War of the Worlds reenactment on AboveTopSecret.com: Halloween, 2004.

It just clearly shows the administration of this board fail to follow their own rulles.

SO made it clear most mods feel being refered to as an authority figure verged on an insult. Well, just like our real world authority figures-cops and government-this boards authority figures make rules for others to follow, but do not follow them themselves.

Good job SO Around 3:30pm Central time, I sent Misfit a U2U saying that this might be a halloween prank by SO. It only made sense after clear review of the thread Untill that very moment though, I was swallowing the sinkerFANTASTIC HALLOWEEN PRANK GUYS

Also what of the legal ramifications, if someone did something rash because of it ?

You'd have to look into cyber law, criminal law, and media law. Because this website is based in the United States, certain Acts may apply. Also, international law may apply. Depends how far someone wants to delve into it. I'm pretty sure no one would ever take it that far. But as stated before, alot has changed since the days of Welles, just keep that in mind next time.

Originally posted by IKnowNothing

You'd have to look into cyber law, criminal law, and media law. Because this website is based in the United States, certain Acts may apply.

The only real ramifications are that those involved in the tribute would be banned, but since those who would have to do the banning are in on it, and do not believe the 'tribute' was an actual violation of the TOS, the rules will not apply.

First of all this was not really a hoax... This was made obvious enough for anyone to figure out. Many of the posts involved had qoutes taken directly from the original script for the War Of The Worlds.

Also member names used tied to the original script.. That combined with a little tweeking and we have a modern digital play.

However the reaction in 1938 was much the same as here most got it.. some fell for it.. in the end it made history.

Make no mistake this was done in the name of entertainment related to the current holiday.

And if you look every post involved now has a disclaimer at the bottom with a link to the post explaining the play.

Lighten up!

and...Happy Halloween!

Orson.. if you are watching this from beyond... I am sure you can see how little has really changed!

I am probably going to get banned or beat on ... But that's ok, I don't post that much anyway. However, some of you folks need to lighten up, and perhaps, stop and think occasionally. The world does not owe you a reality of your own making. You take care of that yourself, from moment to moment. Life is kind of too important to take that seriously anyway.

The Admins and Mods put a funny over on us. Big Deal. Thought it was cool and even had a tightness in my stomach at first. Then, Gee... Got to thinking, that is something that appears to be missing from some folks on occasion.

This is a pretty cool place, and is, in many ways,like a TV or radio. If you don't like what's on it, you can always switch the station, channel, or even switch it off.

So, why don't we get back to having an enjoyable time and get on with learningand sharing, and forgive the owner/operators their little jest.

Fire when ready, Gridley!

Well, I hope that from now on, the SOs remember this day before they start banning people, they may be just doing an homage to someone.

Also, remember that to me, as a Portuguese, Halloween does not mean a thing, I only know of the trick or treat scene from the movies, I do not know if it is usual to do this kind of thing.

Oh, and I did not believed it, and even if it was true, Portugal is far enough from NJ.

An additional note....following Iknownothings comment:

I am having heart palpatations due to stress following much loss in my family, what if........... What do you all think you are doing, this is something I would expect out of teenage kids! Deception is a horrible trait!
If we want to play games we can go to some other game site!

As we've said, this was not a hoax

Doesn't matter if it was "fun" or not, Your the mod's and therefor are looked up to by the users/visitors, when a whole bunch of you start posting infomation like that(yes also non-mods joined in) then some people are going to believe you especially when you've got people saying they've rang family members and have actually heard that something is going on.

Whist I knew via a friend that it was a fake from the start, others could have paniced over this news and done something rash. Not everyones heard off war of the world's, even those that have may not have read it,nor even thought to google it

Don't give me that "its halloween" "Its a joke" nonsense either, since Halloween doesn't mean you should be able to play on people's fears on a serious topic like this especially on a site like this, where a lot of the people are paranoid, and actually believe it when you said "The only reason its not on other news sites is because the DHS is filtering/banning it"
A better way to show its halloween would have been to have an image of the tradional(yet boring admitly) pumpkins placed around the site, rather than use a serious topic. This sort of stuff would have been better suited to April fools, when the majority of people would have known that something like this was just a joke, even then maybe its a lil to far.

Also, The rules that apply to us should apply to the mods as well(yes that goes for the owner of the site as well), If a bunch of us had gotten together and done the same sorta thing, the mods would have gone crazy and deleted every post and banned every user who did so and then called us irresponible. Then if we used to same excuses you have"It was a joke" we would have gotten flamed all the way to hell and back. How can you expect users to follow the rules if you break them yourselves? "Do has I say, Not has I do" :|

Think next time.

[edit on 31-10-2004 by cheesegoduk]

I forgot to say something: if you can, make a statistical analysis on level of participation in this site, to see if the ATS fame was affected by this prank.

Yeah i agree with cheesegoduk on this one, although on one hand it was a good joke, thats only for you to enjoy not us and i think many of us are probably feeling deflated at this point. Good one on april fools But on halloween it just sucks, now its just major dissapointment time, i thought something interesting was happening but alas no

Originally posted by sigung86
I am probably going to get banned or beat on ... But that's ok, I don't post that much anyway. However, some of you folks need to lighten up, and perhaps, stop and think occasionally. The world does not owe you a reality of your own making. You take care of that yourself, from moment to moment. Life is kind of too important to take that seriously anyway.

The Admins and Mods put a funny over on us. Big Deal. Thought it was cool and even had a tightness in my stomach at first. Then, Gee... Got to thinking, that is something that appears to be missing from some folks on occasion.

This is a pretty cool place, and is, in many ways,like a TV or radio. If you don't like what's on it, you can always switch the station, channel, or even switch it off.

So, why don't we get back to having an enjoyable time and get on with learningand sharing, and forgive the owner/operators their little jest.

Fire when ready, Gridley!

The World doesnt owe me a reality of my own making!!!! What the Heck, we are human beings, hopefully righteous at that, how many loved ones have you lost due to terrorism or malpractice? (God forbid any) Not everyone is so carefree here these days!

"Life is too important to take that seriously anyway", when God is trying to "bring YOU home" through trials and tribulations so great you dont know if you can make it through another day....then lets see if you have the same tune.

Quite honestly you sound very unexperienced in the real world, and I am sorry to tell you this but you will experience many devistating situations in your life time, thats what earth is about. Until you realize that you will have a flip attitude about all of us that could use just a little compassion!

I'll say it again, Terrorist intentionally put fear into people how does that make you all any different?

Originally posted by Mainer

Originally posted by IKnowNothing

You'd have to look into cyber law, criminal law, and media law. Because this website is based in the United States, certain Acts may apply.

The only real ramifications are that those involved in the tribute would be banned, but since those who would have to do the banning are in on it, and do not believe the 'tribute' was an actual violation of the TOS, the rules will not apply.

Well...

Don't have time to look into cyber law, criminal law, and media law, or International law...

But...

According to the TOC, each indivudial involed is resposible for their actions...

17.) At all times, you remain solely responsible for anything found within your posts and agree to indemnify and hold AboveTopSecret.com, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of any material you submit, post to or transmit through the message board, your use of the message board, your connection to the message board, your violation of these terms and conditions , or your violation of the rights of another.


So if someone did something rash because of this, those folks would be responsible for their actions...


Thankfully no one did ( at least I hope )...

Good one on april fools But on halloween it just sucks

yes, and a lot of countries don't actually celebrate Halloween like the USA does, for most other countries its just another day

[edit on 31-10-2004 by cheesegoduk]

I told ya so
I told ya so
lol

Originally posted by Misfit
A twist on Orson Wells

Misfit

20 Points for Misfit, heh

Misfit

I thought ya did this sorta thing in April 1st....LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL good one hu!?

I OWNED you. LOL That was funny everyone believed us. And Mainer lighten up it was just a reenactment.

Originally posted by cpr12r
I OWNED you. LOL That was funny everyone believed us. And Mainer lighten up it was just a reenactment.

'reenactment', 'hoax', 'tribute', 'lies', 'knowingly false information' I guess that depends which side you are on? Next time keep it under Stories.

[edit on 31-10-2004 by Mainer]

Originally posted by Gizmoqt
I'll say it again, Terrorist intentionally put fear into people how does that make you all any different?

...while I do accept that for a number of ATSers this 'reinactment' was seen to be 'in poor taste' and shouldn't have been carried out...perspective also need not be lost here.

As much as I might have an open-mind and attempt to see things from multiple viewpoints...a 'War of the Worlds Tribute' doesn't seem to equate to Terrorism. Perhaps if the 'fictional alien invasion' included hijacking airliners and implanting them into tall financial buildings I could see the correlation.



Peace,
ALIEN

Originally posted by UM_Gazz
First of all this was not really a hoax... This was made obvious enough for anyone to figure out. Many of the posts involved had qoutes taken directly from the original script for the War Of The Worlds.

!

Oh Crap,

Gaz go to bed. I'm probably the most dis-respected unliked persona around here. My own doing. This has been talked to death. As a community of individuals aspiring to higher ground, why don't we just let it go. We claim to be Above, let us be that. Errors are made every second. Allow this one to go un-noticed as most do. We are all to blame in one way or another.

AMEN

TUT