Freedom of Speech on Message Boards

Wompa1 · 12-01-2007 09:04PM #1

Two of my housemates were members on a boards site called 'Foot.ie', they seemed to have different views to alot of the other posters which should be no suprise to anyone on this site because everyone thinks different on here,very much opinonated posters that debate points.Well anyways on 'Foot.ie' the majority of 'Foot.ie' seem to just be of one mind set and all agree with each other and try to squash anyone with other views, nobody more than the owner of site who banned my two housemates claiming they were the one person using two accounts....this guy who had the ability to set up and moderate a web site couldn't grasp the fact that two or more people can be on one Network, so he banned one account permanently and the other for 3 months.
I can't help but think since their view differed from that of the moderator that they got dumped from the site, especially since it seemingly has happened to other outspoken posters.
The ban said Permanenet, Reason Given: No Reason Given....anyone else have this kind of problem before?, I always thought Freedom of Speech was promoted by sites such as this

Ruu_Old · 12-01-2007 09:09PM

No idea about foot.ie but boards.ie is privately owned, there is no such thing as free speech and the admins have to take responsibility for the content of the posts here as it comes down on their heads.

miju · 12-01-2007 09:15PM

Ruu wrote:

No idea about foot.ie but boards.ie is privately owned, there is no such thing as free speech and the admins have to take responsibility for the content of the posts here as it comes down on their heads.

yep , seconded

Rb · 12-01-2007 09:27PM

As Ruu said, message forums are generally privately owned sites. The messages we post become property of the sites, and where a post may cause trouble, the blame is then lays with the owners of the sites, not the posters. There simply can't be complete and utter freedom of speech for perfectly obvious reasons. If someone were to come on and say something libellous about a company, the user isn't going to be the one hauled up to a court room, the owners are so letting people say whatever they want is a horrendous idea. There does exist some freedom of speech, but not complete and utter.

It's also at the owners discretion should he want to ban someone from the site he owns, does he need a reason?No, but it would be nice and mannerly if he gave one. In the case of your friends, sounds like the owners just a tad ignorant BUT how does he know its two different people on the same network? Anyone with two or more accounts could use that excuse, as I'm sure many have in the past.

Cake Fiend · 12-01-2007 09:32PM

If you're at a party in someone else's house, who doesn't like what you have to say, and they tell you to either shut up or piss off, are they interfering with your freedom of speech?

No, because you can simply leave their house and then say whatever you like. You can even throw your own party (i.e. set up your own forum) and say what you like all day. Freedom of speech doesn't apply when you're a guest at someone else's party.

Exit · 12-01-2007 09:35PM

Even without the whole legal issues, whoever owns the forum can do whatever they want with it whether they want to have freedom of speech or filter certain words or just ban people for no reason.

I'm not sure what would happen if someone banned people based on colour or race though (just a spinoff in my head, nothing to do with the original post) Can a person discriminated against in that manner do anything about it legally, or is it just the internet?

Exit · 12-01-2007 09:38PM

Cake Fiend wrote:

If you're at a party in someone else's house, who doesn't like what you have to say, and they tell you to either shut up or piss off, are they interfering with your freedom of speech?

No, because you can simply leave their house and then say whatever you like. You can even throw your own party (i.e. set up your own forum) and say what you like all day. Freedom of speech doesn't apply when you're a guest at someone else's party.

You know, I was wondering the exact same thing as I was writing my post. If you kick someone out of your house for saying something you don't like, could they go to the police for opposing their freedom of expression (not that anyone would be bothered)?

Would it be different if the house wasn't owned by you (i.e. rented)?

I mean, I figure you can kick whoever you want out of your residence, but I'm just wondering.

12-01-2007 09:39PM

One foot follows another.

Rb · 12-01-2007 09:43PM

This had better not be a clever shilling either.

monkeyfudge · 12-01-2007 10:15PM

People seem to always under the impression that we actually have freedom of speech in this country... perhaps from watching too much American television.

In Ireland your freedom of expression comes with a lot of strings attached.

phantom_lord · 12-01-2007 10:30PM

meh, if it's his board...

Wompa1 · 12-01-2007 10:38PM

Can we say what we want if we put in: The Opinion Expressed above is not necessarily that of the owner of this site and are only the ranting of a crazy man

Rb · 12-01-2007 10:39PM

Wompa1 wrote:

Can we say what we want if we put in: The Opinion Expressed above is not necessarily that of the owner of this site and are only the ranting of a crazy man

Not that I know of, its still the owners property and he/she is responsible for it.

However, you could get away with saying "Apparently..." and not naming the individual/company, but you can imply who they are...I think..

Xavi6 · 12-01-2007 10:45PM

I'm also registered on foot.ie. It's an Irish football board that I rarely use due to the close minded nature of the discussions. Basically you either go along with the crowd and stay within their way of thinking or you're an outcast. I think this may have been what happened to the OP's housemates.

phantom_lord · 12-01-2007 11:02PM

Xavi6 wrote:

I'm also registered on foot.ie. It's an Irish football board that I rarely use due to the close minded nature of the discussions. Basically you either go along with the crowd and stay within their way of thinking or you're an outcast. I think this may have been what happened to the OP's housemates.

sounds like trolling time!

Spitfire666 · 12-01-2007 11:09PM

If we had freedom of speech we wouldnt have a stickey on nearly every sction of this forum in relation to not mentiong the actions/inactions at a certain event last year.

Time Magazine · 12-01-2007 11:11PM

rb_ie wrote:

However, you could get away with saying "Apparently..." and not naming the individual/company, but you can imply who they are...I think..

Of course you can't. Defamation is the utterance or publication of an untruth that would lower the opinion of the defamed in the eyes of the public. A newspaper was successfully sued for calling someone a "Fagin" ala the famous Dickensian thief.

Similarly, if I said "A concert promoter, let's call them <*whistle* look over there!>, rape children and other such beings" there'd be a letter on Vexorg's doorstep.

Rb · 12-01-2007 11:19PM

phantom_lord wrote:

sounds like trolling time!

Hrmm, sounds like a good idea

bucks73 · 12-01-2007 11:36PM

I am also registered on foot.ie. Only really use the Junior Football board and people tend to speak their minds in there. Discussions over junior football here in Limerick can get quite heated. Mods only ever jump in if their is personal abuse which is fair enough. Have had a warning myself. By the way, one of the mods (maybe even the owner) is registered here.

phantom_lord · 13-01-2007 12:28AM

Last edited by Ruu

lol

Anti · 13-01-2007 12:33AM

legal disclaimers for all to sign on registration is the way to go

mike65 · 13-01-2007 12:47AM

Is'nt foot.ie owned by Dahamsta?

Mike.

Victor · 13-01-2007 01:39AM

Yup, I'll PM him to get the OP banned aswell.

Time Magazine · 13-01-2007 02:40AM

Ibid wrote:

Similarly, if I said "A concert promoter, let's call them <*whistle* look over there!>, rape children and other such beings" there'd be a letter on Vexorg's doorstep...

Last edited by Ruu

Incidentally, changing it to that would probably still open you to being sued. Given the, eh, "reputation" of one particular concert promoter on this site, it could probably be shown to be implication enough.

However, it's not defamation to go up to your friend, slap him on the back and say "How are you, you old thief?" because it's clearly not serious. I presume that would apply to saying a company that organises gigs rapes kids.

biko · 13-01-2007 03:23AM

OP, do a search for speech and you'll see that this subject has been touched upon in feedback a few times before.

Rb · 13-01-2007 03:24AM

biko wrote:

OP, do a search for speech and you'll see that this subject has been touched upon in feedback a few times before.

Those feedback threads are some of the best.

faceman · 13-01-2007 10:00AM

If a message board is badly moderated like foot.ie seems to be, then it wont be a popular site. leave the losers to themselves!

everytime someone says free speech in this country, i cant help but laugh. Stand up a cinema and shout "fire" for the craic, and see where your free speech gets you!

I dont know the boards owners but im pretty sure they dont want to end up in jail or in court so they have to take legal responsibilities. However Boards went through a phase last year where some of the moderating was OTT but that seems to be a thing of the past which is positive.

Correct me if im wrong, but has any case been ever brought to court about content on a message forum in Ireland/UK? Im curious.

Gordon · 13-01-2007 10:09AM

Wompa1 wrote:

I always thought Freedom of Speech was promoted by sites such as this

Why did you presume that?

Rb · 13-01-2007 10:14AM

faceman wrote:

If a message board is badly moderated like foot.ie seems to be, then it wont be a popular site. leave the losers to themselves!

everytime someone says free speech in this country, i cant help but laugh. Stand up a cinema and shout "fire" for the craic, and see where your free speech gets you!

I dont know the boards owners but im pretty sure they dont want to end up in jail or in court so they have to take legal responsibilities. However Boards went through a phase last year where some of the moderating was OTT but that seems to be a thing of the past which is positive.

Correct me if im wrong, but has any case been ever brought to court about content on a message forum in Ireland/UK? Im curious.

Erm, have a look at the top of each and every forum on Boards at the moment. The reason we can't discuss a certain company/events related to the company is because they're bringing Boards to court over something that was said on here.

Gordon wrote:

Why did you presume that?

God knows, but it has to be the biggest mis-conception on this forum as a whole. The sheer amount of people who believe they can say whatever they like wherever on Boards they like is amazing (and who subsequently moan on feedback about the "lack of freedom of speech/I quit de boardz u nazis".

Cake Fiend · 13-01-2007 10:36AM

Maybe we need a sticky called 'If you want free speech, go here' or something, with links to a hosting company and Bulletin Board installation instructions.

faceman · 13-01-2007 10:38AM

rb_ie wrote:

Erm, have a look at the top of each and every forum on Boards at the moment. The reason we can't discuss a certain company/events related to the company is because they're bringing Boards to court over something that was said on here.

they issued legal proceedings but i havent seen it in the courts yet?

Freedom of Speech on Message Boards

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