I actually read this in the SMH but it is online too at the ubiquitous (don’t want to name for fear of being accused of promoting – “news” service).

Note that this link has more detailed information than what appeared in the original news item:
http://bit.ly/censorship1

Folks – people are just so, well, opinionated aren’t they? That’s why I’m asking for an opinion at the one place I trust will give me one warts and all! But the Online Forum is a pure-play opinion forum, and I respect the moderator’s role in keeping the language clean. This is quite different from:

(1) Selling an “opinion” service under the guise of “news” aka deceptive and misleading
(2) Actively BLOCKING the story, not the foul word aka censorship
(3) Being highly selective in subject choice (eg. Thailand’s media) aka propaganda

Nicoto – are you suggesting that they are performing some kind of community service by cleaning up the “kid’s” language?

OUG – 7 million users, not hits. Otherwise, thanks for the support..

Pericles – To address your question: “Is it censorship, when you delete stuff you don't want associated with your site?”, I think, No, that is good governance when you are avoiding a law suit from the most highly litigious members of society...

And regarding “they should be advertising their product's positive aspects extremely heavily. Anything else is a cop-out.” I couldn’t agree more, yet according to my *name deleted* favourite online search provider, the *name deleted* news-service-that-shan’t-be-named, comes up as:

“Latest news for Australians. Breaking stories from Australia and the rest of the world. Video highlights, local news, technology, sports, finance, ...” which would be the metatag on the site, so that is how they promote themselves.

Jockey – I once did a post in this very forum on online courtesy and common decency, which attracted some lovely verbiage, I will trawl through the history to see if I can find it if you are interested (it is only relevant in response to your comment, not to this post).

*Nicnoto - are you suggesting that they are performing some kind of community service by cleaning up the “kid’s” language*

No. I am expressing my content with the fact that if users can't meet disagreeing opinions without being abusive online, then restriction on 'clean' sites only serves them right.

It is just unfortunate for the civilised users that their privileges are cut short too. Although if somebody has something to say, it will only be a matter of time before it is heard.

quote..<<..OUG/7 million..users,..not hits.>>
great/for..them..i guess..i should/admit-to..being 10 of them

so who are we..talking/about
just yahhoo7

7 million..possable posters..
how could/you read..all their..posts

clearly..there are/a..few..that do/as..i did
ie..forgot which id..they used
thus created..a new-one

yahoo/answers...there i have gone/went..through..5 ids
then there/is ..the yahoo/storage-type site..i have/had..8 of them
then there/was the news/commenting site-service..3 there

7 million-users..is the gross..[spin]
what counts..is site..turnover...

the advertisers..pay a few cents..per/100 visits
[that sort/of thing]

but then..there is the/user

sites are/nothing without....us
as we..despirtily search..for..the info...
the main-media..cant include..in its 15/stories..of/or..for.. the/day

rather info..available..
for least-effort
..least/ammoubnt..of time-wasting

even us..time..rich..hate wasting/that-much..time
and learn/to click..with caution

its all..about trust...and i lack/faith..in yahoo

who deleted years-of..my work..
because i revealed the truth,...in one post...about john howard/electoral...spin...

then..his payback...all id's../info..posts..opinions/research...gone

all my intelectual capital..stolen..deleted..
with one poor-commentary/choice..2 years..of work..gone

anyhow..without yahoo's inequity...i would still/be there
wasting my breath...the topics..roll-over so fast...in 5 minutes
there is too/much corrective spin..to even try-to correct

im over the 24/7..method..of posting
nearly/over posting..all-together

when people..like/peter/beatup..has 400 bloggers..[ok had]...
well you/cant beat..that sort-of..spin-machinary

even if..the truth..does stay...its impossable to find..under all/that..spin

i sort of blame..the teqies..and windows/vista...and govt/parinoia

[5 computers have..died/via virus..implanted..in the back-door/window..of too/many..of my/expensive computers]

my latest/lap-top..was murded..
simply for/donating..50 bucks to wiki-leaks
and attempting..to get/posts..up on neguses..sbs/chat-room

where i found i was able-to..write/post..
but nothing/showed up..in the chat-box

needless to say..i havnt bothered calling-in/there..ever again
same at abc/bbc..removed..deleted..almost as soon-as..i posted

freespeach..is such a joke..
computers...even more so

anyhow
thanks for..letting*/me vent
i will only..need to vent more..if/or when..this post..gets deleted

[thats what/the..clever-guys..dont get
deletion..only makes..some..more determined]

which means/we need to find..a new site/..new people

ok i know..teqies..can follow..our every key-stroke
i know the server/knows who/..where i am

i know bill-gates..has back-doors..into every window

that he gives..freely to..any/every diktaitor..
claiming..to govern..[lord-it/over..peons]..
silly enough to trust..wind/ohhhs

or the www..or yahoo
[yes..i know..usa/israel..intel..own/run..google]

tell me some-thing/i didnt know
on second thought..not to worry
im over-it...and..'it'..would-only..be/deleted

[thanks..for the/memory]..ies

UOG, it would be easier to read your posts if you construct sentences and paragraphs normally. When I start to read your stuff I give up after the first few lines, and simply end up not reading what you write. I bet lots of others probably don't bother with your posts for the same reason. So I'd suggest maybe you construct the written word normally, and you'll probably get more readers that way.

Yahoo!7 blocking was stronger in their news forums which they have subsequently closed.

Amazed to find the word "alphabet" offensive there !

Was trying to figure out what word they were trying to censor, gave up.

Found less blocking in their investment forums.

That users unable to obtain feedback on why their posts were deemed offensive was real disgrace !

.