shut down

[El Diablo]

Newcastle's forum is gone and the Parramatta forum is moderated in a way that posts are only displayed once they have been approved. I seriously doubt Souths admin have closed your forum because they don't want to read the thoughts of the fans.

 

[Riv's]

It seems some people have very bizarre ideas about what is or is not legal responsibility. If the club provides the vehicle by which defamatory or libelous comments are made public then they are potentially as liable for the publication of those comments as the author. In fact both the author and club could well be sued. The potential risk in this is huge and many organisations as has been alluded to here in all walks of life are hurriedly reviewing the risk exposure of forums.

The "freedom of Speech" is an American constitutional right that has no particular significance in Australian law anbd no recognition in the Australian Constititution. It has been under challenge legally by that Melbourne identity Joseph Gutnick in an action against an American site. The American site argued that the defamation could only occur where the information was published and that could not bve determined in matters of internet domain. The Australian Court found that it occurred at least equally where it was read. That publication occurs not only in creation and posting but in downloading.

the difficulty for the club in managing defamtory posts is that even with members only forums as we have seen - the more technically savvy amongst us can often overcome the barriers of site administration, and some of the less scrupulous - and I'm not accusing anyone on the Souths forum of this - have been known to borrow other peoples id's to post messages or create accounts to post messages. Further the posts we make are not scrutinised before release - and no matter how they might be treated after the event, edited or deleted, the fact for an instant they appear and say things that may be incorrect, insulting or damaging means they have been published and the risk is real.

To suppose that the forum is an essential part of the clubs business is hardly realistic, on the balance of total membership the forum participants are a small - but significant - some may say unreasionably influential group. I would hate to see the club exposed to a lawsuit because of something that a member (not just a fan but a voting stakeholder in the club with potential to hold office in the club), said in the heat of a lousy season or the torrent of media and other misinformation that goes around.

I would rather the club shut the forum down completely and ensured we got quarterly membership reports with balance sheets and trading figures and qualitiative info from the coaching, training and administrative manangers of the club.

But thats just my opinion.

Riv's

 

[blowy]

Well said Rivs.

Personally, I miss the forum but that is NOT why you pay your membership dues. The reason you pay your membership dues is to be a member, not for the fringe benefits which may or may not be forthcoming, but because you want an affiliation and recognize that that affiliation has an associated cost. Also, you wish to contribute. After 3 years you have the right to vote.

$30 a year is an absolute pittance, and those who are complaing about their "hard earned dollars", think of this.... $30 is about 6 hours junior wages at Maccas .... you don't think it worth 6 hours flipping burgers for a years membership of your club? If you want a retail relationship, go and buy a packet of chips or something.

This relationship is contributory, NOT retail, and if you don't agree, then you probably don't understand why News Ltd are so wrong in their "visions". The rewards are not material, and if you don't think they are worth 8.219 cents a day, then don't join.

I do feel that the club needs to improve its information dissemination to members, but I also recognize that the forum would take a lot of time to monitor, that timehas to be paid for, and we know that we are not oozing dough at Souths. In fact I get the impression that things are pretty tight.

That's MY opinion.

 

[weggie]

dunno.

Seano and I are here.

some may have gone to rabbitohs.com.au

thats what i thought we were talking about, rabbitohs.com ??????

the forums stopped there too..i came here to find out whats going on there.

 

[madunit]

Sadly they do run a Tapp, but it's old, antiquated, rusty, blocked and just plain does not work.

That's definitely souths all right, old, antiquated, rusty, blocked, exhausted, over-rated, under-achieving, good for nothing, done nothing, no-hopers.

Well said daRque!!!! :lol: :lol:

 

[RifRaf]

It's the beginning of the end first your forum soon the team... Back to 14!!!

 

[Slugs]

It's the beginning of the end first your forum soon the team... Back to 14!!!

.....and back to the top

MERGED SCUM :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: