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Zunjine

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 26, 2009
715
0
Hey peeps.

I recently suffered a two week suspension from these here forums. My crime? Using sarcasm!

I re-post my original comment below with the comment I was responding to and the context of that post (please don't suspend me again! This is for the purpose of discussion).

Originally Posted by USER NAME REMOVED (in response to me stating that traditions akin to marriage pre-date written history):
Total gibberish. If it pre-dates written history how do we know about it? It must have been recorded somewhere for us to know about it.

I responded thusly:

Apparently you've never heard of this thing called "speaking".

You see, people have these holes in their faces called "mouths" (you'll find yours just under your nose) which, on top of being great for eating, breathing and spitting can also be used to produce sounds which we use to make words. By speaking to people we can transfer information, just like the written word but in the form of sounds which we can hear with these other holes called ears! Amazing, right? It's like Wifi but with sound and mouths and ears and stuff.

Now, this is all well and good, I imagine I would hear you say were you to have previously heard of this thing called speaking, but what about when people die? Well, there's this thing where people have kids (it's called "procreation") and they tell their kids stories and the kids use their brains to remember the story and then they tell their kids. So even after all the original people are dead, we still have the stories! It's like people speaking from beyond the grave... spooky!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_tradition


As you can see, I even helpfully added a wiki link to educate the poor, ignorant soul.

Now, I can admit, I did rather go to town on the dude. But I was a little affronted. He had called my assertion "total gibberish" after all which is rude and aggressive. My response, while not exactly turning the other cheek, used humour in response to aggression. If I were a bigger man I may have just ignored him but I have trouble letting an open goal like that pass me by. The guy was asking for a ribbing! And that's all it was. In the real world, when someone says something dumb, adult humans like to take the Mickey a bit and it's all in good fun. Sure, no one likes to get shown up but we laugh it off and move on.

When I asked the moderator about it I was told the following:

Hi Aran,

To answer your question " So "sarcasm" is now banned? Is that the rule?"

Yes that's correct. Sarcasm is not allowed when it is used to irritate or otherwise anger members. Anything you write to irritate members is not allowed, and falls under trolling.

Kacie, MacRumors Administrator


Leaving aside the fact that irritating other people is half the fun of being a know it all like me, are we really now living in such a fascistic dictatorship that sarcasm is banned? Sarcasm!?! Banned!?! What's more - trolling? Isn't that a bit harsh for what was, in essence, no more than a bit of banter?

This is an internet forum, not the papal conclave! Why so serious? Do we really want a forum where people aren't allowed to use wit and humour, even if it is to slap down someone who has insulted them?

I dream of a Macrumors where people of all nations can come together and take the piss out of each other like normal adults with a pinch of self deprecation and a touch of good humour! Where I come from, refusing the rib someone for being a wally is about as rude as you can get! So, come on mods, have a beer, chill out and let's be adults, eh? Humour's fun! You'd like it if you tried!
 

tekno

macrumors 6502a
Oct 15, 2011
842
4
The moderators can be really ridiculous on here. And oddly, even though you've decided to post/discuss YOUR OWN suspension, I can assure you this thread will be removed by the said moderators.

I recently had a post removed simply for using the word penis. I was told it was an inappropriate word. They refused to give me a 'more suitable' word to use.
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
MOD NOTE:

http://guides.macrumors.com/Help:Moderation_FAQ#Moderation_privacy

Moderation privacy
Almost all moderation is handled privately to avoid embarrassing forum members. Reminders and warnings are sent by Private Messages so only you and the moderators see them. When reminders and warnings are listed on your User Profile, only you see them there; other users do not see them. The moderators keep records of their actions so administrators can review the messages, but these records are not shared with other users.

In keeping with this privacy policy, if you post in the forums asking why your post was moderated, your post will be removed (it's almost always off-topic to the thread it's in). The answer to "Why was my post deleted?" is always the same: it violated a forum rule or was a quote of a post that violated a forum rule. If you want a further explanation use the Contact form so we can be perfectly frank and discuss your posts and forum record. You can post in the Site and Forum Feedback forum if you want to discuss forum rules and moderation policies in general, but keep it general, not about a specific case of moderation.

Moderation privacy does not mean that moderation is secretive or mysterious. The rules are posted for all to see. We'll discuss any aspect of your moderation with you and explain the reasons for any moderation action you question. Each moderator sees the actions taken by the other moderators, so no moderator acts in a vacuum. Administrators oversee and review the moderators to make sure moderation policies are followed. The administrators are also subject to review by other administrators and/or the site owner.

There are two exceptions to moderation privacy:

  • If you are assigned a time-out, your user title will change to "In Time-Out". This is necessary so that other users can tell that you are unable to reply to posts (e.g., when you've been asked a question in the forums) and unable to reply to Private Messages (e.g., about a thread in the Marketplace forum).
  • You can waive your right to moderation privacy when posting in the Site and Forum Feedback forum if you say explicitly that you give us permission to discuss the reasons behind your moderation. This includes your previous forum record, since that's a factor.

Also:

http://guides.macrumors.com/Help:Moderation_FAQ#Where_do_I_post_comments_about_moderation.3F

Where do I post comments about moderation?
The Site and Forum Feedback forum is for comments and questions about MacRumors and its forums. It is open to all members and suitable for some posts about moderation. The purpose of the forum is to let you ask questions about using the forums or about forum policies, make suggestions, or ask what other people think about an issue. We monitor the Site and Forum Feedback forum every day.

Can you post comments about moderation in the Site and Forum Feedback forum?

Yes - if you have comments or questions about moderation in general.
No - if you want to discuss a specific case of moderation.
To comment on an general moderation issue, post in a previous thread on the topic or start a new thread for a new topic.

Do not use the Site and Forum Feedback for personal moderation issues since forum moderation is handled privately. See Moderation privacy above. If you want specifics about a particular case, see What if I disagree with moderation of my posts? above. If you just received a reminder, warning, or time-out about a particular rule and immediately start a Feedback discussion questioning that rule, you may be directed to use the Contact form instead, since your comments are probably about your specific case of moderation.

Zunjine and tekno, per the FAQ quoted above your posts will be removed unless you explicitly waive your right to moderation privacy. Please report this post to do so since I will close the thread for now.

B
 

stridemat

Moderator
Staff member
Apr 2, 2008
11,364
863
UK
The moderators can be really ridiculous on here. And oddly, even though you've decided to post/discuss YOUR OWN suspension, I can assure you this thread will be removed by the said moderators.

I recently had a post removed simply for using the word penis. I was told it was an inappropriate word. They refused to give me a 'more suitable' word to use.

Tenko, report received waiving right to moderation privacy. Just to be clear that we will also advise of your moderation history in its entirety as part of the review process.

Please let us know if you don't wish this to happen.
 

Doctor Q

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
39,775
7,497
Los Angeles
tekno waived the right to moderation privacy, so we'll explain how we decided to moderate the post mentioned above.

On February 10 a post by tekno saying
In order to cut-down on the amount of germs on the iPad, try using your fingers to navigate the OS instead of your penis.​
was removed from a thread about bacteria on iPads after at least one other user reported it as inappropriate. The post was directed at a particular user, which to many would cause embarrassment, the post was found to be objectionable by at least one forum user, and if the post was left in the thread it would have very likely have taken the thread off topic, judging by similar cases in the past. Changing the specific words used wouldn't have changed the meaning of the post.

Some users, including tekno, find this type of post humorous. Others consider it crude or offensive. Many user don't care one way or another. Our policy is to remove posts that are too personal or that take threads off topic (based on the Forum Rues) or that are unnecessarily crude (based on the Registration Agreement). This is how the moderators have handled similar posts in the past.

It was deemed a minor problem and tekno didn't have a history of similar problems so the moderators gave tekno only a reminder, not a warning or time-out. tekno posted about his post being removed; that post was removed for being off-topic since it was in a discussion thread, not a Site and Forum Feedback thread. The correct way to handle a moderation complaint is to use the Contact Form if you want a private reply or if you want to appeal and have an administrator review the moderator's actions, or a Site and Forum Feedback thread if you waive your right to privacy and want a public reply.

tekno did not submit a Contact form about this case but sent messages letting the moderators know that we could post this response and explanation.

Every forum site chooses where to draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable posts. Some users routinely suggest that we take a more lenient approach while others routinely suggest that we take a tougher approach. As tekno said in a post earlier today, this is a site for anyone interested in Apple. Our users range from middle-school students to senior citizens, with the full range of sensibilities you'd expect across a large international audience. That's why we purposely choose the middle ground when developing our policies. Not all sexual references are removed, depending on context, but this one was removed in keeping with current policies and moderation guidelines.
 

Mac'nCheese

Suspended
Feb 9, 2010
3,752
5,108
OP: I don't get it either. The line seems to keep moving on acceptable posts. Some may not find your post funny but to think you were being serious and insulting someone...I don't see it. Two days ago, in the same thread a poster broke two instantly bannable rules: personal insults and trolling (posting just to annoy others). No time out there...
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
OP: I don't get it either. The line seems to keep moving on acceptable posts. Some may not find your post funny but to think you were being serious and insulting someone...I don't see it. Two days ago, in the same thread a poster broke two instantly bannable rules: personal insults and trolling (posting just to annoy others). No time out there...

MOD NOTE: The contact form is also the only correct way to inquire about moderation on a post you have reported. If you ask nicely via those channels, the admins will review our moderation and try to explain to you why the staff interpreted the post and the rules differently from you, as the post reporter.

Any specific act of moderation depends on the entire moderation history of the user. So even if two people make the exact same individual post that does not necessarily mean they will get the same penalty for committing that infraction.

Due to the privacy concerns, we can't discuss why one user received one penalty and another didn't. Each user is responsible for his/her own posts.

B
 

Mac'nCheese

Suspended
Feb 9, 2010
3,752
5,108
MOD NOTE: The contact form is also the only correct way to inquire about moderation on a post you have reported. If you ask nicely via those channels, the admins will review our moderation and try to explain to you why the staff interpreted the post and the rules differently from you, as the post reporter.

Any specific act of moderation depends on the entire moderation history of the user. So even if two people make the exact same individual post that does not necessarily mean they will get the same penalty for committing that infraction.

Due to the privacy concerns, we can't discuss why one user received one penalty and another didn't. Each user is responsible for his/her own posts.

B

That worked well:

"All reported posts are reviewed and moderated fairly based on a users history. We do not share moderation information regarding other users for privacy reasons."

Honestly, people have been timed out for next to nothing. An out and out double violation of bannable forum rules...nothing. Ok....
 

NeonKingKong

macrumors member
Nov 14, 2008
69
7
Portland, OR
penis

I feel ya. I had a post removed for this. (p.s. lol @tekno)

shark-horse.jpg


Some people just can't see how beautiful Betsy really is. Or understand our love.

----------

comments!=unfunny
you're comment was removed because you didn't go a double negative too far
 

Kissaragi

macrumors 68020
Nov 16, 2006
2,340
370
I can see why the op was moderated, thats a very aggressive post.

I thought Teknos post was funny tho, no idea why anyone would be offended by that.
 

PinoyAko

macrumors 6502
Nov 25, 2012
272
1
I can see why the op was moderated, thats a very aggressive post.

I thought Teknos post was funny tho, no idea why anyone would be offended by that.

All I can say to the OP is he deserve it.

"In order to cut-down on the amount of germs on the iPad, try using your fingers to navigate the OS instead of your penis."

I find this really funny. Imagine a person swiping his iPad with his penis.
 

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
I always say that you should act the same online as you would down the pub. Op: if you'd have said the post you quoted, in person, to someone down the pub, they'd most likely deck you.

Personally, I think the op's post sounds rude, and incredibly patronising. And there's simply no need for that. The post you were replying to was a valid question.
 

Orange Crane

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2012
268
0
I always say that you should act the same online as you would down the pub. Op: if you'd have said the post you quoted, in person, to someone down the pub, they'd most likely deck you.
You must live in a rough area. If I expressed myself around here like I do at the pub I'd be in a timeout by the end of business day. :p Hell around here you get nasty pm's from the mods if you have the audacity to post an amazon.com link.
 

dejo

Moderator emeritus
Sep 2, 2004
15,982
452
The Centennial State
Mod Note: This thread is temporarily closed until we hear back from the OP, Zunjine, as to whether they have decided to waive their rights to moderator privacy. Thank you.
 
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