What does the TMF owe YOU?

[LD_Tickler]

I vaguely remember discussing this topic a long time ago (years, maybe?). I thought I'd bring it up again, rather than perform thread necromancy, and get the opinions of newer people.

Every now and then, I see a discussion about censorship on the TMF. Putting aside illegal content that can get the site closed, sometimes, people get upset when they feel censorship is taking place.

So my question is: what's wrong with there being censorship on the TMF? What makes the TMF owe us a censorship-free environment? Censorship from governments is one thing, since, generally, we're citizens with rights and protections that we secure through compliance and taxes, social contract theory, etc etc. So I understand when people get peeved at Big Brother stepping overstepping his bounds - we're owed better than that by our governments. But on the TMF? What exactly are we owed? What are the "bounds" here, if not whatever the mods/admins please?

This is a free website, and is, to my knowledge, not-for-profit. As I see it, we're not entitled to any sort of freedom of expression. I can understand when people get upset about inconsistency - that is, when the rules set one standard and the mods follow another - because it's hard to behave when you don't know what behaving is. But in a more general sense, why do people feel entitled to anything more than being at the mercy of mods on a free, elective website?

(no explicit or implicit commentary on mod/admin behaviour intended, purely hypothetical)

 

[Bothersome]

Do you have some examples of what some of the censorship is? I don't know that I've ever actually experienced that.

 

[socktickler86]

I've never seen any censorship here. In fact, I'm kinda disappointed at the free-for-allness off the forums. Of course, like you said, nothing is owed to us and my feelings of appreciation far far outweigh the feelings of disappointment towards one aspect of how it's run.

 

[TropicThunder]

Do you have some examples of what some of the censorship is? I don't know that I've ever actually experienced that.

A recent example could be the closing of threads based around a particularly sensitive subject.

 

[Bothersome]

A recent example could be the closing of threads based around a particularly sensitive subject.

Alright. I'm not really interested in details, but what was the censorship based around? In what context was the subject considered 'sensitive'? Again, not looking for details. Just interested in what would justify something like that.

 

[socktickler86]

A recent example could be the closing of threads based around a particularly sensitive subject.

I hope you're not talking about that casey anthony thing. I can see why it might be closed but at the same time, that's the first locked thread i've seen in months!

 

[TropicThunder]

I hope you're not talking about that casey anthony thing. I can see why it might be closed but at the same time, that's the first locked thread i've seen in months!

What? It was a good recent example of censorship, wasn't it?

 

[phant0m]

People really need to read the terms of service when signing up for something. Just once to get a general idea. They can terminate your account whenever they feel it necessary, and they create the rules as to what is and isn't allowed. The internet is for free speech, not the individual websites it contains. If you want your free speech so badly, go to another site or make your own.

Reddit is actually pretty good with this. Threads are usually only deleted if they're posted to the wrong subreddit (subforum) and if a post is highly disagreeable it is voted down to oblivion by the users. Because of this system Reddit can claim free speech as a selling point, but that was never claimed at TMF and is not owed at all.

Thanks for starting this topic, I was going to post something similar in the second thread but it was locked.

 

[Bothersome]

If the discussion was devolving to ad hominems and just straight insults, then I can understand closing the thread. If the thread was closed because the person who closed it didn't agree with the OP's viewpoint on the matter... well, I'd be a little disappointed, but there's really nothing I can rightfully demand about it. Their house, their rules.

 

[LD_Tickler]

I'd be a little disappointed, but there's really nothing I can rightfully demand about it. Their house, their rules.

That basically sums it up perfectly, in my mind.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Yeaman. Sometimes my comments can be of an incendiary nature, and occasionally I'll just devolve into a straight-up asshole and flame people... almost immediately my posts are pruned and the mods warn me of my behavior.


I dunno if anyone else here has had experience with other message boards here in the internet, but they can break down into a flamewar-shoot-em-up Wild West scenario real fast.


If it wasn't for the diligence and commitment of the Mod Squad, half of the contributing members would go elsewhere and people contemplating "coming out of the tickle closet" would think twice.


Always appreciative of what this place means to me.

 

[stroker]

So far Ive nothing to complain about, the only thing that slightly bugs me is if a thread gets derailed by a flirting match ( get a room ! ) but thats just my hangup. I dont like censorship but having been on other forums where almost every thread soon descends into " youre a dick" .."NO youre the dick " etc ,I have to say I woulnt like TMF to be a complete free for all.

 

[phant0m]

If the discussion was devolving to ad hominems and just straight insults, then I can understand closing the thread. If the thread was closed because the person who closed it didn't agree with the OP's viewpoint on the matter... well, I'd be a little disappointed, but there's really nothing I can rightfully demand about it. Their house, their rules.

From what I understand the very first post insinuated that there would be many colorful responses and discussions, and the mods decided to stop it before things got out of hand. Not exactly stopping a flame war, but nowhere close to closing a topic out of disagreement.

 

[socktickler86]

What? It was a good recent example of censorship, wasn't it?

Sorry, bad wording. Yes it was a good example of censorship, I just meant that in a way like "ugh I'm tired of hearing about that woman!" .

 

[Snail Shell]

It doesn't owe me anything. It's an open forum. You get out what you put in.

As for censorship, the TMF isn't a democracy. The mods were chosen for a reason. Obey thine landlord.

SS

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

I agree completely. There are plenty of times that I disagree, sometimes very strongly, with the action or inaction of the mods. We're a site of over a hundred thousand people. We are NOT going to all agree all the time. That's what the mods are there for. The mods were and continue to be chosen by the people who run the site because they're the ones who put the work in. They choose new mods based on the hope of keeping the forum a tolerable place for as many people as possible. Sometimes I think they throw down the mod hammer when it isn't necessary, and sometimes I think they let people get away with way too much. But at the end of the day that doesn't really matter. They keep things at a level where I haven't felt like I can no longer enjoy myself here, so I'm not in any position to really bitch too much.

 

[Backstep]

I've always said that you get out of life that which you put into it.

Same goes for the TMF; it doesn't 'owe' me anything because I've made a conscious decision to invest time and energy here. If I felt like it wasn't worth it, I'd go somewhere else or start my own website.

 

[bftk2005]

Nothing. But they have been kind enough to provide a forum to participate within the given guide lines.

 

[natural tickler]

it owes me nothing...if anything, I feel happy I am allowed to be in it

 

[JJB]

People really need to read the terms of service when signing up for something. Just once to get a general idea. They can terminate your account whenever they feel it necessary, and they create the rules as to what is and isn't allowed.

Exactly.

 

[Leo tickles]

It's all politics to a much lesser degree than a job.

 

[Helena]

I think that if you are on the tmf long enough, you might have the pleasure of having a thread you start be locked down. Everybody has a post that isn't stellar, or has to be pruned because it isn't really serving a purpose anymore, other than to incite a riot on the TMF prison yard of justice.

It's disappointing when we can't moderate ourselves well every day, and be excepting of each other unconditionally without ever meeting and having interaction beyond a computer screen. On a daily basis, most of us don't need supervision, and are pretty responsible for our own actions. I don't think the mods enjoy having to censor what is written, or monitor posts, but they do it.

 

[maniactickler]

The TMF owes me $37.43

 

[goddess_nemesis]

In a way, the forum owes its members its very life. Without us, it wouldn't be what it is. However, it doesn't owe me anything really and there's nothing I can really do except leave. All I can hope is the mods uphold the rules fairly and I believe they do.

 

[Marquis De Sade]

Actually, the TMF owes me a digital comic book. I won a radio competition about a year, maybe two years ago but never picked out the prize.