Is free speech a thing of the past in England.

[spilldig 188]

2 hours ago, Cyclone said:

No, I definitely didn't.  I commented on what YOU want to do, I said nothing about what I want to do.

So you're upset that other people can describe you as an xxx-ist, because they perceive that you are when you say certain things?

So, you'd, like for them not to say that?  Like, a restriction, on what they can say?

I want people to be able to discuss anything but they should be capable of doing it without insults, 

[tinfoilhat 11]

11 hours ago, leviathan13 said:

I'm not frightened of saying what i think and feel; what irks me is that, in the modern day, i can be shut down because someone is offended. Even only 10 years ago, thoughts and opinion were debated. Now, if i say something that goes against the collective hive-mind, i am called something with '-ist' at the end.

 

I should be allowed to say what i feel, and someone who opposes my opinion should have the right to pull me on it and discuss it. But simply shutting the argument down with 'you're -ist' isn't good enough, however it's how free speech is being restricted. Part of growing up is dealing with uncomfortable situations, but this is being watered down because feelings are more important than knowledge and understanding.

Ok, what's being shut down. I'll start a thread and see how we get on. Failing that, get on Twitter- it will be discussed there with very little moderation. 

30 minutes ago, spilldig said:

I want people to be able to discuss anything but they should be capable of doing it without insults, 

Snowflake ;););););)

[spilldig 188]

5 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

Ok, what's being shut down. I'll start a thread and see how we get on. Failing that, get on Twitter- it will be discussed there with very little moderation. 

Snowflake ;););););)

I blame my parents.

[Cyclone 10]

11 hours ago, spilldig said:

I want people to be able to discuss anything but they should be capable of doing it without insults, 

You realise that insulting someone is an exercise of free speech though, so you want to take away that free speech...

[spilldig 188]

16 hours ago, Cyclone said:

You realise that insulting someone is an exercise of free speech though, so you want to take away that free speech...

I can't see a need for it. As for taking away their right to do it, absolutely not. I wouldn't want to and I couldn't even if I did want to. They can say what they like but it's hardly a wise thing to do as far as I see it.

First off lets have a look at what you are trying to do when you debate something. I think you are trying to get your view across and bring the opposition to your way of thinking so insulting them is not a good way to do it.

How much better to say,"well I think you are wrong, because", rather than " You idiot", or whatever. So do you think it's o'k to insult people ?

[max 13]

On 12/3/2018 at 12:02 AM, Top Cats Hat said:

I shall ask you once again.

 

By who?

You can't say that!

 

 

It's by whom.

[leviathan13 349]

On 12/3/2018 at 7:34 AM, Cyclone said:

No, I definitely didn't.  I commented on what YOU want to do, I said nothing about what I want to do.

So you're upset that other people can describe you as an xxx-ist, because they perceive that you are when you say certain things?

So, you'd, like for them not to say that?  Like, a restriction, on what they can say?

By 'shut down' i mean people not liking my opinion and getting posts removed, profiles blocked and/or diving in to a safe-space where they don't have to listen to nasty people say things they don't like.

 

People can call me what they want, but censoring my words just because they don't agree with them is a problem.

[Top Cats Hat 10]

3 minutes ago, leviathan13 said:

By 'shut down' i mean people not liking my opinion and getting posts removed, profiles blocked

I've not been here that long but surely you can only get a post removed if it breaks forum rules or is likely to have the site sued for libel.

[Cyclone 10]

On 12/4/2018 at 2:11 PM, spilldig said:

I can't see a need for it. As for taking away their right to do it, absolutely not. I wouldn't want to and I couldn't even if I did want to. They can say what they like but it's hardly a wise thing to do as far as I see it.

First off lets have a look at what you are trying to do when you debate something. I think you are trying to get your view across and bring the opposition to your way of thinking so insulting them is not a good way to do it.

How much better to say,"well I think you are wrong, because", rather than " You idiot", or whatever. So do you think it's o'k to insult people ?

I totally agree that it's not a good way to vote, but look back at what you posted.

Particularly posts #153 and your response #154.

8 hours ago, leviathan13 said:

By 'shut down' i mean people not liking my opinion and getting posts removed, profiles blocked and/or diving in to a safe-space where they don't have to listen to nasty people say things they don't like.

 

People can call me what they want, but censoring my words just because they don't agree with them is a problem.

Firstly, there isn't a freedom of speech on this forum, never has been.

There are rules that you've agreed to abide by, and as TopcatsHat said, the only way your posts get removed is when you break those rules.

8 hours ago, leviathan13 said:

By 'shut down' i mean people not liking my opinion and getting posts removed, profiles blocked and/or diving in to a safe-space where they don't have to listen to nasty people say things they don't like.

 

People can call me what they want, but censoring my words just because they don't agree with them is a problem.

Firstly, there isn't a freedom of speech on this forum, never has been.

There are rules that you've agreed to abide by, and as TopcatsHat said, the only way your posts get removed is when you break those rules.

 

You being described as an xxx-ist doesn't shut down a topic though, nor does it get your posts removed, which is what you claimed.  It's just something you don't like.  But it's someone else exercising their limited free speech within the rules of this forum.

On 12/3/2018 at 7:34 AM, Cyclone said:

i can be shut down because someone is offended.

See, this isn't true, you offending me isn't grounds to remove your post and if I report being offended and you've not broken any rules then nothing will happen.

On 12/3/2018 at 7:34 AM, Cyclone said:

I should be allowed to say what i feel

We were talking about "in the real world" where you can say what you like, the rules in the forum are more restrictive, but actually you CAN say it, whatever you like.  The consequences might include that speech being removed and you being banned though for breaking the rules you've agreed to abide by.

[spilldig 188]

 

 

On 12/3/2018 at 9:27 PM, Cyclone said:

You realise that insulting someone is an exercise of free speech though, so you want to take away that free speech...

No, not at all . If someone wants to use insults, they can but I see it as counter-productive because the opposers just dismiss you and you lose any chance of bringing them to your way of thinking. tinfoilhat mentions in post 170 about posts being deleted etc and that irks me too. 

[bendix 10]

On ‎12‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 12:02 AM, Top Cats Hat said:

I shall ask you once again.

 

By who?

I love how racists want the freedom to express their views, but then get offended and 'shut down' when they are called racists.  

11 hours ago, Top Cats Hat said:

I've not been here that long but surely you can only get a post removed if it breaks forum rules or is likely to have the site sued for libel.

Sites can't be sued for libel, unless it is the owner or management of the site making the comments.  It's a well established legal precedent tested in case law that the owners of internet platforms on which people post are NOT legally responsible for what their members post on them.

 

 

[medusa 16]

5 hours ago, bendix said:

I love how racists want the freedom to express their views, but then get offended and 'shut down' when they are called racists.  

Sites can't be sued for libel, unless it is the owner or management of the site making the comments.  It's a well established legal precedent tested in case law that the owners of internet platforms on which people post are NOT legally responsible for what their members post on them.

 

 

However, a small local forum with no large owning company to fund legal bills could not afford to withstand even getting as far as being able to argue that they are not legally responsible for a post which was posted by a forum user.  Because of that unfortunate lack of deep pockets, we have to take whatever steps we feel necessary in order to never have to be in that position.

 

As a result of this, we have forum T&Cs, ask users to not post things which may be legally contentious on the forum and will remove anything that is reported to us that could result in having to get to any stage of defending against legal claims.  It is our prerogative to act in the interests of the forum, as long as we are operating within the laws of the land. 

 

Every legal argument costs money that the forum does not have, whether we are completely absolved or not.