Why GameSpot hates the 1st Amendment. (Or, a rant about the GameSpot Gestapo.)

So maybe some of you have read the GameSpot article that PS3 sales have TRIPLED this last shopping weekend. I did, and despite the fact that I OWN a PS3 and LIKE my PS3, I couldn't resist posting a comment that read as follows:

"Wow! So Sony sold 9 PS3's?! That's awesome!"

Moments later, I got a TOS Violation Warning for this reason: "Intending solely to annoy and/or offend other users."

Okay. First of all, there must have been about 300 other people saying MUCH worse things about this article and TRASHING the PS3 in a manner that much more befits the description of "Intending to annoy and/or offend others." I mean, C'MON! What I said is funny! I like Sony, but I realize how badly their sales have been in the past, and if you can't laugh at yourself, then who can you laugh at?

Secondly, I did not intend to annoy and/or offend ANYONE. Who is GameSpot to say what my intentions were? They can't read my mind. And I seriously can't imagine any of you dear readers were annoyed or offended by "So Sony sold 9 PS3s?", are you?

But lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I began to think that the moderator who TOSed me is OBVIOUSLY a hardcore PS3 fan. Because in the past I've said a lot worse on comment boards about ALL systems and never been TOSed before. So this guy must have some personal grudge against anyone who might slander the PS3. If this is the case, this moderator should be fired for putting his personal views and opinions into his decisions to moderate people.

THEN I noticed, at the very top of the Gamespot page, is a HDNA SONY BLU-RAY PLAYER ad banner!!! NO WONDER! Sony is filling Gamespot's pockets with ad money, so could it be possible that any negative comments about Sony products are considered TOSable offences? Has Gamespot sold out to the corporations?! WILL I CONTINUE TO BE CENSORED WHEN I POST AN OPINION?!?! WILL THE GAMESPOT GESTAPO COME AND KILL ME IF I SAY SOMETHING BAD ABOUT ANY OF THEIR SPONSORS?!?! ARE WE LIVING IN A TOTALITARIAN SOCIETY?!?!?!

GAMESPOT!! STOP ENCROACHING ON MY RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH! I did not use any vulgarities, I did not insult anyone directly or indirectly, and I believe this TOS Violation is REALLY a VIOLATION OF MY 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHTS!! And I demand the warning be withdrawn from my account. Cuz this is bulls***.

OK I'm done.

You're right. Probably woulda been a better place for this. Sorry. I guess I was BLINDED WITH RAGE!!! (Just kidding.)

you know you have a blog right?dstryr13

My thoughts exactly.

So maybe some of you have read the GameSpot article that PS3 sales have TRIPLED this last shopping weekend. I did, and despite the fact that I OWN a PS3 and LIKE my PS3, I couldn't resist posting a comment that read as follows:

"Wow! So Sony sold 9 PS3's?! That's awesome!"

Moments later, I got a TOS Violation Warning for this reason: "Intending solely to annoy and/or offend other users."

Okay. First of all, there must have been about 300 other people saying MUCH worse things about this article and TRASHING the PS3 in a manner that much more befits the description of "Intending to annoy and/or offend others." I mean, C'MON! What I said is funny! I like Sony, but I realize how badly their sales have been in the past, and if you can't laugh at yourself, then who can you laugh at?

Secondly, I did not intend to annoy and/or offend ANYONE. Who is GameSpot to say what my intentions were? They can't read my mind. And I seriously can't imagine any of you dear readers were annoyed or offended by "So Sony sold 9 PS3s?", are you?

But lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I began to think that the moderator who TOSed me is OBVIOUSLY a hardcore PS3 fan. Because in the past I've said a lot worse on comment boards about ALL systems and never been TOSed before. So this guy must have some personal grudge against anyone who might slander the PS3. If this is the case, this moderator should be fired for putting his personal views and opinions into his decisions to moderate people.

THEN I noticed, at the very top of the Gamespot page, is a HDNA SONY BLU-RAY PLAYER ad banner!!! NO WONDER! Sony is filling Gamespot's pockets with ad money, so could it be possible that any negative comments about Sony products are considered TOSable offences? Has Gamespot sold out to the corporations?! WILL I CONTINUE TO BE CENSORED WHEN I POST AN OPINION?!?! WILL THE GAMESPOT GESTAPO COME AND KILL ME IF I SAY SOMETHING BAD ABOUT ANY OF THEIR SPONSORS?!?! ARE WE LIVING IN A TOTALITARIAN SOCIETY?!?!?!

GAMESPOT!! STOP ENCROACHING ON MY RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH! I did not use any vulgarities, I did not insult anyone directly or indirectly, and I believe this TOS Violation is REALLY a VIOLATION OF MY 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHTS!! And I demand the warning be withdrawn from my account. Cuz this is bulls***.

OK I'm done.

styphin

Sony buys ad space along with MS, Nintendo, Mountain dew, and alot of other place. That doesnt really buy them alot of pull with GS.

As for your situation. Dude you typed something that didnt add to the topic at all. It was merely a comment to attempt to instigate some kind of reaction. Even in SW that is frowned upon and all people in SW do is bash other systems. I doubt is alot less of the Mod being a hardcore Sony fan and alot more of them trying to not have it end up into a SW thread.

You're right. Probably woulda been a better place for this. Sorry. I guess I was BLINDED WITH RAGE!!! (Just kidding.)

styphin

No need to say sorry dude. We who own PS3s know much of the rage you speak of. Cool, that sounded like a jedi or something.:D

in the end its their site their rules. the bill of rights doesnt apply. however i did find if you dont agree with everyone else or have opinions of your own then you are wrong and WILL be moderated for it. thats without being profane or spiteful. aka dont try to debate.

in the end its their site their rules. the bill of rights doesnt apply. however i did find if you dont agree with everyone else or have opinions of your own then you are wrong and WILL be moderated for it. thats without being profane or spiteful. aka dont try to debate.

coochie_kuta

there's nothing to debate. it's a proven fact after spending alot of hours on these forums.

Moderators that are hardcore PS3 fans? :lol: there is no such thing as that! XD

Well, try not to "bad mouth" any console, the mods are quite sensitive about that.

[QUOTE="styphin"]

You're right. Probably woulda been a better place for this. Sorry. I guess I was BLINDED WITH RAGE!!! (Just kidding.)

DontTazeMeBro1

No need to say sorry dude. We who own PS3s know much of the rage you speak of. Cool, that sounded like a jedi or something.:D

The jedi are tree huggers. The Sith Lords kick ass

and as for the TC "I AM NOT A NUMBER I AM A FREE MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNN!!!!!!"

there's nothing to debate. it's a proven fact after spending alot of hours on these forums.

i wasnt suggesting there was anything to debate (although there are things to debate). my point was that if you have a disagreement with someone even in a civilized manner, you will be moderated for it if reported.

This has literally nothing to do with freedom of speech. Freedom of speech applies to your personal right to say what you want on your own private property and on property that is deemed public. You do not have a right to say just anything you want on a private forum such as this one. As I've heard it put by others, you have a right to say what you like but not a right to do it on someone else's soap box without their permission.

What's more, you have also agreed to the Terms of Use as a prerequisite for the privilege of posting on these forums. Even if you had a natural right to free speech on someone else's private property (i.e. this forum), you have agreed in advance to abide by those Terms of Use, effectively forfeiting that right within the terms of the contract.

If you feel that others have also violated these terms, then by all means report them and we will deal with them. Otherwise, you really have no right to complain. Anyone who violates the ToU is subject to moderation, and our failure to notice those who aren't properly reported is in no way a license for you to violate the ToU with impunity.

Finally, if you have issues about any moderation you receive, take it to the Ask The Mods board. That is what it is there for. Repeating the same comments trolling the PS3, especially right in the PS3 forum, is itself just another incidence of trolling, not to mention off-topic for this forum.