formation, that will run for infinity.

And now my fingers hurt, because i typed all this from a cellphone, while sitting in a tree looking at the sunset. This is the convenience of ATS.

Be grateful for a site where we can still speak our minds, and doesn't look like it was created by a 12 year old on his grandpa's ZX Spectrum....

Vvv




Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

I've seen this topic argued at least 10 times since I first started using this site... I can see why SO would be tired of it by now. He's got a valid point, how would you like somebody comin' in and kicking sand on your bread and butter? While it took me years to finally start an account because I didn't want to get on some "list" somewhere, I finally decided to hell with it, I'm probably already on a list somewhere anyways and to stop being so paranoid. I've seen posts by people on here over the years that would probably get them the proverbial "4am knock on the door", and I still see those same people posting... If you really believe this page is linked to any alphabet organization, simply go elsewhere to someplace you feel "safe".
I can also understand people being leery of a site with the topics that are covered here, I was myself, but seeing as I've been frequenting this page for a very long time and have yet to have anyone come knocking, it's a safe bet they aren't linked to any alphabet organization compiling a list of "renegade thinkers".

Originally posted by SaturnFX
Is ATS in league with the government.

Well, ATS's material comes from the people...
you are a people

Are YOU in league with the government?!?!
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/90a1ec8ac359.gif[/atsimg]

The Mods answer to the Site Owners and/or Super Mods Your post makes no sense

Because they can close any thread they wish

Originally posted by Snoopy1978
If you guys were directors of the CIA, would you use a highly populated, fringe website for your purposes? It's interesting how political divisiveness, fear mongering and fanatical skepticism are allowed, but actually uniting to formulate and enact a solution to global problems is fiercely prohibited. The owner may or may not be CIA, the mods may or may not be CIA, but surely there is a lot of energy invested in keeping us members boxed in, generating clicks, views and content in exchange of bandwith, ads and rules.

If we are only allowed to come together and share in the scandal du jour while being prevented to even discuss a proactive approach toward SOLUTIONS, then how can the idea of this place being a CIA front be so "insulting"? Censorship for ad revenue is what's truly insulting here. Oh, and before I'm told to love it or leave it, this is a discussion forum, right? Boot licking whether directed to a government, governmental agency or website owner is seriously detrimental to open, critical thinking. Just saying.

If i could star you 60 times for this post i would because that is the single most damning thing i've eve read and is concise and extremely spot on about the topic- at hand!!!!

Looks like Skeptic Overlord hijacked the thread. lol

so much for how ats is allowed in government buildings.

In any case. I like ATS. The nature of the beast demands that rules be in place in order to maintain civility. If you don't like the rules don't post here.

It's that simple.

Just follow the rules. It's not like there are so many that it makes the IRS pale in comparison. Just do it.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Seriously? To "stomp" out such odd speculation, I've just disabled all banner advertising on this thread, for guests and members.

Don't do that. You guys deserve your advertising revenue.

You've given out your position. If he doesn't like it he can go somewhere else.

It appears that my post must have gotten overlooked in the shuffle of answering questions. That's ok, I'll just repeat the question.

How many mods either have or do work for the government on this site? That means all levels including military and police.

Bill, this is your chance to say 0, that's all you have to say to earn a little more trust. That would certainly only help defend the position that you have taken, I'm sure.

reply to post by The_Phantom


Seriously Sir,

He said the "Mods" were his friends.

How many of your friends have worked for the Military or the Government?

What business is it of anybody's where somebody makes a living?

Also, If he listed names what could you possibly infer?

Let it Go.....Un-clinch your butt cheeks and let it go.

With all the "Conspiracy's" out there. You choose this?

Sheesh :bnghd:

Originally posted by TheUniverse
that is the single most damning thing i've eve read and is concise and extremely spot on about the topic- at hand!!!!

Could you elaborate as to why that's the "single most damning thing?"

Perhaps I missed the point. (Not being obtuse, I may really have missed it.)

Originally posted by The_Phantom
How many mods either have or do work for the government on this site? That means all levels including military and police.

I don't keep track... or, at least, I'm not the one who does.

I believe there's at least two in law enforcement, one (I think) who works for a state or local government in healthcare, and at least one government social worker (I think).

But I personally don't keep track... and don't much care. Our staff have been invited (blood rite and all) based on their actions on ATS and a clearly demonstrated desire to support free expression and the ideals we've established. No one is selected lightly, and I respect and admire each and every one of them.


I personally know someone relatively high in a civilian branch of an intelligence group -- who is an intense conspiracy theorist and rather subversive (though we now talk rarely).

Much of my early interest in UFO's, and especially in government cover-ups, was sparked by a state official responsible for a major aspect of the state's university system.

Mark (Springer) knows a former intelligence official who is also a rather serious and very concerned conspiracy theorist.

When I was in Washington, DC with the Interactive Advertising Bureau, I spent a great deal of time with an experienced and high-level lobbyist, and former congressional staffer, who absolutely gushed about ATS and was very much into UFO cover-ups and 9/11 conspiracies.

Back in 2005(?), we were investigated by the Defense Intelligence Agency -- we didn't give anything up, and only removed one of their internal phone numbers. The Special Agent confessed to being a fan of many of our topics, and gave us kudos for our efforts in free expression.

I could go on...


Point being, simply being "in the government" is not an automated indicator of a nefarious heart. Over the years, we've encountered many fans of ATS in many levels of local, state, and federal government. But we answer to none of them, nor any other "government" person/contact/committee, and never will.

Thank you, that's all I wanted to know.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Is there any possible change you'll divulge the biography of Simon Grey and what he used to do before he Created Above Top Secret.

*wink*

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


The problem your gonna get and i'm going to be as honest with you as possible, is that the bigger you are the more powerful you become, and ATS is growing by leaps and bounds to which the positives are more people are gonna be heard and there voice will mean more (which in the end is the most important thing) now the flip side of this is the bigger you get the more suspicious people are going to be of the site by human nature and of course dis-info agents will see you as a big target to try and ruin the credibility of the site and its posters.


Within the last two days i'v seen about four threads that ultimately ask the same question and that's the legitimacy of the site, now like all things i'm sure these things come in spurts like fads and such, but just be aware the bigger you become the more of a target and threat you become, to which you already know this.

Originally posted by TheUniverse
Is there any possible change you'll divulge the biography of Simon Grey and what he used to do before he Created Above Top Secret.

He was in a UK high/secondary school. More is discussed here

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by funbox
well seeing how my webmarketing assertion was completely ignored

Not ignore, I just didn't think it applied to the issue being discussed.

because this sites security is geared towards marketing to us visitors , instead of security to protect a community

I have no idea why you'd say something like that. Our "user-centric" security and policies are intensely protective of our members. No sever logs. User emails and IPs in the database are encrypted. No personal information asked or stored. Our standard level of security has actually posed problems with some potential advertising campaigns... which never came to fruition.

i think it applies when getting precedence in Google/search engines, getting that number one spot for the most benign search terms, this precedence is greatly furthered by allowing 'access granted' to all of our lovely user generated content, which google loves.

so if this site allows permissions to those files , ie the picture files (which users generate alt tags for*) , which has already been pointed out , are initialy set with permisions granted to all. this allows google's spiders to penetrate deeper into a sites links and this gives this site the edge in googles listings, ultimately.

to me this is a moral crack . a choice, made by your development team, one you surely are aware of, and one that was decided upon in light of search engine listing preference.

a stupid analogy :-
lets say i was blind enough to join facebook, i upload some pictures for my loved one in america , should then the whole of facebook be able to see them pictures? even tho their not on my friends list? .. ah yes but i must click the radio button that says access denied, or that little uncheck box, or that other buried menu, behind the one that say beware of the tigers

at some point ill take the pepsi challenge , ill take a 100 random members and see how many of them have locked down there files

funbox.

*sometimes