Posted on 12/09/2013 10:08:51 AM PST by cuban leaf
So, I was on this site a few weeks ago and a guy was complaining that they were “auto editing” bad words. The entire word would be replaced with asterisks. I posted and told him that you could always misspell the offending word and gave an example. I said you could spell the N word with three “g”s and their software would not touch it. But I didn’t say it that way. I actually posted the word to prove it. Keep in mind, I posted the word with no context. Just the word as an object, much as someone could post the word “bitch”. In fact any context was not even about the word, but about the concept of words in general. The funny part was I continued to post on the site for a couple of days and then decided I needed to spend my time in more productive ways (it’s why I haven’t been here for a few weeks as well), so didn’t bother going there until today and found that I’m in the last week of a month long ban, and didn’t even know it. I also didn’t even have to log in for the message to show up. And the threat was included that if I ever used that word again I would be permabanned. On a side note, I was never warned nor have I ever been warned or banned before. The interesting part is this: I’m posting from a computer in a VERY large organization. I figured I’d just go on the site and lurk without an ID. I figured they wouldn’t ban an IP address in case other users are also here. So to be safe I cleared all history, cookies, etc., shut down my browser and opened it up again and hit the page cold. It STILL said I was banned and I could not even view the site. Out of curiosity, anybody ever heard of such a thing? Can they ban via mac address or ban your hardware in other ways? Just curious. I don’t really need to go back there and the ban is only temporary anyway, but it does beg the question regarding how I was banned and how they know even my computer is banned. I also find this whole thing a clash of cultures. I don’t consider the N word to be a dirty word, but it “can be dirty”, depending on how it is used, as with the word “bitch”. But perhaps I’m coming from a different paradigm or I’m not niggardly enough with my definition scope.
Sorry about the formatting. I used word and apparently the paragraph breaks were lost. Here you go:
So, I was on this site a few weeks ago and a guy was complaining that they were “auto editing” bad words. The entire word would be replaced with asterisks. I posted and told him that you could always misspell the offending word and gave an example. I said you could spell the N word with three “g”s and their software would not touch it. But I didn’t say it that way. I actually posted the word to prove it. Keep in mind, I posted the word with no context. Just the word as an object, much as someone could post the word “bitch”. In fact any context was not even about the word, but about the concept of words in general.
The funny part was I continued to post on the site for a couple of days and then decided I needed to spend my time in more productive ways (it’s why I haven’t been here for a few weeks as well), so didn’t bother going there until today and found that I’m in the last week of a month long ban, and didn’t even know it. I also didn’t even have to log in for the message to show up. And the threat was included that if I ever used that word again I would be permabanned. On a side note, I was never warned nor have I ever been warned or banned before.
The interesting part is this: I’m posting from a computer in a VERY large organization. I figured I’d just go on the site and lurk without an ID. I figured they wouldn’t ban an IP address in case other users are also here. So to be safe I cleared all history, cookies, etc., shut down my browser and opened it up again and hit the page cold. It STILL said I was banned and I could not even view the site. Out of curiosity, anybody ever heard of such a thing? Can they ban via mac address or ban your hardware in other ways?
Just curious. I don’t really need to go back there and the ban is only temporary anyway, but it does beg the question regarding how I was banned and how they know even my computer is banned.
I also find this whole thing a clash of cultures. I don’t consider the N word to be a dirty word, but it “can be dirty”, depending on how it is used, as with the word “bitch”. But perhaps I’m coming from a different paradigm or I’m not niggardly enough with my definition scope.
Great story. No really. Fascinating.
They must have been using some Of Obama’s ‘editing’ software.
He borrowed it from Putin.
That’s a bitch.
If you switch PCs does it still give you that notice?
They may be using the companies IP address and may also be using the MAC address.
This is an excellent thread to remind everyone that substituting letters or symbols to mask profanity is prohibited on FR as well.
You can use a proxy server.
You need to start writing blogs for fun and profit. No, really!
Cool story, bro.
Try setting safari to “private” browsing. I do that when some sites limit the number of articles read per month.
Hopefully someone with technical knowledge will reply.
Yeah. Tell me about it. What was interesting was that I did not realize the word was off limits. I use “bitch” as an example becuase it is only offensive depending on the context. And I feel the same way about the N word. It can aptly apply to a person regardless of their race, though most people see it just as race, just as the B word is usually seen as not referring to dogs. It is not like the F word, which is offensive in a forum, regardless of use, and why I would not have done the same thing with that word. It’s why I used the n word as my example - to prove he could skirt the software - figuring I was using a word that out of any context was not offensive. My bad. ;-)
1) Is your IP address the same every day?
2) Are you sure that the actual site is banning you and not work software banning the site?
3) Try different web browsers.
Never heard of what you are experiencing.
My Mcfee blocks my computer from many sites unless I remove them from its list.
start your own site
make your own rules
some words can get a site banned or sponsors to drop it
Try using an anonymizer, you can surf it that way
You will find that if you are banned from a site on the internet... you will live. Probably even prosper.
You will find that if you are suspended from a social site on the internet you might find real conversation outside with a real person. But stick it out man, you will survive.
Thanks for the reminder. Its a rule that is regulary broken (I know - I break it often), but maybe if replies are deleted more often, then we can clean up our site.
1) Is your IP address the same every day?
2) Are you sure that the actual site is banning you and not work software banning the site?
3) Try different web browsers.
Answers:
1. I dunno. Would a site ban a large company site from using their site because it wanted to ban one guy?
2. Yes. It specifically says I’m banned and my banning has x number of minutes to go. It also has the permaban warning.
3. We are only allowed to use one specific browser here, and I don’t have admin rights.
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