Alleged censorship on ScubaBoard

[danvolker]

Back in the 90's, I posted heavily on Scubaboard...and was part of this community until Trolls went out of control, and began destroying the sense of any enjoyment that you could expect in the general conversations. So ultimately, rec.scuba ran it's course, and then I and thousands others just walked away from it.....

This is where I am with Scubaboard today....I enjoyed it for the last 5 years or so, I enjoyed the way the various personalities interacted, and I liked the topics we could chat about. But I think the atmosphere has become so oppressive, so much like the Obamafication of America, that every single time I go on now to post, I have to concern myself about what the moderators are going to think about whatever I say, and what could get me into trouble, and about whether I want to even attempt to have a discussion where you have to avoid words or thoughts that belong in the conversation...

For years the community was a great place, WITHOUT these heavy handed and POLICE-STATE-like "controls" of each discussion.

While all moderators have not become power-drunk and fixated on the importance of their TOS above all else, some have, and these are every bit as obnoxious and bad for Scubaboard, as the Trolls were on rec. scuba---at least to me.

For my friends on scubaboard, I would hope to chat with you on my Facebook page... www.facebook.com/wild.diving ...For the moderators in question, we will let the future show whether your actions were justified, or whether or not you're virtual Police State has functioned to erode the dominance that SB once held as the premiere virtual diving community. As to Pete...NetDoc.... Too bad you did not stay more hands-on with such a good idea.

As of now, the bad moderation practices of Scubaboard have made it a virtual online police state that I want no part in, so my choice is to move on, as I did with rec. scuba . I will not be looking at this again, so if anyone wants to take this conversation farther, you can always message me on my FB page, or email me, call me, or go diving with me ( better still !).

 

[supergaijin]

As of now, the bad moderation practices of Scubaboard have made it a virtual online police state that I want no part in, so my choice is to move on, as I did with rec. scuba . I will not be looking at this again, so if anyone wants to take this conversation farther, you can always message me on my FB page, or email me, call me, or go diving with me ( better still !).

I haven't seen a good internet temper tantrum for a while- thanks Dan...

 

[gypsyjim]

It took over 290 posts to say "goodbye". ??

Seriously, I enjoyed some of this thread, when the discussion stayed on diving, exploring different approaches to diving, viewpoints on those differences, along with logical reasons one has those differences.

A lot can be learned or even taught, when a conversation is held at that level.

Sadly, when the name calling, and blanket accusations begin to fly both ways though, minds close, and no one learns anything.

---------- Post added August 11th, 2013 at 09:10 AM ----------

If OP has left the discussion, it is time to close this thread. Nothing more of value will come from continuing it. IMO.

 

[chillyinCanada]

OK Dan, you big baby, if that's how you want it. As we used to say on rec.scuba, don't let the 'net hit you in the ass on the way out.

Is anyone else here suspicious that this whole thing was an attempt to drive posters to his Facebook page?

 

[BDSC]

Is anyone else here suspicious that this whole thing was an attempt to drive posters to his Facebook page?

Nope. I just saw that as a way to keep in contact with him.

 

[TSandM]

You know, I've been on SB for eight years now, and I've been a mod most of that time. The moderator staff changes -- people come and go -- and the personalities change a little. But the overall moderation has been amazingly consistent. Regular users may not be aware that, although housekeeping issues like moving threads and deleting duplicate posts are done by individual moderators, anything major or controversial is thoroughly discussed among the group before action is taken. As a result, no "police state" moderator can take the tone of the board anywhere, unless they can get consensus that it should be done.

You'll pretty consistently see moderation come into play when people are getting mad at one another and it shows. Personal rudeness, bad language, and accusations are often moderated. Animated and heated discussion that remains topic-focused and civil is almost NEVER touched.

Where we get into uproars is where the moderator staff's opinion of what's uncivil differs from the poster's. And the BIG difference here is that the moderator opinion is consensus, where the individual's opinion is precisely that. I think sometimes it would be good for posters who feel they have been moderated unfairly to ask some other board members for their opinions. We get awfully wound up in our own emotions at times.

 

[redacted]

Too bad. This is a very large community and will get along fine. But it has lost a valuable contributor - over what? The use of the S-word?

 

[RJP]

As of now, the bad moderation practices of Scubaboard have made it a virtual online police state that I want no part in...

Wow, it must be true... he said it in bold typeface.

In a related development, 7.1 billion people around the world went on about their lives... as if nothing of consequence happened.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Stroke. Just a simple command to these ladies of the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Team. As the great George Carlin, who had perhaps the greatest command of the English language, pointed out time and time again that words are just that. Words. So sad that people get so hung up on them. Like some cultures that kill each other to celebrate the end of so called "Holy" periods over their word differences. And yet words are viewed by some like others view handguns. Evil things that need to be heavily controlled and monitored. Even the display of a word that MIGHT be offensive to a minority of people makes it bad.

Such a pity that we can't simply change the channel anymore, turn the voilume off, or move on to another topic. Small wars need to be fought over single syllables. That to the majority are not offensive and, in fact, funny to everyone except those with the thinnest skins.

I don't care if someone calls me a stroke. It's a word. An insult? Not to me. I have to actually care about the opinion of who says it for it to matter to me and about the person that says it. Now if I was still in kindergarten and 5 or 6 years old it might matter. But that was 45 years + ago. I grew up. Shame some do not.

 

[BDSC]

I don't care if someone calls me a stroke. It's a word. An insult? Not to me. I have to actually care about the opinion of who says it for it to matter to me and about the person that says it. Now if I was still in kindergarten and 5 or 6 years old it might matter. But that was 45 years + ago. I grew up. Shame some do not.

Right on Bro!