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[The Flying Belgian]

Re: ATTENTION PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST ON THIS BOARD - Brisbane Lions Board - Posting Guidelines

Keep it in the appropriate thread thanks guys.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Re: ATTENTION PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST ON THIS BOARD - Brisbane Lions Board - Posting Guidelines

Thought this might be the best place to post this. Common sense really, but still worth a read.

Link

There's an angry fire in cyberspace
By Andrew Campbell
February 11, 2008 04:50am

HUMAN aggression knows no bounds.

Throughout history people have witnessed hostility in all forms and via numerous media.

So it should be no surprise that the internet, the domain of free speech, is the next frontier for provocation.

The terms "trolling' and "flaming" might confuse anyone not familiar with discussion boards, blogs and chatrooms.

They are strategies to cause arguments, incite controversy and, at worst, insult the intelligence or ego of someone else.

Social etiquette in the face-to-face world prohibits the average person from actually saying what is on their mind, especially when they are annoyed.

We are taught to mind our manners and to grin-and-bear it, even when we might be justified in venting our frustrations to those we know and, sometimes, those we don't.

The internet provides the greatest outlet.

It offers anonymity and, better still, the flamer or troller escapes accountability.

It could be argued that the attraction to the internet for social interaction has been based around a user being able to remain anonymous.

A blogger or forum poster has nothing to fear when their identity cannot be traced.

This anonymity benefits cyber-predators and scam artists.

But flamers and trollers usually reveal their identity to carry out their insidious desires in the offline world.

We are left to ponder the motivation behind the flamer and the troller.

What satisfaction does one anonymous poster achieve from slandering another anonymous poster?

The answer lies in the opportunity to "have a free shot".

With no apparent consequence, why wouldn't someone vent their anger to an audience, any audience for that matter, especially when that audience cannot inflict any retribution other than flaming in return.

At the heart of it, human beings liked to be listened to, whether for intellectual debate or mere showing off.

This is often seen on TV and talk-back radio and even on the stage and screen and in street performances.

The difference between all these media and that of anonymous online postings is that you do not have to please your audience when you are untraceable!

Does this mean everyone has a dark and sadistic side that wants to harm others via anonymous postings if they can get away with it?

No.

Flaming and trolling is likely to attract a particular personality type.

These are people who either have a sense of diminished power or control in face-to-face social settings.

In groups, they may feel incapable of regular conversation, fearing their opinions will be ridiculed.

Compulsive flamers and trollers carry out their online tirades because they enjoy being socially combative.

However, it must also be realised that a large majority of flaming online is by young net users.

Young people tend to experiment with their social boundaries and skills.

They post hateful or spiteful comments that quickly reveal their level of maturity in online discussion boards and blogs.

This of course does not excuse their behaviour, but it must be remembered that online etiquette is set by those who moderate the forums for public comment.

There are the rare occasions where attacking someone through comment online can lead the recipient to take extraordinary measures to find out who you are to effect retribution in the off-line world.

In 2005, an online forum poster, with the screen name "PyroDice", was found guilty of stalking a fellow forum poster. The flamer burnt his victim's mobile home to the ground after travelling more than 2000km across the United States to find where the person lived.

You might think this was done by a clinically insane person.

Actually, the flamer was a sailor, who was well educated and responsible for operating missile firing systems onboard a US navy destroyer.

He was sentenced to seven years' jail for his crime.

Forum flamers and trollers will always exist and with the advent of the internet now have a home.

They need to be kept in check by responsible forum hosts who can erase particularly offensive postings.

It is also important for hosts to have the ability to block offending posters from the online community.

They may believe they have a right to harass others.

But they may eventually learn to take part in a debate rather than inflame one.

 

[danielcan]

Re: ATTENTION PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST ON THIS BOARD - Brisbane Lions Board - Posting Guidelines

'socially combative' - now that is a description.

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: ATTENTION PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST ON THIS BOARD - Brisbane Lions Board - Posting Guidelines

Plenty of theories there but I think some people just get their jollies from giving people the shits.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

A warning: Mods are cranky

How many here are happy with the general vibe of the place ATM? I can tell you that weevil, LL and myself aren't. And we've all received feedback over the past months as to where people feel it's going wrong. So, after many warnings, subtle and not-so-subtle hints in various threads, the foot is coming down. From now on expect a far tougher line on overly argumentitive and continually negative opinion.

Tone and perception

If you post in an angry or aggressive tone and have been warned before by a mod and continue to do so expect to be infracted from now on (for that matter if you haven't been warned before expect to be infracted). This is a supporters board (try looking up the definition of "supporter"). We can all be frustrated at times but if you don't have the discipline to refrain from typing on a keyboard, then there's clearly something wrong. Posting drunk is not an excuse. Posting after a bad day at work or wherever is not an excuse. In fact any excuse is not an excuse.

Posting negative stuff is OK, as long as you can balance it out by posting postitve stuff and as long as it's not overly vicious or vindicative. It's all about runs on the board. Fact: supporters get defensive if repeatedly exposed to negative viewpoints. This includes continual glass-half-empty posts. Again if you've been warned for this previously, consider this another more final warning.

Retaliation to any of the above isn't on either. You've got two choices if you see semothing that really irks you: 1. Ignore it - this should be your default option. The club is big and bad enough that it doesn't need you flying the flag on an internet forum. 2. Report it - people complain about some posts in their replies, but the report function is seldom used. Just a note on that too... don't report posts from today or previously and don't abuse the system.

Roster Watch

This board was originally started as a scrapbook of sorts, filled with media reoprts, articles and in the case of younger players first-hand reports of Suncoast form. It now seems to have turned into a full-on debate board with people pushing many barrows and driving many bandwagons. To start with a poster was assigned a player to update, then Grimreepah took it upon himself to turn it into a wonderful resource. A little banter was OK, but nothing like what it's become.

So now it will revert to how it used to be. End of story. No more campaigning. No more banging on and on about the same old thing.

Consistency and democracy

Contrary to popular belief, you don't have an undeniable right to post on this site. We try to be as fair as possible to all posters, but the wants of a few will not outweigh the wishes of the many. We can't and won't promise 100% consistency in our action, that's impossible. However if you go against the guidelines contained in this thread, then you should expect to be infracted. If you're not consider yourself lucky. If you have a whinge about it, expect to be infracted further.

Yep, this is all very heavy-handed, but to be frank, us mods (and I'm presuming many posters also) are sick of logging only to find the same old crap every day. To be frank, a few of you should take a good long hard look at yourselves and wonder if the term "adult" applies to you. I'm sure a few posters won't like it, but in the words of the queen "tough bosoms".

 

[POBT]

Re: A warning: Mods are cranky

This is a friendly reminder from a board etiquette perspective. The points below are designed to make the board as user-friendly as possible. When I get around to it, they may be incorporated into the board guidelines.


1. Please don't start a thread for the sole purpose of sharing your thoughts. It simply clutters up the board with a whole heap of threads that are related to the same topic or theme. If everyone started a thread for their own thoughts on an issue or a game, then the board would soon become unusable. More often than not, there is a thread existing that you can express your thoughts in. Alternatively, use the blog facility if you don't want your opinion cluttered up by other people's posts.

2. The game threads are designed to be a centralised place for discussing that week's game - including post-game analysis. They are generally in place by the Tuesday of that week and can continue to be used as long as posters want to discuss that game. By and large, all discussion relating to a game is encouraged to take place on the game thread.

3. The above point does not mean that you can't start a thread on an important or burning issue. For example, if you think diminishing skill levels are worth discussing, feel free to start a thread on that issue. But please exercise some common sense in doing so - don't use a new thread simply as an opportunity to make your opinion stand out from the crowd. The basic rule is - use the match day threads to analyse the match (including events occurring during the match). This includes umpiring, individual incidents etc. If an issue is a big 'un, then a separate thread may be appropriate.

4. Following on from the above, if there is an existing thread on the same or similar issue, please don't start a new one. Again, common sense should prevail here. No-one is expecting you to bump a thread from 2000 discussing Luke Power's right foot. But if it was discussed last week, please use that thread instead of starting a new one. The search facility helps.

5. Thread titles. The best advice I can give is to name the thread something that is relevant to the topic you wish to discuss. It can be a question: "Is Copeland going to keep his spot next year?"; a statement: "Copeland could be delisted"; or even an opinion: "Copeland should be delisted!" But if you start the thread "My thoughts" or "Bushy is a joke of a footballer and should go back to moving houses", then it is counter-productive to discussions of the issue.

Cheers.

 

[POBT]

Re: A warning: Mods are cranky

A warning: please don't request or provide links to torrents of games on this board.

 

[POBT]

Re: A warning: Mods are cranky

Geez, this place gets narky after a loss. After a quick review of how many posts the mods have had to delete after the weekend's game, it seems people need to be reminded to show a little courtesy towards their fellow posters.

- There is a way of disagreeing with someone without denigrating them or their opinion. Learn how to do it or take a holiday.

- If someone says something offensive or deliberately inflammatory, report them. Respond in kind and you'll cop punishment in kind.

Deleting posts becomes a drag. Eventually, it is easier to simply remove the protagonists.

 

[POBT]

Re: A warning: Mods are cranky

- There is a way of disagreeing with someone without denigrating them or their opinion. Learn how to do it or take a holiday.

- If someone says something offensive or deliberately inflammatory, report them. Respond in kind and you'll cop punishment in kind.

Deleting posts becomes a drag. Eventually, it is easier to simply remove the protagonists.

Perhaps a reminder is in order. Pull your heads in, those involved in petty little personal battles. Not funny, interesting or constructive.

 

[Grimreepah]

I have spoken to admin and discussing the sexual orientation of players is not a permitted topic on this board.

 

[Lionfan17]

I have spoken to admin and discussing the sexual orientation of players is not a permitted topic on this board.

I apologize Grim.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I have spoken to admin and discussing the sexual orientation of players is not a permitted topic on this board.

Yeah, that stuff doesn't even fly on the Bay.

 

[Grimreepah]

I apologize Grim.

I didn't get the impression you were trying to be malicious, so as far as I'm concerned apology accepted.

 

[MacMum]

I have spoken to admin and discussing the sexual orientation of players is not a permitted topic on this board.

Party poopers!....damn, but I would love to have discussed just that!... There are a few out there in the footy world worthy of a hearty debate

 

[Mr Ripper]

I have spoken to admin and discussing the sexual orientation of players is not a permitted topic on this board.

You mean like whether they dress to the left or the right?

 

[Grimreepah]

You mean like whether they dress to the left or the right?

Those are the instructions I have been given. I inquired what rule it was breaking and was advised:

"An action for slander may be brought without alleging and proving special damages if the statements in question have a plainly harmful character, as by imputing to the plaintiff criminal guilt, serious sexual misconduct, or conduct or a characteristic affecting his or her business or profession."

Sexual orientation of players has always been a disallowed topic.

 

[Mr Ripper]

I have spoken to admin and discussing the sexual orientation of players is not a permitted topic on this board.

You mean like whether they dress to the left or the right?

Those are the instructions I have been given. I inquired what rule it was breaking and was advised:

 

[Hollow Knight]

 

[Grimreepah]

Have I misunderstood the term 'dressing to the left or the right'?

 

[Hollow Knight]

Have I misunderstood the term 'dressing to the left or the right'?

I think so.

I believe it refers to what alignment a male orients his you-know-what when he puts on pants.



Lefty for life btw.

 

[Grimreepah]

I think so.

I believe it refers to what alignment a male orients his you-know-what when he puts on pants.



Lefty for life btw.

Ah, I see. Can we just pretend that instead of my serious response I replied with a witty retort, in fitting with the tone of the question.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Just card him for confusing you. Much quicker, and good revenge.

 

[Grimreepah]

Just card him for confusing you. Much quicker, and good revenge.

My revenge was going to involve inneundo about Mr Ripper's interest in the topic at hand, but I will take this under advisement.

 

[weevil]

LOL I was thinking "holy smokes that is the most massively serious reply I had ever heard".

 

[John]

Lefty for life btw.

You're a Commie TheBrownDog.