Hi All

I have deleted the "Brakes" thread which was in this forum as it had degraded into nothing more than an unhelpful slanging match.

There were also comments which could be considered potentially libellous in there which have no place on this board.

If you have a gripe with a supplier, can you please deal with them directly about it, rather than risking the continued presence of this bbs by allowing it to publish libellous / slanderous comments.

This in NOT directed at one person or company, but the overall thread was going nowhere and helping nobody.

There are plenty of good things to say about suppliers / products, why not focus on them, rather than on the bad points of other suppliers.

I hope nobody will be offended but we cannot allow posts to remain on the board if it puts scoobynet at risk.

Regards

webmaster

[This message has been edited by webmaster (edited 02 October 2000).]

I presume this was the AP thread that I started last week. I've was out of the country for a few days last week, and had a very busy weekend, so haven't managed to visit the BBS since Wednesday morning. I'm sorry if the thread de-generated into a war, but it honestly wasn't meant to do that!

If anyone had any more info on AP brake kits and prices etc, can they please send the info to me personally at

To the guy who wanted photos of both the brake kits, could you please repost as I didn't make a note of your mail address (assuming I could get it off the thread at the time http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif).
Best regards
Mike R

I am confused,

1) why have disclaimers at the bottom of every page if you then seek to retract that disclaimer (or make it irrelevant)

2) Are we saying that we should only post pleasant things on this board and never share bad experiences - is this what the sharing of information and knowledge is truly about? Is this not akin to sticking our heads in the sand and hoping the chasing predator will dissapear as we can no longer see it?

Confused of croydon

sunil

There really should be NO confusion at all...

Of course we don't need to stick to nice things, I am sure you can't really think this is what I mean.

The ONLY time it becomes a problem is when someone posts something which is illegal!

Simple as that.

As moderators of an internet publication that allow the public to submit it's content we have a moral and legal obligation to remove illegal material as soon as is reasonably possible.

regards

a tired webmaster

Constructive posts surely - whether critisism/humour/techie/advice, etc. Slagging off/slanging matches have no place here, even if the thread does not start out that way, it is up to ALL of us to ensure that threads do not get out of hand.
I like this board alot and i would hate it to fold beacuse it degenerated into a 'have a go are us' or got shut due to legal action or 'old Webbie' got sick of it- sound familiar.

No sucking up - just how i feel
breath - breath - hyper-ventillation over



[This message has been edited by Paul Habgood (edited 04 October 2000).]

Webbie

As an employee of an insurance broker whose E&O insurance is always exposed I know exactly where you are coming from - chin up http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

PaulHabgood - summed it up nicely http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Everyone - just remember it is US and what we say who ultimately decide the fate of this BBS.

....so what was posted that was ILLEGAL then?

Sunil, nobody said that there was anything illegal in that thread. However, there were comments that MIGHT be considered POTENTIALLY illegal, ie libelous.

As the law stands, no precidents for libel on the internet have been establsihed so the current law that applies to magazines and newspapers also applies to the www. (Okay, the law's an ass and all that, but it don't change the facts.) So, if it all turns nasty, the Webmaster is also in the poo.

Therefore, any sensible Webmaster works to the old adage "when in doubt, leave it out." They also take all reasonable steps to discourage potentially damaging posts, with disclaimers and so on, which would help their defense when in front of the beak.

I work in publishing and have both issued and recieved writs. Either way, it's not a nice place to be. It costs a fortune in legal fees and takes up unbelievably vast amounts of time.

There is another old publishing adage which may be worth repeating, and that is "the greater the truth, the greater the libel." By way of illustration, and deliberately as far from Scoobydom as possible, say that one of your work colleagues confides in the pub that he saw the MD bonking your missus on the board room tabel. You want to sue for adultery and breakdown of marriage but can you prove it? You may well find that your mate in the pub has suddenly lost his memory. Now you don't have a case, are massively in debt, and quite probably on the receiving end of a slander suit!

When in doubt, leave it out. Best way. Keep it clean, keep it positive, and keep Scoobynet alive and kicking.

Hoppy

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by webmaster:
<B>sunil

There really should be NO confusion at all...

Of course we don't need to stick to nice things, I am sure you can't really think this is what I mean.

The ONLY time it becomes a problem is when someone posts something which is illegal!

Simple as that.

As moderators of an internet publication that allow the public to submit it's content we have a moral and legal obligation to remove illegal material as soon as is reasonably possible.

regards

a tired webmaster[/quote]
=============================================
Sorry, i saw the word "illegal" twice and as the word illegal was mentioned twice without the word "potential" immediately preceeding it, i took it on face value. Thanks for the insight

Stupid Sunil

[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 05 October 2000).]

>>it is up to ALL of us to ensure that threads do not get out of hand.<<

Paul

You are a moderator, so why didn't you moderate the thread if you thought it was potentially libelous?

Paul is not a moderator of this forum. Moderators can only moderate their own forum.

Anyway, the thread WAS moderated, which is why I posted this thread to explain.

Cheers

Simon

[This message has been edited by webmaster (edited 07 October 2000).]