To clear up any confision, I base my choice of removal of swear words based on the standard set by our automatic censor. I don't just randomly edit or censor material because I want to "flex my muscle". Thats simply silly. I used the standard not only set by the censor, but by the MPAA. If you use the "F-word" in a movie, you get an R-rating. This is at worst a PG-13 forum and we have always tried to keep it to that standard. I actually thought by moving it to the Think Tank I was being lenient compared to how I normally treat material with profane content, which is that I normally remove it all together. Instead I seemed to create a swirling whirlwind of shock and indignation to what was simply a well established policy.
As for inconsistencies in censoring banned material... moderating ain't my
job. Its a
hobby. I have a real life with a real job, real classes, a real chick, real live friends, real bills and real responsibilities. I edit and remove what I find. If I miss something, then it gets through the cracks. If I find it, then I take the
appropriate and well established action. Censoring linked material is not new, so I don't see what the big deal is.
As for the word nigger not being automatically removed, thats because any offense it may cause depends solely on its context. If nigger is used to attack someone on these forums, then I would take immediate action, remove the post or thread, and the poster would be warned and possibly BANNED depending on the curcumstances. If someone uses the word in a historical or academic context, then there is no reason to censor its use.
**** cannot be used in appropriate manner. In fact, the words power and effect depends solely on the fact that it is considered a bad word worthy of censoring. The idea that it is censorable is the only reason why the word is so great and powerful. To remove its taboo is to remove its reason to exist.
Final point: I have been to forums that felt that the use of curse words was completely acceptable, and their forums are a complete mess. The quality of the posting is awful and the members tend to be trolls who prefer flaming members and picking fights to actually contributing to conversations. We avoid most of these idiots because their little tirades are simply **** out. So they don't come, they don't join and most importantly they don't post because they can't get off on their own tired predictable "irreverance". Yes, this might not let us grow by leaps and bounds, but then again, GameTavern would then turn into a forum that few of use would want to be members of anymore.
BTW, thanks for the heads up about the porn link. The post with the link has been removed, per our policy.
