BBC Censorship

1 Conversation

Dear Chums:

I was very sad to see that the h2g2 staff today decided to put into operation the Blair policy of suppression of free speech on this website.

Below is the text of a reply which I posted to someone named "Otto", who sought to justify this.

The reasons which the BBC have given us to justify their embargo on free speech are laughable.

Dear Chums, do not put up with it !


"I think it is extraordinarily sad that the BBC should bow down and take it from Tony Blair on this one.

What are the arguments for censorship of this messageboard ?

(1) Leakage of sensitive material:

Just how likely do you believe this is ? Given that the media in Iraq will be marshalled into a Pool system so strict that Kate Moss in a wetsuit would have difficulty getting anything out ?


(2) Rumours may spread:

It was my understanding, having read many debates on this Site, that unsubstantiated rumours are very quickly challenged, and if they prove to BE unsubstantiated, the author is very quickly embarassed.

What exactly is the point of a messageboard which does not inform it's subscribers, and give them the choice of either accepting or rejecting viewpoints which they read ?

Anyone who does not have the common sense to question what they read here is, most likely, similarly unable to have the wit to be able to find this website in the first place, never mind log on to the darn thing. For the BBC, and this website to assume that people are too stupid to be able to discern what is fact and what is fiction is patronising and objectionable in the extreme.

It is, unfortunately, my belief that the BBC is now co-operating with the Bush/Blair War Machine to censor the right of Free Speech on this site.

One of the conversations which I religiously read every day ( though to my great shame never added to ) was the "Conversation About War on Iraq"; abruptly halted today, with minimum Grace. This Conversation I found to be a forum which encouraged all that is good about Free Speech - each poster, when they made a point, provided a web reference to substantiate it. This conversation was halted in the most abrupt and uncalled-for manner, with posters being asked to refer their future comments to the so-called "Great Debate" messageboard - where web references cannot be printed ! How is that for encouragement of verification of sources ?

One of the most attractive features of this site was that one could become familiar with viewpoints which one had never encountered before, and reply or not reply, as one saw fit, without the burden of worrying whether BBC perps were censoring each and every word.

That freedom of speech has gone now.

Whilst I accept that, as a Government Website, all we Posters are subject to the whim of the Gods, denial of our basic rights to converse as we have done for years is nonetheless scandalous and unjustified.

I have no sympathy for those who say to the people who administer this site - oh well, it is not your fault..... we understand...

The British people are being pushed into an illegal and immoral War with which the majority disagree, and it is the moral responsibilty of EVERY person who recognizes this to stand up to those who would curtail our rights of Free Speech. Just because the BBC pays your wages, my dear Hosts, this does not absolve you from that moral responsibility !

Should I post on this Site again, it will only be to drum up support for a campaign to expose it's cowardice. I refuse to give my patronage to a site which has abandoned it's proud history of liberalism, and exchanged it for blinkered toadyism.

This censorship will not go through without opposition, I promise you that, and I have through the years acquired enough friends in the INDEPENDENT media to ensure that this cowardly behaviour will receive more exposure than you imagine."


Make a stand now, or forever hold your tongue.

Perry.




Bookmark on your Personal Space


Entry

A1001845

Infinite Improbability Drive

Infinite Improbability Drive

Read a random Edited Entry


Disclaimer

h2g2 is created by h2g2's users, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Not Panicking Ltd. Unlike Edited Entries, Entries have not been checked by an Editor. If you consider any Entry to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please register a complaint. For any other comments, please visit the Feedback page.

Write an Entry

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."

Write an entry
Read more