www.talkcyprus.org

[erolz]

There have been several case of pictures of naked people being used on the site. The mods (some of them) have 'agreed' some proposed rules for this which I present here. This thread is for members to give their views on these proposed rules.

I personally _strongly_ support these proposals. They may strike some as unecessary or heavy handed, but this site SHOULD be useable by people of any age imo - even as a resource perhaps to be used in schools and the like. Naked pictures on the site are just not necessary.

Below are the proposed rules

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The embedding of pictures of naked people is not acceptable. Naked would mean exposed breast and the like.

Placing pictures of naked people in the forum albums, either the publis ones or the personal ones is not acceptable.

Linking to images of naked people will be allowed provided a sufficent warning of the content of the link is given.

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I do not wnat to just impose these rules from above. This thread is an opportunity for members to discuss them. However I do personally feel that we just do not need such images on the forum, and if members (majority) insist that they be allowed then it will undoiubdetly affect my personal comittment to the forum (as a 'neutral'place where Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot and others can discuss cyprus).

[cannedmoose]

I would also add that many people access the site from their workplace. In this case, pictures of naked people on a work PC screen could create difficulties for those concerned with their employer. If the picture isn't work-friendly, the link to such a picture should make this clear. This is how it works on many other sites such as Popbitch and B3TA where the users have respect for each other's positions.

[Bullika]

I hope the changes I ve made satisfies everybody. I get carried away at times....

[erolz]

Just to be clear, at the moment this is only a 'proposed' rule. This thread is a chance for members to express their opinions on this proposal. I hope that a majority of members will support this rule, or at least not oppose it. At such time the proposal will be implemented.

At this time (if this happens) any _future_ posts that do not comply with the new rule will be quarantined. At this stage I am not proposing that all such historice posts be changed, as this is too much work

HOWEVER

pictures placed in users personal albums or the public albums WILL need to be removed.
(like this one - to pick just one example
http://www.talkcyprus.org/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=580)

Thanks.

PS if you want to 'comply' with the rule before it has been implemented that would be most welcome. If you want to wait to see if it will be implemented that too is acceptable.

[Bullika]

i ve deleted it, ok? :D maybe next time if we have a problem you could email me first before going public. its only a suggestion.

no problem gardash, like i said i get carried away at times.

Come on my friend Erol, less of the formal talk, this is a discussion forum not a parliamentary select committee.

[Bullika]

:roll:

[depurple]

Boys I have also Deleted the Barbi Twins at Ayia Napa and I hope it didn't offended the 25 curious people who viewed the photo because you know and I know nothing like that ever really happens at Ayia Napa:
Its a sham my next posting was the Playboy photos of Brooke Bourke naked in Cyprus:
"Wild on Cyprus" anyway see it on cable:
How can you tell a blind man at a nudists camp?
Its not hard!

[erolz]

I would add that if you want to 'share' such images with other forum members, under the new proposed rules you still can. You would have to uplaod them somewhere (not to the forum album) and provide a link with a warning that the link contains nudity.

It's just aginst the rules to embed the image (because then users have no choice if they wish to see it or not), or to place it in the forum albums.

I will give this thread a few more days and if there is no major revolt against the proposals they will made site rules (and added to the forum site specific faq, where the rules are)

[cypezokyli]

ok. this is serious imo.
up to now i never discussed any mods or admins actions. i appreciate their work, and they offer quite a lot to keep this forum going. above all erol, who at times he has to /and has proven to be quite capable.
i will respect the new rules, even though i have my reservetions.
in any case, i dont post pictures, so in a way it doesnt really affect me, but this is a kind of a question on ethics.
its like EU, what kind of EU do we really want?
want kind of a cyp solution do we want?
and
what kind of forum do we really want?

i believe, in the political discusions the rules are kind of more clear. dont get personal , dont insult others. and these are absolutely necessary imo.

if we take tufans thread, about anostos polemistis. to be honest i found it funny and so did a number of forum members (even mods). on principle i believe it was a right decision. in practise , i believe that in a couple of days, it would just be forced to non-existance, by a bulk of new themes. its like our priests when they disagree with a new liberal book, they go in the streets protesting, and in effect achieving to give more publicity to a book that most probably doesnt even worth it.

when it comes to the photo. ok, i agree that it is difficult to draw the line between on what is erotic - and what is porn. and because it is difficult i trust you to draw the line. i think discussing where the line is, it makes no sence.( in any case, porn pictures are out of the question.) so long it doesnt become a common practise, i believe it is ok.

Quote: They may strike some as unecessary or heavy handed, but this site SHOULD be useable by people of any age imo - even as a resource perhaps to be used in schools and the like.
the argument about people of any age. i dont know at what age kids or teenagers, are online. and i dont know at what age they are searching for a cyprus forum. and i believe if they can find a cyprus forum, they can also find naked women on line. therefore, i dont believe that someone will use this forum with purpose to see nude pictures. there are millions of them on the net. they are everyday on tv... and at least when i was 15 i knew where i could find the necessary magazines :wink: not to mention, that this is the same with girls, and these teenage-magazins they buy.
anyway lets not get into the society right now. my point is that, i dont believe that a teenager would use this forum to find nude pictures when there is an abadunce of them out there.

i would also like to add a couple of more things on this argument of users of any age. how about our joke section? most them are not restricted to a "proper" level. most of them ARE about sex. using this argument then we would need to reconsider the jokes we share. i think that a number of them are not that appropriate for all ages.
that is why, i believe this serious. its not about the rules themselves. the rules are not important. its the arguments used that are important.

there is also, another reality. even though this forum has 200-300 users, if u take the first 20 active members then most probably u have an 80% of the total posts. i dont know how it is in other forums. at points this one gives me a family atmosphere - and to be honest i like it. thats why u can see threads, worried about brother, and wondering where mitatcyp is.
aristotel argued that each city should have a maximum of people. i dont know if this applies for a forum as well. usually a thread ends up to be a discussion between 2-3 people. and when it gets to ten people its impossible to follow anymore.
in any case, what i am trying to say here is that, he who posted that photo, has already 800 posts, and he knows that it will not insult any of the forum members. i believe that depurple wouldnt have posted such a photo, if he knew that it would insult some forum member.
BUT, if any forum member felt uncomfortable with the photo, or insulted in any way, my above argument does not hold.

Quote: Naked pictures on the site are just not necessary.
this argument i find more proper to be honest. as i said we dont use the forum to enjoy naked pictures. its not sth that we need. since it is not neccessary, and as we can see from the replies of depurple and bullika...the message is already through. and thats whats important i believe.
i believe what should be achieved is already achieved. there is no need for a rule, when the members themselves understood the point :wink:
i dont believe that this forum will turn to be bounded by conservative rules. i think the admin hasnt prove to be concervative up to now :wink: its just that in principle, if we restrict not-proper photos, we will restrict not-proper discussions. and that i wouldnt like to see to be honest.

it got kind of too long, i am sorry.
in any case, the rules that will be decided should be respected.

[city]

Yes, you are right about that the posters have already understood.
But what about new members? If you have a "rule" in place its easier to ask someone to obey as if you come afterwards and say 'but we don't like this or that'. Do you get my point?
It is happening now due to the fact that the forum is still young and noone here is a professional when it comes to setting up a forum. Therefore there are a few things here and there that pop up at some stage and noone had thought of them before.

re. the issue itself, well, I think its just not necessary. In case I wish to see any naked pics of any people I will know where to find some on the net. You are dead right with this fact. At the same time that proves that we do not need them here.
I think the rule is just perfect. You can still link to them if you wish to discuss certain assets of a certain person. :-)

[erolz]

Hi cypezokyli and thanks for the input. Most welcome

I do not want the site to be overly moderated or have loads of rules.

The point about teenagers being able to find pictures of naked people on the internet is true. The point is however, if they search for them they would expect to see them. If they come to a cyprus discussion forum they would not expect to see them. It's the 'no choice' element, that I see as problematic with such pictures. At the edn of the day I would like a parent to know that if they allow thier child to access this site specificaly, then that child will not be presented with images of naked people without any warning of such.

The point of making this a 'rule' rather than just having a quiet word with posters that are perhaps going a bit far, is that it save time and trouble in the future. I have no doubt that if politely asked the posters woul have removed or changed said pictures. However new users in the future would not know this, and so may post such imahes, again requiring a polite word. Making it a 'rule' just saces time for the mods/admins and lets everyone know where they stand.

It is not my intention to overly moderate the forum, but I think this proposed rule is pretty reasonable at the end of the day. I does not really affect anyones freedom of speech or their ability to express their views about a subject.

Again I think you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this. I really do want users to get involved in how the site is run. It is (as I keep saying) OUR site and not MY site.

[cypezokyli]

city and erol

1. i dont mind the rule
2. i understand that it is makes it easier to run the forum, especially with new members.
3. i also believe that the photos are not necessary

my only concern lies here:
Quote: At the edn of the day I would like a parent to know that if they allow thier child to access this site specificaly, then that child will not be presented with images of naked people without any warning of such .
if i were a parent, i wouldnt propose a site to my kid knowing that there are naked photos. i agree all the way.
my question then is: if you are/were a parent, would you allow your kid to visit our jokes section? is our joke section "proper" ?

i dont fear that new rules will be imposed. knowing u guys for quite a while, i am not afraid of that. :wink:
its just on principle, using these arguments, new rules could be imposed. thats what kind of disturbs me.

[respiridus]

How about:

- Medical pictures.
- Artistic nudes.

For example, I've posted a medical picture of a penis :oops: in the circumcision thread in order to make a question. After realizing that some people would perhaps be offended by it, I turned the pic into a link.

[erolz]

respiridus wrote: How about:

- Medical pictures.
- Artistic nudes.

For example, I've posted a medical picture of a penis :oops: in the circumcision thread in order to make a question. After realizing that some people would perhaps be offended by it, I turned the pic into a link.
Really common sense shoould tell you that any image that may cause offense or be distressing or distasteful to others, is better linked to than embedded.

[city]

respi, the _link_ was fine. Its about embedding pics.
You put the link along with a warning and bingo, there you can have your pic. And the user has a choice whether to click the link or not.

cypezokyli, the rule re. pics would apply to the joke section as well.
I believe the way jokes are told, i.e. using **** in certain words is enough.
To date I can't remember any joke that was going verbally too far or being too disgusting. But you are right in considering jokes as well.