What causes Fodors BB to yank certain threads?
 

There were 2 interesting threads yesterday - one about TSA regs and another, an AP wire story, about profiling of passengers by ticket, destination and meal choices. Both have disappeared into intenet oblivion. Are we really that paranoid? are we afraid THEY might learn something? Can I expect a knock at my door or will I just disappear some night?

an AP wire story, about profiling of passengers by ticket, destination and meal choices.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=9&start=0

"Can I expect a knock at my door or will I just disappear some night?'

Yes, you can. Pay those hefty credit card bills soon or you risk sleeping with the fishes.

alan - yes - there was a similar one on this Europe board yesterday
degas - this obsession of yours based on debt is worrying... and Christmas hasn't even arrived. LOL

Hi Robjam

I, too, have often wondered what prompted the Fodors masterminds [sic] to pull a thread or to can a Forum poster.

Some of the causes for deleting a thread are obvious and the reasons fully consistent with the rules of forum use. If people start insult hurling contests, or if profanity intrudes, I can easily understand the reasons for pulling such threads.

Also advertisements are usually removed rather quickly as are threads that are totally unrelated to travel. I have no problem with that type of editorial intervention. If people could post advertisements here at will, I think the practice would quickly ruin the forum. There is, however, a fine line between a contributor like me saying that I like Hotel X in city Y and a commercial advertisement.

I have also noticed that some threads with a political undertone get very short shrift; they are pulled almost immediately.

We went through a period a few months ago where some users were kicked off the forum for writing responses that the editors deemed to be defamatory, insulting, rude, crude, threatening, etc. There have also been compromise thread deletions in the form of leaving the initial postings intact, but blocking the posting of any new replies to the original posting. As a result, the thread soon sinks out of sight in the listings.

As for what one has to say to get ejected from future participation, I am not sure. I know I have made my share of barbed comments about the editors and their seemingly arbitrary censorship tactics, but so far no retribution has come my way. I have not noticed anyone getting bumped in the last few months. (It could have happened; I just have not noticed any occurrences.)

Fodors has its rules of participation, and I have no problem with them, but I do see a lack of consistency where their enforcement is concerned. Basically, booting users off the forum and deleting whole threads seems at times to occur sporadically, whimsically, and even irrationally.

I think it is a function of the value system of the latest new hire to be given a tour of duty patrolling the forums. Thread deletion and participant ejection seems to be a more common occurrence on the European board than on all the others combined.

I think that is because the liveliest threads are usually posted here on the Europen wing. Moreover, this part of the total forum seems to attract the sharper minded critics, particularly those who seem to enjoy taking pot shots at other people's postings.

bob_brown, I also think it's which police officer's on duty at the time. ((b))

It usually has to do with politics, and then any kind of heated discussion involving race or ethnicity.

They will also often delete threads, if they see them, that violate their rules that you are not allowed to copy and paste articles from other websites, due to copyright laws. So if that AP wire story thread actually cut and pasted it on here, rather than referring to it, that could do it. But, they don't like the board to be used for heated, controversial discussions, as they think that is not a pleasant environment for newcomers. It has nothing to do with paranoia, just their vision of what they want the Fodors environment to be. I don't think Fodors has any reason to care what people learn about things. I don't think people should depend upon Fodors for their general news information source. Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads the newspaper any more.

There have been quite a few posts deleted from the Fodorite Lounge forum lately. Most recently the charity fundraisor thread - Panties for Britney. Don't know whether we were to donate money or undies and now we will never find out.

<i> I also think it's which police officer's on duty at the time.</i>

b'man, you &amp; I are in agreement on another thing!! My suspicion is that the night shifters get wired on coffee and end up being a little overzealous with the old delete button. ;)

I also agree with bobbrown that there seems to be a certain lack of consistency re: what is acceptable, what is objectionable. I mean, I know this is their deal, and they can randomly delete, eject, censor, edit, yadayadyada without any justification required, but it is just beyond weird sometimes.
:-?

Whatever, I guess ...

I yanked a thread yesterday. Not sure where the button flew off to after that.

I think threads here get pulled because I post to them. Just you watch...

Clifton, LOL!!!!