"Found to be unverifiable and, indeed, likely untrue." Is this the new grounds for Hoaxing threads

www.abovetopsecret.com...

And this one. In the grey area, a testimony thread, asking from the staff for proof. Unbelievable!

So all the rude skeptics have hte right to power up and shut down threads, they can just leave them, go to your ugly little skeptics threads, and do your thing on them, but some of like the other ones.

reply to post by Unity_99


I'm not sure why you think there's a reason to start name calling.

There's a pretty clear delineation between posting guidelines for the grey area and most other sections on ATS.
The thread this thread is about could have been closed just because of the nastiness it turned into, either way it would be closed and the poster banned. Relax.

reply to post by optimus primal

The thread this thread is about could have been closed just because of the nastiness it turned into, either way it would be closed and the poster banned. Relax.

But it wasn't, it was labeled a hoax.

And he didn't call anyone names, or is a thread a person?

reply to post by TucoTheRat


I can't even begin to describe how much I agree with your OP, especially with regards to the thread in question.

I too, was very interested in hearing what Initiate had to say and I pleaded with the mods to re-instate the thread but to no avail.

It's one thing to move a thread into the Hoax forum, (which I think was a total load of crap in this case) and it's entirely another to take it a step further and close the thread. Talk about a "police state."

It's crap like this that makes me very reluctant to recommend this site to others. If anything, I think this site needs to hold a vote of "no confidence," and install an oversight committee to protect us from the mods and administrators.

IMO, a more appropriate motto for this site would be; "If we don't like the sound of it, the rest of you can't talk about it."

reply to post by TucoTheRat


I called Initiate out on that last thread and the mods kept removing my posts as off topic, now it's declared a hoax and I would like to see my comments unflagged so people can see I was right..

reply to post by TucoTheRat
It seems the only time you pop up around here is when some self-styled "guru" or someone with supposed "secret knowledge" comes along with some outlandish story, and it seems like it is your purpose to start a fight and try to bait folks into breaking T&Cs if they disagree with the OP or ask for any kind of proof. I believe there is a particular term for folks who do that......hmmmmmm, what was that term.......something to do with something that lives under a bridge, methinks.

reply to post by littled16


I'm not sure how your accusations relate to this thread.

He brings up a valid point.

reply to post by Unity_99

And this one. In the grey area, a testimony thread, asking from the staff for proof. Unbelievable!

Agreed. It used to be the grey area was for stuff that cannot be proven. Personal stories.
There are so many strange things through the years that have happened to me, that can never be proven. Or explained.
How can anyone ever "prove" anything, in this world of special effects. Weird things just happen.

Reality is subjective. Our stories are our own. Some people are brave enough to want to share them (not me).

Originally posted by Unity_99
www.abovetopsecret.com...

And this one. In the grey area, a testimony thread, asking from the staff for proof. Unbelievable!

So all the rude skeptics have hte right to power up and shut down threads, they can just leave them, go to your ugly little skeptics threads, and do your thing on them, but some of like the other ones.

edit on 12-6-2013 by Unity_99 because: (no reason given)

Wth,

The Gray Area is a discussion forum that provides a dedicated area for members to post their confessions, disclosures, and related extraordinary personal experiences. Like the highly speculative Skunk Works forum, The Gray Area will tolerate topics that may be unusually hypothetical or UNPROVEN for the purpose of vetting the stories of thread-starters by the ATS membership at large.

So why is a mod asking this,

The staff kindly request that the OP provide proof of his claims. This thread is now closed until such a time proof is provided.

What's going on here? Why do mod actions directly contradict the rules that are layed out for that forum?

The staff tries to curb situations where we see members string other members along with shenanigans like 'I'm here to expose the secrets of the universe' or 'I have proof aliens are colluding with the government... But Im not telling you yet.'

We like to give such members ample opportunities to supply the site with the info they claim to have. Often for dozens and dozens of pages. If the author continues to tease and dangle, it is not uncommon for staff to close the thread with the invitation for the member to message us with information and we can reopen it. This is for the benefit of our members.

Occassionally the member refuses to cooperate, disappears, chews out the staff trying to help them, or comes clean they were having fun with the membership. Etc. Use your imagination as to what each case is. If they give the promised info then their thread is reopened. If they prove to be a hoaxer then the thread is hoaxed and the member is banned.

Sadly some cannot understand it is to keep the site good for them.

reply to post by AshleyD


Can you answer the questions in my post above yours?

If they prove to be a hoaxer then the thread is hoaxed and the member is banned.

But he waasn't proven to be a hoaxer, staff said that his claims are unverifiable, which means it is still open.

So why was the thread closed and put in HOAX.

Again you are contradicting yourselves.

reply to post by Tribunal


Sure. Because the Gray Area and Skunkworks forums do not mean one has free reign to string members along and give false promises.

'Unproven' is fine. However giving a promise of information and failing is not the same. Or in other instances, telling a tale that is later debunked.

Those two are possibly the most lenient of our ATS forums but that doesn't mean our #1 rule about hoaxing doesnt apply.

reply to post by AshleyD

Those two are possibly the most lenient of our ATS forums but that doesn't mean our #1 rule about hoaxing doesnt apply.

But it doesn't apply here, per your own definitions. You either stick to your own rules and definitions, or you admit that you do whatever you like.

reply to post by Tribunal


Of course it applies.

You do understand that the word 'unproven' does not give members full reign to hoax all of us, correct? You do realize that the word 'unproven' does not mean things cannot be disproved, correct? You seem to define 'unproven' as 'there is no way anything could ever, ever be a hoax because it is impossible to disprove a personal claim in any way shape or form.'

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Hope that helps. In the end, there is nothing in the forum description that says 'hoaxers welcome.' Sometimes more drama occurs behind the scenes as well but, of course, we do not discuss personal correspondence, member bannings, individual staff actions, etc.

This is not the first time members have been asked to provide the information they claim to have or promise to provide. Yes, even in Skunkworks or the Gray Area.

That's all I have to say about that. Anything else is just arguing about this for argument's sake.

Originally posted by AshleyD
[...] This is for the benefit of our members.
...
Use your imagination as to what each case is. If they give the promised info then their thread is reopened. If they prove to be a hoaxer then the thread is hoaxed and the member is banned.

Sadly some cannot understand it is to keep the site good for them.

.

Originally posted by Initiate
On the other hand, those of the left-hand-path, would prefer to keep themselves in a comfortable, sovereign position at the top, whilst looking 'down' upon their impotent tools (you) below. It's a type of refined, highly evolved superiority complex, where they believe they have your 'best' interests in mind.

I just registered because i came across that thread and felt like an interesting reading -that appart from if i personally 'buy into or no buy into' -i don't understand how is people so obsessed with that-. But having seen how this issue was managed i think i will take my leave, if not banned before.

Then, a lot of threads claiming 'the secret of', 'i know this or that' appeared to cover-up in my view... no banning there although the strange things their OPs claimed... or this happens every day here?

At the very least the banning was not due to the 'polite behaviour' of members just a read of the last pages of the thread will confirm that, and just one banning was applied.

These sites are just owned.

Originally posted by littled16
reply to post by TucoTheRat

 

It seems the only time you pop up around here is when some self-styled "guru" or someone with supposed "secret knowledge" comes along with some outlandish story, and it seems like it is your purpose to start a fight and try to bait folks into breaking T&Cs if they disagree with the OP or ask for any kind of proof. I believe there is a particular term for folks who do that......hmmmmmm, what was that term.......something to do with something that lives under a bridge, methinks.

Dude....seriously...why?

Ok let me get this strait, so I pop up every time ATS lets the same group of people trash and batter a persons integrity, strategically demoralize the OP's message and out right crash a thread they repeatedly state is of absolutely no interest to them like Orcs in the Mines of Moria until the MOD squad who sat back and let it happen closes the entire thread and usually bans the starter of the OP and I'm the troll?

I have to be in the wrong dimension, I woke up in another dimension where people are incapable of thinking. There is something in the water and me and a few other people are immune to it's mentally debilitating effects because WOW!

littled16, do you realize how what you just said makes absolutely no sense when viewed with any logic or sense itself.

Did it ever cross your mind that I, maybe, would rather take a rusty nail to my left testicle than talk or read anything written by people like you? Which might, possibly, be why I would rather find a good thread written by what I consider a human being and click the "Posts in Thread" button under the Op's name and enjoy my time on this site. Has that ever crossed your mind?

You see I cannot stand 90% of the "people" on this site but I love the other 10% and I very much enjoy reading what they have to offer.

So when the Oriki are bred and sent out by "Saruman the so called White" I might feel the need to step in and show people a little thing called "stop being an inhuman animal you spawn from the depths of darkness".

I am not a troll I am part of a fellowship of human beings who think truth, ideas that the service to our fellow man should be respected.

So try to "methinks" (what ever that means) things a little more thoroughly. Try it as a fun game, you wont regret it.

But to stay on topic why do you think a self-styled "guru" or someone with supposed "secret knowledge" is so frequently in need of defense on a site like ATS when they should have the backing of the MODs, Super MODs to share their story on a conspiracy site that banners the motto of "no ignorance here".

Why was this parsons thread Hoaxed? and why was e banned?

I sincerely hope you get to read this before you can't.

The Rat

the majority of the threads on this site belong in the hoax section

lot of nutters, but it's nice to have a place that can round up the nutters.



more should go to Skepticon or The Amazing Meeting and get some real knowledge before thinking every youtube vid, radio shock jock or blog is a conspiracy or conspiracy pusher

Originally posted by AshleyD
The staff tries to curb situations where we see members string other members along with shenanigans like 'I'm here to expose the secrets of the universe' or 'I have proof aliens are colluding with the government... But Im not telling you yet.'

We like to give such members ample opportunities to supply the site with the info they claim to have. Often for dozens and dozens of pages. If the author continues to tease and dangle, it is not uncommon for staff to close the thread with the invitation for the member to message us with information and we can reopen it. This is for the benefit of our members.

Occassionally the member refuses to cooperate, disappears, chews out the staff trying to help them, or comes clean they were having fun with the membership. Etc. Use your imagination as to what each case is. If they give the promised info then their thread is reopened. If they prove to be a hoaxer then the thread is hoaxed and the member is banned.

Sadly some cannot understand it is to keep the site good for them.

Yes but the OP in question did none of the offences you mentioned above, none.

He actually took hour upon hours of time to write entire books as responses to members questions. Not only that the person went from question to question in order giving some of the most in depth answers I have ever in my life read.

You Super MOD have obviously not even read any of the material in question or you would not be posting something like what you just have.

Aside from back pain and the need to eat an sleep or the need to defend his integrity can you or anyone pint out where this person strung anyone along?

Can you? I think you would understand why i made this thread and asked these questions if you tried.

Again, your explanation does not fit the situation in question so, why Was this persons thread closed, why was he banned and is this the new rule of law for ATS?

The Rat.

reply to post by TucoTheRat
So by your several referrals to fantasy fictional characters I'm assuming you really enjoy being in the middle of a fantasy and that's why you get so offended when someone questions your fantasy of the day? I remember the thread you joined this site to participate in- another "secret knowledge" type thread In which you became extremely heated by anyone who dared to ask logical questions to the OP (that OP was banned as well due to showing signs of going extremely off his nut). You seem not to recognize the signs of someone trying to pull the wool over your eyes, or just don't want to recognize them- either way I can't say that I care. What I do care about is people who rant and rave everytime a thread is "Hoaxed" because they have invested too much of themselves in it. It won't bring the thread or the OP back, it wont change the T&Cs, and it won't turn people away from the website in droves because "they are so unfair". Unfortunately it wont stop folks who claim "secret knowledge" from getting their jollies by stringing gullible people along either.

reply to post by TucoTheRat


You do realize we do not publicly discuss specific mod actions, banned members, etc.? It's pretty well known site policy.

We were trying to be accommodating by answering the issue in general terms but since the subject keeps coming back to specific mod actions and inquiring into member terminations, this thread will now be closed.

In the future, please use the complaint form or contact a mod directly if a question arises. However, we will not violate a member's privacy or ex-member's privacy by 'dishing the dirt' to curiosity seekers.

Thank you.