Comment Re: Time for a campaign of emails to Slashdot (Score 1) 577
I'm aware that Slashdot's 'no deletion' policy was clearer and cleaner in the pasty. I was here for the furore over the Scientology takedown.
Blocking a post (via filters for content or proxy) and moderating are very different from deletion. So is playing with how moderation points are assigned.
I realise that these are restrictions on what can be 'said', and are part of a broader definition of censorship, but, for me, the deletion of something that has been 'said' is far more problematic and for more dangerous. If I think that I've communicated, only to find my post edited or deleted without my knowledge or consent, then my words have been changed. If I know that I cannot post, I can make other arrangements (as the GNAA posts demonstrate, you can't stop the message).
Deleting has a much greater chilling effect than up-front restrictions, IMHO.
If you're bothered by censorship, the filtering of the n-word should be far more problematic.
Why? It's trivial to bypass as has been demonstrated time and again, here and everywhere else. And I cannot believe that Slashdot editors are so ignorant as to believe otherwise. What they can do, however, when they receive a complaint is to be able to say 'look, we tried'. I/we know it's pointless, but that may not stop an injunction or court order. If they can demonstrate that it's pointless, that's another matter.
perhaps having the side effect of preventing some discussion of racism
That's a weak argument. 'Perhaps'? If a discussion is prevented because someone can't work out how to use a synonym, alternate spelling or character substitution, then this isn't a tech site.
The lameness filter is part of a larger 'post quality' process that includes excluding certain characters, line length etc. It's passive and doesn't stop someone who is determined. GNAA hasn't stopped and the reason it's decreased is that it's stopped getting a reaction. APK will never stop because he's mentally ill. The anti-Creimer posts will fade, just like the Kristopeit (sp?) posts (remember those - very similar MO to the Creimer spam inc. creating accounts to pretend to be the target). Grit teeth. Endure. If the poster is sane, they'll get bored when they stop getting a reaction.
Filtering doesn't work (see both APK and GNAA) and deletion is the part of censorship that I find most worrisome. I've presumed you were advocating one, the other or both and I apologise if that's a mistaken assumption.
And thanks for the civil discussion.