Tenor of Posts in Photo Section

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#1

I doubt I am alone in having some concern about the tone of some of the posting going on in the Photo pages. I am aware that some type of policing seems to be going on: an example of blatant racism was apparently deleted before I could create a link in this post about it. But whatever oversight is happening, it doesn’t seem to addressing individual comments by some individuals. This lack of/low level of censorship seeming to attracting a growing number of people espousing, for instance, pro-Hitler viewpoints, or perhaps just folks who get their jollies by making provocative comments and then watching the fur fly. Are their rants really what the administrators of this site wish to be associated with? I think and hope not.

I don’t know how the owners envision this site, nor how other users see it. Personally, I am an amateur historian with an interest in photos and small arms of WWII. So I drop by here fairly often. Learning requires exchange of viewpoints as well as information, and I welcome such when it comes from well-balanced people and in polite tones. But frankly, I think this site would be vastly improved if there was a way to screen out some of the juvenile comments, as well as those that seem to hold, um, distorted political views? (While I haven’t stumbled across any yet – the section on Soviet forces seems disproportionately small – I daresay in time you’ll start finding posts promoting Stalinism - and resulting endless bickering with the pro-Nazi elements.) Already I’ve seen posts blaming Jews for the war and their own suffering, and I daresay “Holocaust Denial” will soon follow, if it hasn’t already. In addition to that, some of the captions being provided by those uploading photos are clearly being made up or come from people living in a very distant reality (for example, see http://www.ww2incolor.com/german/waffensstraining ).

I know little about maintaining/operating a website such as this one. What might be an effective means of controlling extreme posts and photos? Should people be required to register before being able to upload photos/make comments (allowing folks to be banned)? I don’t know, and have no powerful suggestions/solutions. I imagine pre-screening uploads and captions would be way too much work.

I hope I’m not coming across as being unappreciative of this site, or the generosity of the owner in hosting it. But – what is the owner out to accomplish? The closest thing to a “mission statement” that I recall seeing is an expressed desired to become the largest WWII Photo site on the Internet. But “largest” does not necessarily equal “best” … and I’m afraid if things go on unchanged, the site will drown in absurdities and extremism, with any information it provides being of questionable authenticity and, unfortunately, being of no worth in any historical sense.

Just my two cents…what do you other users think?

#2

For some reason, the Index page didn’t fully load when I first visited today, and I posted a “feedback” post in the “Off-Topic” section as it seemed the closest thing available. Perhaps admin will move the post here…

Anyway, if you’re here, you my initial post is here:

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7121

#3

I’m afraid you’ll have to take this up with WW2Admin - the forums are somewhat semidetached from the rest of the site, and our mod superpowers don’t extend beyond the forum itself. I wasn’t even aware you could post captions onto photos on the main website!

On the rare occasions we get people like that on the forums, in the more extreme cases they are given the boot straight away, while if theyr’e borderline we try to give them enough rope to hang themselves then bin them. I hope you’ll agree that the forums don’t suffer the same problem.

#4

Hi Ardee,
Thanks for your comments and I am aware of what you are talking about. You are not the only person that has expressed those sentiments. My technical knowledge is limited and the photo gallery has been customized from scratch using a third-party program. I’m working with someone that can help me do some of the items you suggested (requiring people to register, etc). It will be done, just not sure on the exact time frame. I’m trying my best to delete what I can, but the rate of new photos and comments added to the site increase every day. Like youtube, I can’t monitor everything and approve the captions before submissions.

I think the other idea to have some peope moderate certain sections of the photo gallery. An expert German history buff can monitor the german forces section, an American air force buff can monitor his section, etc.

Getting there…slowly…

#5

Hello Ardee.
Welcome to our company.

What do you call as a “promoting Stalinism”?
Actually we have the few race-biased persons here ( not pro-Nazy).But the mods watch for them.
I don’t think we need more censorship than we already have here.
Becouse i hope you are not going to transform this excellent cite for debates into the place where only “promoting a-bombing” is possible and all the the other views are just a “Stalinism and Neo-Nazism”:slight_smile:
All is joke…

#6

Hello Chevan,

First of all, I hope you realized I was speaking of the Photo section found here http://www.ww2incolor.com/updates not to the forum or its members.

By promoting Stalinism, I was referring to his extreme brutality and cult of personality, not his “communist” stance, per se. Despite his sweeping purges of civilians (e.g., the up-to-17-million (IIRC) supposed to have died* in the Ukraine via forced relocations etc. during the 30’s - I forget the exact dates) and the military, his paranoid police state, and general ruthlessness, there is (according to the western news media I listen too anyway – take potshots at that if you like) still an element (a small one) in the former USSR that would favor a return to this style of doing things (please, I have no idea of your personal politics, but I do not care to get dragged into any discussion of past or current problems/politics in the former USSR). From what I know, Hitler and Stalin seem pretty darn close to being equally bad.

Regarding censorship, etc. – if you’ll read my initial post again, I brought up several times the question of what the site developers wanted to achieve with the (photo section of) this website. If they want to host “debate” of opinion and unverified facts, that’s one thing. If they want it to serve as a photographic archive of accurate factual data, that is quite another. I favor the latter.

I’m not sure what your last comment (“All is joke”) meant: that is, what “all” you were referring to. Nor do I know what the “promoting a-bombing” was about. But, as I said in the original post, I view learning as an “exchange of viewpoints as well as information, and I welcome such when it comes from well-balanced people and in polite tones.” I don’t consider name-calling polite, nor do I find comments like “KILL EACH OTHER, COMMIES!!!” (an actual post in the Polish Forces section) to contribute anything to a either knowledge or a “debate.” And the unchecked spouting of things such as Nazi slogans and viewpoints only provides opportunity to make impressions on the impressionable who may happen to visit the site. These are the type of things that I believe “removal” would improve the website. Do you disagree?

===

  • some by execution, etc., but most by starvation, neglect and indifference.
#7

I know about brutality and cult during the Stalin period.
I just was interesting where have you found the “promoting of Stalimism” in this board?
I can dispute this matter- about the actual stalins deeds and the bitter consequences-and especially his portraying in western mass media.But this is whole other thread.
I just want to know what is the promotion of Stalinism on yu mind here?

Regarding censorship, etc. – if you’ll read my initial post again, I brought up several times the question of what the site developers wanted to achieve with the (photo section of) this website. If they want to host “debate” of opinion and unverified facts, that’s one thing. If they want it to serve as a photographic archive of accurate factual data, that is quite another. I favor the latter.

Well sorry , sure you right about photo section.I just look at here not very often.
http://www.ww2incolor.com/german-air-force/hjm

More like the BRITISH KILLER and a good one at that. Probabally killed alot of americans as well. Good for him I must say. If only koon was fighting in the air mabye he would of go KOON as well, witch would of been good I think. Mike R

Of cource the comments like this one are very disgusting.
We have to do something with such commenters , righ mr ww2admin?

I’m not sure what your last comment (“All is joke”) meant: that is, what “all” you were referring to. Nor do I know what the “promoting a-bombing” was about. But, as I said in the original post, I view learning as an “exchange of viewpoints as well as information, and I welcome such when it comes from well-balanced people and in polite tones.” I don’t consider name-calling polite, nor do I find comments like “KILL EACH OTHER, COMMIES!!!” (an actual post in the Polish Forces section) to contribute anything to a either knowledge or a “debate.” And the unchecked spouting of things such as Nazi slogans and viewpoints only provides opportunity to make impressions on the impressionable who may happen to visit the site. These are the type of things that I believe “removal” would improve the website. Do you disagree?

Hard not to agree with you sir.
Actually the photo section usialy has lack of mod’s attention.

#8

There’s a good reason for that Chevan - we’ve not got any power over it!

#9

Why is so?
One can bann the members for critic figures of holocaust, but you have not enough power agains the lunatics for idiotic race hate comments?
we need to change this situation, don’t we?

#10

I can ban people within the forums, but have no power over the “photo comments” section he’s referring to.
Actually, I can’t currently ban anyone anywhere on the forums and make the ban stick - for some reason only GS or WW2 admin seem to have that power right now. All I can do right now is delete all their posts. Seems to be a software bug that hasn’t been fixed yet.

#11

Or actually, we can’t ban a poster that has a certain number of posts and becomes a “Private” in rank. I think the number is about five posts to become ban-proof from pdf, George, and myself…

#12

I just was interesting where have you found the “promoting of Stalimism” in this board?

Hello Chevan,

Please re-read my initial post, especially the part starting with “(While I haven’t stumbled across any yet…).”