ATS Decorum for members and moderators : May 2023

Dear ATS Community and Staff,

First, we thank you for being part of the ATS Community and Staff. Many of you have been on the website from the very beginning and have seen the best and worst of ATS. Upon removing the pinned topics in this category to make room for this we found recurring, requests, and warnings about community standards, hate, personal attacks, and posts/replies that do not represent the values of ATS. These threads can be found in this forum dating back to 2005, repeated in 2008, again in 2012, again in 2013 etc. etc. .

A great amount of energy has gone into rebuilding Above Top Secret and with this comes the need to evolve as a community. Despite this being 2023, I would remind everybody once again that these sentiments have been repeated a multitude of times over the last two decades. These are not new ideas by any means but long past overdue.

We would like to address the moderator structure, the tools that they use and give both new and old members a full understanding of the original creators vision which the new ownership shares. We would also like to address the standards for which we ask our members to represent themselves and ultimately, Above Top Secret with.

To Begin: The moderator structure is as follows:

Djarums, DontTreadOnMe, and Majic are Super Moderators on the site. They have the final decision on any staff action.

The rest of the ATS Team has been assigned as moderators. This is by no means a reflection of who they are but rather a need to organize the team.

The ATS Staff consist of all volunteers and we ask that the ATS Members respect their time and dedication to the site by adhering to a standard of conduct.

ATS is a 100% Free Speech Platform and we welcome all topics and opinions but with freedom comes personal responsibility. A lack of personal responsibility is the reason why we must have moderators, why we made the decision to archive The Political Mud Pit, and why we need government as a whole. As someone pointed out "ATS is ahead of the curve" yet some members of the community have been holding back the community by demonstrating a lack of personal responsibility and a need for moderation on the website. As someone else pointed out, the Moderators were having to deal with dozens of user complaints every hour and this is not a respectful use of their time.

If you do not feel you have "Free Speech" here at ATS then we urge you to go to Youtube, Reddit, Facebook, or any other platform and post your unfiltered thoughts and opinions about something. We do not have policies about "medical misinformation", "election misinformation", or any of the other censorship being implemented by Big Tech. Why? Because ATS is a community and not a money making platform therefore we do not adhere to the pressure of advertisers who do not want to advertise with this type of content. However, we will also not be the target of trolls, paid operatives, federal agents, or any other type of concerted effort to tarnish the reputation of ATS or use this platform and community for real or staged violence due to stoking the flames of bigoted hatred.

There isn't a single topic that is "off limits" , it is all in the way it is presented. One of two posts with identical ideas may be moved to the trash bin because of the way it represents yourself and ATS. If the ATS community is truly "ahead of the curve", then you are intelligent enough to delivery your message in a civil and palatable manner that does not give ammunition to CNN, Politifact, Reddit, USA Today or any other propaganda machine to discredit the historical data that is on ATS written by the community over the last two decades.

If you are not intelligent enough to deliver your message in a civil manner then you are not a fit for ATS or you are a paid operative. We know who you are already. Do not mistaken us for first-year "truthers" who are going to ignore our principles and standards simply because you cry "censorship".

In the spirit of transparency these are the tools the moderators have in their tool box. Perhaps by understanding this you can skip the long Terms and Conditions posted on our TOS page and understand what we expect on the forum.

1. Warn This sends a warning to the user about a general TOS violation
2. Applaud : This applauds a user for a well written or insightful post. Moderators, please try to use this function more.
3. 1 Liner - This is used to warn users about writing one liner posts and replies. We look for thought and substance.
4. Manners - This is used to warn a user for being rude and to remind them to adhere to common manners
5. Off Topic - This is used to warn a user about replies to a post that are off topic
And of course, "ban" where a user is banned from posting for a certain period of time and for "hard ban" where a user is indefinitely banned

It's very simple.

1. Don't be rude
2. Don't incite violence
3. Don't be hateful or bigoted
4. Don't represent yourself or ATS as such
5. Do not attack the website , members, or ATS Staff

If you believe ATS has been "infiltrated" or "run by government" or whatever attention seeking allegations we've seen in threads then it's logical to conclude that you're either a troll, a paid operative, or a fool because you are engaging in a website where you believe this to be the case.

As you know ATS was purchased in 2021 and the site has been left to transform into what the community would like it to be. IN 2023 it was decided that a more "hands on" approach.

The stakes are higher, the political atmosphere has changed, and the need for a free-speech platform is now more than ever.

The founders wrote in the Constitution "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed".

"Well regulated" is key. Who regulated the founders? They regulated themselves. As responsible adults we practice firearm's safety and procedures to demonstrate that our right to bear arms is an essential right of every human being and a mentally ill minority is responsible for senseless gun violence. Likewise, we must practice the same maturity and responsibility with our Right To Free Speech because your words represent yourself and the community in a positive or negative light.

Finally: We have heard that removing the pit was "punishing all for the bad behavior of a few", Once again. we would like to emphasize that there are no banned topics related the subject matter of each forum. Metaphorically speaking, you are merely expected to keep your firearm holstered, safety on, never point it at anyone when showing it off or cleaning it, ensuring the chamber is not loaded, and that it stays out of reach of children but rather than a firearm, it is the most powerful weapon of all... your words, which is why it is the FIRST amendment.

TY

Hmm

originally posted by: JinMI
Hmm

I disagree.

originally posted by: ats admin
ATS is a 100% Free Speech Platform and we welcome all topics and opinions but with freedom comes personal responsibility.

In the past ATS previously banned Holocaust denial and Sandy Hook is a hoax threads are things like that and other taboo topics now open again?

originally posted by: v1rtu0s0

originally posted by: JinMI
Hmm

I disagree.

Im offended.

Sanitise and sterilise. I see.

Are we to assume the 1st amendment is from an ATS specific constitution, because it holds little resemblance to actual free speech?

Shame really.

a reply to: ats admin

Is there still a site blacklist? Or is it acceptable to mention said sites as long as the topic is formed a certain way?

a reply to: ats admin

ATS is a great forum, compared to social media sites where number of followers is important.

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: ats admin

ATS is a great forum, compared to social media sites where number of followers is important.

MAGA

Make ATS Great Again?

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: ats admin

ATS is a great forum, compared to social media sites where number of followers is important.

MAGA

Make ATS Great Again?

YES!!!!!

originally posted by: ats admin
/ hatred.

v

TY

what if you have a problem with one of the admins? or they have a problem with you? surly there is a 'black ball' that can stop people from abusing power

you said they have FINAL word

what does absolute power do to people again?

who is going to yell the red coats are coming? if digital oblivion is the sentence before grievances can be heard in a fair and transparent conversation, how can you say this is a free site? There has to be a canary in the coal mine to ward off annihilation.


forgive my allegory

a reply to: ats admin

ATS is a 100% Free Speech Platform

This is false.

Good, bad or ill.

I understand the need and in some circumstances desire for moderation on a world- wide public platform.

Lets simply be honest about it and not insult intelligences, please.

Thankyou to the new owner/s, and staff who have been working behind the scenes to save our ATS and make it into something we can all be proud to call our on line home.
It's very much appreciated!

a reply to: ats admin

I am Spartacus.

I've got my post ready to go for the "introductions" forum, and it has me thinking.

How about all the moderators re-introduce themselves, each with a new introduction thread?

Something tells me that the additional transparency would enhance ops.

What do you think?

Never understood the mudpit concept, seems like an excuse to be rude. I guess to each their own, but times they are a changing and so is ATS.

Really digging the lenghty firearm reference, from the other side of the planet
AMERICA F YEA

a reply to: ats admin

For those that seem to be a little unsettled by this post, may I ask why? Is it a matter of you want to wait and see what this actually means for the site?

I mean I'm sure those of us who have been here a long time have seen the site devolve, especially in the last few years.
In my almost 20 years here there has certainly been a change and not for the better.

Is handling yourself with decorum a problem? I argue with people all the time now as I'm one of the few left leaning members, but I never have a need when arguing to name call, bait, or use slurs, either religious or ethnic. No need to threaten violence. I have been warned about thread drift, but try to stay focused.

I have no issue with those that troll, express a need for violence or use slurs and tropes having their post removed. If that's all you have in disagreement, you have nothing worthwhile to say anyway to add to the discussion.

At least the powers that be are advising upfront about it. We will see I guess.

a reply to: JinMI

This is false.

For once I agree with you.

originally posted by: SirHardHarry
a reply to: JinMI

This is false.

For once I agree with you.