Flaming Users of Other Boards

[winstonjen]

What is the policy regarding insults to people who are not registered on iidb.com? Also, are only specific insults banned, or are indirect implications forbidden as well?

[Grizzly]

Originally posted by winstonjen
What is the policy regarding insults to people who are not registered on iidb.com? Also, are only specific insults banned, or are indirect implications forbidden as well?

Our policy has been to protect registered users at IIDB from insult. Others typically get less protection. Indirect insults are also frowned upon, but whether a comment is an insult or not is typically a moderators judgement call. If you find a post to be insulting, you are encouraged to report the post to a moderator (just hit the "report this post" button and state your reasons).

Thanks for asking

Grizzly

[winstonjen]

Thanks for the response! So, there is less protection of users from other forums. I see. So there is no contract or agreement between admins of message boards?

One last thing (at the moment) - what about users registered here under a different name, who get flamed with reference to their username on another board?

[Doctor X]

For what it is worth. . . .

I try to pretend other boards do not exist--indeed--I try to do the same with threads. That way, I and So-and-So may be discussing the final terms of our upcoming duel on BC-H whilst combining forces someplace else. Thus, I see no reason to attack people from other forum unless:

1. Anonymous to make an important point--something like "some people at www.GodHatesYouALL!!.com believe . . . blah . . . blah and I think that rant . . . rant . . . rant. . . ."

2. A Poster of Another Board or Another Board Makes Specific Attacks about This Board

Of course, I am free to change my mind as fools continue in their attempt to Ruin Civilization as We Know it. . . .

Sockpuppets/Posters from Beyond:

I tend to think posters who come to a new board have a clean slate . . . provided they have not really gone over the line. I know of one case of a young kid dealing with his family who used a board as a rant place--alienated everyone--he, literally, got therapy, returned as a new poster. So, the optimist would hate . . . say . . . this board banning him or shunning him based on his previous obnoxious incarnation.

However, some posters go "over the line"--some play stalking games and role playing games and then move to another board to find fresh "fish."

In that case, I would recommend that a poster send the information to "The Powers that Be" and let them investigate/handle it rather than taking it upon oneself to harangue a new poster for actions someplace else.

My rather more than two cents worth. . . .

--J.D.

Hmmmm . . . automatically converts it to a link . . . pity it goes nowhere. . . . .

[pescifish]

Originally posted by Doctor X
Hmmmm . . . automatically converts it to a link . . . pity it goes nowhere. . . . .

Off topic FYI: you can deselect the default check in the Automically parse URLs: option directly under the post entry text box.

For example, I can type www.knowitallU.edu without it turning into a dead link.

[crazyfingers]

Originally posted by winstonjen
Thanks for the response! So, there is less protection of users from other forums. I see. So there is no contract or agreement between admins of message boards?

I would say that we make no attempt to protect users of other boards from flames. Not the same but related though is that our users do agree not to reveal private information about anyone and the like. We do of course moderate against illegal activity. But flaming is not illegal.

I am aware of no agreement, formal or informal, between message boards.

One last thing (at the moment) - what about users registered here under a different name, who get flamed with reference to their username on another board?

We generally would not know who they are and so generally don't worry about it. But if someone came to us with a specific situation we'd evaluate it on a case by case bases. The problem has not come up so far as I am aware. Users can email the admins here at iidb@infidels.org

I would say that there have been instances where we have known that the same person is registered on two baords and we have protected that person from flame. But in that case they are protected by our rules because they are users of our board.

[Bill]

Originally posted by winstonjen
What is the policy regarding insults to people who are not registered on iidb.com? Also, are only specific insults banned, or are indirect implications forbidden as well?

I would like to say one thing by way of clarification: regardless of our generally lax policies (as expressed by the thread, above), if any post crosses the line to become "legally actionable" matter, then we would be forced to take action against it under the forum rules and regulations. Insults are generally not legally actionable, but I did want to clarify that we are not going to stand for legally actionable slander, etc.

== Bill

[winstonjen]

Originally posted by Bill
I would like to say one thing by way of clarification: regardless of our generally lax policies (as expressed by the thread, above), if any post crosses the line to become "legally actionable" matter, then we would be forced to take action against it under the forum rules and regulations. Insults are generally not legally actionable, but I did want to clarify that we are not going to stand for legally actionable slander, etc.

== Bill

I see, but defamation in print would be 'libel', wouldn't it? Also, what is the dividing line between actionable and non-actionable slander/libel?

[The Other Michael]

That would be for the lawyers to sort out.

It is possible that if things are getting to that point the person responsible may well run afoul of the "thou shalt not be a jerk" clause in the behavior rules, letting us nip things in the bud.

cheers,
Michael

[crazyfingers]

Originally posted by winstonjen
I see, but defamation in print would be 'libel', wouldn't it? Also, what is the dividing line between actionable and non-actionable slander/libel?

I'm curious if you have a specific case in mind or if your questions are purely hypothetical.

I ask because the fact is that to my knoweldge the issue has never arisen and so we have never had to address it.