Should the forums be more child friendly?

Talk about things not related to Sonic or Chao. Talk about other stuff!
Warning! This topic is 6 years and 3 months old! Please consider opening a new topic rather that bumping up this very old post.
Locked
Tsui
Expert Chao
Expert Chao
Posts: 887
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 5:44 pm

Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Tsui »

Or maybe I should say 13 year old friendly, but let's be honest here, a handful of us joined when we were younger than that.

Am I the only one who thinks that some of the content posted and discussed here is a little out of place for a site about Chao? Think about it, what age were you when you first looked up info about Chao? The site itself has been around a while.

I know we've grown a little bit but that shouldn't keep people away who are the age we were when we joined. So - and this is just my opinion on it all - shouldn't the older users maybe tone it down a bit? I get that talking about "mature" subjects is fun and cool when you're 13 but, and I've said this before, when you're 18 and there are possible 13 year olds around it's a little different. I'm just saying, maybe consider the few younger users we have when talking about stuff like MA TV shows and R18 video games. Right?

I'm just a little sick of seeing boobs on a Sonic forum
User avatar
Pumpkinium
Expert Chaos Chao
Expert Chaos Chao
Posts: 4225
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:37 pm
Motto: spongebob
Location: krusty krab
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Pumpkinium »

i agree entirely honestly. people always try to trivialize it because of the exact wording of the rules but like.. it's not really necessary. i'm tired of seeing stuff like that too.
help me
User avatar
Nano
Legendary Chaos Chao
Legendary Chaos Chao
Posts: 12256
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:50 am
Motto: My kickstarter failed, but that's okay!
Location: Union of Chaoviet Socialist Republics

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Nano »

I agree, but I think it depends on what you mean by child friendly.

Overly sexual content? Obviously. People talking about a rated R movie? No way.

Protecting children from important content just because it might seem a bit mature for them? Gray area.

It's a very subjective term when you say child friendly and I'd be interested in hearing what you mean in greater detail.
User avatar
chaoadventures
Veteran Chao
Veteran Chao
Posts: 1381
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:30 am
Motto: "you wanna play with gabario?"
Location: heck (still)
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by chaoadventures »

While my answer is yes, I don't feel much can be done.

My case being that this is the internet, where no one is safe, and any attempts at making it otherwise are rendered null.

People who wish to stay away from objectionable content will stay away from objectionable content (which I have in the past) and those who don't care (most people on the planet, including parents)
will find it. Also looking back at the forum's more historically buried topics, there's a lot of topics focused on R rated movies and 18+ rated games anyways.

Allowing a child to roam the internet freely is effectively the child's parent's fault, and it's effectively their fault for these problems.

I say this because making this place more "child friendly" is like making one of those light beacons in Metroid Prime 2.

It's good. It's helpful. It's full of light. It's also a temporary barrier placed in the middle of a war zone that eventually expires.

In other words.

It doesn't matter what you do, it's the internet man.

That doesn't mean I'm not the same guy who made a Pandora's box comment about allowing any swears to be said on this site to begin with, but this is all probably futile in the long run.

That all said the rules are flimsy and need revising to be tighter about similar subjects.
Image


- - -
Rajikaru wrote:You're clinically insane.
User avatar
Crazo3077
Mystical Chaos Chao
Mystical Chaos Chao
Posts: 7153
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:17 pm
Motto: xP

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Crazo3077 »

I'm amused that this topic comes back every once in a while.

I think that a fair rule of thumb could be comparing the degree of content to the ratings of the subject material: The site is focused on primarily E rated games, so that should probably be the tone we should focus toward, right? I mean maybe stretched to E10+ if we count Shadow the Hedgehog.

So yeah. I think we should at least hold a stronger standard. And that if the people don't, the forum's moderators should. If we can be okay with the term "funposting" we can watch our language at least.
Image
Avatar Art by chocohugs; Signature by Tsui
Tsui
Expert Chao
Expert Chao
Posts: 887
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 5:44 pm

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Tsui »

Nano wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:13 pmIt's a very subjective term when you say child friendly and I'd be interested in hearing what you mean in greater detail.
Let me clarify what I mean when I say things like MA/R18.

I'm starting to think subjects like pedophilia are too sensitive and explicit. Maybe I'm just being overprotective. And despite my history, I actually think talk about things like erotic games isn't appropriate either. I'm not saying we should cater to 8 year olds. Just that we do have somewhat younger users. Not that we should act like they're babies, it's just kinda weird to talk about work unsafe media on a forum about Sonic the Hedgehog, don't you think?
chaoadventures wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:37 pmWhile my answer is yes, I don't feel much can be done.
I do. In my opinion, I think stricter moderation would be cool, but it's not up to me. This topic almost went in Suggestions but I thought it'd be an interesting debate to have again.
chaoadventures wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:37 pmAlso looking back at the forum's more historically buried topics, there's a lot of topics focused on R rated movies and 18+ rated games anyways.
Yeah and the latter is probably me. :P What a hypocrite, am I right? All I can say is I guess people grow up...? Heh.
Crazo3077 wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2017 6:45 pmI think that a fair rule of thumb could be comparing the degree of content to the ratings of the subject material: The site is focused on primarily E rated games, so that should probably be the tone we should focus toward, right? I mean maybe stretched to E10+ if we count Shadow the Hedgehog.
It sounds strict at first, but that actually makes sense.
User avatar
EvilPinkamina
Veteran Chao
Veteran Chao
Posts: 1724
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:51 am
Motto: $5.99

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by EvilPinkamina »

if i've learned anything over the past month, its that pedophilia isn't a topic that should be discussed by anyone regardless of age.
Triert wrote: I remember the old days when people would get shaped up by criticism and in turn be a better person.
Smashboards: EvilPinkamina
Discord: Pinka #5535
Twitter: @PinkDandere
Triert
Master Chaos Chao
Master Chaos Chao
Posts: 5682
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:36 am

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Triert »

no

this place has had too many issues with predatory people and we have at least one member that's not even a borderline pedo
User avatar
EvilPinkamina
Veteran Chao
Veteran Chao
Posts: 1724
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:51 am
Motto: $5.99

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by EvilPinkamina »

yes

the discussion should be had by mods or in pms.

(also side note for those unaware: the general age gap for pedophilia is 5 years, and begins at 16. for example, a 19 year old dating a 16 year old isn't pedophilia. a 19 year old dating a 13 year old is.)
Triert wrote: I remember the old days when people would get shaped up by criticism and in turn be a better person.
Smashboards: EvilPinkamina
Discord: Pinka #5535
Twitter: @PinkDandere
User avatar
Mooncow
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1755
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:06 am
Motto: Cut your path through an uncertain future...
Location: Chao Island Capital
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Mooncow »

Crazo3077 wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2017 6:45 pmSo yeah. I think we should at least hold a stronger standard. And that if the people don't, the forum's moderators should.
This is pretty much my take on things. Back in the day it was very child-friendly more to the point of not insulting each other, not swearing etc. Now the internet has evolved (devolved) into talking about erotic games, half naked anime girls, life and relationship problems which get taken off track, etc.

Sure, it doesn't seem like a big deal because they are not crossing the borderline, but is a sonic forum where you really want to talk about this?

Heads up, that in the new year I'm looking to make a lot of changes to the forum structure, including clamping down on the rule-baiting and mod-trigger topics and posts being made (triert).
Chao Island Twitch Channel for Chao streaming!: https://twitch.tv/ChaoIsland/
I have dragons as my servants and I have almighty powers.
Image
JmTsHaW: (list of CI users, as Sonic Battle characters) Chaos - Mooncow (He barely appears, Chaos also barely appears.)
(00:45:53) xninjy: ur not old mooncow. old is 50 or 45.
User avatar
Jeffery Mewtamer
Advanced Chaos Chao
Advanced Chaos Chao
Posts: 3234
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:59 pm
Motto: Sightless Scholar
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Jeffery Mewtamer »

I think it worth noting that child friendly can vary drastically depending on whose standards we're talking about. Since the ESRB ratings of the Sonic franchise was brought up, I'll mention that I know of at least one game series that has an All Ages rating from Japan's Computer Entertainment Ratings Organization but got bumped up to T for Teen when the ESRB got hold of it, not to mention how it seems like nearly every Shounen and Shoujo anime and manga that gets localized is either heavily censored or targetted at an older audience for its US release(fortunately, the latter practice is more common these days) and I can think of examples from both shounen and shoujo of fully naked anime girls(and even fully naked anime boys in the case of shounen) though admittedly, it's almost never intentionally sexual and barbie doll anatomy often comes into play if there's a clear view(Case in point, look no further than the transformation scenes in the original Sailormoon anime or scenes of the Tamers while Biomerged in Digimon Tamers).

I'm generally of the opinion that knowledge, not ignorance, is what it takes to protect the young from life's vices, but I doubt I'd be bothered much by attempts to keep forum contents to what you'd find in a shoujo or shounen manga or anime, but trying to satisfy the soccer moms would be extremely heavy handed in my mind.

Also, not every child loose on the internet is the product of parents who don't care. Kids being more tech savvy than their parents is the natural order of things, and short of constantly looking over a child's shoulder, controlling what they do on the computer is far from a trivial task. I was a teenager before my family got a computer with Internet, but there was nothing my parents could've done to monitor my Internet activity back then, and even with me having a BS in Computer Science, I'd be wondering where I went wrong in my child's education if I had a preteen I could set effective parental controls against.
Triert
Master Chaos Chao
Master Chaos Chao
Posts: 5682
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:36 am

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Triert »

"And posts being made (Triert)"

Look, if that's how you really feel I'll take it as a sign to get out of here.

The forum doesn't need me to cause it's own drama, it's perfectly capable of that on it's own.
Pufflehugs
Courageous Chao
Courageous Chao
Posts: 455
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:25 pm

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Pufflehugs »

I think it was more or less a reference to the fact that you literally made a topic about breaking all the rules because reports broke.
User avatar
Lamby
Chaos Chao
Chaos Chao
Posts: 2228
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 5:38 pm
Motto: running this block, running the chain gang
Location: 9th circle
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Lamby »

i've been trying to be more like i used to be anyway, new and stricter guidelines is probably a good thing, because i'm sure i've pushed the rules before, sorry Mooncow, babe. kinda hypocritical to approach you for modship in the past then act all facetious all the time. it's partiality illness related, but i should be more ladylike and diligent at contributing positively to the community, like i used to. there was a time when you told me i was a little too strict with reporting and wasn't really what you were looking for in a mod. now if i was admin i'd be like "i ain't handing that broad responsibility."

plus these days it's really easy to talk to people offsite about your creepy waifus.
Image
"Oh baby won't you stop it/you and I haven't got it
Television romance "
User avatar
Ivogoji
Advanced Chaos Chao
Advanced Chaos Chao
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:11 am
Motto: Yosh!
Location: Death Egg IV

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Ivogoji »

Triert wrote: Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:38 pm "And posts being made (Triert)"
As long as they're talking about you and not me :V
http://i53.tinypic.com/10xar6o.png
NachoThePikachu wrote:I WILL BE AN ADMINISTRATOR, RULING OVER CHAO ISLAND
except it WON'T BE CHAO ISLAND ANYMORE
IT'LL BE BANANA ISLAnD
User avatar
Crazo3077
Mystical Chaos Chao
Mystical Chaos Chao
Posts: 7153
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:17 pm
Motto: xP

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Crazo3077 »

Mooncow wrote: Sun Dec 10, 2017 12:21 pm
Crazo3077 wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2017 6:45 pmSo yeah. I think we should at least hold a stronger standard. And that if the people don't, the forum's moderators should.
This is pretty much my take on things. Back in the day it was very child-friendly more to the point of not insulting each other, not swearing etc. Now the internet has evolved (devolved) into talking about erotic games, half naked anime girls, life and relationship problems which get taken off track, etc.
If I remember right, we even had a point where "shut up" was questioned. Language itself has definitely become more loose. I'd hope that the impression that the internet has become more open on an interpersonal level is a consequence of you watching over this forum and not your impression of the entire internet when disregarding this community. I have to imagine your own site's userbase has to create some kind of bias or increased exposure.

I do think the standard of "acceptable content" has taken a strange direction. I remember how The Simpsons was fairly acceptable for families when I was growing up, but anything more like Family Guy, Futurama, or South Park were knowingly unacceptable for children. Like even the kids who watched them knew. But just this past month I had a young kid talk about South Park with the context that it is totally normal for him to do it, and no one corrected him. That's not even to mention how the popularity of Rick and Morty has resulted in a blatantly apparent demographic of kids watching the show, despite the show creators themselves committing to an age acceptability. That's not even touching on what is and isn't acceptable content on YouTube.

Maybe sensibilities have changed. But strict moderation can happen. I think when moderators are more strict it does help cultivate a more welcoming community: if we're pulled aside for fighting or talking about inappropriate topics, and it is removed from public participation, then the site's image can be maintained. I think the lack of curation has definitely impacted our gain of users.
Image
Avatar Art by chocohugs; Signature by Tsui
User avatar
chaoadventures
Veteran Chao
Veteran Chao
Posts: 1381
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:30 am
Motto: "you wanna play with gabario?"
Location: heck (still)
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by chaoadventures »

^I can confirm from personal experience of being in 4th grade (so like 5 or so years ago) that children really do discuss playing COD on the playground, their knowledge of guns,
the episode of Family Guy they watched last night, and also other way more inappropriate subjects

There's a reason I didn't relate to many people in elementary school.

---

But could stricter moderation on these subjects also add a more welcoming community? Most likely, I wouldn't think that it's hurt the amount of people that have come in prior though.
In the case of an odd new surge of people or a new chao garden, this could be very important.
Image


- - -
Rajikaru wrote:You're clinically insane.
Triert
Master Chaos Chao
Master Chaos Chao
Posts: 5682
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:36 am

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Triert »

(Like a bean burrito, I return for one last dance)

The reason the "shut up" proposal was laughed at was because of how much it lived and breathed overbearing..

the kind of approach you're all thinking of for child friendly is hardly what any child would respect or adhere to. You want to talk about decline, let's talk about interests in general. At the very least with Sonic Mania's popularity there was a chance to get some kind of run off interest from someone interested in chao who found it after a sonic romp.

No lack of curation will impact our usergain as much as simple disinterest will and does. Chao practically don't exist beyond our space, the kind of changes made wouldn't attract people 13-15 let alone 10-12. All you'll be left with is a situation like Neogaf that kept removing more and more of its members over time with its developing culture. But given what I'm aware some of you are capable of and want, the only culture I can see coming from an attempt to push "child friendly" would be nothing but harmful bacteria.
User avatar
Nessie
Youth Chao
Youth Chao
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Should the forums be more child friendly?

Post by Nessie »

Could have an opt in more mature forum where people talk about me rated games and such.

Put in a requirement like x posts mixed with Y amount of time on forum as a way to prevent kids from getting in.
Locked