Since this is a forum for information with controls is Yahoo Answers a freedom of speech site or not .?

Question

Free speech is limited on Yahoo Answers and profane images or language is prohibited .
You will lose the privilege to use this site should you violate the rules .
Does this effect how you answer a question or ask it , considering that some speech that is offensive makes your point more crystal clear .

Answer 1

Yahoo is a private company. If their rules include limiting foul language and questionable images, so be it. That is their right. Complete freedom of speech does not apply here.

Answer 2

Well you are wrong about the profanity...it is rampant on this site because it is never reported. I've had numerous violation for the dumbest things...like someone just doesn't agree with you, has no sense of humor (many don't), there are people who will tell you to stop asking questions because they are not to their simple minded level or they don't know what you are talking about. There is also much hate and racism here...the whole ball of wax. Yahoo does not censor, the users do and Yahoo will tell you they are investigating violations that you challenge...but they don't. But that said, you may very well get some pretty wonderful responses ...in fact a lot.
So ask and if they violate your question, so what? It's a free site and open to everyone.
You got nothing to lose....

Answer 3

I had good reason to ask Yahoo that same question recently, when I contested a "violation notice" over an answer I gave in which I simply expressed my views on the issue. I did so "expressively" but without the slightest vulgarity, coarseness, sleaziness, or the slightest hint of racial or cultural insults in any way, shape or form. The way Yahoo has the "abuse" thing set up, anyone at all, for any reason at all, or who just happens to strongly be against the perspective that you expressed, can just hit the button and have your answer obliterated and send a "violation report" to the Yahoo Computer that deals with them. No human evaluates what has been reported to make an intelligent determination whether it is a genuine report or the kind of phony invalid use of the "abuse button" that should, itself, be regarded as abuse and dealt with as such.

I responded to the Yahoo notification saying that I understood that the creation of Questions and Answers was to provide a serious forum for people to be able to express their thoughts, views, beliefs, opinions and ideas (both in the asking, and the answering of questions) along with any information they may have that could be helpful to the asker of the question. That is what I did, and at no time, by so much as a word or phrase, did I ever step over the boundaries of propriety and verbal integrity.

I believe that unless Yahoo is prepared to reconstruct the system to stop the false and abusive use of the provision for reporting violations of the community standards, but instead continues to allow this kind of thing to happen, then they are "speaking with forked tongue" as they on one hand declare this a free and open forum, but on the other hand allow people to block what you had to say, for no other reason than that THEY didn't like what you said.

Answer 4

The bottom line is since this is a public forum and there are rules and guidelines, they should be followed.
These rules don't really affect the way I answer most question. Sometimes I'd like to let loose with a rude answer to a rude question, but then I realize, there's no need to stoop to that level.
I personally don't think offensive speech makes my point any clearer. It just turns many people off and makes me look inarticulate.

Answer 5

Without mentioning any names. Yesterday's Senate Hearing on this subject clearly placed a particular Internet Company in the, "It's just a piece of paper category"

When a Business in Sunnyvale CA send the History File of a Chinese Reporter to the Chinese Government which results in the Reporter being put in jail and tortured. That does not ring with the New Hampshire Motto

As Arlin Spectre said "You might be technologically advanced; but you are morally reprehensible"

Answer 6

Y! is private enterprise. Management does not owe free speech rights to users. Content can be censored. For that, I am glad. Some of the trash posing as political questions should be excised.
Frequently, I find myself editing my remarks and do not tell some crazy people what I really think of their questions or answers.

Answer 7

Does it affect how I answer a question....not really...must remember that YA is not a public forum...it is used by the individuals who agree to certain rules and regulations but is operated by a private company who get to set the rules and regulations and limit your choice of words or manner in which you desire to express yourself. I guess if I really felt that my answers were being limited by their restriction I could choose not to use YA and establish my own Q&A site.

Answer 8

The government isn't allowed to step on your free speech rights (although they frequently do), but businesses are in no such position. They're in business to make money. The more users they have, the more advertising they get. They have their own legal rights to defend, and their users to protect. I tend to try not to be terribly offensive, not because Yahoo! Answers might be upset, but because I was raised to be polite and I see no reason to go against my upbringing in this respect.

Answer 9

no, it isn't. you can say anything you want on here as long you don't upset, offend or gross any on out.

i can understand the necessity of having rules against posting sexually suggestive or pornographic questions, answers, or links however. There are alot of kids that use this site as well. and not every parent knows how to properly set up a firewall with parental controls.

Answer 10

YA is NOT a freedom of speech site. We are lucky we are not in China or we would be turned over to the communist authorities by Yahoo.