Have You Been Offended By.....??????

There is the button you can click on the song page
that will mark the material as offensive
and explain your reason being that
the feedback on the page has offensive pictures or words.

That's what it is there for.

I too have come across stuff on this site
that I find offensive either to myself
or with the thought of kids seeing it
and I simply click the button marking it offensive.

Then if someone calls up the song to play
the first thing they see is a warning asking them
if they want to continue on to the song or go back.

Permalink

I in a way wish the thread creator could rate their threads..so folks who are easily offended..like the movies..but then again..they had that on paltalk..and you never where the line was in between pg..and adult...depended on your thoughts..especially when it came to language...

I draw the line here on pornographic and genetalia...put those on a thread and I will complain..Now in my almost three years here..I've only seen something of this nature maybe only once and took action on it..

Permalink

i would not like to have my children on here looking and come across some offensive language. i want to look at what they see first, and then ok for them to look at.

Permalink

i would not like to have my children on here looking and come across some offensive language. i want to look at what they see first, and then ok for them to look at.

Permalink

First off there is a Code of Conduct for the message boards:

http://www.singsnap.com/snap/home/codeofconduct

If you are on a board and see something where you feel someone is in violation of that code, best to report it to singsnap admin/forum moderators. If they deem it to be in violation of the Code of Conduct they will remove the offensive text/picture etc.

People who visit these boards are all human...and for the most part adult. What in some cases could be offensive to one person isn't to another. So we need to stay within the Code of Conduct.

Permalink

You're such a wonderful helper, Tas. I wish they'd give you a contributor status or something.

:)

alothridge, I'm going to address your post both from a personal standpoint, and as a moderator. I'll try to make it clear from which point I'm addressing when I write.

Personally; I'm not easily offended by much. I'm 45, and have lived a fairly hard life...seen a LOT in my time that would make most people run screaming from a room. lol.
I'm sure I can be found just as guilty of stepping out of line as anyone else on the site can be when we get going on some crazy antics.....and I personally am open to being pm'd to have it pointed out to me "Beth, you've gone too far!". Although, I do try my best not to put anyone else in a position to have to be my watcher.

As a moderator; it is my goal to be a part of a team in which we do everything we can to make this site enjoyable for everyone. We're a pretty new team, and are still working on the details of what is and is not acceptable, and are always open to being pm'd if you find something offensive that you'd like to report. We look at the potentially offensive post, and decide what to do with it, according to site policies.

There's a link below where you can find a list of Staff and Volunteers who can help anytime you need us.

The site now has the option for users to create an Inner Circle thread, whereby allowing them a private place to cut loose when/if they feel the need, but sometimes people get carried away, I suppose....and might say or post something that they think is innocuous, while another person might find offensive.

Like I said, if you find something you deem as offensive, I encourage you to report it to the mod team, or someone on staff. It will get handled asap.

:) Hope this helps.

Permalink

All they have to do is watch TV to see or hear the same things they will get from the boards, probably worse. And I'm quite certain they get educated by a peer at school before hearing or reading it here, maybe not all, but most!
However...I understand how you feel. :)

Permalink

.

Edited on September 25, 2009 at 9:21 PM Permalink

.

Edited on September 25, 2009 at 9:21 PM Permalink

arrgh, this posted 4 tiimes!

Edited on September 25, 2009 at 9:22 PM Permalink

I've seen this problem on the boards in the past so I know what you are talking about. The best solution is to not let your children to EVER go on the boards without supervision. That's a good rule of thumb with the internet in general.

But when you see something that is that offensive to you, report it immediately. I've found that the moderators do a fantastic job of keeping things suitable for everyone. But they can't be everywhere and sometimes need a heads up.

Edited on September 25, 2009 at 9:22 PM Permalink

double post.

Permalink

If I might add to Beth's very comprehensive post.

Contests and Challenges are primarily my area to oversee, however, as you can appreciate, if I took the time to check every page on every thread, not only would I not get anything else done on site, I'd not have any real life!

I have come across posts that I have either moderated, or asked in general on the threads that the posters tone down what they are putting up. To a degree, it's usually only the contestants of each particular contest that frequent them, so sometimes it's easy to forget that the boards are open to everyone to view (unless as mentioned before they are an IC event).

If you find things that you find offensive, PM the Host/Hostess of the contest in the first place, to let them be made aware of the situation (sometimes threads fly past so fast even they may not have noticed anything) and as Beth said, the moderating team are available and open to PMs about anything that may be contravening the Code of Conduct, although you have to be aware that what you might find offensive, might not be deemed as such by the team..we do have certain guidelines to adhere to, but will review anything that is reported to us.

Our aim is to make the boards as user friendly to all as far as possible.

Permalink

Some people report non-offensive recordings as offensive just to be childish.

Permalink

To be honest, with the exception of the politics and religon boards, I don't think I've ever seen something in a message board post that I would deem to be unfit for a 13 year old to see.

Although, the idea of having a "potentially offensive material warning" , similar to that on songs, for threads has been kicked around before... maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Permalink

werewoof wrote:To be honest, with the exception of the politics and religon boards, I don't think I've ever seen something in a message board post that I would deem to be unfit for a 13 year old to see.

Although, the idea of having a "potentially offensive material warning" , similar to that on songs, for threads has been kicked around before... maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea.

I think that having that might give some people the idea that they could post more offensvie messages and use that warning to justify it.

Permalink

Ever since I started using the internet I have been confused by classifications as to what is suitable for and what constitutes a general audience.

Here in the UK we have what is called the nine o’clock watershed that governs radio and television broadcasts and any programme broadcast before nine o’clock at night must be suitable for a general audience.

The watershed is something that I grew up with and accepted as the norm. When I first went to USA based sites I was bemused as to their user’s notion of what G rated actually was because it was nothing like I was used to. A lot of what they found to be offensive was perfectly acceptable here in the UK and considered G rated.

It must be a difference in cultures because to me ‘bitch’ is a female dog and not that offensive even when used as an insult.

I was in a music quiz room on one occasion and the software filter wouldn’t allow the users to type in the answer to a question regarding an Elton John song called, “The bitch is back.” The word ‘hell’ sometimes would get a user bounced from a room or often a stern warning.

Permalink

Micflex wrote:..
I was in a music quiz room on one occasion and the software filter wouldn’t allow the users to type in the answer to a question regarding an Elton John song called, “The bitch is back.” ...

No, no, the reason for that is because the American version of that song is 'The biatch is back'. That's all.

Permalink

I once ran a thread titled "If You Are Easily Offended". It was a playground of sorts for adults to enjoy a bit of off-color humor and innuendo. I made it very clear to people who posted in there that it was not only a place to have fun, but also an experiment to see if rational, responsible adults could police themselves and not go over the top.

To my mind, it was extremely successful in both areas. Not once were any of our posts moderated..and trust me, at the time...that thread was being VERY closely watched by both staff and moderators.

I think that we (adults) often forget that there are youngsters here...or even sensitive adults...and we get carried away. With the exception of my youngest, my children are old enough to see pretty much everything that is on these boards. As to my baby, she is only allowed on SS when I am with her...and it is on MY account. She does not have her own.

The best course of action when you come across something flagrantly violating the TOS/COC is to report it to one or all of the moderators. They can't be everywhere at all times, so it is up to US as responsible adults to report these violations.

With that said...we DO have to remember that the site is mainly made up of adults who use the site to blow off steam, relax, and enjoy each others' company. Stifling adult conversation to the point of what I term 'Disney-friendly' talk is hardly fair.

So...basically...using common sense and discretion on both sides of the issue as well as tolerance for each other's differences would go a long way toward making this an area of the site we can all enjoy.

Permalink

I agree with Annie about stifiling adult conversation. But I also agree with Cherie about monitoring your kids as to what they look at on the net.

Although we have inner circle threads to let our hair down. We don't always want to be confined to those threads only.

I have always thought that anyone under 18 should not be on the boards.. And I did not mean only because something of a sexual nature may come up... There are times that such topics as abortion and other topics I did not feel comfortable discussing with a teen all of 13 on that thread...

I would not do it in real life. If I had a teen I would not take them to a bar. Or a movie not rated for their age.. Or have them sit in a room at my house full of adults talking about a topic that they should not perhaps be in on.

I have not really seen anything on the public boards that offend me.

The only thing that IMO can get offensive is adults not respecting each other and the sometimes belittling of people that does occur.

To have a warning on every thread topic to me would not really make much sense as no topic ever stays on topic.. So you may start off talking about a teddy bear and at some point it gets into something of a mild sexual discussion.. It's not like it has never happened ;)

Contest threads . I am not sure. I think that is up to the host to post the rules and guidelines and stick to them.

But we are for the most part adults on this site. I think we shoud be able to say.. I don't like the topic and move on if it offends you. :)

Permalink

I don't frequent the message boards as much as I used to but I think, generally, everyone does a pretty good job lately at keeping the site in a happy medium. The last thing I want is further policing, the spirit has already been dampened considerably.

As others have suggested: General rule of thumb in LIFE, internet and otherwise, is to monitor your children and their surroundings and if on a personal level you feel this site is not something you want them visiting unsupervised. Don't allow it.

It quickly becomes a touchy situation when you attempt to apply your own 'levels of tolerance' (for lack of another phrase) onto others.

Cheers!

Permalink

KerJ wrote:

Micflex wrote:..
I was in a music quiz room on one occasion and the software filter wouldn’t allow the users to type in the answer to a question regarding an Elton John song called, “The bitch is back.” ...

No, no, the reason for that is because the American version of that song is 'The biatch is back'. That's all.

lol Kerry!

Permalink

Novella wrote:I don't frequent the message boards as much as I used to but I think, generally, everyone does a pretty good job lately at keeping the site in a happy medium. The last thing I want is further policing, the spirit has already been dampened considerably.

As others have suggested: General rule of thumb in LIFE, internet and otherwise, is to monitor your children and their surroundings and if on a personal level you feel this site is not something you want them visiting unsupervised. Don't allow it.

It quickly becomes a touchy situation when you attempt to apply your own 'levels of tolerance' (for lack of another phrase) onto others.

Cheers!

Well put 'vella.

Permalink

LoveUAlways wrote:I once ran a thread titled "If You Are Easily Offended". It was a playground of sorts for adults to enjoy a bit of off-color humor and innuendo. I made it very clear to people who posted in there that it was not only a place to have fun, but also an experiment to see if rational, responsible adults could police themselves and not go over the top.

To my mind, it was extremely successful in both areas. Not once were any of our posts moderated..and trust me, at the time...that thread was being VERY closely watched by both staff and moderators.

I think that we (adults) often forget that there are youngsters here...or even sensitive adults...and we get carried away. With the exception of my youngest, my children are old enough to see pretty much everything that is on these boards. As to my baby, she is only allowed on SS when I am with her...and it is on MY account. She does not have her own.

The best course of action when you come across something flagrantly violating the TOS/COC is to report it to one or all of the moderators. They can't be everywhere at all times, so it is up to US as responsible adults to report these violations.

With that said...we DO have to remember that the site is mainly made up of adults who use the site to blow off steam, relax, and enjoy each others' company. Stifling adult conversation to the point of what I term 'Disney-friendly' talk is hardly fair.

So...basically...using common sense and discretion on both sides of the issue as well as tolerance for each other's differences would go a long way toward making this an area of the site we can all enjoy.

Wow. I'd forgotten all about that thread of yours. I always thought it was a really good idea, though. That was before we had the IC option, and I was never tempted, later as a moderator, to feel the need to go in there. I never did. Heck, I hadn't even checked it out before I became a mod my first time around.....even though you'd invited me, and I said I'd come.......I just never made it there for some reason.

You made it perfectly clear what it was all about....and I think it worked well. Just sayin'. ;)

lol @ Disney-friendly talk.

eta; speaking of Disney-friendly talk....I can't believe I just said "heck".

Edited on September 26, 2009 at 11:23 AM Permalink

I dont think that there is any member on here that would deliberately post something that would be offensive to children. What tends to happen is that the discussion occasionally gets heated and/or innuendos start getting thrown around without any thought that children may later stumble across the remarks. Much as what might happen during a heated discussion around a table after dinner but of course, posts remain visible afterwards.

Singsnap staff are VERY dilligent and you need only visit sites such as youtube to see the difference between a well moderated site and one less so.

It's always an idea to keep things on a tight rein but not at the expense of normal banter. I'm also a little concerned about the 'Disney rating' becoming the norm on the boards when some of the lyrics within the songs are far worse!

Permalink

ok I just had a thought on this and don't know if its even possible to implement something like this...We have all established that some people think some of the things on the boards may not be viewable by children...we've also established that some users use the site with their children or children have access to the site etc...Is there perhaps a way that an option somewhere somehow can be made to keep the message boards unviewable...So lets say someone like the original poster wants to use singsnap when her children are around but feels the message boards are risky..she can make the board unviewable..but when her kids aren't around she could make them viewable...

Just tossing around some thoughts here...

Permalink

grammatea4u wrote:ok I just had a thought on this and don't know if its even possible to implement something like this...We have all established that some people think some of the things on the boards may not be viewable by children...we've also established that some users use the site with their children or children have access to the site etc...Is there perhaps a way that an option somewhere somehow can be made to keep the message boards unviewable...So lets say someone like the original poster wants to use singsnap when her children are around but feels the message boards are risky..she can make the board unviewable..but when her kids aren't around she could make them viewable...

Just tossing around some thoughts here...

oh my dear..just reread this..if we keep making everything optional, we'll end up designing our own singsnap...ok blame it on my head cold.

Permalink

KerJ wrote:I dont think that there is any member on here that would deliberately post something that would be offensive to children. What tends to happen is that the discussion occasionally gets heated and/or innuendos start getting thrown around without any thought that children may later stumble across the remarks. Much as what might happen during a heated discussion around a table after dinner but of course, posts remain visible afterwards.

Singsnap staff are VERY dilligent and you need only visit sites such as youtube to see the difference between a well moderated site and one less so.

It's always an idea to keep things on a tight rein but not at the expense of normal banter. I'm also a little concerned about the 'Disney rating' becoming the norm on the boards when some of the lyrics within the songs are far worse!

Unfortunately
what some folk think of as normal banter
with innuendo's getting thrown around
is not only something we wouldn't want our kids to see
but I find some of it offensive myself.
And yes, I think Snap does a great job
of moderating this stuff.

Just the same,
folks on the message boards
might want to rein it back a bit sometimes.

Permalink

grammatea4u wrote:

grammatea4u wrote:ok I just had a thought on this and don't know if its even possible to implement something like this...We have all established that some people think some of the things on the boards may not be viewable by children...we've also established that some users use the site with their children or children have access to the site etc...Is there perhaps a way that an option somewhere somehow can be made to keep the message boards unviewable...So lets say someone like the original poster wants to use singsnap when her children are around but feels the message boards are risky..she can make the board unviewable..but when her kids aren't around she could make them viewable...

Just tossing around some thoughts here...

oh my dear..just reread this..if we keep making everything optional, we'll end up designing our own singsnap...ok blame it on my head cold.

Well, be that as it may, it's actually a very good idea. :)

Permalink

It's a tough call because a) everyone's ideas of what is acceptible vary massively &
b) I very much doubt there's much which has ever been posted on SS which is worse than kids are exposed to at school, on tv, in songs in the real world, etc.

& as has been mentioned, it only needs one post in a thread to turn it from the most innocuous into something which could then be described as sensitive.

I'm pleased that the excessive levels of swearing we were getting about a year ago have dwindled...I have nothing against swearing myself, but I do feel that it actually has to MEAN something...there's too much unnecessary swearing as it is in the world today, to the extent that for many, when they need to use something strong to express something they can't, because they use it all the time.

40 years ago we'd be talking about "children" of 18 or 21 in the same way we now talk of kids of 13...if this keeps up in 5 years time we'll have lowered that age to 10 or below...& eventually noone will be too young for anything. I know the world changes & we must change with it, but I firmly believe that childhood should be preserved as long as possible...kids want to be grown up way too early these days & risk missing out on all the things children should be enjoying for years...we all know that adulthood isn't all sunshine & rainbows & how many of us class our childhood years as among the happiest of our lives? We should, in my view, try to keep that...& if that means keeping children off the messageboard, except maybe in a specific "Under 16s" area, then maybe that's what we should do...for THEIR benefit.

Permalink

Well said Miles.

Perhaps a message board area, just for kids, could be added here?

Permalink

Maybe make the message board password accessible? but then again that wouldn't help with the kids reading over your shoulder..but that would just make common sense say don't visit the boards when kids are around..

Permalink

If kids have their own account .. It might be possible for them to create a password, without the parents knowing it, and gain access anyway.

Permalink

Wonders if there is a way to create a singsnapjr...ok..I have the idea forming in my mind but I'm too stuffed up to make if formulate in the written form..

Permalink

A young lad by the name of Fullthrottle (Sam) has been championing the idea of a SingSnap Jr for quite some time. Nothing has come into fruition as if yet. You can read a story about him here ( http://www.singsnap.com/snap/newsletter/volume3 - Home For The Holidays) and it may be worthwhile in getting in touch with him to share ideas and see what avenues he's explored already.

http://www.singsnap.com/snap/member/fullthrottle

Edited on September 27, 2009 at 12:41 AM Permalink

I had asked about having a SingSnapJr .. I have a few nieces and nephews under the age of 13 and they love SingSnap. Their grandma or dad is with them anytime they are on listening to people or singing.
That's when I found out that FullThrottle {Sam} had been suggesting this for some time.
I haven't seen or heard anything about it since then.

Permalink

alothridge wrote: I am in the process of selecting a sample of the offensive material that I have witnessed and will be forwarding it to a moderator.

I really hope I'm not opening a can or worms, but i personally would be interested in seeing that list... As I said earlier, I can't think of anything I've recently seen on the boards that I would deem inappropriate, therefore, I'd like to discover if :

A - I have just not been around enough and not been exposed to the bad stuff, or

B - your idea and my idea of what is appropriate are that far removed from one another...

FWIW... I think the idea of creating a "singsnap jr. " area is a wonderful one!!! It was heartbreaking back when
Trevor suddenly and without warning deleted all of the accounts of minors. How many of you remember that nasty mess?

Edited on September 27, 2009 at 10:09 AM Permalink

Now remember if we do create a singsnapjr that would also mean they wouldnt' have the 'full' library of songs to sing. Some sort of committee would have to go through and pick and choose the songs that would be appropriated for these kids to sing. It would be quite an undertaking for sure...

Permalink

I think what you are referring to GRam is a Parental Control option. Like having a password for your internet browser, where parents can decide what can and can not be viewed by their kids and putting a password to it.

That won't change SS in general, just SS for their kids.

Permalink

It could be quite an undertaking as well to ensure that the site is free from predators...there have been so many instances of pedophiles pretending to be kids in order to befriend other children and then getting them to meet them. Sickening.

Regardless of whether they are on the "adult" site or the "jr" site...I, as a parent would STILL be extremely vigilant with what my child did on the site...especially in talking to others.

As it is...the kids here are not easily identifiable unless they have a pic or you can easily tell by the sound of their voice...lumping them together on one site makes them much easier to find.

Don't get me wrong...I think a SnapJr is a great idea...but I think that EVERYTHING needs to be thought out very carefully.

Permalink

that would also mean more money to put up such a site and maintain it...

I am not saying it is a bad idea but i have to agree with Annie.

I just don't let my kids on here other than to sing a song with me. Otherwise the site is off hands to them.

Permalink

in my vision of a singsnapjr...I don't think a message board would be appropriate..or a private messaging system...they can have the songs to sing only...for the reasons stated above my post...

Permalink

That's a great thought grammatea .. for the reasons stated.

Permalink

I taught for 25 years and one of the reasons I decided to leave education was the lack of respect in children today. The simple fact is ..... those children's parents are responsible.

Most children today know far more swearwords than I ...... and don't hesitate to use them.

Permalink