What the (self-censored)??!!

[Furore]

So I got caught using a word in another thread (my bad, I know, it's in the rules and the mod was cool enough to let me get away with just some bad rep points), but it got me thinking, why are many Internet forums/communities so behind the times with some of the language banned?

For instance, the word I got done for is a very commonly used word (particularly among many rural Australians such as myself) beginning with the letter 'S'. I would not be surprised if it's commonly used in many places as though it's not uncommon for Australian TV shows and radio aired music to feature the word, so do we also get it here used in shows from the US, Canada, New Zealand etc.

Is it because our Internet forefathers were generally intellectual sorts who'd be rolling in their graves at the usage of vulgar colloquial? Is it a conspiracy orchestrated by sentient walruses and the Association of Shifty Guys in Black Suits, is it (definitely the most unlikely scenario) that forum etiquette hasn't been updated in a decade or so, or is there some other dark force at work?

[The Butcher]

So the sites that don't allow bad language get more age groups to join the forum. I don't like it,but I can live with it.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

So I got caught using a word in another thread (my bad, I know, it's in the rules and the mod was cool enough to let me get away with just some bad rep points), but it got me thinking, why are many Internet forums/communities so behind the times with some of the language banned?

For instance, the word I got done for is a very commonly used word (particularly among many rural Australians such as myself) beginning with the letter 'S'. I would not be surprised if it's commonly used in many places as though it's not uncommon for Australian TV shows and radio aired music to feature the word, so do we also get it here used in shows from the US, Canada, New Zealand etc.

Is it because our Internet forefathers were generally intellectual sorts who'd be rolling in their graves at the usage of vulgar colloquial? Is it a conspiracy orchestrated by sentient walruses and the Association of Shifty Guys in Black Suits, is it (definitely the most unlikely scenario) that forum etiquette hasn't been updated in a decade or so, or is there some other dark force at work?

In relation to AF it's because Kaitou and/or Minako want the site PG 13 from an American perspective. Because these sites turn a profit, and they'd like that to continue.

[Skylar1]

I think it has more to do with maturity really.

Such words, when used properly, have their place to express extremes of ones feelings.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people on the internet, who for the most part, can not limit themselves in a moderate way as such. (referring to people who seem to drop an "F-bomb" ever other sentence.) Self-control is a major part as to why they are censored. More so than I think than just the presence of children.

[Furore]

In relation to AF it's because Kaitou and/or Minako want the site PG 13 from an American perspective. Because these sites turn a profit, and they'd like that to continue.

Is that 'S' word really regulated in America?
If it is they must be exporting quality goods here they don't show there.
It wouldn't surprise me though as knowing your target audience is a big thing.

Some interesting responses!

Edit: I'm getting ahead of myself here now, but say that word is regulated in the US, does that mean you guys got censored or higher rated versions of kids movies utilizing those words like for example E.T.?

[Eris]

Is that 'S' word really regulated in America?
If it is they must be exporting quality goods here they don't show there.
It wouldn't surprise me though as knowing your target audience is a big thing.

Because of the intense lobbying efforts of a noisy minority the FCC has really bizarre standard when it comes to ratings (especially with regards to language). Said standard have been set as the standard to follow on AF. And while I don't agree with the rationale behind this particular rule, I enforce them none the less.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people on the internet, who for the most part, can not limit themselves in a moderate way as such. (referring to people who seem to drop an "F-bomb" ever other sentence.) Self-control is a major part as to why they are censored. More so than I think than just the presence of children.

Though this neither helps those people (who will find other ways of being obnoxious), nor the people who have to read their posts (who will be subjected to their other ways of being obnoxious.)

[-GAZKUL-]

swearing can be usefull in certain situations, but it is innapropriate for the really young (ie below 10) but for the rest of us it is something we do out of habit to express emotion at events. i think that forums should allow some swearing on certain topics, maybe even just in Pay to Post.

also you have to bear in mind that the spelling od some words is differend on the other side of the pond, eg arse - a*s

[wolfgirl90]

Is that 'S' word really regulated in America?
If it is they must be exporting quality goods here they don't show there.
It wouldn't surprise me though as knowing your target audience is a big thing.

Some interesting responses!

Edit: I'm getting ahead of myself here now, but say that word is regulated in the US, does that mean you guys got censored or higher rated versions of kids movies utilizing those words like for example E.T.?

Well, I might be getting ahead of myself here, but bare with me here...

Its kinda funny that you say that because in the United States, with the obvious exception of broadcast television and radio (which is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission), language is not regulated AT ALL (kinda negates your question), versus Australia where content is not only regulated, but it is regulated by the federal government (via the Australian Classification Board) and applies to everything from movies and video games to books, music and Internet sites (one would be hard pressed to form ANYTHING like that in the US). The US may rate movies and video games, but this is voluntary; in Australia its not (in fact, I believe selling anything that has been refused classification is a criminal offense in Australia). If anyone is getting censored material, it would be you guys, not us. In fact, Australia does censor some US works (e.g Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas) and outright bans others (e.g Reservoir Dogs, Postal); that generally doesn't happen here (with some crap exceptions like the censorship of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, although this happened to everyone outside Japan; what the...).

The "S" word is not regulated in the United States nor is ANY word; and beyond the FCC, nothing is truly regulated as far as content is concerned (where the content is sold is usually, but not always, regulated; the states handle that) due to the First Amendment of our Constitution which guarantees free speech (though certain things, like obscene pornography, are not protected by this). The thing is, there are VOLUNTARY rating boards here and one must weigh their freedom of speech against the ability to sell their work (movie, video game, music, etc) in certain places (e.g Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Gamestop) that have policies for that. You can make a violent, bloody as hell video game where you ride dinosaurs and beat kittens, but if you can't sell it anywhere, what's the point (and did you even need to do that)?

The same thing happens on the Anime Forum. There are no real regulations that the site needs to adhere to (although, there are standards that the site VOLUNTARILY follows), however, freedom of speech needs to weighed against marketing ability. Will parents allow their kids (who make up a nice chunk of this population) to use this site if people are using the "S" word and dropping "F" bombs? The answer is no. And if it weren't for the rules on this site that expressly ban the use of such language, would the simple knowledge of the presence of children on this site stop people from using those words (which, by all accounts, didn't need to be used in the first place)? Again, the answer is no.

[Miss Moonlight]

Well, there are some instances where censoring the internets has a purpose; when it's a kids-only site and therefore not appropriate, or just because people tend to abuse the use of them.

Sometimes the stars that replace the "bad" words look just as bad, though.

Otherwise, it's just kind of useless, you can see/hear any measure of "bad" words anywhere else on the internet, or elsewhere.

I can understand it in AF's case, though.

[Furore]

@ wolfgirl90 (I apologise, it takes ages to type anything on these silly touchscreen keyboards).

The thing with the Australian system though is that PG rated films can easily contain the odd vulgarity. Even if it's a bit worse, our M rating allows a considerable amount more obscenity and isn't restricted to persons 15+ and older like the MA15+ rating. Almost everything is allowed under the R18+ rating apart from porn which is legal to own but not legal to sell (though do a little research on the number of adult stores charged with selling it, people tend to turn a blind eye). Internet sites as of now aren't possible for the government to regulate and even if it does manage to pass it's web filter there will still be ways around it coupled with things it can't block like P2P. The only real problem here is games as somewhat stupidly we lack an R18+ rating for those - a couple are banned, a couple are usually only lightly censored and the rest are released in complete form as MA15+ titles.

It's fine to contrast a mandatory system with a voluntary one, but at the end of the day, kids here are still hearing those words on public TV, radio and in some films rated for their age. I had thought that the case in the US until I read in this thread that bit about some words being outside of the PG range at which point I thought I'd admit my own ignorance and ask the people here how that worked using an example rated PG here that I know has swearing in it's uncensored form.

I do agree completely with your last paragraph though, especially as some parents are almost remarkably out of touch with how some of the kids are these days.

[wolfgirl90]

@ wolfgirl90

It's fine to contrast a mandatory system with a voluntary one, but at the end of the day, kids here are still hearing those words on public TV, radio and in some films rated for their age. I had thought that the case in the US until I read in this thread that bit about some words being outside of the PG range at which point I thought I'd admit my own ignorance and ask the people here how that worked using an example rated PG here that I know has swearing in it's uncensored form.

I do agree completely with your last paragraph though, especially as some parents are almost remarkably out of touch with how some of the kids are these days.

Ah, I see what you asking before.

When it comes to movies, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rates the movies that companies give them (this is, of course, voluntary). The ratings are generally made according to content (what word is used, how it is used, which gender is naked, which way are they facing, if a person is FREAKING SMOKING, etc), but exceptions can be made depending on the situation (this can be good or bad). A movie doesn't have to have an MPAA rating, but their movie has a better chance of being seen by others if it is.

Now, when it comes to E.T, that movie was created before the creation of the current rating system standards. The rating system has been around since 1968, but the one that we use now has only been in effect since 1984, two years after E.T came out, and even then, we changed it again in 1996 (X changing into NC-17) and KEEP CHANGING IT. The MPAA has not released all of its standards (even though they should; movie companies don't know if they should edit for content for a particular rating until AFTER the MPAA has already given it), so why the rating has stayed where it is, I honestly can't say (while the MPAA does often change the ratings of re-released movies, it is not required).

Although, Steven Spielberg did voluntarily change some things in that movie when it was re-released (I do not have the re-released version, though I have seen it plenty of times), such as the language and the use of guns (some crap about having kids and not wanting them exposed to that...I don't know), so THAT could be the reason more than anything else.

[TheThunderBringer]

Even though I got to High School and hear cursing everyday, I NEVER use language like that. "Cursing is a lazy mind trying to express itself"

[SupaWeena]

It's a rule. The fact that there are people of ALL ages are on here also plays a major factor

[Eris]

I can understand it in AF's case, though.

The benefit of keeping AF clean is that it's kept out of Internet filter blacklists, which are widely employed by schools, which presumably contribute a significant chunk of traffic.