Legal Threat = Site Ban

AckwelFoley

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/announcement.php?f=7

Huh?

Im sure this is something to do with reacting to a situation that has developed, but im not quite sure as to the reasoning behind it.

Do people actually take such offence to a comment that they will go to court over the matter?

FlutterinBantam

Obviously this has happened and is on the increase.

Boards are dead right to nip it in the bud.

Beruthiel

snyper wrote: »

[
Do people actually take such offence to a comment that they will go to court over the matter?

More people than you think have either threatened Boards/a Mod/another member of this site with legal action.
All have been site banned.
We have zero tolerance when it comes to this.

seamus

It's not a reaction to any particular situation, just a clarification for all those who've been banned over the rule.

Some people take offence over things and think that if they speak in legalese they can scare people into doing what they want. In the absence of guns in Ireland, we take out our solicitors when people piss us off.

The vast majority of people who talk about legal action are just blowing hot air out their arse, but we prefer to do without their input to the site.

From what we've heard and seen, anyone who is actually going to take legal action won't say anything, they'll just do it. We ban them too, though.

Galvasean

Does the same action apply to people who threaten to call the Guards on other posters? I see that a lot these days.

AckwelFoley

i think this is a big hullaballú over nothing :pac:

Beruthiel

snyper wrote: »

i think this is a big hullaballú over nothing :pac:

*groooooan*

It's better to be safe than sorry.

Beruthiel

Galvasean wrote: »

Does the same action apply to people who threaten to call the Guards on other posters? I see that a lot these days.

Really?
I've never seen a reported post on that.
Any links?

seamus

Galvasean wrote: »

Does the same action apply to people who threaten to call the Guards on other posters? I see that a lot these days.

No. The Gardai only intervene in criminal matters, not civil ones. So it's not possible to cause hassle for someone unless they've broken the law. In which case they deserve to have the hassle.

It's also very rare to see because no-one usually has enough information about other posters to do so.

hullaballoo

The idea of a site-wide announcement on the matter is just so that people are aware that the rule is in place and that there's zero tolerance for it.

It's nothing new; it's just so that people are aware of it and don't get a surprise when they find their account permanently banned. Thus far, people have been banned for threatening legal action but there was no notice that this would happen, unless they were aware of previous bans for similar situations. This way, users are on notice.

There has been a recent increase in the number of bans issued for this sort of thing and I suppose that if people knew about the rule in advance, they wouldn't be so quick to bring their wonderful solicitors who have given them sage advice about their rights &c.

By the way, I don't appreciate that snype at my username, OP. You should know better than to shoot off like that.

WindSock

Galvasean wrote: »

Does the same action apply to people who threaten to call the Guards on other posters? I see that a lot these days.

Ah hahaha. I can't stop laughing at that. Hello Garda, someones being abusive to me on the internet.

Eoin

WindSock wrote: »

Ah hahaha. I can't stop laughing at that. Hello Garda, someones being abusive to me on the internet.

I think it's more to do with someone reporting them for something illegal they've admitted to. Unless of course, your post has gone completely over my head, which is quite likely.

Gordon

hullaballú wrote: »

By the way, I don't appreciate that snype at my username, OP. You should know better than to shoot off like that.

Ah be easy on the guy, it's easy to rifle through someones psyche but it takes a person of great calibre to set your sights on the positives and act on them.

AnimalRights

If someone uses an everyday word as a name it is bound to crop up in a pun, you can hardly threaten someone over it, maybe change your name to something easy and simple like John.

no offence to anyone called John btw

stevenmu

Careful, you might put yourself in the line of fire

AnimalRights

aahhh the forum you Mod sounds interesting, will drop in there after me bath.

javaboy

seamus wrote: »

No. The Gardai only intervene in criminal matters, not civil ones. So it's not possible to cause hassle for someone unless they've broken the law. In which case they deserve to have the hassle.

It's also very rare to see because no-one usually has enough information about other posters to do so.

I think the question is will posters find themselves getting banned for reporting people to the Gardai for criminal activities not for calling them names on boards.

e.g. there is a thread in motors about a guy who dodged VRT for a while and he's getting a lot of stick over it. Some people have alluded to his Bebo/Facebook and other traceable online info and the possibility of customs/Gardai using it to catch him on non-payment of VRT.

If someone was to post "I'm using the info I have on you to report you to the authorities." would they find themselves on the wrong end of the banstick?

Eoin

That's how I read Seamus' post in the first place?

javaboy

eoin_s wrote: »

That's how I read Seamus' post in the first place?

Oh I know. It's just that threatening to report someone to the Gardai based on something posted on Boards.ie could potentially legal complications to the site which they obviously want to avoid.

I guess what I'm asking is is this the official site position on the issue: "it's not possible to cause hassle for someone unless they've broken the law. In which case they deserve to have the hassle"?

Oryx

The way I see it, threatening to set your solicitor on someone for a comment on a public forum is stupid. Posting on a public forum about something you have done which is illegal, is equally stupid.

The first is bannable as it shows you up as a tool who cant debate without getting antsy and throwing your toys out of the pram, and you have no place here. The second is something that might get you personally in trouble, but its your own fault if it does, for posting in the first place. Anyone who brings it to the attention of the guards is probably not a nice person, but you as the op would be the real eejit.

Overheal

Speaking of these words like libel, and slander, defammaotry etc. just how are these coming up? Furthermore, is there anything on the site that could be considered as such? I mean when someone calls me a poo head its certainly not nice of them but its a different matter if they publicly declared me a poo head on the street - this is just the internets where we are all (supposedly) anonymous.

Nobody better call me a Poo Head..

javaboy

Overheal wrote: »

I mean when someone calls me a poo head its certainly not nice of them but its a different matter if they publicly declared me a poo head on the street

I think it's only libel though if it isn't true. :pac:;)

Oryx

Overheal wrote: »

Nobody better call me a Poo Head..

Poo head.

*runs away*

javaboy wrote: »

I think it's only libel though if it isn't true.

Its only libel if your accuser cant prove its true. Important distinction.

AckwelFoley

hullaballú wrote: »

By the way, I don't appreciate that snype at my username, OP. You should know better than to shoot off like that.

Gordon wrote: »

Ah be easy on the guy, it's easy to rifle through someones psyche but it takes a person of great calibre to set your sights on the positives and act on them.

stevenmu wrote: »

Careful, you might put yourself in the line of fire

The internet. Where we all can be as funny as russel brand. :pac:

On anoher point however, i was actually never aware of the rule. Ive on a few occasion jokingly mentioned legal action.. so i would have felt very agrieved if i had being banned.

I dont take legal action, i merely make note of your ip and arrive at your house in the middle of the night, naked.. holding a throbbing WMD.

Anyhow, by starting the thread i wasnt critisizing the announcment, merely looking to have it expanded on.

javaboy

snyper wrote: »

On anoher point however, i was actually never aware of the rule. Ive on a few occasion jokingly mentioned legal action.. so i would have felt very agrieved if i had being banned.

I'd be far more worried about the illegal actions you've mentioned tbh.

faceman

it was slowly coming more common place seeing plonkers threaten to sue on the site!

Now back to smuggling foreigners in the Nocturnal forum...

GuanYin

Wait til someone starts a Scientology forum

faceman

GuanYin wrote: »

Wait til someone starts a Scientology forum

We had a scary experience with scientology in the drama group one night... That boardsie involved still has us confused! :eek:

Time Magazine

Overheal wrote: »

when someone calls me a poo head

An insult is not necessarily defamatory as it's mostly opinion.

Defamation is accusing a person of something that would lower the opinion of that person in the eyes of a fair-minded individual. Posting that someone is a "liar", a "criminal", or a "paedophile" is libel; calling them a "prick" or a "muppet" probably is not.

Ultimately I think this rule falls under the more general rule of don't be a muppet. My friends know who I am on Boards but like 99% of posters I'm not very identifiable to the public. So I'm not going to care all that much if someone on Boards were to accuse me of being a criminal. SERIOUS BUSINESS and all that. I'll report the post, but you're being a muppet if you'd actually consider taking legal action over the matter.

orestes

faceman wrote: »

Now back to smuggling foreigners in the Nocturnal forum...

Better toughen up the customs procedures so.

*puts on rubber glove*

Sherifu

It happens every few weeks if you watch the banlist. It's funny.(at least as a spectator )