Banning users who threaten police reports or similar legal action

Arthur Flores2 said:It really is an analysis. It's an opinion based on an impression. And honestly, your accusation that I slandered them by making that claim is actually your own slander against me, which I could pretty much sue you for!!!

Let's look at the post in question...

http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=4...postcount=2661

As you can see, I start my post with the sentence "I can't help but feel like what I saw was a paid segment"...

Everything I'm saying is still framed as my own opinion...

So, according to you, I'm not even allowed to express how a protest looks to me just because I don't have hard evidence?

That is such absolute nonsense, probably born out of frustration because your side—the one claiming to act for the greater good—can't even manage a basic gathering in downtown Washington, D.C., without police oversight!!!

.

I'll say it again: if I were one of the organizers of this rally, you'd be forced to prove your "opinion" in a court of law. 🙂

A paid protest, a paid segment.

Of course, it's easy to slander people with actual names and reputations when you're hiding behind anonymity. I'd love to see you stand behind your "opinion" using your real name. 🙂

Christian Torres3 said:Yeah, it starts out like that, and then it ends up exactly like this:

Police everywhere around Times Square. Paid protests. Paid coverage. Total scam. A protest with zero protesters? It’s just five or six organizers standing there by themselves. Then you've got this reporter claiming, "If it hadn't started snowing, we would've filled up Times Square"... meanwhile, it's barely even snowing. Give me a break.

So, do you actually have proof that the segment was paid for? Or are you just assuming?

What a garbage comment, totally ignoring what was actually said...

Everything I wrote after that was based on that first sentence—just my impression from watching the TV report, which is pretty obvious even if you're looking from a plane...

The frustration is just huge, because someone has the nerve to claim they represent America, but it turns out they can't even walk through Washington, D.C. without a police escort...

.

Christian Torres3 said:Yeah, it starts out like that, and then it ends up exactly like this:

Police everywhere around Times Square. Paid protests. Paid coverage. Total scam. A protest with zero protesters? It’s just five or six organizers standing there by themselves. Then you've got this reporter claiming, "If it hadn't started snowing, we would've filled up Times Square"... meanwhile, it's barely even snowing. Give me a break.

So, do you actually have proof that the segment was paid for? Or are you just assuming?

I wonder if they’ll require an actual receipt from the vendor to prove the payment went through properly...

wanderingheron52 said:There are always people with enough backbone, I guess, though why they don't show up here more often is a whole different story...

So, what did your buddies say when you sent them that link that "slanders" them?
Was there enough evidence there to actually file a lawsuit?

Just tell me: if you were out there doing something because you truly believe in it, and then someone on Reddit starts spitting on you, calling you nothing more than a paid hack who's just doing it for the paycheck—would you feel insulted? Would you feel slandered? 🙂

James Patel20 said:Laws are such a flexible category, aren't they... especially lately...

The simple fact that legal mechanisms exist for prosecution, yet there aren't really any legal mechanisms for protection, speaks volumes about the kind of society we find ourselves living in today...

If our colleague James Patel20 is worried that someone might hack his account and expose him to potential liability, then I’ll offer some well-meaning advice: maybe take a stroll through one of the IT subreddits where he could learn a bit more about how all this works...

I was speaking in general terms, not just regarding this specific subreddit, and believe me when I say I have quite enough technical knowledge to know exactly what I'm talking about... and actually, someone has already stepped forward here who experienced the very issue I mentioned as a possibility...

As I said, it's a massive, sprawling topic, so we really ought to focus on what is actually within our control, which is banning users who resort to threats of reporting others...

A community doesn't need self-appointed moderators, and it certainly doesn't need people acting like the police...

I think you're wrong, and honestly, you said enough for me to be pretty damn sure about that.

And just like that, someone actually pipes up here with the exact same issue I was just pointing out.

I don't know all the specifics here, but I know enough to know exactly how to track down whoever wrote that trash. Between my background in law enforcement and my experience in IT, finding them will be easy.

Like I said, this topic is way too huge to tackle all at once. We need to focus on what we can actually control: banning the users who try to weaponize reports as threats.

If I think someone broke some American law, I have every right to report them. Same goes for calling them out here on Reddit. It’s the Moderator's job to step in if they think the discussion is getting out of hand, and it's your right to complain about whatever you want.

Reddit doesn't need self-appointed moderators, and I certainly don't need some wannabe cops breathing down my neck.

Look, this is a forum. People debate here. If you don't have the balls for that, go find somewhere else.

hiddenlynx66 said:I'll say it again: if I were one of the organizers of this rally, you'd be forced to prove your "opinion" in a court of law. 🙂

A paid protest, a paid segment.

Of course, it's easy to slander people with actual names and reputations when you're hiding behind anonymity. I'd love to see you stand behind your "opinion" using your real name. 🙂

And even in court, I'd prove I'm right. The smoking gun would just be that ridiculous post where you accused me...

It’s easy to slander people with actual names and faces when you're hiding behind an anonymous screen. I’d love to see you actually stand by your "opinion" using your real name for once.

That goes both ways, I guess. Including your slander against me, claiming I stated something as a 100% fact when I didn't...

Honestly, before I even consider those people who claim they represent America, I’d want to see them show up without a police escort. If they need the cops to protect them, then the whole thing just smells fishy from the start...

hiddenlynx66 said:Just tell me: if you were out there doing something because you truly believe in it, and then someone on Reddit starts spitting on you, calling you nothing more than a paid hack who's just doing it for the paycheck—would you feel insulted? Would you feel slandered? 🙂

Well, I guess that’s why we have courts and legal recourse, right? 🙂

Like, for instance, if you decided to slander me, I’d probably just sue you...

hiddenlynx66 said:Just tell me: if you were out there doing something because you truly believe in it, and then someone on Reddit starts spitting on you, calling you nothing more than a paid hack who's just doing it for the paycheck—would you feel insulted? Would you feel slandered? 🙂

Well, I guess that’s pretty much what your crowd does all the time in those threads about the Catholic Church...

We are believers because we actually have faith. But based on your posts, it sounds like we only believe so we can suck money out of people like you who don't even believe in anything...

Obviously, you don't have any actual proof that priests live that way just to milk people for cash, but that doesn't stop you from talking about the Church like it's some kind of criminal organization. By your logic, almost every single one of your posts would be grounds for a lawsuit...

Seriously, just look at how that whole thread about the Church looks over on the politics board. It really should just have a label that says "just vent here"...

Arthur Flores2 said:And even in court, I'd prove I'm right. The smoking gun would just be that ridiculous post where you accused me...

It’s easy to slander people with actual names and faces when you're hiding behind an anonymous screen. I’d love to see you actually stand by your "opinion" using your real name for once.

That goes both ways, I guess. Including your slander against me, claiming I stated something as a 100% fact when I didn't...

Honestly, before I even consider those people who claim they represent America, I’d want to see them show up without a police escort. If they need the cops to protect them, then the whole thing just smells fishy from the start...

So, you aren't actually claiming that the gathering required a fee?

Arthur Flores2 said:And even in court, I'd prove I'm right. The smoking gun would just be that ridiculous post where you accused me...

It’s easy to slander people with actual names and faces when you're hiding behind an anonymous screen. I’d love to see you actually stand by your "opinion" using your real name for once.

That goes both ways, I guess. Including your slander against me, claiming I stated something as a 100% fact when I didn't...

Honestly, before I even consider those people who claim they represent America, I’d want to see them show up without a police escort. If they need the cops to protect them, then the whole thing just smells fishy from the start...

If you want my personal information, I will gladly send it via private message. I look forward to seeing you in court; it would be my pleasure.

Arthur Flores2 said:And even in court, I'd prove I'm right. The smoking gun would just be that ridiculous post where you accused me...

It’s easy to slander people with actual names and faces when you're hiding behind an anonymous screen. I’d love to see you actually stand by your "opinion" using your real name for once.

That goes both ways, I guess. Including your slander against me, claiming I stated something as a 100% fact when I didn't...

Honestly, before I even consider those people who claim they represent America, I’d want to see them show up without a police escort. If they need the cops to protect them, then the whole thing just smells fishy from the start...

What exactly are you trying to say here? Are you actually advocating for violence? Does it genuinely make you happy that someone with a different opinion has to be protected by the police? 🙂

Arthur Flores2 said:Well, I guess that’s pretty much what your crowd does all the time in those threads about the Catholic Church...

We are believers because we actually have faith. But based on your posts, it sounds like we only believe so we can suck money out of people like you who don't even believe in anything...

Obviously, you don't have any actual proof that priests live that way just to milk people for cash, but that doesn't stop you from talking about the Church like it's some kind of criminal organization. By your logic, almost every single one of your posts would be grounds for a lawsuit...

Seriously, just look at how that whole thread about the Church looks over on the politics board. It really should just have a label that says "just vent here"...

If you ever find a single post of mine that fits that description, feel free to sue me; I'll gladly hand over my personal info. 🙂

I never suspected you were one of those people who splits the world into "us" versus "them," but here we are. It's truly unfortunate. 😂

hiddenlynx66 said:Just tell me: if you were out there doing something because you truly believe in it, and then someone on Reddit starts spitting on you, calling you nothing more than a paid hack who's just doing it for the paycheck—would you feel insulted? Would you feel slandered? 🙂

Look, let’s be real—we say a lot of things on Reddit with an air of absolute certainty... even when we shouldn't.
It’ll just slip away...
Just look at all those heavy insults being thrown at politicians—and don't even try telling me we didn't call them thieves long before they were even facing indictment...

Amanda Hughes37 said:Look, let’s be real—we say a lot of things on Reddit with an air of absolute certainty... even when we shouldn't.
It’ll just slip away...
Just look at all those heavy insults being thrown at politicians—and don't even try telling me we didn't call them thieves long before they were even facing indictment...

Slander gets thrown around all the time here, often forgetting that these are actual people with real names and reputations. I honestly don't get why people find it so easy to trash anyone who holds a different view. Sure, I get targeting politicians, but I can't stand seeing non-partisan activists get attacked just for thinking differently. It’s like you aren't allowed to have an opinion unless you're a paid shill! You see it everywhere on these boards, and I usually only speak up when I finally hit my breaking point, because if I reacted to everything, I'd never get anything done. 😂

Christian Torres3 said:I think you're wrong, and honestly, you said enough for me to be pretty damn sure about that.

And just like that, someone actually pipes up here with the exact same issue I was just pointing out.

I don't know all the specifics here, but I know enough to know exactly how to track down whoever wrote that trash. Between my background in law enforcement and my experience in IT, finding them will be easy.

Like I said, this topic is way too huge to tackle all at once. We need to focus on what we can actually control: banning the users who try to weaponize reports as threats.

If I think someone broke some American law, I have every right to report them. Same goes for calling them out here on Reddit. It’s the Moderator's job to step in if they think the discussion is getting out of hand, and it's your right to complain about whatever you want.

Reddit doesn't need self-appointed moderators, and I certainly don't need some wannabe cops breathing down my neck.

Look, this is a forum. People debate here. If you don't have the balls for that, go find somewhere else.

He can make whatever claims he wants, really, because I certainly won't be filing a lawsuit against him, even if he isn't strictly correct...

I don't know all the specifics regarding this situation, though it's clear enough to identify who wrote that controversial piece, both from my perspective as a former police officer and as an IT professional.

It sounds more like you're speaking as a cop than as an IT guy, if I'm being honest...

If I believe someone has violated any laws of the United States in one way or another, it is my right to file a report. It is also my right to state that publicly here on Reddit. It is the Moderator's right to step in if they deem it inappropriate for the discussion, and it is your right to complain about whatever you please.

There goes that cop mentality again...

This is a forum, a place for debate, so if you don't have the guts for it, maybe find somewhere else to hang out.

And there's the cop talking again...

What you need is brains, not guts...

That's what's actually required for a place like this, Harry...

hiddenlynx66 said:So, you aren't actually claiming that the gathering required a fee?

If you want my personal information, I will gladly send it via private message. I look forward to seeing you in court; it would be my pleasure.

What exactly are you trying to say here? Are you actually advocating for violence? Does it genuinely make you happy that someone with a different opinion has to be protected by the police? 🙂

No, I didn't...

I just said that’s how it comes across based on what was posted...

If you want my personal info, I'll just DM it to you myself. We can see each other in court, and honestly, I'm down for that, even though:

If someone tries to sue me, I'm suing you back. And I'll sue whoever decides to sue me. Glad you're being so helpful and offering to hand over your details personally...

What are you actually trying to get at here? Are you supporting violence? Does it make you happy that the police have to protect people just because they think differently?

Can you not talk without constantly implying total garbage?

If someone claims this whole campaign is for our own good and that it's what everyone wants, but then they need a police escort for their own rally, I wouldn't waste a single second on them. It's pretty obvious they don't even believe they're acting in the interest of the majority...

It's clear as day...

If you find one single post of mine with that kind of content, feel free to sue me. I'll gladly send over my personal information.

I'm not like you...

But if I'm ever forced into a position where I have to act like you, I will...

I never doubted for a second that you're one of those people who divides the world into "us" versus "them." Nothing else. It's a disaster!

Catholics aren't the ones building walls in this society, because we don't need them...

The walls are built by the people who want to legally force Catholics to listen to certain doctrines, and then hide behind the police...

Basically, this entire campaign feels like a total scam...

hiddenlynx66 said:Slander gets thrown around all the time here, often forgetting that these are actual people with real names and reputations. I honestly don't get why people find it so easy to trash anyone who holds a different view. Sure, I get targeting politicians, but I can't stand seeing non-partisan activists get attacked just for thinking differently. It’s like you aren't allowed to have an opinion unless you're a paid shill! You see it everywhere on these boards, and I usually only speak up when I finally hit my breaking point, because if I reacted to everything, I'd never get anything done. 😂

And why should it be considered "normal" to attack politicians when we're already stuck in this pointless debate, yet somehow it's fine to target activists? 😕

Since when did we decide to sort everyone into little boxes where activists are the good guys and politicians are the villains?

Amanda Hughes37 said:Look, let’s be real—we say a lot of things on Reddit with an air of absolute certainty... even when we shouldn't.
It’ll just slip away...
Just look at all those heavy insults being thrown at politicians—and don't even try telling me we didn't call them thieves long before they were even facing indictment...

That’s all true, but we're talking about accountability here. Does someone have the right to sue over something said about them on a forum if they claim their rights were violated? Yes. Does someone have the right to report a post on a forum? Of course. And it’s also the moderator's right to step in if they think it's messing up the discussion. Even The Destroyer's buddy has the right to complain if he doesn't like a report and wants action taken, though I'm pretty skeptical that anyone will actually listen to him.

Bottom line: stop throwing around accusations and claims you can't back up.

Christian Torres3 said:The rules are set up so a Moderator can always use their own judgment to sanction whatever they deem necessary, but I don't see why anyone needs to hide their intent to report someone, especially since we're all warned to follow American law.

And if James Patel20 is worried that someone might hack his account and leave him vulnerable to legal trouble, I'd honestly suggest he spends some time in one of the IT subreddits to learn how to secure himself properly.

As I mentioned before, I am somewhat concerned about how such threats might affect the discussion itself, specifically regarding whether every argument presented gets an equal opportunity to be heard.

I don't really know if the person making the threat will actually follow through with it or not—and honestly, I guess it doesn't really concern me personally.

Perhaps they will file the report, or perhaps they are just trying to act important and intimidate their interlocutor with the threat of a report to force them to withdraw from the conversation.

From my perspective as a moderator, that particular aspect is what seems problematic.

Regarding compliance with the Law of the United States, I feel that moderators should be the ones ensuring discussions respect American laws, which is why our posting rules state that non-compliant posts should be reported to us. This doesn't rule out the possibility of something being reported outside of the Forum, but I believe that such actions shouldn't necessarily be broadcasted within the discussion.

Otherwise, the issue I am addressing here and what actually occurred with hiddenlynx66's alleged report are not quite the same thing.

hiddenlynx66 shared the content of the post with private individuals who he believes were harmed. I don't have an issue with that, although I suppose it could have been handled in a slightly calmer or more appropriate manner—but then again, it wouldn't be the hiddenlynx66 we know. 🙂

So, he wasn't reporting this to the Police or the Department of Justice, but rather to the people being discussed in the thread. One can only hope that those individuals won't immediately rush to the Police like litigious busybodies, and instead, they might first join the Reddit community to share their side of the story.

Arthur Flores2 said:No, I didn't...

I just said that’s how it comes across based on what was posted...

If you want my personal info, I'll just DM it to you myself. We can see each other in court, and honestly, I'm down for that, even though:

If someone tries to sue me, I'm suing you back. And I'll sue whoever decides to sue me. Glad you're being so helpful and offering to hand over your details personally...

What are you actually trying to get at here? Are you supporting violence? Does it make you happy that the police have to protect people just because they think differently?

Can you not talk without constantly implying total garbage?

If someone claims this whole campaign is for our own good and that it's what everyone wants, but then they need a police escort for their own rally, I wouldn't waste a single second on them. It's pretty obvious they don't even believe they're acting in the interest of the majority...

It's clear as day...

If you find one single post of mine with that kind of content, feel free to sue me. I'll gladly send over my personal information.

I'm not like you...

But if I'm ever forced into a position where I have to act like you, I will...

I never doubted for a second that you're one of those people who divides the world into "us" versus "them." Nothing else. It's a disaster!

Catholics aren't the ones building walls in this society, because we don't need them...

The walls are built by the people who want to legally force Catholics to listen to certain doctrines, and then hide behind the police...

Basically, this entire campaign feels like a total scam...

To me:

A paid protest, a paid attachment.

Doesn't sound like this:

It feels like a paid protest based on the attachments.

🙂

Arthur Flores2 said:No, I didn't...

I just said that’s how it comes across based on what was posted...

If you want my personal info, I'll just DM it to you myself. We can see each other in court, and honestly, I'm down for that, even though:

If someone tries to sue me, I'm suing you back. And I'll sue whoever decides to sue me. Glad you're being so helpful and offering to hand over your details personally...

What are you actually trying to get at here? Are you supporting violence? Does it make you happy that the police have to protect people just because they think differently?

Can you not talk without constantly implying total garbage?

If someone claims this whole campaign is for our own good and that it's what everyone wants, but then they need a police escort for their own rally, I wouldn't waste a single second on them. It's pretty obvious they don't even believe they're acting in the interest of the majority...

It's clear as day...

If you find one single post of mine with that kind of content, feel free to sue me. I'll gladly send over my personal information.

I'm not like you...

But if I'm ever forced into a position where I have to act like you, I will...

I never doubted for a second that you're one of those people who divides the world into "us" versus "them." Nothing else. It's a disaster!

Catholics aren't the ones building walls in this society, because we don't need them...

The walls are built by the people who want to legally force Catholics to listen to certain doctrines, and then hide behind the police...

Basically, this entire campaign feels like a total scam...

Great! The outcasts will be thrilled! 🤣

Arthur Flores2 said:No, I didn't...

I just said that’s how it comes across based on what was posted...

If you want my personal info, I'll just DM it to you myself. We can see each other in court, and honestly, I'm down for that, even though:

If someone tries to sue me, I'm suing you back. And I'll sue whoever decides to sue me. Glad you're being so helpful and offering to hand over your details personally...

What are you actually trying to get at here? Are you supporting violence? Does it make you happy that the police have to protect people just because they think differently?

Can you not talk without constantly implying total garbage?

If someone claims this whole campaign is for our own good and that it's what everyone wants, but then they need a police escort for their own rally, I wouldn't waste a single second on them. It's pretty obvious they don't even believe they're acting in the interest of the majority...

It's clear as day...

If you find one single post of mine with that kind of content, feel free to sue me. I'll gladly send over my personal information.

I'm not like you...

But if I'm ever forced into a position where I have to act like you, I will...

I never doubted for a second that you're one of those people who divides the world into "us" versus "them." Nothing else. It's a disaster!

Catholics aren't the ones building walls in this society, because we don't need them...

The walls are built by the people who want to legally force Catholics to listen to certain doctrines, and then hide behind the police...

Basically, this entire campaign feels like a total scam...

So, someone needs police protection just for having an opinion, and you think that's perfectly normal—you even say you'd "prefer to see them without police protection." Isn't that just tacitly supporting whatever might happen if the police weren't there?

Arthur Flores2 said:No, I didn't...

I just said that’s how it comes across based on what was posted...

If you want my personal info, I'll just DM it to you myself. We can see each other in court, and honestly, I'm down for that, even though:

If someone tries to sue me, I'm suing you back. And I'll sue whoever decides to sue me. Glad you're being so helpful and offering to hand over your details personally...

What are you actually trying to get at here? Are you supporting violence? Does it make you happy that the police have to protect people just because they think differently?

Can you not talk without constantly implying total garbage?

If someone claims this whole campaign is for our own good and that it's what everyone wants, but then they need a police escort for their own rally, I wouldn't waste a single second on them. It's pretty obvious they don't even believe they're acting in the interest of the majority...

It's clear as day...

If you find one single post of mine with that kind of content, feel free to sue me. I'll gladly send over my personal information.

I'm not like you...

But if I'm ever forced into a position where I have to act like you, I will...

I never doubted for a second that you're one of those people who divides the world into "us" versus "them." Nothing else. It's a disaster!

Catholics aren't the ones building walls in this society, because we don't need them...

The walls are built by the people who want to legally force Catholics to listen to certain doctrines, and then hide behind the police...

Basically, this entire campaign feels like a total scam...

Why would anyone need to hide from the police when Catholics are all about love and understanding? Who exactly are they hiding from by using the police as a shield? 🙂

Amanda Hughes37 said:And why should it be considered "normal" to attack politicians when we're already stuck in this pointless debate, yet somehow it's fine to target activists? 😕

Since when did we decide to sort everyone into little boxes where activists are the good guys and politicians are the villains?

It's because it feels like you can't find a single prominent politician who isn't a pathological liar acting solely out of pure selfishness. I'm not saying there aren't dishonest activists out there too, but when someone dedicates their entire life, their money, and their sanity to a cause, I expect them to have at least a shred more integrity than a politician who wouldn't even wish you a good morning unless there was something in it for them.