Monday, June 14, 2010

Blogger censorship!

So yesterday two of my Blogger friends had their blogs censored. MJ, who runs a fairly harmless mild porn style blog had her whole blog shut down, and Leni, whose blog occasionally strays into pretty mild sexual stuff and includes the odd nude pic, was initially shut down and then returned with a warning to visitors that it may cause offense.

Since then also, all the comments that MJ and Leni have made on my blog have all disappeared. So what the hell is going on? What gives Blogger the right to remove other peoples work from the internet. Do we need Google to put themselves up as our moral guardians? Was I so involved in the World Cup that I didn't notice we'd been invaded by China?

16 comments:

  1. Anonymous14/6/10 17:20

    Tom, thank you very much for your post. I'm really grateful for your concern and support.

    My blog was removed because someone reported to Blogger about 'doubtful contents'. I have an idea of who it was, but no evidence of it. I didn't have the 'adult content' message enabled because in all honesty, i always thought that my blog could make some people blush but not offend anyone. I would add that the vast majority of my stories have no sexual content.

    I restored my blog submitting a review request -i had to submit my cellphone number to get an SMS with an access code-. When I logged in again, Blogger had added a 'doubtful content' warning message and had deleted all my comments -not just from my blog, but from all the blogs where I have commented on since 2007-. Not just this, I can't comment as a blogger. I have to do it anonimously. Otherwise, all my comments are deleted the day after.

    I've submmitted 3 desperate messages to the Blogger Help forums asking what can I do to bring my comments back, but there's no answer. Blogger never shows its face. No employees or representatives have said anything.

    So in the coming days I'll be moving my blog to Wordpress, closing my gmail account, and stop using Google. Safari is an excellent browser. And I know that they will laugh their ass off when they read my complaint letter -if they ever read it- but I'm going to send one.

    CENSORSHIP and HIPOCRISY. This is just the consequence of abusive dominant position. So be careful and backup your blog if you're attached to it, because Blogger can remove it if you only write "tits" or "arse".

    The Spanish Inquisition wouldn't have done it better.

    Once again, thanks for your support.

    Leni Qinan.

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  2. MJ is back. I'm trying to comment with my google account, but I don't guarantee this message will be here tomorrow.

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  3. Tom, I'm surprised and delighted at your support for your "filthy tart" blogging pal. And for Leni, too who has also been having a hard time of it with Google.

    My blog AND my Gmail account disappeared without so much as a caution but thankfully they're back.

    Yes, I post naughty pics but it's all done in the spirit of fun...not to shock or titillate. Can I say titillate?

    Prior to this, I DID have an adult content warning on my blog. Those who did not want to see adult content had the choice to NOT click on my blog. That should have been warning enough. What do they want from me?

    I don't understand it. I got a note of apology from Google but NO info on why they removed me.

    This could happen to ANY of you.

    I'm seriously considering the move to WordPress but must find out if their Terms of Service are more relaxed than Bloggers.

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  4. @ MJ, I also thought about moving to Wordpress and I've had a look at their TOS: they're scary. Worse than Blogger's.

    Take care and think about it.

    Big hug.

    @ Tom, so many people have enabled the adult ocntent warning lately that you wouldnt believe it. If I were you, I would do that too. The word "shag" appears too often here. LOL

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  5. All the comments I've ever made on any blog including my own have vanished.

    Thankfully my blog is back, they've restored my Gmail account, but I can't get my comments to stick.

    Thank you so much, Tom.

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  6. Anonymous21/6/10 12:41

    I can't remember what I was going to say because someone just scored a goal! Whatever it was I'm sure I agree :)

    Zig

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  7. Tom,

    I've finally decided to move to Wordpress and I have a new blog there (www.dangerouswriter.wordpress.com) and a huge adult content warning message. Just in case.

    I wrote a thankyou post to all those who helped me restore the blog and complain to Blogger about my deleted comments, though I fear they will never come back.

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  8. BTW, please visit KAZ's blog. I'm not a commenter, but I've known from MJ that she's not well.

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  9. Leni - It's a disgrace that the comments are gone - they are an integral part to the blog posts. I have always worried about information stored on central computers - and here is the evidence of why it's not such a great idea. I know it's only a few bloggers comments but it shows how dodgy the system is.

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  10. Anonymous24/6/10 03:23

    Tom, thanks for your support. The Infomaniac people are leading a crusade in the Blogger help forum to restore MJ's and my comments -basically Eroswings and Scarlet-; the forum collaborators have promised to escalate this to Google. We'll see what happens.

    I'm very disappointed and discouraged. My new blog won't allow a blogroll on the sidebar, so I can't be updated. I've lost the vast majority of my readers and commenters and my stats don't reflect what's going on. I was very attached to my old blog, I knew how it worked and I'm very depressed about all these issues. I'm not in the mood for blogging now. I'm too troubled about all this and I'm thinking of having a break or even stop blogging.

    On the other hand, I'm informing some internet users' associations about what has happened and asking them what would be the best way to complain to Google. No anwers yet but even if I had them, I don't know if this will have any result. But I have to do something.

    I've also done some research work and i have Google's H.O's address and management names. They will throw my letter to the round file, to be sure, but at least they will hear from me.

    Thanks for your support.

    Leni Q.

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  11. Talking about support... are you supporting Spain at the final match against Holland, I hope... ?

    ((Lost hopes to recover deleted comments; definitely staying in Wordpress. Please, update my link!))

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  12. Leni, of course I am supporting Spain - they are my second favourite team. They were brilliant against Germany.

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  13. Hehehe, I knew that Tom! I hope we will enjoy an evening of great football and the best team wins!

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  14. I'm back, and my comments are back too. This was only possible thanks to the efforts of the Infomaniac people, who posted in the Blogger forum, making a lot of noise until Google woke up.

    It seems that MJ and my blogs were tagged as spam in error -this is Blogger's official explanation, not really censorship- and therefore our blogs were removed and when they were restored, our comments had been deleted.

    I won't delete my old blog, but I'll stay in Wordpress. I feel safer there and I want to forget about this unpleasant story...

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  15. Is there anybody out there?

    Tom, many moons ago I moved virtual flats and am now at www.dangerouswriter.wordpress.com, so the old link is no longer valid. Just in case you wanted to visit my new house and have a cup of tea with cookies. ;)

    PS.- All my Blogger comments are back, here too. Check it out. I'm so happy. :)

    ((I'm off to work now, I'm on graveyard shift this month))

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