Banned from construction and planning for 1 month is ridiculously excessive

frackingishell

hello,

i was banned by sydthebeat for one month for an innocent mistake, and i feel it's really a bit mad to be banning me for 1 month..

i searched insulation on boards, and found 2 threads. I replied to them and put the same link in both to a video we did about potential polystyrene pollution. I DID NOT KNOW that both threads were in the same forum. I'm new to boards, and i thought that many forums have similar topics.

So I've been told i'm spamming and i've been banned for a month, even though i was only banned this morning when i asked what happened to my thread on polystyrene insulation (politely). And the definition of spamming is harsh- im not trying to make money, im merely trying to educate contractors and homeowners alike. I was not SPAMMING, as Syd says i was.

i never cursed, was never rude, and never insulted anyone. I've been more than cordial in trying to resolve this.

The video is about how to prevent polystyrene pollution in the environment, and gives advice to everyone.

I feel this 'punishment' is excessive and to be honest, the motivation behind banning me for one month makes no sense.

Im obviously new, and surely the person in charge could have just taken my threads down and told me to just post the link once? I understand maybe there's alot of work to moderating- so maybe even ban me from the forum for a few days. But one month??? When im only trying to do some good for the environment?

Can someone help me out here please?

heres the vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU_MnaZEDI0

g'em

hi frackingishell,


have you contacted the Moderator who banned you for further clarification?

I'll look into this shortly.

frackingishell

Hi G'em,

i have yes. I was pretty much stonewalled, and told i was spamming. Ive since pleaded and made the point this was a minor infraction and we didnt need to go this far, and that i didnt know to check the location of the threads i posted in.

As i was saying, i searched for insulation, and posted a comment and the same video-link in both threads i found relevant ( not thinking about where the threads were located), then i looked for the construction forum and started my own thread on the matter. I checked today to see if anyone read the thread, and all my three posts were gone with no explanation, and i figured i did something wrong. I didnt know who removed my posts, then started another thread in the same forum politely asking why my thread was taken down ( i got no PM), and then i was given a ban for a month.

I replied to the sender, then i also apologised and made it clear why it happened.

THe fact is, im new to this site, and i wasn't selling anything, and i was doing no harm, and i've been banned for a month for a technicality. I could understand if i had done this before, or if i was selling something, but all i was doing was trying to highlight a potential environmental issue that not many people are aware of.

THanks for checking into this, it's regrettable that you now have to deal with it so apologies on my behalf.

g'em

Hi frackingishell,


When someone repeatedly posts a link or a website like that it is spamming, even if that wasn't your intention. Also in this case the link is to further your own agenda based on a personal grievance that you have. You need to appreicate that from our point of view we can't allow that to happen on the forums, otherwise we'd be over-run with people doing likewise. We are not a platform for people to do that.

I've had a chat with the forum Mods and they're willing to reduce your ban to a week - while I do believe that you didn't realise that you were spamming, it is warned against in the T&C that you agree to when you sign up to boards. Your posts will remain deleted and if you post about this issue again you won't be given the same reprieve - your ban will be longer, possibly permanent.

frackingishell

Hi g'em,

i suppose a weeks ban is better, and more in line with me not realising i was spamming.

One thing i dont understand thoguh- can i not post about this again? I don't have an agenda, we just made a video about something both contractors and homeowners don't think about because they dont realise the impact of polystyrene.

Im not singling anyone out- in fact, the contractor we had said he didn't even know polystyrene was bad. He was only too happy to look after it in future, as he doesnt want to be polluting when he can EASILY prevent it. I never had any grievance, we all cleaned it up and sorted it out. THere was no grievance at all.

We made this video out of a sense of social responsibility, to share information and help improve the community.

So what im asking is, are you saying i can't post abotu this topic again? The only reason i want the ban lifted is because i want to put it in that section! The video doesnt tell people not to insulate, in fact it encourages it.

Can you clarify this for me? Once again, i have no agenda, i just wanted to share a mistake, a remedy, and some knowledge witht he relevant parties.

g'em

No, you can't post on this issue again. As I said, you spammed the forum with the same video three times, which pretty much invalidates any further openings for discussion on the topic. The Mods woul have been quite within their rights to have banned you for longer but given that you apologized it's been reduced to only a week. Without putting too fine a point on it to go back into the forum only to do the same thing again would be taking the píss.

I'm sure that if this is a pressing issue the local Mods and posters will flag it for discussion.

frackingishell

g'em,

i would once again thank you for involving yourself in this issue, but i have to take exception here. I didn't spam it intentionally, and i didnt know i was posting in the same forum as i was saying. I just searched insulation and replied individually, and linked the video.

I don't see how me posting this thread again with an explanation of the issue, would be taking the piss. If i've been banned for a week, and the threads have been taken down, and i put it up again, how is that taking the piss out of anyone? The issue still remains an important one, and anyone who is looking into external insulation would benefit from watching it- as would contractors. How any would see it as taking the piss is beyond me as it's not aimed at anyone personally, or indeed collectively.

If boards.ie is here for reasonable discussion on issues, and i've acknowledged that i made a mistake yesterday, and return a week later, surely i should be allowed post the topic and make people aware of it?

I don't mean to repeat myself, but i fail to see how this is taking the piss- im not insulting anyone, or causing argument, i'm merely informing people of an often overlooked facet of the build process. WHat im highlighting wont cost anyone money, won't cause any business to be lost, and will hopefully help towards keeping the environment clean, which most people want.

Can you ask them if they think it would be taking the piss as you say? I really think this has blown well out of proportion and I don't see how boards.ie can be deemed a fair and reasonable discussion-space if issues as neutral as this are censored and buried for no apparant reason.

Whether i inadvertantly broke a boards charter or not, this issue is still current and one that needs attention. It has nothing to do with me personally, but just because i screwed up, doesnt mean anyone insterested in insulation on boards.ie should be denied pertinent and valuable advice for free, and agenda free. Know what i mean?

I look forward to yoru reply and thanks again.

g'em

frackingishell wrote: »

i have no agenda

frackingishell wrote: »

im merely trying to educate contractors and homeowners alike.

frackingishell wrote:

The issue still remains an important one, and anyone who is looking into external insulation would benefit from watching it- as would contractors.

I think it's quite clear that you are, in fact, pushing an agenda. After being repeatedly asked not to post about it you are persisting in speaking about being given the right to speak about it. As you have admitted yourself this is a video you shot, as a result of your experiences.

frackingishell wrote: »

I don't see how me posting this thread again with an explanation of the issue, would be taking the piss. If i've been banned for a week, and the threads have been taken down, and i put it up again, how is that taking the piss out of anyone?

Because you were told why you did wrong - you spammed an item that was pushing your agenda. If you post it again you will be repeating that mistake.

frackingishell wrote:

The video is about how to prevent polystyrene pollution in the environment, and gives advice to everyone.

The Mods disagree. They found it to be biased propaganda. I trust the local Mods' opinion on this and therefore find that the video has no place on the forum.

I've said all I wish to say on this - your ban has successfully been reduced but you have been requested not to post on this particular issue again on the forum. If you wish to appeal it further it will need to go to Admin level.

frackingishell

ah look, i think everyone on this site has an agenda the minute they open their mouth and write anything in the strictest sense of the word. Anyone who posts on a thread and links into a video has an agenda but thyere not prevented from speaking about it, or 'pushing their agenda'.

My interpretation of 'having an agenda' being bad is trying to gain from something, or causing someone to lose out. I am pushing NEITHER.

THe fact is, through simple tacking of mesh to walls alot of unintentional pollution would not happen, this video shows how.

You can trust the local mods all you want, but they are obviously involved in the energy saving building industry ( and industry i fully believe in and im 100% behind).

You can choose now to bury your head in the san g'em, and leave this to the 'local mods' so you don't have to deal with what is blatantly unnecessary censorship jsut so you don't have to pull rank and cause friction and- you can leave sydthebeat to rule roughshod over any citizen who wishes to gently spread the word about an important environmental topic and ignore my issue, OR , if you take three minutes to watch the video you'll see it is to everyone's benefit.

A friend of mine told me that often boards isn't a fair place and don't expect it to be. WEllm here you have an opportunity as a representative of boards to just watch the video, see how it doesnt offend anyone and how IT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY FROM EVERY ANGLE. Then make a decision on it.

It seems because i have made a mistake by 'spamming' BY ACCIDENT, this issue will now be censored on boards. Its just ridiculous, and you can't honestly believe you, or boards, are being even handed here.

And it is certainly IS NOT biased propaganda- i merely show how not enclosing the area correctly results in a wide debris spread of a toxic substance. There's nothing biased about that, it's simple fact. HOW ON EARTH IS THAT BIASED PROPAGANDA! IM SORRY, BUT THIS IS ENTERING THE REALM OF THE BIZARRE! You guys HAVE to be having a laugh! The video is educational in that alot of people don't know how toxic polystyrene is. THe video also puts pictures to the problem, thereby increasoing the impact of the lesson, that benefits everyone, and harms noone.

Can i start my own building and contruction forum?

Thanks, and if not, how do i get this to the admin section as you suggested?

again, i appreciate your time.

frackingishell

Hi, can you let me know how i appeal this further then?