Text removal

[J_J]

Does anyone have the guidelines for text removal from any post? I would like to know what words can not be used, which phrases, and which characters that can be used as substitutions, first letter, last letter, etc, and what words constitutes bad language. Me and the spell checker get along quite well, but I really want to know. Is this really a family oriented, or just grown men, and a few women, talking mostly about tractors and associated items. I don't like censorship, but I know you are going to do it. I would like details on the subject matter. Who can do it, and what are the guide lines. Anybody else want to know?

 

[Bird]

J_J, if you read the Terms of Service especially item #9, it seems to me that should tell anyone all he/she needs to know. You don't like censorship?? Well, TBN is not a government agency, it's privately owned property. You can decide what you allow on your property, in your house, etc., so the owner of TBN can decide what is allowed here. Do you have a list of every word that you don't allow on your property? And yes, TBN is officially a family friendly website. As to what constitutes bad language, it's really very simple; if in doubt, don't post it.

Now. . ., that's my personal answer. So take it for what it's worth. I am not an employee, owner, administrator, etc. of TBN, and have no authority to make or modify any of the rules. I'm only a member and volunteer moderator.

So, if any more definitive answer is needed, Muhammad would be the person to answer.

 

[J_J]

These are questions for all moderators, and I am sure some judge words differently.

Is this screening for unacceptable words being done by a computer with a copy of all bad words or a person making that determination?

Next question is, what characters can be used to represent certain letters/words.

Am I to assume that if you guys can interpret the meaning, you remove it?

Are abbreviations legal?

The letters { bs } I see it used a lot, is it legal

 

[Bird]

One more point is that if you make a mistake and for some reason one of your posts, or part of a post, is removed, edited, etc., don't let it bother you. I've had posts moderated myself (and they needed to be) and it didn't cost me a penny so it's nothing to get upset about.

 

[Bird]

I had to cut my last reply short when my wife called me.

Is this screening for unacceptable words being done by a computer with a copy of all bad words or a person making that determination?

I believe the computer does screen some of the "worst" words, but yes, in many cases, it's a person making that determination. And while the moderators, or an individual moderator, can make that determination, it might be worthwhile to note that in many, if not the majority, of cases, it's the result of a complaint, or report, from one or more other members.

Next question is, what characters can be used to represent certain letters/words.

I don't understand the reason for the question. Are you saying that your vocabulary is inadequate to get your points across without the use of foul language?

Am I to assume that if you guys can interpret the meaning, you remove it?

I think that's a reasonable assumption. The other moderators can answer for themselves, but when I've removed such things, I've usually sent a PM telling the poster that TBN is a family friendly website and that means no foul, vulgar, or profane language no matter how thinly veiled.

Are abbreviations legal?

In my opinion, not if I know it's meaning is a foul, vulgar, or profane word.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

These are questions for all moderators, and I am sure some judge words differently.

Is this screening for unacceptable words being done by a computer with a copy of all bad words or a person making that determination? ...

I'm certainly not a moderator, but from my experience there is some computer editing/replacement going on (or maybe I'm confusing this with another, similar forum). I've had posts in which words have been replaced with asterisks immediately on posting. Much too quickly for it to have been read and edited manually by a moderator.

In my defense, I'll say that each time, the words involved had valid and correct meanings in context. But many of those words, like the term for a female canine, certain members of the equine family, a type of file, etc., have developed out-of-context meanings and usage that are more common than their original, correct usage, and are considered, if not obscene, at least improper for "polite company".

I wonder if this word, niggardly, is going to get computer edited. Perfectly good word with a perfectly acceptable meaning and no relationship whatsoever to a similar sounding word that is very offensive to a very large percentage of the population. I got a laugh out of a recent episode in which there were demands for an apology from a public figure who used it quite properly in a news conference.

 

[Inspector507]

Some of it is done automatically by the software this forum uses. I Mod at 4 other forums and we employ it too. What I've seen here, if you purposely use characters or misspellings but people can easily figure out what you meant, it will get removed. Quite often it is due to a report by someone else.
I just try to abide by TBN's rules. I don't see a need to use the language I know they don't want posted. I can get my point across when needed

 

[J_J]

Tom_Veatch

As soon as you post, the post will change to asterisks if that word is not allowed.

Now, I have had words that passed, but a human person removed it later for whatever reason.

Seeing some of the words I have seen, I could keep the moderators busy complaining. So apparently, there are some on here that look for, and tell on us bad guys. It is a shame that the complaints of one or a few can dictate the outcome of the majority.

Don't most families cuss, swear and even tell white lies?

 

[Bird]

Don't most families cuss, swear and even tell white lies?

I can't tell you what most families do, but I can tell you I was shocked when I was 17 and heard my Dad say "Heck" one day. That was the closest I ever heard him come to cussing. And he used to work in the oil fields where there was plenty of foul language used in his presence. And I never heard even that much foul language from my mother, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

But yep, in nearly 25 years as a police officer, I think I've just about heard it all, and I'm not proud to say, I've used some of that language myself at times, but that doesn't make it right or a good thing to do. And when you have time to think and pick your words, as you do when posting on an Internet discussion forum, that kind of language just isn't necessary.

And you think it's a shame that the complaints of one or a few can dictate the outcome of the majority? I think you have it backwards. Why do you think TBN has been so successful? I think the majority want the rules that Muhammad has established. Believe it or not, there was a time when I read everything that was posted, but there's so much now, that I don't have time to read more than a small percentage of the posts, and I think I have more time than most of the moderators, so yes, we sincerely appreciate those members who report bad posts.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

...Don't most families cuss, swear and even tell white lies?

I'd be greatly surprised if they didn't. It's been awhile since I lived in a USMC barracks, but I suspect a verbatim posting of a typical conversation from that environment would be nearly illegible from the high asterisk content.

I have no complaints about language cleanup by the moderators. The automatic, computerized substitutions does sometimes interfere with expressing a point since the software is context-blind. But, as Bird hinted, if we can't express our points without resorting to offensive language, perhaps we should look to our vocabularies. The other side of that coin is that some may take offense much too easily and without justification. Witness the uproar from the news conference I mentioned previously.