Showtime's board rant

Showtime\'s board rant

I need an angry looking icon for this thread and the web one is the closest I could find.

I am irritated at Showtime and just have to get it out of my system so everyone can ignore this thread if they want. I just need to vent.

I post fairly regularly on Showtime's boards and it is usually to provide information on Jeremiah or answer someone's question. Nothing too contriversial ... or so I thought.

Well, they sent me an email today saying that they deleted one of my posts because I violated one of their rules. What rule? Why this one (in bold):

Don't post messages that include your full name, phone number, or address.

Click to expand...

I have had my full name in my signature for over a year (registered in Feb 2002) and never had a problem with my posts before this. I wonder if they had more of a problem with my post than my signature.

If I want to disclose my name, shouldn't I be allowed to do so? They allow my email address to be posted but not my real name? I would rather be identified by my real name than my email address, but maybe that is just me. Also, if they were so offended by my full name, why didn't they just edit it out instead of deleting the entire post? Or, better yet ... why did it take them this long to figure out I was breaking their "rules".

Grrr. No wonder why I think Showtime's boards suck.

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

and didn't I read in another thread that they may not even show Jeremiah until Sept. That sucks also...

Cerberus
Mark Going

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Well,

Its probably a Liability Issue for a big company like Showtime. They are probably worried that someone might steal your name (and identity) and rip you off or harm you in some manner (financially etc.). I mean, I bet they worry you would sue them for allowing access of your name to the person who might try to steal it.

I am not agreeing with the policy just commenting.

Loburian (not my real name hehe)

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Yes, I agree with the liability issue but what I don't agree with is how they handled it.

Deleting my whole post after posting there for over a year with my full name included in every post? If it truely is a liability issue, they could have explained it nicely and I might have taken it better.

Oh well, I still post there but that doesn't mean I can't still be bitter.

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

How stupid to be so dorky.

I guess some dork noticed after a long time and maybe a new manager came and said, we cant have that!! no names no names no names! They let you go so long, you assumed it was ok.

Stupid, knee-jerk reactions always are the result.

Loburian :devil:

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Children's boards normally have rules about not giving out their name and address. Even if the children are innocent the same cannot be said of some of the men. In the UK they are introducing laws to ban using the Internet to "groom" children. Showtime sounds like an organisation that has children's boards or at least TV programs aimed at children. The adults simply have to give a lead by obey the children’s safety rules.

There are politer ways of enforcing the rules.

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

If I want to disclose my name, shouldn't I be allowed to do so?

Click to expand...

You know, back in the good old days, some places (the Compuserve SF Forum springs to mind) required that members used their real names, under the theory that anonymity tended to encourage trolls, and that knowing everone's actual names made it more likely that people would treat each other with a bit more respect, as people rather than as bunches of electrons.

I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I decided long ago that I was going to use my real name online, because I intend to stand behind and take responsibility for everything I say, so I have no reason to hide my identity.

That's my choice, by the way, and I have no problem with people who make other choices. But I won't participate on any message board or similar place that won't allow me to use my real name.

(Hm. Now I've just told Antony and everybody else how to get rid of me. Might not have been the best idea, huh? )

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

I'd use my real name if people wouldn't laugh and accuse me of using a fake name. ;-)

My real name is "Tim Allen", so I'm sure you can understand why I want to avoid that. My business cards all say "Timothy Allen", of course, to avoid this problem.

Flipper has been a nickname of mine for years and years... off line as well as my online moniker... so I just stuck with that.

Cheers,

-Tim

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Showtime sounds like an organisation that has children's boards or at least TV programs aimed at children.

Click to expand...

I am only a recent Showtime subscriber and I don't watch much else besides Jeremiah and the occasional movie. Still, they don't strike me as a channel that caters to children. Most of what I have seen on there is very much adult driven content.

I have read their board rules and their Terms of Use a few times and still don't really understand their "no full name" policy. Here are some key quotes from their TOU:

Showtime assumes no responsibility or liability for the Comments, nor for any claims, damages, or losses resulting from any use of the Forums or the Comments.

Click to expand...

While Showtime does not and cannot review every message posted by users in the Forums and is not responsible for the content of these messages, Showtime reserves the right to delete, move, or edit messages that it, in its sole discretion, deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright or trademark laws, or otherwise unacceptable.

Click to expand...

They have deleted other messages of mine before but I didn't blame them too much for doing so. I was trying to promote some give-a-ways on my site by posting a message there and I guess they thought it fell under their "Don't use the boards to advertise or solicit funds for goods or services" rule. Whatever.

So Martin (Marty?), I guess you won't be posting on the Showtime boards then?

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

I would never use my real name online -- frankly, because my real name, my byline, is my trademark. When people Google my name, I want them finding my official site and my articles. Nothing more.

So you'll all just have to guess.

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

So Martin (Marty?), I guess you won't be posting on the Showtime boards then?

Click to expand...

Yes, I think that's a fair assumption. (Of course, I probably wouldn't post there anyway, regardless of the name policy, since I don't actually get Showtime, but we won't go into that... )

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Showtime sucks anyway!

"We at Showtime Online express our apologies; however, these pages are intended for access only from within the United States."

what kind of policy is that?
I'd love to complain about their board. but I've never seen it. maybe sometime, when I figured out how to pretend that I'm accessing their site from within the US although I'm not


"the desires that unite us are greater than the forces that divide us" *take my hat off to Markus*

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Yeah, why do you think I made my own fan site?

There isn't anything worth checking out on Showtime's boards anyway although there is a few interesting things on their official site. Most of which has been copied over to my site anyway. *grins evilly*

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

Showtime sucks anyway!

Click to expand...

It seems we may not be the only folks who think so - f---edcompany.com is carrying a rumour that Viacom have just pink-slipped 100 (out of 500) of Showtime's employees!

- Chris

(thankful that season two has already been shot)

Re: Showtime\'s board rant

"We at Showtime Online express our apologies; however, these pages are intended for access only from within the United States."

what kind of policy is that?
I'd love to complain about their board. but I've never seen it. maybe sometime, when I figured out how to pretend that I'm accessing their site from within the US although I'm not

Click to expand...

That bit is dead easy.

Just go to your Internet Options and hit the "Languages" button, then set "English (United States)" as your default language preference.

Wonder if Showtime realises that putting in a (easily circumvented) system like that only demonstrates how little they know about the Internet and how it works.

Like those sites where people think you can't look at their source code or save graphics to your HD if they have the pages disable right click, which does remove a great many options for surfers with without actually "protecting" anything.

Hmmm ... makes me want to visit again.