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User profile for user: capaho
capaho Author
User level: Level 4
3,673 points

What is Inappropriate Language?

I received the following notice of a deleted post (one of many recently), but I'm quite mystified as to what language in the comment was inappropriate. This was in reply to another member who posted a link to a rant thread on another web site. His comment is still there, but this reply to it was deleted. Someone please point out the inappropriate language to me as I'm rather puzzled by this one.

Apple has removed your recent post on Apple Discussions, titled "Re: Photographers! Reflections on the glass display MB Pro: to strong ? ", because it contained language or comments that were inappropriate. Please see the ???Be Polite??? section of the Apple Discussions Use Agreement for a description of comments that Apple considers inappropriate:

http://discussions.apple.com/help.jspa

These forums are designed to help users of Apple products address their questions and to promote civil dialogue. We hope you understand the reason for our decision to remove your post.

Please feel free to repost your comment without the inappropriate language.

Kind Regards,

Apple Discussions Staff

++++++++

A copy of your message for reference:

If you do a keyword search for macbook pro on dpreview.com you will find many rational discussions about the new MBPs as well as more general discussions regarding the matte versus glossy issue. Fortunately, most of the threads I read there were governed by the level of decorum I expect to see when professionals discuss issues amongst themselves.

This message is sent from a send-only email account. Any replies sent to this address are deleted automatically by the system.

iMac 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, MBP 2.53 GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.5), The more I think, the more I think I shouldn't think more.

Posted on Nov 15, 2008 7:28 AM

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42 replies
User profile for user: capaho
capaho Author
User level: Level 4
3,673 points

Nov 15, 2008 7:04 PM in response to TildeBee

Boy, it beats me . . .
I think this must be a mistake.


I wish it were. That comment was deleted from a rant thread lambasting the glossy display on the new MacBook Pros. I have one and I think it's an excellent laptop, so I've tried to balance out the exaggerated complaints with feedback based on my experiences with mine to date.

Unfortunately, there are numerous sarcastic criticisms of my comments still posted, but most of my replies have been deleted. I'm starting to get the impression that I've been singled out for harassment by one or more of the moderators.

You'd think Apple's staff would be more supportive of people who actually like their products rather than supporting those who keep the rant threads alive by attacking other users and repeatedly posting ill-mannered, exaggerated complaints and criticisms.

I like Apple products, but the Apple Discussions have certainly soured me on Apple the company.
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User profile for user: capaho
capaho Author
User level: Level 4
3,673 points

Nov 15, 2008 7:26 PM in response to joshz

Unfortunately, there is still a considerable amount of inappropriate sarcasm posted on that thread. Most of the comments in the thread fail to meet the guidelines because they're just complaints about the new MBP display as well as attacks against users who have posted positive comments about them, they're not dealing with specific technical issues for which other members can suggest solutions. While many inappropriate comments remain posted, most of my replies, similar to the example I posted above, have been deleted. It certainly has the appearance of impropriety.
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User profile for user: capaho
capaho Author
User level: Level 4
3,673 points

Nov 15, 2008 10:48 PM in response to roam

I realize it sounds a bit paranoid, but whatever criteria they're actually using to determine what gets deleted and what remains posted appears rather nebulous. Clearly, if the guidelines were being enforced with a more literal interpretation than appears to be the case, there is a lot posted in every forum now that shouldn't be there.

When tactful posts expressing disagreement get deleted, while other posts that are clearly intended as sarcasm or other critical remarks about other users remain online, it begins to look rather arbitrary with decisions based on the whim of any given moderator rather than on more objective criteria.

The way things are going at present, it would be better to either loosen up the guidelines and delete nothing except for obvious vulgarities or attacks against other members, or delete everything that doesn't literally fit the current guidelines. The somewhere in between approach that appears to be taken by the moderators at present doesn't conform to the guidelines, either, and it doesn't bode well for good customer relations.
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User profile for user: -Kryten-
-Kryten-
User level: Level 4
1,481 points

Nov 15, 2008 11:44 PM in response to capaho

Hi capaho,

capaho wrote:
I realize it sounds a bit paranoid, .... and it doesn't bode well for good customer relations.


Honestly mate, I really would not read much into it.

Your (deleted) post was not inappropriate. By way of explanation, and as I understand it, the current forum software - Jive - do not allow the deletion of an inappropriate post without all direct replies to that post being deleted also.

So, for example, this post of mine, although it is in the topic that you started here in Feedback, it is a direct reply to your last post in the thread - part of which was quoted by me above. If your above post was deleted then all direct replies to it would also be deleted, including this one of mine.

What I suspect has happened is that a post, which was inappropriate, was deleted higher up the chain and as your reply was in the same branch of the thread, yours was also deleted.

With regards to the email you received, those are generic and are sent to all who have had a post deleted. Anyone who has been pro-active in Apple Discussions for a while would have, at some point or other, received such emails. Like you, there have been times when, for the life of me, I could not think why. After pondering on it for about 0.000017 seconds, I simply moved on to far more important things. 😉

Kryten
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User profile for user: capaho
capaho Author
User level: Level 4
3,673 points

Nov 16, 2008 3:00 AM in response to -Kryten-

Actually, the copy of the deleted message I posted in the opening comment was a reply to a message that contained a link to a rant thread on another web site. That web site also contains many threads praising the new MBPs. The comment containing the link to the rant thread remains posted, whereas my reply to it was deleted, as noted above.

If this were an isolated incident I would have given it no more thought. The problem is, it's become a pattern.
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User profile for user: capaho
capaho Author
User level: Level 4
3,673 points

Nov 17, 2008 7:40 AM in response to romad

I'm surprised that, if it was a mistake, one of the "host" hasn't corrected it by re-instating the post.


Nor did the host delete the sarcastic comment with the link to the rant thread, only my reply was deleted. In addition, that user continues to run amok posting sarcastic replies to numerous members despite having been reported countless number of times.

As a result, not only do I not understand what inappropriate language is, I also don't understand what section 2.2 of the Apple Discussions Terms of Use means.

Be polite. Everyone should feel comfortable reading Submissions and participating in discussions. Apple will not tolerate flames or other inappropriate statements, material, or links. Most often, a "flame" is simply a statement that is taunting and thus arbitrarily inflammatory. However, this also includes those which are libelous, defamatory, indecent, harmful, harassing, intimidating, threatening, hateful, objectionable, discriminatory, abusive, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive in a sexual, racial, cultural, or ethnic context.
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What is Inappropriate Language?

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