Category: Zone BBS Suggestions and Feedback
recently there have been a few instances where people have posted topics which are specifically aimed against particular zone users. In my opinion this is in very bad taste, and although I know these topics usually get responses, mostly telling the poster they're out of line, I was wondering if maybe some kind of action shouldn't be taken against people who post these kinds of topics. After all, this effectively does amount to bullying, and it wouldn't be tolerated in society, so why should it be tolderated on here.
because the powers that be couldnt give a damn..
agreed, although there is a fine line between sensorship and free speach which we have to tread. I have spoken about flame wars before and have posted to the staff list for more guidance on this issue.
S.B.Isn't your post aimed at those who were out of line do you think its at all fair to drag this up again and start yet another war,hmm?
yeah but there's a difference though - you're right, we have to have freedom of speech, post opposition to someone's views in that topic for instance, or post what you think about particular events in the world ... whatever, but to deliberately target one member is bullying and should not be tolerated.
a thought on this ... if admins can't, or won't, do something about it, then maybe as zoners, we should. If people are being deliberately offensive to other zone users, then maybe they should just be ignored. if no one viewed their topics, or posted responses to them, but particularly if their topics got 0 views, then the insentive to post would be removed, and if they got offensive publically then we could all put them on ignore and they'd be on to a loser. any thoughts ...
Indeed in real life depending on what's said action can be taken. Honestly though if someone is going to say something bad about another there is really nothing anyone can do in real life. The zone encourages free speech and personal responceability. If you don't like the post well don't read it. If you know that someone is continuely saying bad things about you then don't read their posts. To ask the admin to micro manage our zone experience is like asking the president of the united states to personily stop people from saying bad things. Someone is going to find something to dislike you for. Why make it your problem by even reading it. really that is the only thing they can do to you is write it. In the grand sceme of things the zoners make up a very small population of people on this earth. You will probabily never see these people, and if you do then you will know who your real friends are. Don't ask the admin to regulate a little ribbing from zoner to zoner. By even suggesting this you have probabily continued the cycle. Sure some of the zoners are children, and as adults we want to protect them. However they have parents of their own, futher more they need to learn to deal with rejection, hard words, and hurt feelings. Because when they get older it just gets worse. Remember it's all the bumps and bruzes that you get along the way that help to make up who you are in the end.
D-
Isnt that similar to the kind of childish exculsion practiced by bitchy school girls, who have turned against the less prettier and inarticulate member of their clique..this whole post smacks of a desire to wound and cause trouble, which is nothing short of pathetic.
I think there are two issues here and those are: the individual attacks for no apparent reason, and replies to serious subjects and questions with uninformed insensitive ramblings. I see these things, although quite different in content, to be inexcusible and think that something should be able to be done. I know that Jay has been talking about possibly having the ability to ignore people on message boards as well as ignoring their quicknotes. I wonder what is happening with this idea? Is it going to be implemented and, if so, when? Likewise I agree with SB. I made a comment about a post on my topic this morning but that person need not flatter themselves in to thinking that they're going to get any responses from me from now on because it's a waste of my time and an inflation for their unfounded reason to have a big ego. If you ignore people, they get nothing out of what they are doing so I think that's half a problem solved. However, that will not and should not make it ok for such comments to be made for no reason. There is a difference between freedom of speech and a totally unfounded lack of respect for people and constant abuse of service. Ignoring someone is one thing, but it won't totally solve the problem. I know that freedom of speech will come up time and time again, but in a lot of recent cases, I think that freedom of speech has just been an excuse not to get involved and confront the persons involved and I'm sorry but, as some people are paying to use this website's extra features, I think it's only fair that there should be some kind of guidelines about how you treat others. If people don't follow that, I think that their use of the site should be discontinued. Harsh you might say, but I don't see much changing otherwise. Cheers, D
Sugar, very very well said.
However, rom J's point of view, unless community leaders agree to increaseed responsibility and site policies are more strictly defined this might cause even further problems. Users can always sign in again with a new user name unless we ignore their IP address which is a pretty harsh operation and even then it can be changed. I don't think the site management want to get that involved with the running of the site.
Most of the posts recently aimed against individuals or groups of people were, yes, in bad taste, but I don't think they were necessarily taken that seriously. I posted to them when I felt I had a problem with them but personally they never hurt me in any way and whereas I criticized the people who posted them for, what I felt were valid reasons, I tried not to make the leap over to criticizing their personality, because I don't know those people and try not to have any negative opinions. I think you need to be able to tolerate some negativity, it's a part of a community like this and you can just tab over the post that offends you or from a person you know will have absolutely nothing to contribute. I hope people won't take it so far as to tab over any post that might possibly disagree with your view, that would render any discussion pretty useless, but basically you still have this option.
cheers
-B
/me agrees with Dragonfire.
it's a hard one really since the site creater believes very strongly in freedom of speech for this site, however I personally can see a line between that and what's bee going on here of late. It is like bullying with some of the things said. but what do you guys propose should be done about it? I mean as I previously stated on another board I can't see how the board ignore feature would work too well. what other strategies can you guys think of that can be carried out to try and avoid this problem?
Rd
Yes, there has been some animosity on the boards as of late. I really don't think though that it's taken over the site, after all fortunately those are approximately one in 5 or 6 disucssions over a period of 3 or 4 days and I'm hoping this is about to die down.
I remember how HotBraille ended up being taken down, most likely because of constant arguing and fighting and the admin was continuously asked to get involved. There may have been other reasons why that site went off line but I think in order to keep this site up we must minimize the inconvenience to the site admin, he provvides the technology and it is our responsibility as a web community to decide how we collectively use it. To me it's important that we be able to express different views and if we feel the need to criticize someone or something we should be able to do so, some discussions did get out of hand but I still don't see why they got so out of hand that it's really a matter for intervening and even if that be the case I'm not sure how it can be dealt with.
The only thing I can think off is if a particular person's posts are consistently offensive or out of line that could be reported or tracked or rated somehow and after so many ratings from so many different people (e.g. most negative readings for 5 different users) that person might get a warning or consideration from management or community leaders and additional x problem reports on that person's subsequent posts would cause that person to lose his or her discussion/board post privelleges. I don't consider an argument between two people or three peole on the boards something for concern and it's really something they then should deal with privately, but I do agree with you there is a potential for concern if the discussions or the general spirit of the discussions continues as it is.
cheers
-B
yep, exactly. we mostly have fun on here, so instead of implementing an "ignore" feature, why don't users just learn to ignore certain people and/or posts. Even if we didn't go "freedom of speech" there'd still be this question of where do we draw the line? so guys, either, just ignore certain posters yourself, ignore the individual posts (cos as has already been said here, the minute you right back, they are loving it even more). so just don't respond, or make humour out of what they are saying, putting the joke back on them even. They won't like that cos it's just like all of a sudden we're laughing at them. Some folk (like blindguy - for some strange reason) just do it for nothing more than entertainment. they like to see reactions out of people. .. I mean, think about it, it's like those sibling rivalries we use to have as kids - and maybe some still do -- remember how you always wanted them to react so you can continue trying to say hurtful things to them? yet, if they ignore you, you've lost. Just how it works on here. Some people purely see the net communities as just that; no-one in real life to care. We are simply miles away, sheltered by our computers, and "we'll never see them again"> In short, don't react!
Hi Sugar baby,
yes that's what I'm starting to do, just hit the tab key, and that will take you straight to the next poster.
wonderwoman
I have to agree with both Dragonfire and Rdfreak here. I certainly would not want some admin approving every post I make on these boards. I've been on too many communities, especially e-mail lists, where the admins made so many rules in the name of keeping things pleasant. Don't sue profanity, don't talk about religion or politics, don't flame, and don't say this or that or post this or that amount. I think all of us must find a way to relax and not get so easily offended by what we read here, even if it is seen as a pointed attack against you. The reality is that not everybody in this world or this Zone system likes us, and a very few might be bold enough to say so. If that's the case, write them off as a fool since they don't really know you as well as you know yourself and don't continue the drama. People seem to get more easily offended and upset because they read things in waht others say that's not even there. Let's not play the victim here and not make it a place where the admins and others play babysitter. There's too much of that going on elsewhere on the net and in real life in some cases and it's nice to go to a place where you don't get slapped around for saying something that might be negative or just unpopular.
Yes but wonderwoman you are one of the worst offenders...
Labyrinth you are absolutely right I think having the equivilent of a chaparone censoring everything we dared to post, would be the death of this site..I cannot think of anything worse than being afraid to speak freely for fear of a ban,such a move would place unnecessary pressure on the remaining posters to toe the line this kind of censorship only benefits those who are inordinately offended by explicit language ect..I'm amazed that these people manage in real life do they edit every conversation before joining in.
Let's keep this discussion to site policy, features, etc. and not focussed on specific people. There's a rant board if you must.