"The Limits of Free Speech on the Internet", or "What happened to ARFCOM can happen to us"

[Ah Pook]

Sound words.
Thank you.

[D_F]

Logical and I’m very appreciative of the site and staff. It would seem that when feasible and available that a move to better aligned providers would also be logical and appreciated. I know I’m researching this for my company which isn’t 2A related in any way. However supporting the status quo doesn’t align with my value system. I’ve “kicked in” in the past and will be happy to do so in the future as part of the community.

Thank you again.
D

[CS1983]

Don't answer. Rhetorical question: Is there a dead man's switch to wipe all info, including backups, should the need arise?

[wctriumph]

Thank you and God bless.

[clodhopper]

I get why you've posted this, but this feels like giving the cancel crowd exactly what they want. If people don't stand up to them, it'll just get worse.

While I dont disagree with your point, there are times when the right plan is to be quiet so you are still around later when times are different. Those who see things much differently from how we do currently have significant momentum.

[Grant H.]

Thank you to Mods and Site Admin!

Don't answer. Rhetorical question: Is there a dead man's switch to wipe all info, including backups, should the need arise?

Site Admin held? Very possible, and not a bad idea.

Cached, archived, etc completely outside of Site Admin control? Likely. If it was posted on the internet, it exists outside of your control.

[TheNash]

Logical and I’m very appreciative of the site and staff. It would seem that when feasible and available that a move to better aligned providers would also be logical and appreciated. I know I’m researching this for my company which isn’t 2A related in any way. However supporting the status quo doesn’t align with my value system. I’ve “kicked in” in the past and will be happy to do so in the future as part of the community.

Thank you again.
D

For all of the great things and information especially the stuff that makes ya just laugh your ass off.I would be more than willing to contribute to the site.
Thanks for dealing with all of us

[Irving]

For all of the great things and information especially the stuff that makes ya just laugh your ass off.I would be more than willing to contribute to the site.
Thanks for dealing with all of us

Many of us have, when given the opportunity.

ETA: I don't remember if I have, but I know others here have.

[theGinsue]

For a bit of clarification, I submit to you the following:

The rest of the staff and I certainly appreciate offers to donate to the operational costs associated with the site, but sadly there are positives and negatives to how the site operates which makes this a no-go.

The site operates as a "personally owned" entity vice as a formal business entity. We have no business license which means we operate outside of the controls that can be levied against us under that type of operation. This also means that we have NO income. This is just one reason why we don't have paid sponsors/advertisers on the site (besides, who wants to deal with having to see that here?). All of this together means that any donations to "the site" could/would be considered "personal income" to anyone on the site to receive it. This is why we haven't requested nor accepted donations from our members. I know that some of you have sent "gifts" to some in the distant past, but once we realized the legal/taxable implications we quickly stopped accepting anything. We'd rather pay out of our own pockets to maintain the site than to have to deal with the consequences of receiving funds.


Since I started this thread, I've had a couple of folks reach out to me to offer advice on how to navigate the road we see ahead. We've got a lot of brilliant minds on this site and many with some amount of experience in managing an online presence. Whether you have experience with servers, domains, etc. or not, and while the staff is fairly ingenious at times, we can't always think of everything so any advice you have is always appreciated. Just do me the favor of sending it via PM - there's no point in making workarounds publicly viewable when it just helps those with ill will towards us find ways to circumvent our efforts.

Now, while I'm on the subject of site access, did you know that the site does have a page on Facebook? I'll confess that I rarely visit it and it gets next to no activity, but it exists and is a great place to go for information during the times when access to this site is down. I'll let those of you with FB accounts do your own search to find it.

[FoxtArt]

A spot of wisdom for the record for those that think any site is caving:

The internet is a jealous ex-wife with the memory of an elephant. Currently, postings by U.S. Military personnel on social media are being used to selectively filter out U.S. servicemen and women for guard duty at the capital on January 20th, to weed out any "sympathizers". And you know that 99% of young servicemembers who supported DJT have posted about it online at some point in time, so we've created the most effective means to "filter" ourselves out of any positions that matter. Posting on the internet, while "venting", accomplishes very little other than contributing to the memory of this jealous ex-wife, who will remember what you said far longer than you ever can. So already, everyone's flag waving and ranting on the internet is used to filter out diversity of thought in one segment of our armed forces. That will only continue.

If you want to have conversations outside of the purview of this jealous ex-wife, it is appropriate to do so with others, in person. I highly suggest NEVER getting involved in politics on any social media attached to your name (facebook, twitter, etc.). It is better to have no history at all, than a history in any direction online, which will affect your job opportunities, promotions, hiring, firing, probably credit before too long, etc. We're just a few years away from someone being able to very quickly "search" your social footprint to highlight any even slightly controversial comments you've made in the past, which you cannot delete. "Oh, he made a joke about a handicapped person in 2009, lets pass on him".

Before you post or share something on social media (especially name attached, facebook, twitter, etc.) ask yourself what value do YOU actually get from it. [Why I basically never post jack on those footprints]. Are you actually going to change anyones mind? Get any money from it? Improve your opportunities? No? That said, there is little harm in having accounts - any in some cases beneficial - so long as you're not actively participating in the vomit of it.