MGoBoard Censorship: A dissent
Earlier today a guy posted a diary which was basically an admonition to the rest of us to stop the grammar policing, spelling policing, and overly sarcastic comments to other posters. Several people agreed with him in the diary, and I noticed they got positive point bumps for their contributions. I did not agree (got negged twice) and thought the post was completely wrong, and said so. I said that this board is kept to a higher quality than others in part because some things get called out here, which keeps lower quality posts from getting created. I and a couple of others mentioned that as a community, this board has both the strengths and weaknesses of a community, which means that some people will go to far but that in general the community is good. I can't link to it because the diary has been deleted. In Brian's post today he referred to diary quality, and that lower quality posts will be moved back or deleted wholesale: "Note that any diary complaining about the fact that people around here don't like you is by definition low quality." I don't think that diary should have been deleted. IMO a post discussing whether there is too much policing going on is perfectly legitimate. There is a difference between posts we think are dead wrong (that one) and posts that are illegitimate and should be deleted (McFarlin anyone?). In the end, this is Brian's blog and he can do anything he wants, and I respect that. But I also respectfully disagree with the decision, and hope it will be exercised sparingly in future.
EDIT: sorry for the lack of paragraph breaks, I'm using a Mac with Safari, and somehow screwed it up. Also, in response to Sgt. Wolverine, who wrote that censorship is an overused term, I agree.
EDIT: sorry for the lack of paragraph breaks, I'm using a Mac with Safari, and somehow screwed it up. Also, in response to Sgt. Wolverine, who wrote that censorship is an overused term, I agree.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:35 PM ^
What one am I? A "cool" person or something else? How would I be classified?
August 25th, 2009 at 7:56 PM ^
your not "cool". you dont seem like a tool
August 26th, 2009 at 12:02 AM ^
Thank you sir
August 25th, 2009 at 6:29 PM ^
It also ignited an unnecessary flame war, which is enough of a reason for one of the board moderators to delete it.
The diary didn't bother me personally and I was heavily featured in it. In fact, I was quite proud to have been called in out in an OP for the first time in my MGoCareer. I can see the side of the board moderators though, it is their board and they have the right to decide what can and cannot be posted on it.
Call it censorship, call it editing, call it moderation, or call it whatever you like. It doesn't matter, they own the board and can do as they like.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:19 PM ^
For the record: things cannot be easily moved from diaries to the board or vice versa.
The post was pulled (merely unpublished, I can still see it) because it was largely self-serving and flamebait in addition to being posted in the wrong section. All four of us with the ability to pull diaries agreed it was the right thing to do, it was just chance to who got to it first.
This is the Internet. Post well, make sure that you're not posting something that's been talked about already, and stop talking about MSU all the damn time and you'll get a good discussion. Don't follow these simple rules, and you'll get backlash. It happens.
And honestly, it was the "cool story brah" comment that was the tipping point? Calling that classless when earlier in the diary this gem was written:
"when I click on MGOBLOG are all of you bitching, whining, unnecessarily rude, crabby ass little girls on here who find it your job and place in life"
and finished it up: "P.S. I hope my spelling and grammar sucked ass cuz I don't give a dizzamn."
August 26th, 2009 at 2:33 AM ^
Answer how it was self serving because I would REALLY like to hear that BS. I think being that I have been on here as a poster for a year that if I was trying to do anything self serving then I would have already had a history of such incidents already.
Like I tried to say a million times, IF YOU POST TOTAL GARBAGE THEN PEOPLE DESERVE THE BACKLASH. But when your post is just an average post to some but undeserving of hate then it gets old and there is too much of that shit on here. Then we get all self righteous and have to explain how you were the "MAN" and YOU deleted it explanation, blah blah blah. I say get off some of these guys dicks and let them handle themselves. And the "cool story bro" along with the comment that followed was totally classless. So in mine and in A LOT OF peoples opinions he deserved that.
But here you come all ready to save the day and protect the innocent. Hooray for you superman.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:38 PM ^
Do I have enough points yet so I can join a clique? Life is hollow and aimless enough without the knowledge that other, more connected posters can concentrate their negging powers to truly devastating effect, while I toil in solitude, knowing too well that neither my well honed snark nor my 800 SAT verbal will ever amount to even the lonely beat of a butterfly's wings.
Oh, how I long to censor, to police, and to accumulate one MILLION MGoPoints!
August 25th, 2009 at 7:28 PM ^
A 800 SAT verbal will also NOT get you laid, but I have a feeling you know that from experience already.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:51 PM ^
So glad I'm not alone. Wanna conquer the world together, blue balls and all?
August 25th, 2009 at 8:23 PM ^
While a girl may be impressed by your oral skills, I doubt any give two shits about your verbal skills.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:32 PM ^
I challenge you to an MGoDuel. My seconds will contact your seconds to decide whether the punctuation marks shall fall within the parentheses or without.
PS maybe my sarcasmeter is off, but do you really have a problem with me?
August 25th, 2009 at 9:27 PM ^
I have a bigger problem with the dress you're currently wearing.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:58 PM ^
Knew that was you. I'll give it back, I swear.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:19 PM ^
I really don't have a problem with this blog. I do think sometimes people may go a little to far but over all this is a great blog. It stops people from writing stupid things and writing things like their texting on their phones or something.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:32 PM ^
whose diary post provoked the nasty comments, which were then rebuked, which was then moved/deleted (don't know which, really) and now someone is complaining about the move/delete.
First of all, let me simply state that I never expected anyone to get so worked up about the original post. In hindsight it was a little silly, but jeez - shall I quote Rich Rod? "Get a life" if you didn't like it.
If the diary section is something to be guarded carefully, or reserved for "high quality content" (whatever that really means) then I humbly suggest that it be reserved for certain users, perhaps those with a certain number of points or something like that.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:33 PM ^
I don't think it should be gated by points so much as people should stop for a minute to read what they've written and decide if it's really quality to post in the diaries. Self-assessment would be much better than vigilante justice.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^
I was sick of all the negative classless BS that gets posted on here for absolutely no reason on ALL POSTS. So I posted a diary. It was a long time coming. It had little to do with your actual post. It needed to be said. And many heard it. Then my diary was deleted. For what in my opinion wasn't a valid reason. I feel like most people didn't even read it. Much like the bullshit line in the Free Press that became a headline were Rich Rod said he might play 3 QBs wouldn't that be neat & because of that headline in the free press the rest of the headline reading quick to judge world decided to start jumping on the whole Michigan was going to a 3 QB system this year. Oh the frenzy... What sucks the most is nobody can read my post and judge it for what it really was. Now its all taken out of context and hell yeah I am complaining about the move delete because it wasn't necessary and i did it for the outspoken minority without as much voice as some of the posters on here who are on every thread bitching. Normally I am quiet on here. So its not like I am some constant shit starter.
August 25th, 2009 at 10:22 PM ^
if you don't clear that fire
August 25th, 2009 at 10:58 PM ^
Nothin like inside stuff!! Were cool kids now!
August 25th, 2009 at 10:30 PM ^
I would love to see more guidelines on these issues from MGoBlog. Then again, as said earlier, that may not be something the blog wishes to guide.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:06 PM ^
I think that I may have been one of those possibly ripped on by formerlyanon critiquing the diary entries that caused a diary post that he enjoyed on HS scrimmage notes to disappear too quickly from the front page.
I thought my diary post was pretty legit, but oh well, this ain't my site, and if I am told to shut up, I can do so without shedding any tears. If they want to police it more tightly, they could button down diary entries, call it something like "submit an article", and they can edit/approve them before they go live on the site. (Nothing like censorship to stimulate contribution.) Either that, or they can decide if an open board entry deserves to get promoted to that content area rather than direct posts. I didn't think calling out content that was not blatant shameless hype, but disliked versus HS scrimmage notes, was necessarily correct.
If they want strictly investigative journalism rather than other contributions, then require approval before things go live in that area, and call it something else other than "diary".
August 25th, 2009 at 9:12 PM ^
No, actually I posted noncritical responses to your post. If anything I would say I unjustly wrapped it in with the rest of the posts that were meh or worse. That probably wasn't right, and it was deleted with the previous thread (I think). Also, like you said, I think my ideas of what diaries should be isn't the same as everyone else, which is why I wrapped it in there like I did. If I thought yours to be not worth posting in diaries at all, I would have left a harsher post.
For the record, I don't moderate diaries (I hardly moderate the board as I only delete double posts). And I don't think yours was bumped back either. I think that's because yours was close enough to be acceptable to the majority.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:26 PM ^
I can type whatever I want because I know this thread is going to be deleted??
Ok, then.
"Fart! Dildo! Big, Big, Big Titties!....SHIT! SHIT WHORES!"
August 25th, 2009 at 9:50 PM ^
and I'm not going back any further. The only thing I have to say on this subject is this:
If you type or act like a 7 year old, you will be treated as such. You may be able to make the most eloquent argument or have some incredible insight, but if you type like a 12 year old girl texting her friends from the mall, that is the internet equivalent of serving prime rib on a dirty, flea-ridden trash can lid. You will be (and should be) treated accordingly.
I make no apologies for how I feel. If you want to take points away for this, fine. Whatever. If you agree and wish to contribute to my massive 153 point (as of this post) collection, by all means, you may do that as well.
August 25th, 2009 at 10:25 PM ^
In most cases it's really this simple.
August 25th, 2009 at 10:27 PM ^
"I've read through 8 pages"
Fail.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:26 PM ^
This thread isn't going to be deleted. It should be pretty obvious at this point since we're participating in it.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:03 AM ^
This just wasted a 1/2 an hour of my work day. Thanks.
Now my head hurts.
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