On site censorship and what can be done about it?

I'm finding it increasingly difficult that the place I have to mask the most, is here on a site that's basically for people who mask to much.

We need to be very honest. We are a very odd lot. We say it as we see it. We do not have filters. So many people  choose to be offended by the way we express ourselves.

I consider that is their problem, not ours.

However, in terms of polite Society, I do accept that we may, without intention upset people who are not used to autistic straight thinking and expression.

So it becomes necessary to occasionally moderate our language.

However, I consider it equally important the moderators explain exactly where and why and for what reason they edit or delete someone's post. If the moderators choose to not explain themselves to the community they are supposed to serve, they cause the very frustration and irritation and resentment exclusion and anger. This entire community is supposed to address the issues around autism, not make it worse for us..  

ArchaeC said:

Why not be mature and say what you mean?

Because the fear is the word will be censored and spacing the letters out lets him get away with it like one of my old mates in Primary School.  I can see him giggling now.  

Why not be mature and say what you mean? I don’t understand why you have spaces between letters in the word that I am guessing means breasts - or perhaps you have a different intention? 

I wrote a reply that included the word b o o b s the day before yesterday. It hasn't appeared. So even that word gets censored?!

TheCatWoman said:

Define reasonable? I bet if you do it won't be something that everybody agree's with

And that I would argue is the point. Where there is doubt or disagreement or room for interpritation you have to decide on which side it should come down. I would say between offence and freedome of expresion the benifit of the doubt should always come down on the side of freedom of expresion.

ArchaeC said:

You may have varying interpretations of the word “offence”, and of how it may be applied here, but the essence of the rules is not about dismantling words and sentences in order to suit whims.

No that is entirely the point. Rules are writen in words and who by and how the words are interpreted masivly changes the substance of the rule. This is not mere nitpicking. Well writen rules are desingened to be objective as posible. Well writen rules avoid the interpriter of the rules having to make subjective value judgments to interprit them where ever posible.

I think what's deemed offensive is going a bit too far though, like someone took offence because I described myself as an 'oldie'. I'm in my forties, I know I'm not ancient, but it was JUST A JOKE, and it's things like that where censorship also needs to stop. I would never out rightly want to offend someone, but if I want to call myself an oldie and a female, I should be allowed to do this (apparently female is also offensive but I'm offended someone said it's offensive). Everyday medical terms should also be allowed. I think as adults we all know whether something is a joke or is outright offensive and needs calling out, we should be allowed to decide this ourselves and use the report option if it gets out of hand.

Define reasonable? I bet if you do it won't be something that everybody agree's with, whilst some people are a sense of offence looking for somewhere to manifest there are others who feel a need to provoke others and try and push beyond any boundaries, many suffer from what is sometimes called dumb insubordination, do you think this a term that could apply to you?

overwhelmed & underwhelmed ( O & U ) said:

You however, seem to want to cause offence - by your own comments.  I don't know how else to interpret what you have written.  

I agree that you have come to the only reasonable conclusion. 

Peter said:

There are times when offence is nessicery

Not here it isn't.   I've said it before & so have others.   If you set out to cause offence here, then likely you're in the wrong place.

Most people would not intend to cause offence.  On learning they had, they'd say that wasn't their intention, and they'd clarify their meaning. 

Especially on this kind of site.   You however, seem to want to cause offence - by your own comments.  I don't know how else to interpret what you have written.  

I am just getting caught up properly with this whole thread now. I don’t understand people can’t just communicate without using swear words or words that are commonly used to harm and/or offend. You have an excellent understanding of the syntax of the English language, so if it is necessary to quote someone else who is swearing or causing offence, just omit the word/s that may be offensive and use your own words. 

TheCatWoman said:

freedom of speech isn't the freedom to offend

It is perfectly reasonable to require members of this community to adhere to NAS rules. Why do you feel the need to work against rules that offer necessary protection against harm?

Peter said:

Offence can be reasionable or unreasionable and I don't think anyone should be heald hostage to the whims of those who take offence unreasionably

Nobody is holding you hostage. You may have varying interpretations of the word “offence”, and of how it may be applied here, but the essence of the rules is not about dismantling words and sentences in order to suit whims. That is different argument.

I think three arguments are in this thread.

• Should the NAS forum have rules and if so, what should they be? 
• Should we disobey rules that are intended to protect vulnerable people?
• How can we balance freedom of speech with freedom from harm?

Although the moderation process on this forum can be frustrating if the system withholds or delays posts, I don’t have adequate knowledge of how it could be improved and of what that might involve. Previously, people who have knowledge of building forum sites have posted about the difficulties, and I believe it is not something that can be resolved easily. 

Respectfully disagree. There are times when offence is nessicery. One of the most offencive words in the english language is no but no is offten a nessicery responce. Offence can be reasionable or unreasionable and I don't think anyone should be heald hostage to the whims of those who take offence unreasionably.

TheCatWoman said:

freedom of speech isn't the freedom to offend

Precisely 

I agree O&U, freedom of speech isn't the freedom to offend, there are words and phrases I would never use anywhere, there are words I might use irl, but not here. I think what a lot of people forget is that with freedoms come responsibilites and whilst we should be free to have an opinion we need to be resposible with how we express that opinion and not be lazy with our language.

What I'm objecting to is being censored for using proper words, where not being able to use them hampers normal conversation.

Or this? .....

Because we get censored, I don't think the word breast is, but if this appears with load of asterisks then we'll know it is.

Your comments are ridiculous. For autistic people who have or have had breast cancer, the last thing needed is gobbledygook terminology. Why can’t people just say say what they mean so that everyone can understand? 

Peter, I'm sorry but I don't know the Cyrilic alphabet so most of the words you were using went right over my head.

As others have said not having access to the list we don't know what words are on it. We know we sign up to the rules when we join, but I myself and I presume others didn't know we were signing up for the censoring of words in common usage, that are proper names. I suspect all or at least most of us aren't in the habit of littering our posts with swear words, but we do expect some proportionality in the use of language, randomly banning some words in case someone somewhere might possibly be offended does feel like an infringement of free speech, as well as being nannying. As we have seen from posts below it is fairly easy to get around the restrictions if one can be bothered, which most of us can't. It also feels as though we're being shut down to the lowest common denomitator in terms of word choice, is this really fair? ASC people like to talk about a wide range of subjects, just like NT's, but please treat us like the adults we're meant to be.

The only presumption anyone should be making is that this place is designed to help & support Autistic persons.

If you don't like the odd word being censored, I'd suggest the best plan is to try using words that wont be redacted.  The English language has over a million to select from.