Early yesterday evening, I removed some 70 posts from this site after a series of allegations were made by one particular poster, which in turn sparked responses.
I do believe in free speech and rarely take down posts. However, I felt that the original posts and some (not all) of the ensuing comments overstepped the mark and devalued this site as a forum for debate.
The person who made those original posts has been blocked from our site – the first time we have taken such action.
To be absolutely clear, the decisions to take down those posts and to block the poster were taken entirely by myself and EYE’s managing director Nick Salmon.
EYE is not the right platform for serious, personal grievances which should be taken up with the appropriate authorities. It is also the case that unsavoury posts can be complete turn-offs to those readers who would otherwise like to post up their own comments, and so they actually stifle free speech.
I would like to apologise to those of you whose comments I removed yesterday evening not because they were offensive but because they were part of threads and would have looked odd without any context. I wish also to apologise to those of you who were first taken aback by some of the comments, and by late afternoon, felt thoroughly aghast.
It is important that we keep this site as professional as possible. While EYE is of course a community for estate agents, letting agents and others who work in property, we are also regularly visited by others including the press.
It goes without saying that posts should use clean language, and debate issues or introduce ideas without making personal attacks.
Finally, while I am as much on the case as I can be in monitoring the site, I do welcome your input. If there is a post which you find offensive or oversteps the mark, please do not hesitate to email me or give me a call.
Comments (34)
An hour or two meteor watching with my bestest buddie in the world (My 10 year old boy) plus the two dogs and Mrs R, finally had my temperature cool.
Sorry to anyone if my replies caused offence/controversy or resulted in comments which were removed which I did not see. Only just noticed the thread was removed and glad it was, personally.
Ric and all
I would sincerely hope that Ros would correct me on this if she feels I am wrong – but I am 100% certain that the only comments made which incited sufficient upset and disruption to the usual flow of the site were made by the individual posting under the name ‘Sarah Parker’ – a ‘first-time poster’ .
You only had to follow ‘her’ trail of destructive and potentially libellous rantings down the road to the other pub to realise what was going on.
And it backfired big-time on those that engineered it. Even the other pub had to hurriedly bar this character and remove all trace of comments.
The best line of the lot – “there are screenshots for proof”.
Well, ‘Sarah Parker’/whoever it becomes evident you are – you’d better hope they, like your vicious, unwarranted rantings, have been consigned to the vast area where all toxic rubbish ends up.
You just gotta laugh sometimes…
…see what I mean? ;o)
I missed the drunk woman in our pub then? She’s been barred by the sounds of it, I love a bit of fusty cuffs, sad I missed it
Jonnie
Moderators – That’s what you need, nip then nasties in the bud before they start 🙂
“EYE is not the right platform for serious, personal grievances”
Does that extend to continuous references to Ian Springetts salary made by some posters which is personal and not ever relevant to the article being discussed.
Is that personal?
Or is publicly available knowledge that is in an important business fact?
Remuneration of senior staff and directors has done for a few companies over the years.
As a reader more than a contributor, may I also add that I think everyone acted with dignity, tact and professionalism.
Well, nearly everyone… 😉
Darn it!
Note to self – next time try harder to cause mahoosive upset.
Is everyone on a ‘dislike’ day or something. I only expected one dislike and that is if one certain person had managed to find their way back onto the boards!
(Signs off expecting a whole load more dislikes for no reason, so goes into the corner and sulks)
Thank goodness, its clearly not!
Well lets see if its me…….
Wondering which poster has been blocked, really has me thinking? 😉
39 in 15 mins, surely a record!
I have to say I chuckled, it seems you and I have a love child!
Ha Ha yes i saw, her melt down continued at some pace in the other pub!
I can only apologise Robert you being brought into it (and Ric). As you have seen over the years.
1. I do not like bullies.
2. i do not like people who don’t deal in fact
3. I don’t start fights but i cannot walk away from one!
No need to apologise to me Smile please it was nice to be stood beside you.
I’m just wazzed off that I didn’t get a single mention!
Looks like she has been banned from the other pub too! – A mammoth amount of posts by her today all taken down.
Hear hear.
Whoever it is has disliked my post 18 times!
Ha 39 for me! – Maybe “Our friend” is still lurking!
18 ‘Dislikes’ to this! Unbelievable. Or maybe it’s broken.
One for the ‘Suggestions’ box at EYE HQ:
Maybe do away with the ‘Dislike’ button. It’s either broken, or frequently abused. Just keep the ‘Like’ button.
I would be disappointed if that happened (both my like and dislike buttons are broken i can hit, think its the browser i use).
Most people are sensible with it and help gives a more balanced view.
I know what you mean Smile, but surely it’s better that if people don’t like something they post the reasons why. It’s fair enough hitting ‘Like’ to say they agree with or support what’s said – but if they hit ‘Dislike’ then most of the time we are left wondering WHY.
And then there’s the abuse. This article being a classic example – we’re at the stage now where we just ignore ALL of the ‘Dislikes’ because we surmise that most if not all are probably sour grapes from whoever has been blocked. (Or that the system is broken.) Despite the huge number of ‘Dislikes’, we don’t have a single post explaining why.
Just realised I’ve overlooked the abuse of the ‘Likes’ that generally takes place when certain posters comment on portals articles. Shame that can’t be controlled.
You do have a point, but this is a rare case. She will get bored and move on soon.
It would be nice if the likes and dislikes would show who made them like facebook, but guessing the development costs will be far too high for that!
“She will get bored and move on soon.”
Oh, I dunno about THAT! Climb onto another soapbox, maybe…
Seems the truculent #bunnyboiler has found a new shoulder to cry on down the other pub – and that Landlord is no doubt loving the extra attention (you know – ANY publicity is believed by some desperate cases to be good publicity…) ‘she’ is bringing to an otherwise lost cause.
Reminds me very much of my old mate Jasper Carrott and his ‘Nutter on the Bus’ routine.
Funnily enough, I’m sure he wrote that after our nice little chat at Newcastle City Hall, 1978… ;o)
The real shame is that GPL has thrown in the towel and this site will be worse without his insight and input.
Yes disappointing as was looking for him to clarify why he thought i was a drunk. I was merely challenging a very disturbed individual with a dangerous out look on our industry.
Don’t know if you picked up my thoughts on the other thread, sp – I’m fairly certain it was THE OTHER ‘SP’ he was referring to, not you!
Ahhhh okay makes sense, i know when most people have a pop they call me sp 😉
Come back GPL all is forgiven! – just stop with the portal tosh 😉