In her opening post, TPP asked:

"What is defamation, or how is it applied on a site like this?"

The post by Deep-Blue on Saturday, 20 November 2010 at 12:41:31 PM may very well constitute an example. Now would be a very good time for new users of the Forum to have a look at the 'Legals' page. It can be found by clicking on the very small text button 'Legals' at the very bottom of any page, but in any case here is the link: http://bit.ly/dkLDEM

Without responding in any way to the post mentioned, I simply note that what purport to be the names of real persons are mentioned in the context of certain allegations. Should it be that in fact those names are those of real persons, any allegations of the like alluded to could well be found to be defamatory. OLO will have no part of facilitating defamation, and I don't think that is any secret. I only comment because I note, unsurprisingly, it being a Saturday afternoon, no indication of GrahamY's presence online at present: in the mean time, the less engagement with the content of that post, the better for OLO.

The comment has been made: "Start a new thread. How did all of this end up here?". More importantly, TPP in the topic title includes the words 'off topic'. What is threatening to happen at this point in this thread is what is known as 'thread hijacking'. It is for no one to instruct that a new thread be opened: someone may choose to do so, but that is subject to its being approved. The only proper conduct is to either refrain from continued posting in the thread, or to return the discussion to the topic (as I am attempting to do here).

If find that quoting something from an article, or an opening post, is always a good way of helping yourself stay reasonably on topic. Staying on topic is a way of paying respect to authors and what users have in this Forum.

Gotta love the internet. On one site I have the parents abusing me for being a supporter of child killing, on another the foster parents are ripping into me for not supporting foster parents no matter what they do.

Here I’m not sure what is happening but I am attempting not to be paranoid.

Nup wasn’t me Blue, twice I have asked for children to be found new homes – both autistic and although they are worth more money I am not the right place for them. I have never even requested respite care (where they still pay you for the child even if they aren’t with you) and never ever dumped a child.

I kinda take it quite seriously, they can be with me for over two years and they are with me, not long day care or anywhere else that foster parents can put them and still get paid for. Some carers are scum bags, I’m not but I have no way of proving it here or on any other site.

I could earn lots fostering but it would mean going to an NGO and I believe the existence of NGO’s in foster care harms children. And they probably all hate me now anyway. DoCS don’t like me either. It just is not easy being me these days.

George of course is right – good and bad people found everywhere. That is why I now desperately try to focus on the systems and how they work for the children rather than the people in them, although I’m inclined to have the odd spew back at some individuals.

I can’t be provoked Lexi, well not right now, I’m all provoked out right now.

Oops - should have read your post Forrest before I responded, I hijacked my own thread and went right off topic.

Umm...[giggle] Will work on new thread, I'm halfway through proposing first post but it just isn't geling yet.

Hi all,

Comment gone and Deep-Blue suspended. Yes, it's a Saturday and I wasn't near a computer this morning. Down in Forster visiting my 6 year old. We had a play in the playground, great surf, bought our provisions for the weekend and had lunch. Then I return to this. :(

Thanks to the four people who were pretty promptly on to it and sent me emails. I had been using my new iPhone to check, so even with the surf there was only a small window in which it could have stayed up.

If you are interested in an insight into how I determine suspensions, normally a first suspension would attract 24 hours (the system won't do less than that). A second infringement within a short time normally gets you 3 to 7 days, and a third will get you a month. After 6 months you're probably back to a day for something that looks heat of the moment.

However, this post looked pretty pre-meditated and was so serious that Deep-Blue copped a week, and it wouldn't take much for me to escalate that rapidly. I don't remember the last time 4 people tipped me off to a problem post, so I assume that most of you wouldn't see this as harsh.

It also has to be practical. You can't afford to have people on the forum who could create a legal liability by dropping in a comment that breaches the law at an opportunistic moment. We could all end-up losing the forum. The suspensions are designed to discourage people trying these sorts of things on.

Thanks Graham we are now back on thread and that post was of benefit to me.
So staying on subject can we have in the coming forum a sin bin? a list of who is out for a time.
Maybe not, it may infringe on privacy.
Good to see 3 more let the thread be seen by you and I want to remind those who do not know clicking on the red cross-under a post will let you do that.
Now it is gone as it should be,some will question why, trust those in charge, it was the only action possible.
FG you would make a good moderator.

Forrest would Belly, I think he is very even handed.

I’d like to know who is banned…I don’t want to have the last say because others are unable to respond.

I have to say I don’t necessarily trust those in charge, but I bow to any changes they make and any moderation applied on the site they own and or run.

I’ve put in an application for a new thread. I am terribly brave. But Graham in the past has been brilliant at making me rethink how I have worded things and without being patronizing has made non-specific suggestions about how I might rethink what message I am attempting to put forward.

I appreciate the effort when it is not something he is obligated to do.

I such a suck up. I get the feeling I just backhanded him then gave him a hug.