Profanity in Open Forums

[Star Way]

Currently LF allows limited profanity in two open forums: Rant and Games. Allowing this seemed right at the time... Now, we're not so sure.

In the case of Games, I think it's really a no-brainer, to be honest. When that forum was created, we decided to allow profanity because the first real game on this forum (Hug, Kiss, Tickle, Flirt, Smack created by Linii-chan) was originally in BKO and was quite a bit more fun when.. less than wholesome. Obviously times have changed now, though, and allowing profanity in the forum seems pointless and stupid, especially since little kids are likely to go in there and post. (Which could be a potential problem for LF considering the fact that angry!parents are not fun to deal with.)

Rant falls a little more into the grey areas. Most people seem to think that banning profanity in it as well is a good idea, but there are still some that think it should just go hidden. I don't know. Personally, I would prefer to just clean it up so that everyone can participate in it, but... It's iffy.

Anyway, please give your thoughts and opinions, and vote in the poll! I'd love to hear what you have to say.


Edit: By the way, I felt I should mention that no matter what happens to those two forums, BKO will still be around, just like always. You will not be deprived of your ability to be vulgar... Just not out in the open. )

[Rail Runner offline]

Honestly...I think the only place profanity should be allowed is BKO..due to the fact that you have to have access to get in, and if you meet that criteria, then welcome to our insanity, deal with it, ya know.

I feel that the forums can be slightly cleaner, Games..Rant...included...of course, now if people accidently curse while ranting, then thats on a case by case basis, but the mods can be a bit stricter....Rant is one of those things where its a shade of grey..but still can be watched.

Thats just my feelings....oh and *bows down to Erynn*

VSTI-the avatar that everyone wants to steal...not the avatar, but the car itself.

[Jeremified offline]

I don't really notice any profane words in Games, but in Rant, I think that as long as the "F-bomb" is censored and they use at least one censor per curse word, then it's okay. If you meant uncensored, then I think BKO is the only way to go. (Ooooh, a rhyme!)

[Carth]

Rant can retain a few minor swears, such as d*mn or h*ll, to make a point. Hey, we's be angry people! Although I find that big red text is a lot more effective.

Games...it's not necessary, and annoyed me to heck when I was a judge at
BKO, duuuh.the LFCLCC so far long ago. Erm...

[MY85 offline]

I say to keep the insults at Rant (insults would be slipped when a person posts their problems, and it happens) and make it hidden, or make all rants take place on BKO (but there's the access problem)... and depending on how things goes on this thing, I'm considering to move that LFCLCC to BKO (I hate censorship, guys) and maybe Linii-chan's Hug/Kiss/Smack game should be back on BKO (where it all started).

[Insanity Hero offline]

Even though it's a rant people have to be watchful of what they post. I do believe that small words like h*ll and anything that isn't a major word can be used. And the mods on rant can be a little tougher if they would like.

In games I don't think that we need to swear in it. As you pointed out kids under 12 or what not are on here reading what everyone is posting. And by some weird twist of fate they see one little swear word they'll tell their parents and then a mess will fold out.

[lyokowarriorteen20010 offline]

How about you develop a censor team. You know they only have moderation powers on games and rant and thats is it. at least the is what I would do..

[MY85 offline]

How about you develop a censor team. You know they only have moderation powers on games and rant and thats is it. at least the is what I would do..

The LF Moderators can do that. Thanks for the concern, though.

[lyokowarriorteen20010 offline]

Ok rodri.

[Tekirai offline]

Next year isn't coming fast enough, dangiiit. :O

I say leave the '@&£*$!'ing to Rant. Games doesn't really need it. =\

[Stonecreek]

I'm one of those who is all for free speech, and thus all for swearing. These are just words (and which words those are tend to be hotly contested anyway...) that society has placed some black mark upon, and decided to make them taboo. To certain people, breaking taboos is fun. To outlaw swearing in the forums in which it has already been allowed will just invite more rule breaking from those used to being able to swear openly in these forums.

On the maturity level note, the vast majority of the members here seem mature most of the time. I have heard very few people raise a stink about swearing, little arguing on either side. I'd call it a non-issue, but here we are talking about it. Kids today, regardless of age, are exposed to more and more, thanks to the Internet. If they don't get their daily dose of swearing here, they'll find it elsewhere - in real life or other places on the Web.

I can understand the want for swearing to be yanked from Games, and somewhat from Rant, but the members (in my view) are used to it by now. Maybe an alternate solution - get a filter that blanks out the swears for those who do not want to see them. Anyway, there's my two cents.

[darktemplar offline]

We can allow profanity on both, or only in BKO. Personally, I think we should push it into BKO and clean up on Games and Rant.

[Rail Runner offline]

well stonecreek, I do see your point about the optional swear filter..but that might be kind of difficult to implicate...technically speaking..so I think if we clean up games and rant, then cool...As i stated earlier Rant is a grey area..so whatever yall decide to do there is fine. As far as games, I havent seen too much swearing there, but I am not exactly looking for it either...but I am all for cleaning up games, rant is a toss up...just as long as the rules are clearly posted, and enforced, then all shall be well.

Most of the members here are mature enough for following the rules, so I dont think there should be too much of a problem...just my observation.

[Star Way]

The problem with allowing swearing in Rant is that it's still an issue of Internet Safety- even if kids don't mind it, their parents might, and so does the government and their Child Protection Act.

There is, of course, the option to hide Rant from the open public much like BKO... However, I must say I really don't like that idea because I want everyone to be able to participate in that forum. You don't have to be 13 to have problems...

Someone (not on this thread) also raised an interesting point to me earlier, and that is that despite popular opinion, it's really not necessary to cuss when you're ranting... If the person ranting feels like it is, there's also no reason why anyone HAS to post about it on a Code Lyoko forum. Not to mention that BKO can serve as a place to ask for help when it's a sensitive issue. And, of course, not being allowed to cuss in a rant could teach people how to express themselves without using "obscene" language (I feel so weird writing that xD) to get their point across.

Allowing profanity in some open forums but not others also raises the question of... simply... Why? I mean, if you're going to allow open profanity at all, why not allow it everywhere? Obviously I'm not going to do that, but there isn't much of a good reason why I shouldn't, if you think about it. It's another reason why banning it all together seems logical.

[Rail Runner offline]

true...good point Erynn...ummm yep good point again...of course, I dont curse much if at all so Im all for it, and yes, it would be a good way to teach people how to use other words besides...errrr..those words.

If they have BKO access, or when they earn it, then they can come in there and ask us to help them while uhh expressing themselves a bit more freely. Otherwise, keeping the forum clean is a good way to promote a healthy site..as far as interactions..

[Reesane offline]

Create two rant forums, one for profound/sensitive topicks, one for general topics. That way, You won' have a nut spam up a religion/politics rant.

[Rail Runner offline]

but then again...religious and political rants could go into BKO...because its a very heated debate and people are bound to lose their tempers....but the problem with two rant forums is that someone comes up with a sensitive issue and for instance someone else goes and totally blasts them on the issue, then it creates a scene..but if they post the sensitive stuff in BKO we can generally tend to help them a bit more while being more open and honest.

but lets just worry about keeping games and rant clean at this moment..for now the other subjects can go into bko....respectfully

[MY85 offline]

The problem with allowing swearing in Rant is that it's still an issue of Internet Safety- even if kids don't mind it, their parents might, and so does the government and their Child Protection Act.

There is, of course, the option to hide Rant from the open public much like BKO... However, I must say I really don't like that idea because I want everyone to be able to participate in that forum. You don't have to be 13 to have problems...

I think I pointed the option to you before about hiding Rant. But I meant it in this sense: remember when LF began and BKO has hidden to the audience, but everyone who joined could see it and post on it? You can hide Rant from public view, but without setting a moderator to give access to people so they can debate about the topics on Rant, independent of their age.

And as for Stonecreek's points, I agree with almost all of them (free speech), except for the filter part (the filter would take effect on the whole forum, even BKO).

[Star Way]

The problem with allowing swearing in Rant is that it's still an issue of Internet Safety- even if kids don't mind it, their parents might, and so does the government and their Child Protection Act.

There is, of course, the option to hide Rant from the open public much like BKO... However, I must say I really don't like that idea because I want everyone to be able to participate in that forum. You don't have to be 13 to have problems...

I think I pointed the option to you before about hiding Rant. But I meant it in this sense: remember when LF began and BKO has hidden to the audience, but everyone who joined could see it and post on it? You can hide Rant from public view, but without setting a moderator to give access to people so they can debate about the topics on Rant, independent of their age.

And as for Stonecreek's points, I agree with almost all of them (free speech), except for the filter part (the filter would take effect on the whole forum, even BKO).

Yeah, but once again, what would be the point? It wouldn't protect children from the cussing, just people who aren't logged in.

Free speech only goes so far, though. You still have to abide by the rules of an establishment if you want to participate in it.

There's also the option of just completely removing the Rant forum...

[Rail Runner offline]

but then the problem comes up of, what happens when someone needs to vent...would there be something started in BKO or what? just wondering. i feel that if we just ban cursing in the forums itself, fine, but in a way, we need the rant forum to keep the level of peoples angers and frustrations down...just my view..

[Star Way]

Okay, well, since everyone seems to agree that it's okay to ban cussing in Games, I'm going to go ahead and do that. Rant is still okay - for now.

[Akito offline]

Yeah, that's probably a goo idea - Though I think that most of the swearing should be kept in BKO.

[MY85 offline]

So it's official the banning of cussing at Games.

If so, then the next version of the LFCL Caption Contest will be hosted at BKO. On the first version, there was some problems with some captions that were deleted by a moderator and I couldn't even saw them, so it could have cost the person who posted it to win points or not. I am sorry for those who wouldn't be able to participate on it, but there will be a solution for them (those who participated often on it and who are older than 13 and aren't on BKO, I'd suggest to get access to solve things quicker; those under 13, we'll see). Next saturday the game's returning.

And I'm starting it on BKO just to avoid the censorship that Games now has since a new rule has been established there. Maybe some other Games threads would be moved to BKO.

[Carth]

Can we start a clean Caption Contest? I liked them...I only stopped because of the cussing.

[Jazzy Josh offline]

I would believe so, I wouldn't see why anyone would have a problem with that