Censorship in GreenHybrid - GreenHybrid

EricGo · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 02:33 PM

The other day Jason removed a post of mine, in which I wrote

Quote:

Time is money, so I figure that is worth about 29 cents to me. Shipping included.

in a thread that is an ad.

I have since cooled off a bit, but censorship pushes my buttons big time. Jason tells me he is now revising the 'what is an OK post' around here, but I think it important that he gain some perspective from the community what censorship will be tolerated, what censorship will be supported, and what censorship will lead to people leaving the community.

I have never posted at the Edmund's car forums, simply because censorship is practiced there over and above posts that are libel, racist, hate, or trollism out of control.

Please give this question some thought, and post. It is important.

Schwa · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 02:43 PM

Maybe advertisements should be immediately locked upon placement to prevent commentary if that was the intention of removing the post.

lars-ss · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 02:46 PM

Considering my duties at GH.com, I'm going to tread lightly in this topic, but I do want to stimulate discussion, because I agree that the subject is important.

But I'm not sure I understand fully the situation, Eric.

Which thread was this? What was the product in question? With that info in hand, I feel like I can comment further on things from a more informed position.

lakedude · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 03:04 PM

This is the add in question, correct?

http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/a...ries.4181.html

lars-ss · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 03:25 PM

OK I got the info I think I need in order to comment. Well, it's a touchy subject for sure.

My guess is that Jason established "The Market" thread to help finance the running costs of the gh.com website, which is not free.

Let's do a hypothetical, not even considering THIS ITEM or Eric's situation at all, OK?

For Example: anyone who makes a comment disparaging the value of an item offered for sale in The Market could be construed as "doing harm" to the continuing success of the website, which is bad for every member of the site, if you extrapolate that out.

What if, for example, there were 70 people who might have wanted to buy that item before they saw the negative comment? Some of them might reconsider their decision if someone has posted a negative comment about their opinion of the value of an item. Then, say maybe only 40 of the 70 people buy that item after the comment. You see how easily things can potentially go bad, from one simple comment?

This is not an issue at Amazon.com, or Bestbuy.com, or sites which are established huge retail sites, because they sell so many things that one person making a comment about how they feel about the value of something for sale on that site will just get lost in the shuffle.

But at a relatively small site like gh.com, a site which in part relies on items in The Market to keep the site up and going, a comment like that can, at least POTENTIALLY, become a harmful thing.

It's kind of like at E-Bay. People sometimes do not do business with sellers who have negative comments in their Feedback. I personally try to shy away from sellers like that, just to be on the safe side. If someone on E-Bay sold something for $27.99 that can be had at the Mall for $14.99, then someone might leave a "bad value" comment like that in feedback, and that would hurt future sales, more than likely.

So I guess all the above chatter summarizes to this: my opinion is that the Owner of the website needs to at least have the ability to promote sales of items which help to finance the website and not have to worry about members making negative comments which might POTENTIALLY harm the success of the sales, and thus harm the website also. That's different from censorship in my opinion.

Just my little ole' opinion, coming from my status as a MEMBER, not from my status as a Moderator.

bar10dah · #6 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 03:26 PM

Censorship sucks. But like everything else, there should be guidelines or things could get way way way out of hand.

I'm a member of several forums that let it fly. Things get heated, but they usually die down pretty quickly. I'm also a member of a very few forums that the moderators constantly edit, delete, or ban individuals that (especially) don't share their same views. Even the guideline abiding posters start to get annoyed and cry injustice.

tbaleno · #7 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 04:40 PM

Just clarification. I believe the market place is open to every that wants to buy or sell stuff. I don't think it was added to get more money for Jason. It is just coincidence I think that the first post was from him to make himself some money.

I think Jason felt that the comment about the product was an attack. I think he was wrong in doing that. I think everyone should be allowed to comment constructivly on ads in the market place since someone might be trying to gouge on a price. I believe Ericgo felt this was the case and spoke up.

As for censorship I think the best thing is just to lock the thread and to not delete anything. The exception to this would be VERY hateful personal attacks, foul language or the like.

Most of the time bad threads die out.

Jason, I would like GreenHybrid to be very conservative about locking threads and deleting text. Maybe to delete text that is questionable it should be put up to a vote of the moderators instead of one making a decison on their own and only allow moderators to delete any obvious profanity (preferably just the word or sentance vs. the whole post.)

What do you guys think? Any comments on my views? Did I leave something out? Am I to liberal?

Schwa · #8 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 05:11 PM

I think paid advertisements in the marketplace should be locked if commentary isn't wanted, that's the purpose of a lock - let people read but not write. Member postings of course shouldn't be locked. I can understand not wanting commentary on a paid ad, but you can't just delete negative comments and let positive comments be, that's going to ruffle more than a few feathers.

Delta Flyer · #9 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 06:18 PM

I'm just a member, and I have yet to read the thread in question.

Strict censorship is the reason I joined www.greenhybrid.com. If you want to experience strict control, just get slightly off-topic at www.insightcentral.net!

I've been at forums at both extremes from vitrually unmoderated to admins expecting 30 rules be followed and making issues with trivia.

Communities, be it bricks-and-mortar or in cyberspace are not bound by the free speech rights most Western countries practice. I think it's a mistake to act like GreenHybrid or any other forum is like a cybernation. Having said that, I think members have a lot of freedom as long as they don't troll or make personal attacks.

Any forum has a right to self-preservation, so it's understandable that forums address direct attacks against it or it's sponsors.

rigger · #10 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta Flyer

Strict censorship is the reason I joined www.greenhybrid.com. If you want to experience strict control, just get slightly off-topic at www.insightcentral.net!

AMEN to that!

I'll zip it about anything else though I'm dying to just let it all out.