Question for the mods and admins about gossip and speculation

[Ghislaine]

Now I've just managed to reply to a post in the Monaco forum that I think got deleted while I was typing. With the continuing deleting going on there, is it possible to create an "anything goes" or a "rubbish bin" or a "gossip, speculation and conspiracy" kind of thread somewhere in the Monaco forum? I would propose the prince Albert section...

Not only can the mods dump all the posts there that would otherwise get deleted (and some are worth reading but only posted in the wrong thread) but we could post all the things there that don't fit anywhere else, go off at (almost) any tangent we would like and speculate as much as we want. Then hopefully the other threads would be saved from all this and would make more sense in the long run.

Personally, I find that deleting posts doesn't add to the readability of the thread as a whole as references disappear and replies fail to make sense if the original post has gone. I know that I (and others) and the Monaco mods don't always see eye to eye and that there has already been a lot of discussion and friction about this. And while I recognise that posting here means that I should abide to the rules and that, with respect to that, the mods have the final say, maybe this could be an elegant solution and/or compromise?

Could we have a link to this post in the Monaco forum so that the others can give their opinion? Or could we put it to the vote in a poll or something?

Please consider this? Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Ghislaine

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by Ghislaine

Now I've just managed to reply to a post in the Monaco forum that I think got deleted while I was typing. With the continuing deleting going on there, is it possible to create an "anything goes" or a "rubbish bin" or a "gossip, speculation and conspiracy" kind of thread somewhere in the Monaco forum? I would propose the prince Albert section...

The short answer is "No."

The long answer is that while it would be physically possible to create threads and subforums for just about anything, there's a reason why our forum rules forbid unsubstantiated gossip and speculation and "anything goes" posting. Actually, there are a couple of reasons. The first is that the owner of TRF isn't exactly thrilled when he receives letters from attorneys threatening lawsuits for libel or defamation - and that has happened in the past. And it turns out that when posting in a thread about a controversial royal figure or associate, adding "IMO" (or something similar) doesn't protect us or the author of the comment from legal action if the rest of the post is libelous.

The second reason is that TRF isn't a forum for gossip, innuendo, speculation, fantasy, and other tabloid-type material. There's a reason why our rules state that posts should be based on reports from reputable sources. We've been trying to move the forum away from its original incarnation as, basically, a fansite for high-profile glamorous young royals to being a resource for factual information and discussion about royal institutions and individuals in general. We really aren't interested in hosting speculation, gossip, and conspiracy sessions because that would be a giant step in the wrong direction.

If there are problems with the way the moderators are doing the deletions, I'm sure they'll be able to rectify them. However, the posters can help them by simply not posting the sort of material that they know is going to end up being deleted.

I know - and so do the Monaco moderators - that there's a bit of a problem with discussing Prince Albert and his personal life, because his relationship with Charlene Wittstock seems to be stalled in a state that isn't exactly usual for senior royals, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. However, if people really want to spend their time speculating and gossiping, I'm afraid TRF isn't the place for it.

[acdc1]

Would it be okay to speculate by PM?

[Ennyllorac]

A PM is a private "conversation". As long as you are not harassing the other member you can have whatever discussion you want.