The Forum's Ombudsman?

Lately, I’ve been noticing more and more people on here claiming their fundamental rights and freedoms are being trampled upon—complaining about censorship and all that jazz. Some have even gone so far as to write letters to government officials. At the same time, we’re seeing folks throwing around baseless accusations against the admin team, often paired with some pretty nasty insults. And let’s be real, it goes both ways; some mods aren't exactly saints when it comes to how they talk to users, and users are constantly trading insults and pointless allegations with one another.
I’m not just talking about this specific corner of the web, either. I mean the whole landscape of social media and interactive sites, from Facebook and X to the comment sections of major news outlets like the New York Times or CNN.

Given how messy things have gotten, I’m wondering if there’s actually a place on this forum where we could have a civilized discussion about these issues. Digital media is basically taking over our lives; everyone uses these platforms to connect and communicate. But unfortunately, as the user base explodes, so does the amount of friction, which frequently spirals into outright harassment.
Is it time for the government to establish a dedicated agency to oversee both the rights and the responsibilities of users on these platforms? Sure, legal sanctions exist on paper, but how do you actually enforce them in these digital trenches? It might be easier on Facebook since people usually use their real names, but what about anonymous spaces like this forum?

Since discussing the inner workings of this forum indirectly violates our own rules, maybe we could set some ground rules for a thread like this. For instance, we could agree not to call out moderators by name, or perhaps limit the conversation to generalities rather than getting into the weeds.

Maybe my title is a bit clunky; I wasn't quite sure how else to frame it. I’m definitely no lawyer, so I have no clue if there’s some specialized federal agency or government office that handles this stuff, or if it’s all just stuck in some regulatory gray area.

The forum advocate is actually the admin 🙂

The fact that a certain (actually tiny /which is just so incredibly vital!/ but loud) slice of the user base thinks we’re all some kind of villainous gang here just to oppress them is a separate issue entirely. The moderators were given specific tasks, but this is all volunteer work—nobody is getting paid, and nobody is obligated to stay; Nicole could pull us all off the site tomorrow, just as easily as any of us could decide one morning that we’re simply done and walk away... And Nicole is here to correct any actual injustice toward users (though just because someone feels something is unfair doesn't make it so, which brings us back to the core issue—some people simply refuse to listen to reason)
Everyone makes mistakes, including the moderators and those positioned above us. But generally speaking, the vast majority of warnings and subsequent bans are earned. The administration and the mods aren't a group of buddies hanging out to mess with the users. The administration sits above us, and they remain neutral in these conflicts. For instance, William Bennett53 removed a warning from me yesterday that I don't agree with, but he’s higher up than me, so it is what it is. I'm not making a scene, I'm not messaging Anderson (or even the Secretary 😁), and I'm not starting threads about how this is an unbelievable suppression of my moderator freedoms or claiming that Hasanbegović is paying him off to suck up to the users. Similarly, the hundred warnings that weren't removed stayed that way because the administration decided they were completely justified.
That's roughly the ratio of justified warnings to questionable ones across all the sub-forums. So, I don't believe there's anything wrong with the moderator-user dynamic. We have thousands of regular posters, tens of thousands of occasional visitors, and hundreds of thousands of registered accounts. There will always be those who complain about everything and start hurling insults the second they get a warning...

Regardless, and more importantly—as has been stated here multiple times—this is a private forum. No one has any "human rights" on this platform (not the users, and not the moderators). You or I could be deleted by Anderson tomorrow just because he finds our usernames stupid, and you can flip upside down and write letters to the Secretary or threaten lawsuits all you want—that's his prerogative. This is his site.

Beyond the fact that this is a private forum, anonymous handles aren't human beings with their own set of rights. Spectrum77, HrvackiDomoljub, and MalaProleterka19 cannot be censored, nor can their freedom or "fundamental rights" be suppressed, because they don't actually possess any rights here. You probably noticed the ones shouting about government officials and announcing lawsuits. Why do you think nothing ever comes of those threats? It's because if anyone was foolish enough to actually go to a lawyer, they're probably still laughing at the idea that Zavodnik20CM would try to sue over a deleted post in a thread about group chats on LJES...

I think we had a bit of a misunderstanding here
What I was actually getting at was something a little broader than just this specific forum. But, since discussions about the forum itself are bound to pop up among all the other topics, I guess I should just ask—is it even possible to find something like that, and if so, is there some kind of PDF out there somewhere?

Nicholas Watson, if you don't mind me asking—what is the actual issue here? You opened another vague thread recently, too. From the start, I felt like there was a specific problem being avoided rather than stated directly, which made the whole topic feel pointless... You don't fix a broken tooth just to have clean underwear. We can debate endlessly to sharpen our skills, but talking won't solve an actual problem.
With this current thread, I'm even more convinced of what I said before. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I'm not, it would be better if you just got to the point...

Look, I already laid it all out in my intro post, so here I am just pulling out the core points while skipping over the repetitive explanations.

Has the time finally come for the government to actually set up an office dedicated to policing both the rights and the responsibilities of users on sites like this? Sure, legal sanctions exist on paper, but how the hell are we supposed to actually enforce them in situations like this? It might be a bit easier on Facebook since people usually use their actual names, but what about niche spaces like this forum?

P.s.
Don't worry, I'm not personally dealing with any drama. I'm just theorizing about the kind of problems people run into.🤷

lonebadger6 said:The forum admin is basically our own personal ombudsman... 🙂

Regardless of what happens, man... Actually, here’s the real kicker—and like people have already pointed out a bunch of times on here—this is a private forum... Nobody has any "human rights" here—not the users, not the mods. You or I could get wiped out by Anderson tomorrow just because he decides our handles are stupid... and you can go ahead and crawl on your hands and knees begging ministers or threatening lawsuits all you want. It won't matter. This is his site...

Look, besides the fact that this is a private forum, anonymous handles aren't actual people with civil rights. Spectrum77, HrvackiDomoljub, and MalaProleterka19 don't get to cry about censorship or "fundamental rights" because they don't have any... You caught onto those guys shouting about government officials and threatening lawsuits, too. Ever wonder why we never hear a peep about those legal threats after they're made? It's because if anyone was actually stupid enough to call a lawyer, they’re probably still laughing at the idea that Zavodnik20CM was going to sue just because his post got nuked in the LJES thread...

Look, this is a private forum, but don't get it twisted—it's still subject to legal regulations, just like that whole Z1 mess lately...
And it’s not like those fake profiles went unnoticed...
I've already sent them out a few times myself... including to that former Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I’ll be sure to hit up the new guy as soon as he actually gets appointed...

I knew exactly what kind of moderation I was dealing with the second I signed up for this forum... just so we're clear, everything I'm typing here is strictly based on the latest Politika PDF... 🕺 So I reached out to the FCC, and they basically gave me the brush-off... said they don't even have jurisdiction over this kind of media... typical... 😲 Just for print and TV...
But nah, I just sent in my appeal again... now they're actually asking me to point out the problematic posts themselves...

I already sent my complaints over to the other departments, Hvidram, and pretty much anyone else who might actually care about people insulting our disabled veterans...

Yeah, well... we'll just have to wait and see if anything actually happens, I guess...

Honestly, maybe you’d be smarter if you just called the Federal Communications Commission instead 🤷

And hey, might be a good idea to actually glance at the Electronic Communications Act and the Constitution of the United States too... just so you can figure out if it's even worth wasting your breath emailing the Secretary. Like, do you really think a private forum on a private domain is going to face the same legal heat as a major network like Z1 television? What do you think is gonna happen? Is the Federal Communications Commission just gonna swoop in and revoke a website's license?

I see people on this forum all the time (especially over on PŽK) making these massive threats about lawsuits that are basically total nonsense and have zero legs... It shouldn't be this hard to just look up your own rights or even what kind of media platform you're actually posting on. If everyone would just do a little homework, we wouldn't have all this confusion... and maybe people would finally realize this is just a private site where you can talk as long as you follow the rules. It's not some mainstream newspaper where a power-tripping editor is busy censoring "aspiring journalists" or whatever...

Besides, that’s an entirely different beast from what we’re actually talking about here. Sure, Reddit has its responsibilities, and if someone decides there's actual, legally punishable hate speech happening, they can report it. If it turns out to be legitimate and Reddit gets warned but refuses to pull the content... then maybe they face some sanctions...

But that’s worlds apart from why people usually start screaming about "rights" being violated. PeroPerićXY doesn't have any rights in this context because those rights simply don't exist here. Reddit can delete whatever they want, including him...

It would be way too much of a tangent to dive into how most of the people whining about this don't even have a clue what free speech or censorship actually means, or to wonder what would happen if Reddit (or internet Allmighty in general) required everyone to upload a scan of their driver's license so their handle was just their legal name and their avatar was a government ID photo... I'm pretty sure most of those loudmouth "free speech warriors" wouldn't be nearly as interested in exercising that freedom once their identity is tied to it. I suspect the complaints about being "censored" or having their "freedom stifled" would vanish overnight...

It’s not even about avoiding complaints anymore; at this point, the entire forum would just be reduced to nothing more than Anderson, his immediate family, and a handful of his buddies. 😁

Honestly, I just don't get people who let themselves get worked up over things—whether they're objective facts or just personal feelings (it doesn't really matter)—to the point where they feel miserable. Like, why bother showing up to a place that makes you feel that bad just to file complaints, write legal petitions, and go through all that drama?
To me, the logical move would be to just find somewhere else where you actually feel comfortable. It’s not like we’re out here scavenging for our next meal on this 🤷
platform.

Emily Patel70 said:Maybe you’d be smarter if you just contacted the Federal Communications Commission instead. 🤷

And honestly, it wouldn't hurt to actually read the Electronic Communications Act and the Constitution of the United States... just so you can figure out if wasting your breath emailing a cabinet secretary is even worth it. You think a private forum on a private domain carries the same legal weight as a major network like Z1 TV? What do you think is going to happen? Is the Federal Communications Commission going to come after this forum's license?

I see threats of lawsuits all the time on this site (especially over on PŽK), and most of them are total nonsense with zero legal ground to stand on. Is it really that hard to look up your rights and understand what kind of media platform you're actually posting on? If everyone just did their homework, there wouldn't be this constant confusion. People need to realize this is a private site where you post as long as you follow the rules—it's not some major newspaper where a grumpy editor is censoring wannabe journalists.

Yeah, I already reached out to the Federal Communications Commission. My bad for not mentioning that in my post.
Funny enough, back in 2013 (when they were still under Importane 2), they shut me down immediately, telling me this forum wasn't even under their jurisdiction. Now, a few days ago, they’re asking me for specific "cases" to review—we'll see about that.
Look, I'm not filing any personal lawsuits or anything, but if oversight agencies exist, why shouldn't I consult them?
Some veteran disabled war association actually suggested I head over to the Department of Justice—fifth floor—after I showed them some posts that were being tolerated despite how they treated veterans. Not planning on doing that just yet though...

Look, I’m not looking to file a private lawsuit against anyone personally here.
But I do feel the need—and honestly, I think it’s my damn right—to flag certain situations to the oversight agencies that monitor online behavior. Specifically, when things get way out of line and start targeting vulnerable groups of Americans or even insulting the USA itself.
That kind of garbage shouldn't be allowed on media platforms that are accessible to everyone.
If people want to sit around someone's house and talk trash about whoever they want, fine—but I don't think any decent forum, let alone this one, should be used as a platform for that crap.

And yeah, I was advised to reach out to: the Ombudsman for People with Disabilities and the Civil Rights Ombudsman. Is it really such a big deal for them to take a look and decide if everything is actually above board?

I don't see why anyone's getting worked up about it.

Nicholas Watson, the PŽK certainly isn't the appropriate venue to debate whether the government should establish certain institutions, and we don't need a legal defense firm running this forum. Historically, whenever someone attempts to act as a mouthpiece for another user's rights, it hasn't sat well with the community. Consequently, I am closing this thread because its direction has become painfully obvious. If the admin or the owner feels otherwise, they are more than welcome to reopen it.

Martine, everyone outside of this forum is free to act according to their own whims and convictions. You are entitled to do the same. Until then, please refrain from bringing these sort of half-hearted threats onto the forum.