Recent exchanges on these forums have gotten me thinking - do we need a code of conduct, or code of acceptable behaviour on these forums?

I'm a freedom of speech and anti-censorship kind of guy, but want to see if anyone else has any differing viewpoints on this issue.

In particular, it occurred to me that the "Hitler ain't so bad" thread in the OOC forums might really offend a lot of people, and I just want to get a sampling of public opinion as to whether we as a region should embrace all political statements, no matter how extreme, or whether it is the will of the region that some criteria be put into place on the content here.

I see arguments for both sides - blatant racism may send a lot of people away from the region and cause the NS world to think we're a bunch of Nazis, but then again, censorship may make the region look like we're either a bunch of dictatorial PC thugs. Either way, I want to make sure that whatever approach we take, that it is the right one.

For the time being, I'm going to take a laissez faire attitude, but I want everyone who has a viewpoint to post it here.

As an emerging democracy, its issues like these that we will have to address in the short term, and I'd like full participation from everyone in this process.

For starters here's my favorite quote on the subject:

"I think you should defend to the death their right to march, and then go down and meet them with baseball bats."
Woody Allen, on the KKK

I do believe in freedom of speech. If I don't like what I'm hearing I just go somewhere else. However, if I'm "home" then they are the ones who have to go.

First however, we should ask them nicely to knock it off. Then if they can't take a hint they can try the same activites in the rejected realms.

I do know if they are not careful how they post it, NS will kick them out of the game.

I am a big believer in freedom of speech too.

I think this will become a bigger problem when the board gets busier. In that instance we may have to go down the route they have taken in the SP.

On their forum they have board watchers that make sure that no-one posts anything too defamatory or inciteful.

They also have a dedicated over 18's area to make sure that topics of an adult nature are not discussed in public in front of wee ones. :rolleyes:

When things get busy around here we are gonna be expected to do this sort of thing by some of our inhabitants, and although freedom of speech is all well and good, but sooner or later we are going to come across something that we are gonna have to legislate against as an organisation.

Lets just hope that we can all rely on our overactive super-ego's to keep us in check. Let's face it. Each and every one of us has the capacity to know when we are saying something that could offend someone. And doing so is a classic attention grabbing tactic.

NS has some specific posting rules. Among them are the following:

Swearing at someone is illegal.(defamatory)
Other insults are illegal.(defamatory)
Sexual references are illegal.(obscene)
Sexual imagery is illegal.(obscene)
Posting links to explicit websites is illegal.(obscene)
Threatening someone is illegal, unless it is stated as IC. (Emperor Bezo can threaten Checkers all he wants, as long as it is IC.)

I feel most of us are mature enough to judge whether a post has crossed the line or not, but it appears this isn't the case for everyone. A laissez faire attitude will work for most incidents, such as the odd flame-and-run attacks on the regional board, but if a problem persists, I think action should be taken. If someone is being offensive for a laugh, but takes it too far, they should be warned. If they don't change their behaviour, they should be banned for a fixed amount of time, depending on the severity of the offence. This should be used as an absolute last resort, but it should be used when appropriate.

I believe everyone should be able to say anything they want. Those who are offended by what they (those who's statements are being questioned) say have the right to offer a counter statement if they see fit. Just as long as statements are not aimed at specific persons (i.e. other members of this region).

Any country inclined to judge the beliefs of many by the words of one is probably not the best type of country for our region.

Also, the "Hitler ain't so bad" thread occurred in the OOC forums, as you said, and therefore would probably not be used by (intelligent) others when judging the quality of our region.

Just my thoughts :)

I agree with Canadiiya. I think that people should be allowed to voice their views, and if others don't like it they can respond to it as they see fit. And with cases like bezo, who was very blatantly offensive, everyone in this forum was against him, so I don't feel that someone would be turned away from here by it, because they know that others feel the same way about what was said.

(I know that wasn't articulated very well...it's been a long day -_-)

yeah freedom of speech!