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Do we need to be more careful what we say on here?

131 replies

FrannyandZooey · 23/03/2006 08:29

\link{http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1737444,00.html\Chat room libel case}

Food for thought...

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 23/03/2006 10:49

Well quite Edam, I mean, if I said Edam is a ponce how would that be libel if no-one irl knows you're Edam? although I guess I could be damaging your reputation as Edam on mn!

koolkat · 23/03/2006 10:52

expat - what about multiple ear piercings and pink mobiles with pink fluff on them ?

Callisto · 23/03/2006 10:55

It is all so unnecessary - name-calling and libel actions.

koolkat · 23/03/2006 11:05

Callisto - unfortunatley there are alot of bored people out there who have nothing better to do other than ponce around all day on the internet (just like me) Grin

Callisto · 23/03/2006 11:14

I'm another internet sad sack, just hate name-calling.

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 11:24

i couldn't care less about 'name-calling' b/c 1) it's subjective. some don't take being called a bitch as name-calling. i don't, b/c it's true.

  1. people lose their inhibitions online. it's in the nature of not being face-to-face or even on the phone. people tend to say very personal things. but that's a two-sided coin, IMO. if you go out in the world wide web and air your dirty laundry, views, etc, you can't expect everyone to agree w/you. and like it or not, some people express disagreement w/labels, which others construe as 'name-calling'. if that's not something you're comfortable with, well, IMO, find a heavily-moderated site or an alternative to the net to communicate.
Highlander · 23/03/2006 11:38

but surely this isn't real? Sure, it's upsetting if someone is narky with you, but there's a good reason why we're all hiding behind pseudonyms.

expat, did c*ntnet.com ever get off the ground? Wink Wink

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 11:39

lol, highlander! really need to get some work on c*&tnet - i'd be gold-star member. :o

Callisto · 23/03/2006 11:45

The whole point of discussion and debate is to hear other peoples viewpoints and opinions.
Resorting to personal insults and rudeness just shows lack of intelligence and lack of breeding.

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 11:48

Well, sure, Callisto. But the net is a microcosym of society; not everyone has the same level of education or abilities to articulate oneself.

But I'm not going to equate 'name-calling' w/intelligence or 'breeding' b/c for some reason I find that patronising, condescending and elitist.

Callisto · 23/03/2006 11:53

So being polite and possessed of a reasonable amount of intelligence is now seen as patronising, condescending and elitist? Oh come on.

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 12:02

What you take as being impolite and possessed of a reasonable amount of intelligence is different from someone else's definition. That's the net for ya! It's a slice of society as a whole. Just like what I think is clean and what my husband sees as clean are different. Neither one is necessarily wrong.

Some people see certain posters on here as being rude. Others find them refreshingly blunt.

Caligula · 23/03/2006 12:18

ha ha I love that expression "refreshingly blunt"

That is a euphemism for rude, though, isn't it?

People I disagree with are rude, those I agree with are refreshingly blunt.

koolkat · 23/03/2006 12:24

callisto - I agree with your posts.

The problem is the vast majority of people in the world, in my experience, are not very polite nor very intelligent, if I may so as an elitist lawyer Grin

The internet serves as a very convenienet cover for all kinds of weirdo racist, biogot, chavinist types.

I totally agree that people should be polite, but the reality is the vast majority find politeness a difficult thing to achieve. That is why I think taking people to court is a waste of time. You would be in out of court for the rest of your life if you took offence by everthing every unintelligent ignorant idiot ever said.

koolkat · 23/03/2006 12:29

Yes, refreshingly blunt would cover all kinds of rudeness, expat.

I have seen many a refreshingly blunt words which are downright rude, racist, anti-feminst, vile, you name it...many of them used on this website, and all pass off as "freedom of speech".

dinosaur · 23/03/2006 12:29

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 14:41

:o, Caligula

Sorry, koolkat, I beg to differ. There are some very active members here who have been called 'rude' or 'unsupportive' b/c they are quite blunt and disagree. I don't see that as rude myself, that's why I've stated on this thread at least three times that qualities such as politeness are highly subjective things.

It's happened to me, but man, if I took offense at stuff I read online it'd be time for me to give the PC away and take a break b/c at the end of hte day, it's a bunch of strangers from all walks of life.

I take freedom of speech very seriously, and if someone is anti-feminist or racist vile or what have you, to me, there's NO crime in that so long as they are not advocating or threatening violence.

I can chose to ignore it and walk away. To someone out there, being anti-feminist, a bigot, a racist, etc. isn't rude b/c they agree w/it. Fair enough.

It's the net, ffs!

Mytwopenceworth · 23/03/2006 15:04

freedom of speech is not what you hide behind when you want to be rude.

Yes, it is vital to be able to freely voice your opinions on issues but to twist that into a right to insult other people is not on!

If you disagree with someone, then argue the point, debate the issue, why insult the person? Somebody is not stupid because they have a different opinion to you and an intelligent person would not feel threatened by an alternate viewpoint!

As far as i am concerned, it is a sign of low intellegence to be so incapable of arguing your point of view that you have to instead start calling the other person names!

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 15:15

k, then, should we all change our names here to our real names? in case we want to state our opinion - which someone may find very rude and offensive depending on how it's worded or what their mood is or just for what our beliefs are - then no one can say we were hiding behind a mask in order to be rude.

b/c very recently, someone who i have respect for stated how she felt about God. i didn't agree w/her beliefs personally, but that definitely doesn't mean she had low intelligence or was a vile person. she worded her beliefs in a way someone found offensive - even tho they weren't even her words, but a quotation by the late, great john peel.

so i didn't agree. BFD! she had just as much right to say how she felt as anyone else who uses this board.

the point i'm trying to get across is that many, MANY times on this board, someone writes something - maybe it's not direct name calling but it's pretty direct - and is labelled rude or insulting by some. But others support that view.

so where do we draw the line?

i think a lot of people need to grow some hair, tbh.

Enid · 23/03/2006 15:22

bender

WideWebWitch · 23/03/2006 15:22

Enid, you're so mature Grin

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 15:24

Remeber when cod told Enid she was rammed up her own arse? That was rude. But still funny :o.

Enid · 23/03/2006 15:24

dicksmack

Enid · 23/03/2006 15:24

not that funny expat

as I am now sueing her

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 15:25

tool