Should the F word be starred out?

[bmck 117]

To be honest we dont have any real problem with any type of language on this site , or have I been missing something

 

Sorry mate. We star out the word F*N*An and it's been suggested we're wrong to do so. I've tried to say why it is and asked people to discuss whether they think it should be starred out or not - whether's its smartly assuring we're above reproach, or cowardly surrendering the contested ground by admitting there's something wrong with it.

[Zappa 0]

The main point is point 2, but even in that you're wrong. Website owners have been prosecuted for allowing slander in user generated content as well as copyright stuff etc.

 

Now you're talking about different legislation entirely though. I can't see how the legislation which is being used to charge people for breach of the peace in Scottish courts can be applied to internet forums or am I missing something?.

Edited December 15, 2010 by bmck
I'm an idiot

[Cotter 0]

Look, if there's any chance that Barry or Frankie can get ANY sort of hassle over this then FFS let's just star it out. We all greatly appreciate this service and if you want to place people in harm's way just so you can type ****** on an internet forum then you can fuck right off.

[Zappa 0]

Mate, I changed my original post because when I read it back it sounded un-necessarily blunt and to address this point.

 

The main point that you're missing is that it's been deemed racist in law in vague and uncertain ways, and that website owners are responsible for what's said on their website in vague and uncertain ways. In the past websites have been held responsible for things like releasing player's addresses, there's precedent. Chances are small, as I've said.

 

Fuck, Sorry Zap,s now I've edited your post what I thought was my reply to your post. I need to give this a rest.

 

No worries mate.

[bmck 117]

Now you're talking about different legislation entirely though. I can't see how the legislation which is being used to charge people for breach of the peace in Scottish courts can be applied to internet forums or am I missing something?.

 

 

Mate, I changed my original post because when I read it back it sounded un-necessarily blunt and to address this point.

 

The main point that you're missing is that it's been deemed racist in law in vague and uncertain ways, and that website owners are responsible for what's said on their website in vague and uncertain ways. In the past websites have been held responsible for things like releasing player's addresses, there's precedent. Chances are small, as I've said.

Edited December 15, 2010 by bmck

[bmck 117]

No worries mate.

 

I think that's me fixed it now - not like me to add absurdity to confusion

[bmck 117]

Look, if there's any chance that Barry or Frankie can get ANY sort of hassle over this then FFS let's just star it out. We all greatly appreciate this service and if you want to place people in harm's way just so you can type ****** on an internet forum then you can fuck right off.

 

Cheers dude. I think the chances of us getting hassle are small, and the truth is that the most likely reason is that we don't want to be seen to be sectarian. Especially with what's happened recently I can understand why people might be getting a bit pissed off with this, as we've pranced around so much not wanting to be seen to be sectarian that we're now being dictated to left right and centre. Even still, I just don't think we're the right avenue of any sort of frustration for this - we're culpable, in doing things like this, for perpetuating the situation but the real reason we're in this state is because no-one who has any Real Power - like politicians, businessmen, media people - are willing to go against the grain.

[Zappa 0]

Barry, I'm kind of with Cotter on this, although I still can't see how you could be held responsible for people typing these words given that they can still type them using the spelling workarounds. Starring them out just seems to pander to a new Republic of Scotland that's PC mad.

[bmck 117]

Starring them out just seems to pander to a new Republic of Scotland that's PC mad.

 

To be blunt it is pandering to them. But it's because they're winning. We're all responsible for that.

[Zappa 0]

To be blunt it is pandering to them. But it's because they're winning. We're all responsible for that.

 

They're only winning on certain issues in certain curcumstances. So far (in a legal sense) that involves breach of the peace charges for people singing the famine song combined with shouting things like 'fen!an bastards' and 'ef tee pee' at football matches.