# So, NO altering of quotes, even if just for purely humorous effect, is allowed either? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 7, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-no-altering-of-quotes-even-if-just-for-purely-humorous-effect-is-allowed-either/810195 "2018-03-07T18:50:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-no-altering-of-quotes-even-if-just-for-purely-humorous-effect-is-allowed-either/810195/61 "2018-03-10T03:52:44Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I’ll point out that there’s no rule about misquoting people inside quote SIGNS. > > " " > > Just saying. As long as the misquote isn’t attributed to a specific member of the board. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-no-altering-of-quotes-even-if-just-for-purely-humorous-effect-is-allowed-either/810195/62 "2018-03-11T22:25:28Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > This is one of those rules that resulted when a poster decided to “spoil it for the rest of us” by threatening legal action because someone changed his quote. Since then we’ve taken a zero-tolerance approach to such alterations. We feel that maintaining a bright line is more important than making a joke a little easier. Seriously though, what legal action could someone take? What judge would see a case about altering a post on a messageboard? Or was it just something where it was just too much of a hassle to deal with so a rule was created? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-no-altering-of-quotes-even-if-just-for-purely-humorous-effect-is-allowed-either/810195/63 "2018-03-12T10:29:01Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Seriously though, what legal action could someone take? Once every five years or so I’ll have a work situation that leads to a disgruntled client telling me I’ll be hearing from their attorney. I always go overboard acting impressed, telling the person that I love courtroom drama and look forward to our upcoming tryst. That’s as far as it’s ever gone. _But_ I act like I’m taking it seriously. If the person backs down and “wants to be friends again” I explain that on advice of counsel I can have no further contact with them until the case has been adjudicated. Basically, I treat it as a threat and I don’t like being threatened. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-no-altering-of-quotes-even-if-just-for-purely-humorous-effect-is-allowed-either/810195/64 "2018-03-12T17:59:41Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Seriously though, what legal action could someone take? What judge would see a case about altering a post on a messageboard? > > Or was it just something where it was just too much of a hassle to deal with so a rule was created? Well, let us say that person had announced his real, public name, and posted “Of course I hate Nazis” but someone changed that to “Of course, I am a Nazi.”- and then spread around the fact that the poster had admitted being a nazi. I can see where that _might_ be litigated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-no-altering-of-quotes-even-if-just-for-purely-humorous-effect-is-allowed-either/810195.md?page=3)