An Idea Keeping Kids Out Of Trouble In Irc

[Stormy]

Know how sometimes in IRC the talk goes 'rotten' and is sometimes innapropriate for younger audiences? Ive come up with an idea that could keep younger kids out of trouble with their parents. Some parents, if they see that their child is on a place that talks about some things they shouldn't be seeing/chatting about, they will most likely 'ban' them from OPU, therefore making the community smaller, as we lose some younger players. My suggestion is that you guys make a Seperate chatroom for the 'mature' stuff, so that little kids dont get in trouble.

And guys, Please try to keep the Cussing to a minimum, it can REALLY REALLY hurt people's feelings, and has an bad influence on people.

I'm not mad at anyone, im just suggesting something to keep people from mad and maybe leaving. Please tell me what you think.  (thumbsup)

In other words: If you want to solve a problem, don't go and cuss about it, that will just make the other person mad, and will prolong the problem. It also 'hurts' the community, People have feelings, and sometimes you may not realize that what you're saying could REALLY hurt someone.

[BlackBox]

Well, I have a couple things to say.

1- When has there been little kids who have been 'banned' from using IRC because of language issues? I, personally, have never seen it happen. (Let alone there be kids that young in there anyway)

2- Use a language filter if it offends you/someone else. That's an inherent thing about IRC that you can't really change. (In other words if the parents are worried about such language then they really shouldnt be letting the kid use IRC in the first place)

3- Isn't it kind of hypocritical to talk about 'bad language' then use words like 'pissed' in your statement? No offense, but it does sort of seem that way.

Edit: ahh, ok, you changed it. Better now

[zigzagjoe]

hmm, thats pretty much what i was going to say  :heh:.

[Stormy]

The reason I say this, is because I am young, although I am more mature than most people my age. I am not saying that kids have gotten in trouble, but for some people the Swearing is Wrong and extremely offencive.

Also, this is mainly about the innapropriate things that are talked about, Im suggesting that you move them to a different room. Some people don't want or even LIKE to see talk about that, it gives bad influences. I'm speaking for many people who I am not going to name. I believe that this material is Wrong, and it should be moved somewhere else.

[zigzagjoe]

I share that view for the most part, but its not going to happen.

[BlackBox]

Yeah I'd agree with you on that, some of that talk could be done in a different room.

Problem is though, it's impossible to change it. The special room is only useful if people choose to utilize it. And most won't. This is a type of change that just isn't likely.

The only way you can enforce it is to kb people, which we aren't going to do. (we've tried similar plans on the forum here and it just makes people angry).

[Stormy]

Why not? All that would be done is a new channel would be made for the 'mature' content that is talked about. Why don't we have the community as a whole decide on what should be done. A poll maybe?  

[BlackBox]

But I have a feeling that people won't use the new channel.

You see how well we use the coding and lobby chans already

If you want to start a poll, you're welcome to though.

[Stormy]

Thank you hacker for not killing other people's oppinions, that is good 'adminship' .

Ill start a poll on whether it should be done,

If the 'new channel' choice wins, will you guys 'enforce' it? For instance, if someone starts talking about something innapropriate, you'd tell them to move it to the other channel, if they don't, they get kicked or something.
I am interested in working alongside with you guys in making the community/ irc channels a better place for all.

[zigzagjoe]

I really doubt that this will come to pass, and even if it does, dont count on strict enofrcement, if any. a admin cannont be on 24/7 to monitor what ppl talk about.  frankly, i think its a rather dumb idea, to be brutally honest.

[BlackBox]

I'm not trying to kill ideas, just speaking from experience (we've tried this sorta thing with 'bad language' before. All it does is upset people).

I think a better way to help with the problem is to try to tell people, hey, lets talk about something different. Change the subject to something, like... OP2.

And try to get people to avoid "hot topics" that could spawn a offensive conversation in the first place. I think that's the best way to prevent stuff like that.

As far as enforcing it: No, because that's just gonna make people mad.
Offensive language is one of the inherent qualities of IRC that you can't change. it's a habit on almost every irc net and channel you go to (unless the irc server admins or chanops have rules about it, where they'll ban/gline you for bad language. Primarily younger-oriented channels and nets do this, this is unusual for gaming nets and is an easy way to upset people in gaming nets). the OPU chans are gaming channels, we don't, and can't cater specifically to everyone's interests. Since there are few (if any? I haven't seen anyone like this) small kids on our chan, we can't really do anything much.

The best you can do is try to reduce it. but no one will ever be able to stop it completely.

[Stormy]

To some people it may seem dumb, but some people believe that this 'mature content' is wrong along with the Swearing and such. It DOES have an affect on you, and this is a way to 'not pay attention' to it so it doesn't give you an influence.

I understand completely what you mean about not monitoring it 24/7, the admins aren't the only ones who can 'enforce it'. Just make it one of the 'rules' and a person can ask the 'offender' to move it to the 'mature channel'

Anyway, the Community will decide.

[BlackBox]

Yeah, I think we could ask people to either stop their offensive convo's or to move it to a different channel. That's the most "enforcement" we can really do. We won't kick / ban anyone unless they're obviously doing it to upset others, or it becomes excessive (almost like spam)

I don't find it dumb, I think we should probably try to avoid those types of convos. But at the same time we have to realize that this is one of those things that you can't really enforce.

And no, before anyone here gets the idea of a "kick on cussing" bot, that doesn't work. I've been in chans with it and all it does is make people angry, cussing tends to go up instead of down.

[Stormy]

The reason I mentioned 'younger kids', is because eventually, the community will grow big enough that it will have younger kids. We do not want to get them into trouble or offend them. But Hacker has a great idea, if you see something innapropriate being talked about, ask the person to move it to PM or change the subject. I do not think it is right to swear, and I know others feel the same way, although I will not name them for their sake.

Also ZZJ, if you say that you don't like the swearing and such, why do you swear yourself? No offence if I misread it.

Also, something to add, is maybe a link to a script that 'blocks' the cuss words for IRC. Add it to the 'download OPU IRC page'.

--edited, pls dont dbl post

[BlackBox]

Yeah, thats the best we can do at the moment. Is ask people to have the conversation somewhere else.

Yeah, I was thinking of a bunch of features for OPU script, cuss filter could be one of them, also featuers that make it easier to put in your Q bot account once you get it. (or automatically say hello to Q for you)

Also features that would force you to enter a nick, not keep OPUIRCUser1 or whatever it is.

[zigzagjoe]

there is a bit for Q, its under the nns menu and options. forogt what the name of the option was, maybe it was auth or osmehting. it had 3 options, for nickserv[many other nets], x[undernet] and q[quakenet and other nets using the same sw] as well.

[BlackBox]

Yeah, I know that, it's just cumbersome to have to load that menu (which by the way takes WAY too long to load) and for newbs to irc everything should be in one place.

[coolzero]

due to me being lazy i didnt read everything said .. so srry if it already has been said but


i am young to but i dont care i dont mind etc etc ... ( mostly its me talking about the """""""mature"""""" stuf) but if you dont want to get introuble just make sure your not cought

[TH300]

I mostly agree with Stormy.

But instead of making a new channel for mature talk, why don't we just make a new channel thats free of it?

But still, you'd have to keep young children out of the mature channel, whichever it is. Best way would be to build it in the script, but then there'd have to be a way to distinguish between younger and older people, what is not possible...
there will never be a perfect solution.

[Mez]

From experience of being a young child as we all ahve been at some stage or another. i swore on chat rooms since i was 11. anti offensive language things would make me fell like a kid. and what do kids want when in a irc channel specifically a gaming chan?

Simple answer: to be treated like everyone else, and to be "grown up" and to be allowed to swear and cuss with the rest of them.

my problem was never hiding the language from my parents as i didnt have the problem, due to the location of the computer.

Other ppl know of many ways to hide offensive language from parents, like open a webpage e.g. newgrounds.com

Those who dont wnat to see the language are not forced to stay in game or in the channel.

They can however ask for people to refrain from swearing when it happends which i would oblige to do and would prolly kick any who dont oblige to not swear if asked.


In  other words a moral rule is needed:

If some one asks you to refrain from swearing in the chanor in game etc then please do the moral thing and not swear.

Apart from that if the other party doesn't stop swearing then they can either get kicked (most prolly not the case) or the offended person can log off the chan / game temporerily.

Besides young kids if allowed un supervised on the internet should be prepared for all of this (well not really but u may get the picture) they chose to enter the chat room didnt they, and they can also choose to leave.

back to the original statement : Kids dont want to be treated or thought of as kids. because in a chat room age and even gender doesnt matter , neither does country or time zones for that matter.

if you dont like swearingthen the options are simply:

fit swear filter on internet
fit swear filter on irc/chat progs

dont use irc
dont come to opu web forums


So stormy or others: just ask for us to stop swearing / go to lobby / other channel if we start swearing in future.

 

[Eddy-B]

To me, every one else on irc IS a kid.,., lol

anyway; stormy, you want to have mature and kids-stuff seperated, why don't YOU start a kids-only channel, and see how many people will still be chatting in there after about a week. I guarantee you it'll be dead (just like the other channels "they" tried).

I kinda agree with mezza.. and i believe they can hear more "bad language" on tv during prime time, then on #outpost2

[Freeza-CII]

Hmmm yes Eddy-B is a old Foggie LOL.   Any ways I my self say alot of s*** that would make people most "uncomfortable".  But Its like the real life away from the computer people can say what they want to say even if you dont like it.  And when there are restrictions and such people usually choose to ignore them.  Plus people most of the times that you hear about the language problem it people who have kids that are watching them on the computer.  And instead of removing the child they would rather try to enforce some rediculous rules for talking.  Kids that yound on IRC mostlikly already know the words and are not shocked by them.  I mean come on there brain isnt going to explode.  And i agree with the people that say use the filters that are built into the program no need to enforce a rule that no one will follow or care about.  

[thablkpanda]

I have to agree. We don't use the Lobby, and Newb channels as it is (most people don't know they exist) and when I first came to OPU, I was one of the many people vying (sp) for a channel for something else.. They don't fly. If you want a channel for something special (birthday parties, discussing the Strategic Helium Reserve*, etc.) then Use the Lobby, or Newb channels, they're unused as it is.

Postscript - MR PANDA'S BAAACCKK!! I've been on vacation etc, recently, and now that school's starting back, I'll be forced to be here!! Lmao

Mr. Panda

* - Perhaps you don't think there is a strategic helium reserve, perhaps you are a fool.

[TH300]

the only channel that is currently really useless is the noob-chan. I wouldn't mind if you just go ahead and drop it.
But you can't just say, there are too many channels. The amount of channels that we need is not defined as the amount an avarage human can handle, but as the amount that the community needs to get everything well sorted and to prevent conflicts.
btw. if you think there are too many channels, just don't join 'em! Its really not that hard to edit them out of the perform script.

I don't really see how a 'mature' channel would get bad language out of the other chans either, besides forcing people. But forcing people is not a favourable way.

If you want a solution, Stormy, the best way would really be to create a new channel that is free of bad language. And you really don't need anyone's consent to do so.

There ARE definitely some people here (not just children) who don't want to see bad language or bad behaviour.

[Tellaris]

I must say, Hacker, that I've pointed out another game (mmorpg) that is very strict when it comes to mature content and language, and they are still doing quite fine.   In addition, you do tend to attract a better group of people like this, and the only people that get pissed off are the ones that are breaking the rules.