Banning / deleting people from Forums - freedom of speech etc - GoFuckYourself.com

CunningStunt · 09-28-2009, 12:00 AM

As a forum owner, if someone pissed you off, you are free to ban and delete them, it's your site right?

I just banned someone from a mainstream site I run (with very good cause), and this muppet is sending me emails now about freedom of speech, constitutional rights etc, and even (I LOL'd) threatening to sue me because of it.

The site is hosted in the US. Surfers / members have no rights on my site do they? I should be at liberty to ban people at will, it's a privately run site, and I'm not answerable to anyone, correct?

papill0n · 09-28-2009, 12:02 AM

tell them you are sorry, unban them and then install the 'miserable user' hack

Mutt · 09-28-2009, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CunningStunt

As a forum owner, if someone pissed you off, you are free to ban and delete them, it's your site right?

I just banned someone from a mainstream site I run (with very good cause), and this muppet is sending me emails now about freedom of speech, constitutional rights etc, and even (I LOL'd) trying to sue me because of it.

The site is hosted in the US. Surfers / members have no rights on my site do they? I should be at liberty to ban people at will, it's a privately run site, and I'm not answerable to anyone, correct?

he has no rights on your site legally at all - you don't need to give him a reason even.

i do think if a private business were to kick out people based on race or religion they'd probably have a case.

Iron Fist · 09-28-2009, 12:04 AM

That's what blogs are for...

Eric · 09-28-2009, 12:05 AM

You are allowed to refuse service to any person as a business is yours to run and protect as you see fit. Access to your forum is a privilege, not a right.

Barefootsies · 09-28-2009, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

Access to your forum is a privilege, not a right.

Exactly.

Iron Fist · 09-28-2009, 12:14 AM

All those who oppose raise your hands!

CunningStunt · 09-28-2009, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

You are allowed to refuse service to any person as a business is yours to run and protect as you see fit. Access to your forum is a privilege, not a right.

That is exactly what I thought. Thanks for the confirmation.

katharos · 09-28-2009, 02:26 AM

yeah ... and if people are visiting your forum for years, then you kill someone in real life and people will start asking you as the forum owner you will ban them? i mean, you can do what you want at your forum, but first you have to ask yourself if you are not pissing in the face to your loyal members ...

Cherry7 · 09-28-2009, 02:38 AM

Sounds simple at first... but if you are suppling a service that the community comes to depend on, not being a member can be a big disadvantage,,,,,

Imagine being banned by Google, or a photographer being banned by the only photographic site?

If your site has an important role in your community, you will have obligations as well as rights, moral if not legal.

CunningStunt · 09-28-2009, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katharos

yeah ... and if people are visiting your forum for years, then you kill someone in real life and people will start asking you as the forum owner you will ban them? i mean, you can do what you want at your forum, but first you have to ask yourself if you are not pissing in the face to your loyal members ...

Too cryptic for me Teencat. Did I say cryptic, I meant total and utter dross as usual.

katharos · 09-28-2009, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CunningStunt

Too cryptic for me Teencat. Did I say cryptic, I meant total and utter dross as usual.

sorry for my bad english ... so if you are now saying something about what happenned at gfy, i say it was a big fault and a big fuck off to everyone who is working hard in this industry. its your forum, but if you are the main webmasters forum you cannot support thiefs as cops cannot support thiefs or killers, if you think so, i am happy i am not a part of your forums ... once again, what gfy did is wrong! but its their fight

CunningStunt · 09-28-2009, 02:58 AM

I'm not referencing GFY at all. I have a smallish forum with around 20K people, in a specific niche, and one individual has been pissing a lot of people off. He overstepped the mark, and I'm sick of the idiot.

katharos · 09-28-2009, 03:07 AM

i have been running forums for 10 years now, with max 500k uniques daily and 5k threads per day. i think i know the people you are talking about, and the one and only thing is "do not feed the troll". he was there to make problems, he will try to make problems in future, and if you want to make problems you need the second side. just stop communicating with him and he will end in nervous agony one day

believe me, that is the only one way, there is no other!

Zorgman · 09-28-2009, 04:03 AM

I use to run a mainstream forum too. I never banned anyone, but I added some code that didn't allow anyone else to see their silly posts. So they would be 0 read 0 replied all the time. They would bitch with more threads but no one could see them. Not even me.. lol It was funny, after a while they would just register new accounts and they would also be "banned" the same way. They soon got sick of it and pissed off.

u-Bob · 09-28-2009, 04:47 AM

your board, your rules...

NoComments · 09-28-2009, 05:01 AM

Your board is just like a private club - you make your own rules.
(I know a few in Florida where you can still smoke in the dining room, while the whole state is smoke free)

Telll you member to eat shit, as he is shit out of luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CunningStunt

As a forum owner, if someone pissed you off, you are free to ban and delete them, it's your site right?

I just banned someone from a mainstream site I run (with very good cause), and this muppet is sending me emails now about freedom of speech, constitutional rights etc, and even (I LOL'd) threatening to sue me because of it.

The site is hosted in the US. Surfers / members have no rights on my site do they? I should be at liberty to ban people at will, it's a privately run site, and I'm not answerable to anyone, correct?

TheLegacy · 09-28-2009, 05:44 AM

I have been a moderator on several webmaster boards and even one now - if the board has rules then they must be observed. Moderators should not just go on who they like or dislike and what they say about you, but if they cross the line and break one of the rules then they are banned. Simple as that.

Can moderators/boards go over board? Yes, one such board I was on banned someone that was never breaking rules but only mod's didn't like him - so I left and do not visit that board anymore. GFY on the other hand has good moderator's who know the rules and simply don't ban based on a whim but ONLY if the rules are broken, even then they try and give warnings first.

Freedom of speech is not what is being thrown out there as you see many threads dedicated to the subject(s) and from my knowledge the threads are still there as are the posters.

In your situation, the poster knew when they signed up (or should have known) that breaking the rules would result in banning - and as a moderator you know that anyone can use Freedom of Speech as an excuse. Saying you want to harm someone can be said as freedom of speech, but it is illegal so there are limits to that freedom. Freedom comes with responsibility not to abuse it.

Fletch XXX · 09-28-2009, 05:57 AM

you can ban whoever for no reason and aint shit anyone can do

Cherry7 · 09-28-2009, 06:14 AM

I am interested in your take on this....

I joined Purestorm as it has a lot of good models looking for work, I was willing to abide by their rules etc....

They banned me without any comeback just because of our erotic website, even though I did not do anything. Their website is a majot resource for finding models and we are not allowed to offer work to these models, even though we have done nothing wrong.

They do not answer e-mails. I am sure there are lots of examples of people being banned just for their part in adult work....

GatorB · 09-28-2009, 06:24 AM

The 1st amendment applies to the GOVERNMENT not to businesses.

The Duck · 09-28-2009, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

You are allowed to refuse service to any person as a business is yours to run and protect as you see fit. Access to your forum is a privilege, not a right.

DaddyHalbucks · 09-28-2009, 07:54 AM

"Freedom of speech" generally means that a government will not suppress a citizen's right to political speech.

CaptainHowdy · 09-28-2009, 08:05 AM

Tell him to start his own loudmouth forum...

fatfoo · 09-28-2009, 08:07 AM

Yes, there is freedom of speech, but a business owner has the right to regulate what is said on his/her forum, right?

fatfoo · 09-28-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaddyHalbucks

"Freedom of speech" generally means that a government will not suppress a citizen's right to political speech.

Yeah, I thought the same thing.

CunningStunt · 09-28-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorgman

I use to run a mainstream forum too. I never banned anyone, but I added some code that didn't allow anyone else to see their silly posts. So they would be 0 read 0 replied all the time. They would bitch with more threads but no one could see them. Not even me.. lol It was funny, after a while they would just register new accounts and they would also be "banned" the same way. They soon got sick of it and pissed off.

LOL, I like that option. I'll put it to my programmer.

Thanks for the responses everyone, I thought this idiot was barking up the wrong tree.

alias · 09-28-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CunningStunt

As a forum owner, if someone pissed you off, you are free to ban and delete them, it's your site right?

I just banned someone from a mainstream site I run (with very good cause), and this muppet is sending me emails now about freedom of speech, constitutional rights etc, and even (I LOL'd) threatening to sue me because of it.

The site is hosted in the US. Surfers / members have no rights on my site do they? I should be at liberty to ban people at will, it's a privately run site, and I'm not answerable to anyone, correct?

Private property, tell them to eat a dick then GFY.

spazlabz · 09-28-2009, 02:39 PM

freedom of speech applies to public speech, not speech made publicly in a private forum

I CAN walk into a McDonalds and start talking up Burger King, but I have a funny feeling I will be told to leave and if I refuse that I could be arrested for public nuisance

spaz

zabijaq · 09-29-2009, 05:19 AM

In all meanings, your visitor is your customer and you shouldn't discriminate anyone.
One other hand you can protect your business.

In world of interweb, you can e-mail him nice "fuck off"

But if he just made some stupid mistake and he's fine and calm just unban him and keep rolling ;)

mmcfadden · 09-29-2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katharos

i have been running forums for 10 years now, with max 500k uniques daily and 5k threads per day. i think i know the people you are talking about, and the one and only thing is "do not feed the troll". he was there to make problems, he will try to make problems in future, and if you want to make problems you need the second side. just stop communicating with him and he will end in nervous agony one day

believe me, that is the only one way, there is no other!

you have never eluded to running a successful forum in the past. can you send me an email if your interested in selling a banner add? My ideal target would be adult (18+) surfers, can be mainstream site or adult... either one would work well.

The program (not adult paysites) will be launched shortly and needs some surfer lovin

thanks...

mmcfadden at vstrippoker dot com

amacontent · 09-29-2009, 09:06 AM

Tell him to let him sue you, LOL the judge will throw him in jail for being an idiot

09-28-2009, 12:00 AM	#1
CunningStunt Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,594	Banning / deleting people from Forums - freedom of speech etc As a forum owner, if someone pissed you off, you are free to ban and delete them, it's your site right? I just banned someone from a mainstream site I run (with very good cause), and this muppet is sending me emails now about freedom of speech, constitutional rights etc, and even (I LOL'd) threatening to sue me because of it. The site is hosted in the US. Surfers / members have no rights on my site do they? I should be at liberty to ban people at will, it's a privately run site, and I'm not answerable to anyone, correct? Last edited by CunningStunt; 09-28-2009 at 12:01 AM..

09-28-2009, 12:04 AM	#4
Iron Fist Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 23,400	That's what blogs are for... __________________ i like waffles

09-28-2009, 12:05 AM	#5
Eric Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: The Helm! Posts: 8,818	You are allowed to refuse service to any person as a business is yours to run and protect as you see fit. Access to your forum is a privilege, not a right. __________________ No One

09-28-2009, 12:14 AM	#7
Iron Fist Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 23,400	All those who oppose raise your hands! __________________ i like waffles

09-28-2009, 02:38 AM	#10
Cherry7 Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,564	Sounds simple at first... but if you are suppling a service that the community comes to depend on, not being a member can be a big disadvantage,,,,, Imagine being banned by Google, or a photographer being banned by the only photographic site? If your site has an important role in your community, you will have obligations as well as rights, moral if not legal. __________________ My Neighbour Butterfly PORN-The Musical The Long Goodbye Cinema Erotique

09-28-2009, 12:02 AM	#2
papill0n Unregistered Abuser Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 15,547	tell them you are sorry, unban them and then install the 'miserable user' hack

09-28-2009, 02:26 AM	#9
katharos So Fucking Banned Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,515	yeah ... and if people are visiting your forum for years, then you kill someone in real life and people will start asking you as the forum owner you will ban them? i mean, you can do what you want at your forum, but first you have to ask yourself if you are not pissing in the face to your loyal members ...

09-28-2009, 02:58 AM	#13
CunningStunt Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,594	I'm not referencing GFY at all. I have a smallish forum with around 20K people, in a specific niche, and one individual has been pissing a lot of people off. He overstepped the mark, and I'm sick of the idiot.

09-28-2009, 03:07 AM	#14
katharos So Fucking Banned Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,515	i have been running forums for 10 years now, with max 500k uniques daily and 5k threads per day. i think i know the people you are talking about, and the one and only thing is "do not feed the troll". he was there to make problems, he will try to make problems in future, and if you want to make problems you need the second side. just stop communicating with him and he will end in nervous agony one day believe me, that is the only one way, there is no other!

09-28-2009, 04:03 AM	#15
Zorgman Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 6,103	I use to run a mainstream forum too. I never banned anyone, but I added some code that didn't allow anyone else to see their silly posts. So they would be 0 read 0 replied all the time. They would bitch with more threads but no one could see them. Not even me.. lol It was funny, after a while they would just register new accounts and they would also be "banned" the same way. They soon got sick of it and pissed off. __________________ ---

09-28-2009, 04:47 AM	#16
u-Bob there's no $$$ in porn Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: icq: 195./568.-230 (btw: not getting offline msgs) Posts: 33,063	your board, your rules...

09-28-2009, 05:44 AM	#18
TheLegacy SEO Connoisseur Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Brantford, Ontario Posts: 16,367	I have been a moderator on several webmaster boards and even one now - if the board has rules then they must be observed. Moderators should not just go on who they like or dislike and what they say about you, but if they cross the line and break one of the rules then they are banned. Simple as that. Can moderators/boards go over board? Yes, one such board I was on banned someone that was never breaking rules but only mod's didn't like him - so I left and do not visit that board anymore. GFY on the other hand has good moderator's who know the rules and simply don't ban based on a whim but ONLY if the rules are broken, even then they try and give warnings first. Freedom of speech is not what is being thrown out there as you see many threads dedicated to the subject(s) and from my knowledge the threads are still there as are the posters. In your situation, the poster knew when they signed up (or should have known) that breaking the rules would result in banning - and as a moderator you know that anyone can use Freedom of Speech as an excuse. Saying you want to harm someone can be said as freedom of speech, but it is illegal so there are limits to that freedom. Freedom comes with responsibility not to abuse it. __________________ SEO Connoisseur Microsoft Teams: Robert Warren SEO Telegram: @TheLegacy54 RobertWarrenSEO.com

09-28-2009, 05:57 AM	#19
Fletch XXX GFY HALL OF FAME DAMMIT!!! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: that 504 Posts: 60,840	you can ban whoever for no reason and aint shit anyone can do __________________ Want an Android App for your tube, membership, or free site? Need banners or promo material? Hit us up (ICQ Fletch: 148841377) or email me fletchxxx at gmail.com - recent work - About me

09-28-2009, 06:14 AM	#20
Cherry7 Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,564	I am interested in your take on this.... I joined Purestorm as it has a lot of good models looking for work, I was willing to abide by their rules etc.... They banned me without any comeback just because of our erotic website, even though I did not do anything. Their website is a majot resource for finding models and we are not allowed to offer work to these models, even though we have done nothing wrong. They do not answer e-mails. I am sure there are lots of examples of people being banned just for their part in adult work.... __________________ My Neighbour Butterfly PORN-The Musical The Long Goodbye Cinema Erotique

09-28-2009, 06:24 AM	#21
GatorB The Demon & 12clicks Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: SallyRand is a FAGGOT Posts: 18,208	The 1st amendment applies to the GOVERNMENT not to businesses.

09-28-2009, 07:54 AM	#23
DaddyHalbucks A freakin' legend! Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada USA Posts: 18,975	"Freedom of speech" generally means that a government will not suppress a citizen's right to political speech. __________________ Boner Money

09-28-2009, 08:05 AM	#24
CaptainHowdy Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Happy in the dark. Posts: 92,999	Tell him to start his own loudmouth forum... __________________ FLASH SALE INSANITY! deal with a 100% Trusted Seller Buy Traffic Spots on a High-Quality Network 1 Year or Lifetime — That’s Right, Until the Internet Explodes!

09-28-2009, 08:07 AM	#25
fatfoo ICQ:649699063 Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 27,763	Yes, there is freedom of speech, but a business owner has the right to regulate what is said on his/her forum, right? __________________ Send me an email: [email protected]

09-28-2009, 02:39 PM	#29
spazlabz Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 6,548	freedom of speech applies to public speech, not speech made publicly in a private forum I CAN walk into a McDonalds and start talking up Burger King, but I have a funny feeling I will be told to leave and if I refuse that I could be arrested for public nuisance spaz

09-29-2009, 05:19 AM	#30
zabijaq So Fucking Banned Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 956	In all meanings, your visitor is your customer and you shouldn't discriminate anyone. One other hand you can protect your business. In world of interweb, you can e-mail him nice "fuck off" But if he just made some stupid mistake and he's fine and calm just unban him and keep rolling ;)

09-29-2009, 09:06 AM	#32
amacontent STANLEY CUP CHAMPION ! Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,804	Tell him to let him sue you, LOL the judge will throw him in jail for being an idiot __________________ Joe Loughlin [email protected] TEAM- joeloughlin. Telegram - AMA_JOE https://www.amaproduction.com