Right to Privacy on the SDMB. (Cesario)

[Scissorjack]

@C_K_Dexter_Haven

Scissorjack: Personal insults are NOT permitted in this forum, no matter the provocation. Furthermore, saying “fuck off” to another poster is not allowed (not even in the Pit.) I am obliged to issue an Official Warning.

I said “fuck him” of him, not “fuck off” to him, so it’s straining it to call it a personal insult: when I personally insult him, he will know he has been insulted.

[Liberal]

@tacoloco

The warning was issued for saying “fuck him”, not “fuck off”.

I assume Dex just make a mistake what he posted.

Yes, that would be a mistake. “Fuck him” is another imperative. It is similar to “Damn it” — that is to say, it’s an instruction for some unknown entity to execute the verb upon the object. But if the rule is that the word “fuck” cannot be invoked even in an imperative, then it’s an extremely icky rule, but a rule nontheless.

There’s still no insult in it, however. It goes strictly to the state of mind of the person who said the imperative. The rule is a word ban, much like a ban on books.

[Guinastasia]

@Xploder

Oddly enough, Tuba outed the last poster that intimated that they wanted to have sex with someone underage, Even went so far as to post links to his REAL name and whatnot. Is that what y’all want? Leave all this bull crap behind the scenes and let them, if it needs to be done, report it to the police or whoever.

Yeah, but in that case, the guy was soliciting some of our younger posters (fourteen-year-olds) for sex, IIRC. So far, this guy (as unsettling as he is), has followed the rules.

If he wants to out himself as a pedophile, as long as he follows the rules, and hasn’t actually admitted to, or advocated anything illegal, there’s really not much we can do. And as for his privacy – isn’t that his problem?

[C_K_Dexter_Haven]

Lots to cover.

1. First, on the warning I issued:

@Pit Rules on Restricted Language

Don’t play games. For example, don’t say, “X [some offboard personality] is a cunt, and you’re like X.”

I think that trying to distinguish between “fuck him” [referring to a poster] and “fuck you” is basically “playing games” or technical quibbling. You’re not trying to suggest that “You’re an idiot” is an insult, but “Poster X is an idiot” isn’t an insult? If “fuck you” isn’t permitted in the Pit – the forum where we allow (within limits) you to flame other posters, then why on earth would it be permitted here in ATMB, where we hope for civil and polite discussion? So, I’ve considered your comments, but I stand by my warning.

I don’t know whether this is the first time fuck you/fuck off/fuck him [poster] has been warned since the new rules. But it’s not the first time it’s been warned OUTSIDE THE PIT. It’s never been permitted here. “Go away and don’t bother me” is a different animal from “fuck off.”

2. On the prior self-admitted pedophie: he was pretty much allowed to post, however many people found it disgusting and dreadful, until (as Guin points out) he started soliciting one of our young-teen posters. That put the game into a whole different ballpark.

3. On the broader question of privacy on the SDMBs, we’ve brought this to Ed’s attention, and it will be up to him (rather than any mod or admin) to make any decision. However, I thought it might be good for y’all to recollect the Registration Agreement:

@Registration Agreement

Privacy policy: CLM respects your confidential information. Confidential information is information that you are required to submit in order to participate on the SDMB and that is not publicly available. We will not release confidential information about you except in the following circumstances: (a) we have your consent; or (b) we believe in good faith that we are legally required to do so; or © there is an emergency involving personal danger; or (d) you have vandalized our site or otherwise behaved in a manner that warrants our contacting the authorities or your Internet service provider.

From time to time we may acquire nonconfidential but sensitive information about you, some of which you may have posted yourself to our board. We won’t disclose or repeat such information except as (a) reasonable and necessary to manage our business, or (b) required by law, or © consistent with good citizenship, e.g., to prevent or report a crime or to respond to inquiries from law enforcement.

If you privately provide us with sensitive information related to the SDMB, we’ll act on it as we feel prudent, with the understanding that we’ll take reasonable measures to prevent your being identified as the source of the information without your consent, provided we’re not shielding a wrongdoer or acting against the public interest in doing so.

[twickster]

Since this is Ed’s call, not a matter of vote (either amongst members or staff), I’m going to lock this until we hear from Ed.