Censorship on AF

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Kevin245

The decision to close the thread was based on the consensus of the site team. We try to avoid actions such as this but there are occasions when intervention is required. When complaints, or ongoing vulgarity are encountered, we review the conditions and act according to the site rules. We take into account the interest of our members (within reason), but when threads get off track and beyond the limits of what one would consider a typical family environment, we act accordingly. We attempt to maintain a sense of humor about topics posted here as this is a diverse membership, but there is a limit.

As for the references to censorship. Please refer to the Community Rules which are part of the TOS you agree to abide by when you sign up here.

On behalf of the site team.

Meatball Wiki: PowerAnswer

A respectful yet complete response from the mods explaining why the thread was kept open originally and why it was ultimately closed would have done a lot less damage to the fabric of the community.

While I disagree with the decision to close the thread, I am not especially troubled by it. The idea that Airforums should be maintained as a Bowdlerized sanctuary suitable for prime-time viewing by children of 1958 has always seemed paternalistic and out of place given that the community consists exclusively of adults and the subject material is not of interest to young children. But I don't especially care.

On the other hand, I am deeply troubled by the timing and the manner in which the thread closure was handled.

The Airforums are a community site insofar as it is the financial donations and posts that make the community successful and allow it to continue to operate. The TOS is not something with community origins, and while the site team may have the legal authoritah to enforce them selectively at its discretion, there is no requirement that the community as a whole or individual members tolerate it.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Meatball Wiki: PowerAnswer

Good link Jammer.

Gene

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Good link Jammer.

Gene

Thank you, Gene. The writing style in that article should be familiar.

[Lily&Me]

I don't think it was all harmless, especially just recently.

I do see that a number of recent posts have been deleted.

There were some lines crossed, there were. Take some responsibility here.



Maggie

[Goin camping]

Never posted to the thread but I sure had more than a few laughs reading it.

Sorry the thread got closed too. Be that as it may we're all guests in Andy's Airstream and somebody had to turn down the stereo. Darn party pooper.

Gotta go find that camping in bear country thread...

[AirsDream]

I woulda' thought that the site team had better things to do, but nothing amazes me any more.

Yup, I thought it was a cute thread and I think I may have contributed a cliche or two myself ... but maybe we're better persons for the censorship. As noted, this is a family forum. Just how we get to have those families without *ex is a mystery to me, however!

But I for one shall strive to ban the offending three letter word from my discourse, and I think I shall simply substitute xxx. So, if I review a campground, I shall note that there are different bathing/toilet facilities for the different xxxes and if I stay at that certain hotel in NYC, I shall refer to it as the Esxxx House. But I am worried about how to deal with topics such as how to protect children from xxx offenders and xxxual predators at campgrounds. I'll figure it out, I'm sure.

Can we still have alcohol and strong alakaloids (such as coffee) at forum rallies? Only time will tell.

[xrvr]

I thought the thread was juvenile and added nothing to the airstream family. Goes to show how diverse our airstream family is. Jim

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by AirsDream

Just how we get to have those families without *ex is a mystery to me, however.

Adoption and cloning are two alternatives...

[Janet H]

As mentioned earlier the thread was closed after a consensus amongst the site team - we have widely varying views about propriety but in this instance there was no disagreement. Please keep in mind when you are wondering why the thread was closed that we have many different kinds of members and many who surf at work as well. Some posts were removed that were not work safe, others were making fun at the expense of a specific group of folks.

We all have a different view of what is funny, naughty or outright offensive. In this case however the site team believed that line between fun and too 'adult' had been crossed and so some posts and images were removed and the thread closed. We understand that not everyone agrees with this decision but we believe that it was the best choice for the community and in keeping with our community rules.

• Posts containing explicit, obscene or vulgar language, images or links to websites with adult content/images or punctuation marks designed to "trick" our obscenity filter will be removed.

Thanks for understanding

[jdalrymple]

Originally Posted by 0557

Our country has already become a nanny state.
Please don't let Air Forums follow suit.
Collectivism and totalitarianism will never work.
We are not 3rd graders.

Nice post.


If we outlaw it, or simply choose to believe it does not happen, it doesn't happen. Right? Ha.

If you don't like the look of a place, don't go in.

If you choose to go in, don't complain about what you find.

Just Leave.

Folks need to grow up.

JD

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Meatball Wiki: PowerAnswer

A respectful yet complete response from the mods explaining why the thread was kept open originally and why it was ultimately closed would have done a lot less damage to the fabric of the community.

While I disagree with the decision to close the thread, I am not especially troubled by it. The idea that Airforums should be maintained as a Bowdlerized sanctuary suitable for prime-time viewing by children of 1958 has always seemed paternalistic and out of place given that the community consists exclusively of adults and the subject material is not of interest to young children. But I don't especially care.

On the other hand, I am deeply troubled by the timing and the manner in which the thread closure was handled.

The Airforums are a community site insofar as it is the financial donations and posts that make the community successful and allow it to continue to operate. The TOS is not something with community origins, and while the site team may have the legal authoritah to enforce them selectively at its discretion, there is no requirement that the community as a whole or individual members tolerate it.

This is a good point... I guess I overlooked the "Supporting Member" sign on my own profile! I guess the possibility of losing supporting members when renewal comes around is a risk the owners are willing to take.

[StingrayL82]

When you learn that free speech is only free, if it conforms to the guidelines of whoever is in control, you'll be much better off

Given that my security clearance would get yanked in a half a heartbeat, if I happen to browse a website (while I'm on my lunch break, of course) with inappropriate content, I'm thankful for the safeguards put in place by the mods, but a good suggestion would be to do what other websites do, and put "NSFW" in the post's title.

That said, as much as I might loathe censorship, the TOS are set by the owner, this site is privately owned, and if you're not happy with it, you can always join the WBCCI and go to their forum.....oh, wait....

Too soon?

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

I thought the thread was juvenile and added nothing to the airstream family.

Agreed - I wondered about the eventual course on the first day it was posted ~

Thanks to all the moderators who volunteer countless hours to maintaining this forum.

Shari

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi
I thought the thread was juvenile and added nothing to the airstream family.

Originally Posted by InsideOut

Agreed - I wondered about the eventual course on the first day it was posted ~

Thanks to all the moderators who volunteer countless hours to this forum.

Shari

I didn't really even read it, nor am I particularly upset its gone, or even existed, but the amount of views and posts would certainly contradict this statement. It obviously added a lot to (a good many) folks here. The number of views and posts don't lie.

Regardless, I agree with the second part, thanking the mods for their work!

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Eric H

I didn't really even read it, nor am I particularly upset its gone, or even existed,

Originally Posted by InsideOut

Agreed - I wondered about the eventual course on the first day it was posted ~

...which coincided with the last time I for one even looked at it.

Originally Posted by Eric H

but the amount of views and posts would certainly contradict this statement. It obviously added a lot to (a good many) folks here. The number of views and posts don't lie.

Not always so...oftentimes these sorts of threads are viewed only by a view active individuals - but those few look at it every time a new entry is added and go back to review it over and over - much like a lot of the "high view count" WBCCI threads. It's the same few posting and viewing over & over again...

It ran it's course, it's over ~

Shari

[RickDavis]

Overall I think the moderation on the forum is quite reasonable.

One only has to look at their local TOPIX to get an idea of what happens without active moderators

[ROBERT CROSS]

"the avoidance of excess or extremes, esp. in one's behavior or political opinions : he urged the police to show moderation. See note at abstinence .
• the action of making something less extreme, intense, or violent"

What do you expect from a moderator......moderation?

Bob

[Boondocker]

Have fun storming the castle!

[Sodbust]

I'm sure a % of folks who are part of this group hold dear they can better run my life better than I can,, Seems more and more of this happens every day..

I was put back some when it first came on the site,, but the few posts I read were civil...

I did not post nor did I follow it anymore as I made my own mind up without telling everyone else that they should also..

It boils down to the day we all ware brown suits,, and little hats that make us proper Americans.. We will also be riding bikes and our Airstreams will be crushed to make more soda cans for that "free bubble up",,, Look out America,, here it comes..

Sodbust

[Airtandem]

I understand that Andy owns the forum and that is financed by advertisement and due I have never seen anything on laws/bylaws or governing body (moderators). So how does one know when they are in violation? I questioned a post once and was told that was what the delete button was for.
Is there a place on the forum where this information is listed?