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About the Esato forum policy |
laffen
Joined: Aug 07, 2001
Posts: > 500
From: Oslo, Norway
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During the last couple of days, I have received several PM’s about personal attacks in the forum. Some members did not like what was written here and sent a PM to the moderators and me. The topic was religion and it was started as result of the tragic incident in London.
The Esato forum was started because I wanted to host a place where people could find help with their mobile phone. That was the intentional idea behind it all. It has evolved during the years and has very large and active user base. Today, we also have a dedicated forum for general chat (garbage threads) and a forum called “Mobile phone free zone”. The topics found in the Garbage forum are marked with “read at your own risk” and is a place where moderators move topics not found suitable anywhere else. The threads found here are not searchable or visible on the wap site either. I have done this to limit the bandwidth usage when wapping and to save some CPU usage during search. All this should tell you that browsing this forum is risky and you might find things you do not like.
This is what we have done and are continuously doing to prevent frightening away our visitors. But one problem, which is difficult to handle, is when someone highjack a legit thread and forces us to move it to the Garbage forum. This is called threadjacking and is the practice of stealing another’s thread by posting off-topic replies. Some of you are doing this more often than others. Please keep this in mind before you reply to a post.
I do not agree with everything written here in the forum, but I have learned that my personal opinions not always are in the best interest of the community. The moderators and I can delete the topics we don’t like, but are in a way “forced” to follow the current rules.
The question is now. Where to we go from here? Should we allow discussion of politics and religion? Members wanting to discuss this should not have any problem finding websites dedicated to such subjects. I understand that it is possible to feel “at home” here at Esato and that it is easier to discuss these things with people you already know. Some of the moderators have stated that opening up for such discussions will require more active moderation. Much of the moderation time will be spent on watching these threads instead of keeping the forum “clean” as they to today. I seldom visit the Garbage forum, but are forced to do so when a member sends me a PM about an improper post. Browsing a thread found in the Garbage forum is something you choose to do. You are not forced to. You can’t even see any irritating thread subject before you click on the Garbage forum link.
The problem again is when someone constantly post political and/or religious comments within an existing thread. Should we allow this? Probably not. My personal opinion on this is to keep such remarks for your self.
The current forum rules have changed since the opening of the forum and will most likely change again. Do we need to change them now?
You will find the forum rules {url=http://www.esato.com/board/forumrules.php]here[/url]
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PeterKay
Joined: Jul 08, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: The Ummah
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I do not think the Esato rules should change.
People who want to post religious related thoughts can post HERE where the debates are very friendly at the moment and people are very understanding.
I hate it too when some threads are hijacked with political/religious comments unnecessarily.
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jcwhite_uk
Joined: Feb 18, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Dorset, UK Phone:Xperia Z1
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I dont think that religous or political threads should be banned but I do think that it is upto members who post in them to be responsible and not start name calling or being disrespectful.
I realise that this is harder work for the mods but I feel that people are intitles to their opinions and Esato is generally a very friendly place.
If things get out of hand a lot more then it should be looked at again.
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carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
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I agree with JC
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Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Den Haag
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I don't see why threads about actual events in the world that influence peoples lives cannot be discussed to be quite honest. I gather there's been quite some discussion about this in the recent past, which I'm happily unaware of  However, I'll give my opinion anyway.
In my view the presence of threads that discuss actuality and / or politics and / or religion or all of the above is not a problem.
Possibly the way people react in such topics might be a problem.... but there are rules regarding forum behaviour in place. All we really need to do is stick to those and exercise a little respect to one another. Then there wouldn't be a problem and those threads wouldn't be as hard to moderate as they apparently are now.
Coming to think of it... this would probably aply to all threads and not just actuality/politics/and so on 
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BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
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I think we should ban such threads, its a mobile forum, no need to offer the chance for flaming. Thats the best way to avoid to fill the garbage with more posts. My suggestion might sound hard, but once in the roman empire the senat let dictatory for 6 month if democracy started to get out of control... The are enough other sites to discuss it. Esato must follow the way what laffen set years ago.
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methylated_spirit
Joined: Jul 07, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Bonnie Scotland
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I posted this before, and I will post it again:
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I tend to stay away from political threads, generally, its not my bag to be honest. But, I think political threads should stand. If we stop these threads because they are "non-mobile" what about threads like "on the couch with scotsboyuk" and "miss copperfields chat about anything thread" and, of course, practically ALL my threads! If you start saying "you cant create political threads, its a mobile site" then surely, all the other non-mobile related topics have to go too? I know you are talking about flame wars, people arguing, etc, which a lot of these other threads i've mentioned aren't conducive to, but, its a community forum, as has been mentioned a few times, and, whether you are of a political bent or not, as part of the esato community, you have to respect that other members are. Of course, these threads do have a tendency to escalate into full scale vitriolic hatred at times, but cutting them out of esato? I reckon thats maybe a little drastic. Esato is a rich place, with intelligent, open minded people from across the world, and its good to hear these peoples opinions on a wide variety of topics.
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And I would like to add this:
After the incidents over the last couple of days, it seems to me to be a handful of members, probably half a dozen, who seem incapable of discussing something controversial or "political" without starting some sort of trouble. The majority are able to discuss their views in a reasonable, adult manner. IMHO some members need to grow up. We dont need to ban conversations on certain subjects, its the (extremely) vocal minority who need to be told to cool it with their attidudes towards people who disagree with them.
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U.G.L.Y. You ain't got no alibi, you ugly! |
JK
Joined: Feb 24, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: S. Africa - JOZI
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I like this part...
Esato is a rich place, with intelligent, open minded people from across the world, and its good to hear these peoples opinions on a wide variety of topics.
I like the variety in age and culture on this forum and therefore feel political/religious debates should continue...
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axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-13 12:37:20, laffen wrote:
I understand that it is possible to feel “at home” here at Esato and that it is easier to discuss these things with people you already know.
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And this is the reason why we should be allowed to discuss Politics,Religions and other everyday affairs as esato is home for me and other regular members who do not like visiting other forums.We see esato as a one stop shop for every day Mobile News, General News , Politics and just a friendly chit chat...Just a suggestion laffen but you could appoint another moderator for the political forum?
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ONLY IF LIFE WAS THIS PERFECT
[ This Message was edited by: axxxr on 2005-07-13 13:49 ] |
goldenface
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Liverpool City Centre
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I would certainly be wary. Although the vast majority are capable of debating sensibly, these threads will be easily ruined by extreme and insensitive posts.
This message was posted from a T610 |
Cornholio_666
Joined: Nov 30, 2004
Posts: 198
From: London
PM |
i think there should be a political thread and a religious thread. let people voice their opinions, and if it starts delibeatly offending people, lock it down. also if there are to be any more of these threads someone should put a warning somewhere in there about what the topic is about and people might be offended by other peoples views. if anyone starts deliberately causing trouble ban them.
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vanquish
Joined: Mar 20, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Wor Newcastle Phone: V600i
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There should be a separate forum, or they should be banned.
Laffen, you said it yourself, its a mobile phone forum, however you have changed things because of what is best for the community. But political threads and religious threads are not good for the community. Monday was a physical example of how political fanatics can ruin friendships, take threads of course and cause dispute between members.
If you want to discuss politics, you should either go to a new forum, or sticky, that laffen should create, or go here: www.politicsforum.org
regards
[addsig] |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
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Personally I agree with BobaFett, this is a mobile phone forum and I don't see any place for intense political or religious discussion on it.
Of course the reality is different. I am all for such issues being discussed here if they can be kept out of the way and conducted with a modicum of civility and decorum. However, as meths pointed out, it would appear to be the same people over and over again who simply do not seem capable of respecting the opinions of others. We see political statements spreading out into other threads and sometimes one is worried about mentioning something because one imagines that someone will use it to make a political point.
I might very well be an opinionated pompous gasbag who likes the sight of his own typing, but I can also appreciate a spot of fun too. Non-mobile threads can entertain us; they can inform us; they can interest us, etc. However, non-mobile topics such as politics and religion invariably seem to lead to flaming and bitterness. I don't see that as being conductive to Esato's 'community spirit'.
If these issues are to be discussed on Esato, which is still ostensibly a mobile phone forum, then can they at least be contained? Can political arguments and snide political comments be kept to dedicated threads please? Must every thread that happens to mention something that someone with a politcal drum to bang disagrees with be dragged off-topic and into an argument?
As I see it we have three feasible options:
Maintain the status quo
Ban political/religious discussion
Allow political/religious discussion, but with some sort of limiting factor or pre-set conditions
I come to Esato for mobile phones and a spot of fun; a bit of escapism if you will. I do not come to see political grandstanding.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
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Why can't people who do not like Political discussions avoid those threads altogether?..If you only visit esato for Mobile news and discussion then esato is the best place on the internet for this.If your regular members here and don't like forum hopping,then esato is the place for all other non-mobile related topics aswell.However i am for better moderation of Political threads and their should be tighter control on these subjects as we have seen in the last few days it can easily be ruined by people who have no interest in the subject.So political and Religious threads should be only for members who have interest in the subject and can make a positive contribution otherwise they should be banned from particpating in that thread.
[addsig] |
vanquish
Joined: Mar 20, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Wor Newcastle Phone: V600i
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-13 14:03:19, methylated_spirit wrote:
I posted this before, and I will post it again:
Quote:
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I tend to stay away from political threads, generally, its not my bag to be honest. But, I think political threads should stand. If we stop these threads because they are "non-mobile" what about threads like "on the couch with scotsboyuk" and "miss copperfields chat about anything thread" and, of course, practically ALL my threads! If you start saying "you cant create political threads, its a mobile site" then surely, all the other non-mobile related topics have to go too? I know you are talking about flame wars, people arguing, etc, which a lot of these other threads i've mentioned aren't conducive to, but, its a community forum, as has been mentioned a few times, and, whether you are of a political bent or not, as part of the esato community, you have to respect that other members are. Of course, these threads do have a tendency to escalate into full scale vitriolic hatred at times, but cutting them out of esato? I reckon thats maybe a little drastic. Esato is a rich place, with intelligent, open minded people from across the world, and its good to hear these peoples opinions on a wide variety of topics.
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And I would like to add this:
After the incidents over the last couple of days, it seems to me to be a handful of members, probably half a dozen, who seem incapable of discussing something controversial or "political" without starting some sort of trouble. The majority are able to discuss their views in a reasonable, adult manner. IMHO some members need to grow up. We dont need to ban conversations on certain subjects, its the (extremely) vocal minority who need to be told to cool it with their attidudes towards people who disagree with them.
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If you tend to stay away then you cant really comment on how they have affected you.
When it says 'political threads' , i/we, mean, threads intended for a large political discussion with two arguments.
And you say a handful of members? You are one of those! I am sorry, i must say on Monday me and axxxr were too, but you were aswell. Political threads make everyone to be the enemy, i used to LIKE axxxr! I used to respect him, but now, but now, because he and others cant accept someone disagreeing in one of his many 'bush hating' threads we see the true man come out. In all of us.
I think its psychological. This is a place of fun, should be a place of relaxation, a community. Keep politics to the real world, i dont come here for fierce discussions. Meths, your post, i cannot accept as valid. you said it yourself, you do not get involved so how can you comment.
[addsig] | |
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Access the forum with a mobile phone via esato.mobi
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Posted: 2005-07-13 12:37
