When does private banter become offensive to others?

[Tommo68 10]

I'm less concerned about the content of these texts than I am about them becoming public and that someone can;

a) get hold of them

b) use them in any way they want ... in this case publish them for others to read.

 

It would be a far better use of people's time to be concerned about the loss of privacy than the content.

 

Was is not accessing and misusing peoples mail texts and phone calls that got the News of the World into so much trouble?

.

[skat man 10]

Private or not is irrelevant. It simply shows the true you. It's similar to only drunks and children tell the truth.

 

---------- Post added 23-08-2014 at 02:06 ----------

 

I can't stand my man, I wish he was dead. Don't tell anyone its private between us two.

she goes home and her husband has found out what she said. Should he be annoyed even though she said it was a private conversation and to keep out of it?

[Eater Sundae 12]

I'm less concerned about the content of these texts than I am about them becoming public and that someone can;

a) get hold of them

b) use them in any way they want ... in this case publish them for others to read.

 

It would be a far better use of people's time to be concerned about the loss of privacy than the content.

 

Was is not accessing and misusing peoples mail texts and phone calls that got the News of the World into so much trouble?

.

 

These weren't private conversations on private communication devices with a valid expectation of privacy. They were via company phones provided by their employer. The people involved might not expect their messages to become public property and so they may be a bit miffed that they have, but they have no right to expect privacy.

 

My employer has some general, all encompassing restrictions regarding what I can or cannot put on company phones and computers. These would clearly prohibit the sort of messages sent in this case. They are there to prevent the embarrasment (and possible prosecution) of the company. I don't know if Cardiff City have such specific rules, but even if they haven't, there is an expectation that their employees should behave in a professional manner. In this case their employees have acted in an unacceptable way.

 

I would guess that in 99.99% of situations where people have used company phones in such a way, nobody else would ever see the contents, let alone make them public. In that sense, they were unlucky that the messages came to light following a separate investigationn But at the end of the day, they had no right to the expectation of privacy.

[CPC464 10]

What has working class and a pint have to do with what is or isn't deemed offensive?

 

Amazing you want your "PC freedom of speech" but when "PC freedom of speech" is used to question the content of it you get all anti-PC frothy.

 

Exactly. Racists like Rickiethcat only believe in freedom of speech for themselves, but not for anyone who questions them.

 

No doubt he will complain that I've called him a racist - because he doesn't want me to use my freedom of speech to criticise him.

Edited August 23, 2014 by CPC464

[Zamo 10]

I suppose the comments just about creep onto the racism scale but I doubt anyone who is Jewish, gay or black would take much genuine offence. I also don't believe that any mild racist views they might have, influenced their professional conduct and therefore no discrimination (which would be illegal) has taken place. Clearly they were still doing business with Phil Smith and they signed plenty of black players.

 

I must confess that I too do not understand why the texts have been made public. I understand why the LMA got to see them - they were investigating the claim Moody had been given the Cardiff team sheet before the Palace game - but why go public with this? The game was not brought into disrepute, and nobody had been offended (genuinely or otherwise), until they published. I personally think that a warning re conduct would have sufficed. I think the 'punishment' they are now suffering is completely disproportionate.

 

Personally, I am less concerned about this sort of 'casual racism', which has been slowly ebbing for decades, and far more concerned about the overt and violent racism that is on the increase within the Muslim community. If that isn't addressed then the progress made over the decades will start to unwind as the whole Muslim community is drifting ever closer to an indiscriminate backlash.

[999tigger 10]

The issue here isn't what they said it's whether it was intended for public consumption that's the issue here. A private text message is just that - private. The content of the texts may be unsavoury but the comments are no different to what a couple of working class blokes might say to each other down their local over a pint.

 

Thats only one aspect.

 

The point is if those are your private views, but are then made public then you become vulnerable. The reason you are vulnerable is because they have you down as a homophobe, sexist and racist. It casts doubts on a persons integrity, the organisation they belong to and values. Most organisations dont want to employ anti semitics, racists, sexists or homophobes even if its their private view.

 

Thems the risk they took. People now regard them differently.

[Jim Hardie 517]

I suppose the comments just about creep onto the racism scale but I doubt anyone who is Jewish, gay or black would take much genuine offence.

 

Unfortunately there is an army of do-gooders out there that takes delight in being offended on behalf of others, particularly if it leads to a man's career being ruined.

[Lotusflower 10]

You have a very high opinion of yourself, don't you?

 

Let me bring a few 'profiling techniques' that I have acquired through actual real life experience to the matter.

 

You are an apparently arrogant person who seems to be under the impression that your view on any subject matters to anyone.

 

You start off jumping into a discussion with your Gandhi inspired pacifist anti violence mantra, and then, at the first hurdle, you revert to a macho ' come over here if you think your hard enough' attitude. :

 

Your contribution to this thread has been first caliber confrontational nonsense.

 

You appear unable to comprehend that this is just a forum, no ones opinion - including mine - has any actual credibility, we are just voicing our opinions. Get it?

 

Anyway, back to the OP, private 'banter' is not private if it can be accessed by anyone other than the sender and the recipient.

 

In this case, the correspondence appeared to be conducted on phones that belonged to Cardiff City.

 

If that is true, the two people involved do not appear to be the sharpest tools in the box.

 

The attitude you ascribe to me of "come over here, etc" is not mine. Read what I said again and try to understand that you chose to interpret it that way.

 

For the record. I am comfortable with who I am. I don't need your approval.

 

You are misinformed about Gandhi being an inspiration for the earlier comment I made.

 

Re my bold. Why bother then?

[Halibut 12]

no ones opinion - including mine - has any actual credibility, we are just voicing our opinions. Get it?

 

 

I disagree. Clearly some opinions are more credible than others.

[mjw47 10]

The attitude you ascribe to me of "come over here, etc" is not mine. Read what I said again and try to understand that you chose to interpret it that way.

 

For the record. I am comfortable with who I am. I don't need your approval.

 

You are misinformed about Gandhi being an inspiration for the earlier comment I made.

 

Re my bold. Why bother then?

 

Any interpretation which I drew was brought about by your 'teach you a lesson in violence' remark.

 

If you are going to use braggadocio language in replying to a post you can hardly complain when people draw conclusions as to your character, can you?

 

As for why I bother, in my case it's because I'm retired and have spare time on my hands, and I find it entertaining.

 

When I worked there was no way that I'd have had time for this nonsense.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Unfortunately there is an army of do-gooders out there that takes delight in being offended on behalf of others, particularly if it leads to a man's career being ruined.

 

No you are wrong.

 

I do accept that in all probability Mackay isn't racist and he saw what he said as being no different as being a bit of banter to let off steam. Society has changed, and what society finds acceptable has also changed. Unfortunately for Mackay society does not find the type of language used in the texts as being acceptable. So please don't talk about armies of do-gooders.

 

Another way in which society has changed is that the thanks to the IT revolution the lines between public and a private life have become really blurred, and you have to be really careful what you say via the IT medium.

 

I really do hope that it's not the end of Mackay's career and he can turn things around, it's a very tough lesson for him to learn.

[mjw47 10]

I disagree. Clearly some opinions are more credible than others.

 

Possibly, but they are still only opinions aren't they?

 

And as the great man said 'everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own fact'.

 

Most people hold strong opinions and rarely change them simply because someone has voiced a different view.

 

In my case I will only change my opinion if presented with a fact that I was previously unaware of, and it provides a different perspective on the subject.

 

Having said which, it is interesting to hear others opinions and it passes the time.