[Mrluvaluva]

Are we living in a Big Brother society? What do you feel about censorship? Do you like to have your say? Does censorship annoy you?

[Lauren]

It's rare that I admit the US Government made a right move, but by keeping the first amendment and therefore the freedom of speech of civilians was a good move. If I have a righteous opinion then I will say it! (Obviously within the confined of the law, or if we'll take a forum analogy - the rules!). If I don't break said rules and I'm censored, then I'll feel pretty damn angry.

I hate the idea that someones opinions is deemed more worthy than someone elses, and thats exactly what censorship does.

[Mrluvaluva]

To me. Everyones opinion counts. And you won't know it without asking them. That is why we have the vote.

[Lauren]

During my Sociology A Level I looked at censorship in the media (telly, forums, etc) and for the large part it was used as a tool for oppression. I don't see any positivity from that - so I dunno why it's done!

[Billy]

what is censorship

[Lauren]

Originally posted by OfficialSuperstar
what is censorship

Hiding or banning peoples opinions.

[Billy]

no-one will dare ban my opinion I dont think thats fair. I am AGAINST censorshin

[Mrluvaluva]

Censorship is oppressive.

[spacebandit]

A censor is a man who knows more than he thinks you ought to.
Granville Hicks

Censorship is the biggest [non violent] stick in a Government arsenal of control.
There are emany ways to do it to achieve their goals, from appointing a failed film-maker who could be told what to do, to the head of the BBFC [James Ferman, now deceased -] - to sabre rattling in regards to the BBC licence fee in order to control BBC News output.

To the most insidious form by allowing acquisition rules to drop to allow individuals to purchase multiple media outlets, and then attempting to court that individual to back your political party. [Rupert Murdoch & News International], so that in this country and in the United States we have an expatriate Australian who is feted by our "leaders" for fear of bad press in the very outlets they changed the rules to allow him to buy.

[Ruth]

I am against censorship, and agree that it is used as a tool to oppress people.

At it's most basic form, it really annoys me when people say, 'this or that should not be on tv/radio, etc'. There's an off button. People should be able to make their choice, and we are extremely lucky that we live in a country where we don't get punished for speaking up for what we believe.

Officialsuperstar - it's quite astounding to people in the UK that censorship takes place. You say that nobody would dare ban your opinion...in some countries, you wouldn't dare express it.

One of my closest friends is a black guy who grew up under the apartheid system in South Africa. Some of the things that were banned there are crazy - one example is the album The Wall, by Pink Floyd. Banned, because of it's content, and it's themes. They didn't people to get ideas into their head. The amount of books that were banned....it makes me count my blessings that we live in a country where we are allowed relatively free speech (I'm not fooling myself that we have completely free speech anywhere in the world).

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Ruth
I am against censorship, and agree that it is used as a tool to oppress people.

At it's most basic form, it really annoys me when people say, 'this or that should not be on tv/radio, etc'. There's an off button. People should be able to make their choice, and we are extremely lucky that we live in a country where we don't get punished for speaking up for what we believe.

Officialsuperstar - it's quite astounding to people in the UK that censorship takes place. You say that nobody would dare ban your opinion...in some countries, you wouldn't dare express it.

One of my closest friends is a black guy who grew up under the apartheid system in South Africa. Some of the things that were banned there are crazy - one example is the album The Wall, by Pink Floyd. Banned, because of it's content, and it's themes. They didn't people to get ideas into their head. The amount of books that were banned....it makes me count my blessings that we live in a country where we are allowed relatively free speech (I'm not fooling myself that we have completely free speech anywhere in the world).

Have to mention South Africa - just a comment based on personal experience. I lived there from ages 8 - 13, and I remember going to see the movie Blazing Saddles, was early in 1976 - it was part of a double bill and the version of Blazing Saddles in South Africa had all scenes where Cleavon Little was "winning" or getting "one-up" as it were - were cut' along with huge chunks of his dialogue.

Now if anyone isn't familiar with Blazing Saddles [there may be some] - Cleavon Little is, along with Gene Wilder the star, and he is black.

the film that remained was less than an hour long and is why it was shown in a double bill - and just about the only scene in the movie that wasn't touched was the "farting" sequence.

It wasn't until I was about 18 that I saw the movie again, here in the UK and before vhs was widespread, and realised just what had been changed - that was my first realisation as to the power of political censorship .

Made even stranger as when I saw it again it was on a double bill with "Scum"

[sarahtheangel]

i would not say we have freedom of speech anymore , have to always worry about upsetting immagrants , dont get me wrong if someone comes to this country due to there life at risk thats fine but please live by our home rules like we do yours , we come to your country we cover up so as not to offend just 1 example . the other is christmas lights now going to be called fairy lights as not to offend , getting rid of father christmas in stores as not to offend other releigions . but most of this is due to the goverment and do gooders. sorry if i have offended any 1 and i dont mean that sargasticly.

[Sunny_01]

I feel pretty strongly about censorship just like many of you. The word censorship often gets bandied around when the admin team make a decision here and that is not the case at all.

I like that I have the right to an opinion, thoughts and have the right to express them, however I think there is a fine line between expressing an opinion and being offensive. As long as we all express our opinions in a way that does not cause offense then I think we should all be free to say what and how we feel.

I like Ruth hate the way people say "this shouldnt be allowed on tv" well turn it over if you dont like it, thats part of what freedom is!

[bananarama]

This is a heartening thread. Anti censorship is my natural instinct too.

Moderators have a dificult job but at the end of the day if you stop offensive comments it is still censorship.

Free speech means free speech if you add but this or not that then you have censorship leaving a false free speech according to those who have to decide it shall not be free speech at what ever given circumstance.....You cannot have moderation and then say you also have true free speech..Untrue free speech is cencorship.....

In the real world anything we say can offend some one some where some time. If you want a free speech society the risk of being offended is a risk we should all take in order to have the freedom to speak freely.....In todays control freak political correctness mania free speech is going further and further away for every month that passess.

We are a land of crushed egg shells......For ever treading on them...

[spacebandit]

Whilst I agree completely with all who say that censorship is a bad thing - when it comes to forums such as this I'm afraid I have to say I would disagree with calls for no "censorship".

I've been on totally unmodded boards - they stop working. the line between legal and illegal, especially civil law tends to get crossed pretty quickly, and as it is the "publisher" who can be held liable, boards would come and go very quickly.

We live in a litigious age, no win no fee legal teams waiting to pounce - "money for nothing" as Mark Knopfler so succinctly put it. You may think that is extreme - but I've known board owners have to deal with complaint after complaint lodged with their ISP's and domain hosts that ended up shutting unmodded boards down

Also the boards will inevitably descend into a litany of threats and "internet tough guy" babble - and people leave, the people who leave are the very people you want to share a board with.

Even if things are taken privately away from the board - some people will always spill them back into the public forum. Its the way some people are.

Moderation can vary, theres good and theres bad and I've experienced both, no doubt as have many if not most of you, but for a community to build up you have to have it, thats a plain and simple fact on internet life, which is inherently anonymous at the front end.

Yes civil law can be used as a tool of censorship, some people - especially the rich attempting to stifle legitimate journalistic investigations for instance, under the "banner" of slander and libel are well known in this country - just ask the various editors of "Private Eye" magazine.

Free speech is free speech if it stays within the bounds of the law.
If the law is oppressive and designed to stifle free speech by the back door - work to change the law. It only takes one person to start the ball rolling.