Question for Captain Ewok

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Question for Captain Ewok: Which specific clause of the TOS did this thread (locked by one of your moderators) violate?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=188179

I'd appreciate it if none of the moderators or other members chimed in. I'm only interested in one mans opinion on this.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Why address this in a forum? Just pm him directly if you do not want anyone to respond to your post. I'm just sayin', is all.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Why address this in a forum? Just pm him directly if you do not want anyone to respond to your post. I'm just sayin', is all.

Because the response should be on the record. How else will the community learn?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I do think William chose to shoot first and overstep his cyber-authority on that one.

[Otto 83]

• Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users

Just a guess...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

• Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users

Just a guess...

Perhaps, and if so, I'd take issue with it if the protection of that clause extends to moderators as well. It should not. They already have powers above and beyond those of the normal user (i.e. they're moderators) and do not deserve the additional protections of TOS.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

As a general rule we try to notify members if a moderation decision is made regarding their post. In this case if you were not notified I apologize. I am sure it was not on purpose and I will remind the mods to make sure to do so in the future.

This issue was of a photo you posted...

The photo you posted was of a child dressed in a middle eastern or Muslim outfit, with his mom in front of him strapping a suicide bomb to his chest... the child is saying, "Mommy I said I want to be a grown up, not Blown up..." The mom is quoted as saying, "Be quiet dear, is this too tight?"

This type of photo and the caption unfairly (and wrongly) stereotypes Muslims and many Middle Eastern countries. I think the falls under this clause:

Post Content intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against members of a protected group. For instance, racist or sexist content may be considered hate speech.

Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.

If you want to critique any of the mods though please just take their name and insert mine instead. The buck stops with me. I hope this answered your q.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Additionally in the thread the moderator followed up to your question and said,

Rich,

The subject picture has generated multiple complaints, as a racist or prejudiced inference about Islamic people.

The Moderation team agrees with that assessment, given the lack of source evidence to support it. A member of the Mod team deleted the original, and another deleted the rest.

Our mistake for not informing you of the rationale. We will try harder to improve that communication.

We Moderate as a team here, with the intent of keeping the peace and in compliance with the Terms of Service (TOS).

If you disagree with the decision, you are free to contact Captain Ewok for adjudication.

Regards,

William.

Which seems reasonable.

[Ginger cat 3]

Dear Capt'ain EWOK! B)

don't you think that listening by the other's complaints can lead to some abuse too. For it is only related to the common ppl subjectivity..

what can seem offending to one won't be for the other and without being especiamllly border line.

If you want to illustrate by ideas withideas, i have a ton that proves that listen to ppl complaints is not the right standard to evaluate the degree of tolerance or acceptance.

I think we shoudl awlasy keep in mind that we have the luck to be in countries that freedom of speech is one of the fundations of our constitutions. so under that clause, i think that ppl shoudl be free too express a bit their ideas, opinions and thoughts, even if it means feels a bit offended sometimes by others. Or else, you woudl build some "spirits" of flat grey sheeps all going in the same direction, all so politicallycorrectly.

personally i don't like so piltically correct ppl. I liket he ones that shake minds a little, they makes things change and go forwards. Thanks to them, they make ppl think, make them react; this is what is the most important.

I don't preach for a world of anarchy or whatever. i preach for compassion when it needs, reflexion, sagacity, all kind kind of colors of spirits...from black to white with yellow, violet, indigo

but sarcasm, be critics, have some sagacity, and counter culture is soemùthing necessaly to make any place (even that forum) colorful vivid, interestin. and even taking things lightly.

PS: i used to post in forum that was not morderated at all, that was the jungle at times...but that was awesome. unique spirtis were posting. Flat spirit couldn't handle there, they were leavin. Only that that unmoedrating thing allowed that to happen. oit was like the darwin evolution theory!

Edited March 31, 2009 by Ginger cat

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

I agree that free speech is important to our culture no matter where we live. The free exchange of ideas is important for the growth of our society.

However, this website is about families and embracing the multi-ethnic and religious backgrounds of our membership (which vary quite a bit). Immigration can be a very difficult process often exasperated by the unfortunate stereotypes and other negative associations that are prevalent in society. As such, we do not allow certain types of "speech" such as hate, racism, threats, pornography, spam (yes that is speech too), etc.. on VJ. We want to maintain an atmosphere that welcomes immigrants and their families and is inclusive of all our differences, while emphasizing what we all have in common (family immigration).

If members would like to partake in these items (hate, racism, threats, pornography, spam, etc.) there are many places on the internet and in real life that they can do this. However, we just prefer it not be here -- and if they must, that they take it to another website or real life situation that allows this. VJ can not be everything for everyone and we simply have defined in the TOS a set of ideals which we think fit our mission statement to help reunite and bring together families (involved in family immigration) and to allow people to share their common experiences with people (and new friends) around the world.

[Ginger cat 3]

fair enough..

and don't get me wrong. that place is not so bad. i think that a lot of ppl can still express their ideas and

it's (hte moderation) not over used. so Capt'ain ewok, keep that line and don't ban me!

PS:

but i stil think that girls from the third wolrd is high risk.

"Hey there, you know I don't see a dog like you

You hang around in the cold blackness

And watch it all

Guess you just love the ladies

Why don't you walk your #### on up

Say, "Hey girl, you dance pretty good for a almost white girl"

And uhhhhhm ummmm

Your lips they sure do match my wallet

Hey

Oh I get so tired

But you know

Somebody gotta keep the shotguns off the dancefloor

Say, why don't you finish that now girl?

And we can stroll out into the midnight air

And skin up a fat one

Yeah, you gonna dig on this, yip

A nice big fat one, yeah, fat one

Makes you a little bit insecure

See, that's good for a dog like you

Chills out your ego

I mean, what you gonna do boy?

Which tells you you gotta turn the heat up

You gonna say, "why don't we go back to my place, so we can talk"?

About Dostoevsky

Huh? Hey, where'd she go?

The girl is gone now, where'd she go now? You're alone now

Oh, this ain't like college town

No, welcome to the third world

The boys like the girls and the girls like the money

You gotta spread it around

You see, the girls like the boys and the boys like the honey

After bee, after bee, after bee (or after me, after me, after me)

The boys like the girls and the girls like the money

Spread it around, uh oh

'Cause you like the honey, oooooh

Oh yeah, the honey

Keeps the bears all stuck in their chairs 'til it's too late

And it's way too late

Yip, it's all way too late, oh

Yip, see the crowd gets a little bit thin

And a little bit crazy

You see, just like that

That's right"

The GRANDISSIME Dandy Wharols.

awesome band. B)

and thanks to have allowed me to exchange about that with you.

Edited March 31, 2009 by Ginger cat

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

• Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users

Just a guess...

Perhaps, and if so, I'd take issue with it if the protection of that clause extends to moderators as well. It should not. They already have powers above and beyond those of the normal user (i.e. they're moderators) and do not deserve the additional protections of TOS.

moderators are members too, so it should provide protection to them also.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

moderators are members too, so it should provide protection to them also.

charles -

Ewok, thanks for the response. So had that thread not contained the offending picture, it would have been ok? I only ask because in the second-to-last post by one of your mods, the message was as follows:

Well folks, if you have an issue with the mods, take it up with Captain Ewok.

Thread closed.

The implication being that threads that criticized mods would not be allowed.

Is this your stance as well?

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

If you read the moderator paragraph of the TOS it states that if someone has a problem with a moderator or their decisions, then they should contact the admin to review the issue.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Captain, I just PMed you about this issue btw.