h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have a perfectly innocent post sitting in another tab waiting to post, but keep getting this message:

" This message has been blocked as it contains a word which other users may find offensive. Please edit your message and post it again."

I have studied and studied it, and cannot figure for the life of me what word/phrase is causing this. There are no swear words, no URLs, no email addresses, no obscure symbols -- nothing that should trigger a complaint. Obviously it would be useless to try posting the content here, but I have sent off an email to [email protected] (which so far hasn't bounced) with the complete text, asking for advice on what word is causing the problem.

If there are any mods out there reading this, please check the mailbox and reply.

Hi Anonymouse. We're not able to discuss moderation issues onsite but if you want to appeal the decision (or ask for further explanation) please follow the instructions here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/moderation.shtml#canappeal

Cheers
H2G2Eds

Anonymouse,

Just reply to your email asking for the h2g2 Editors to adjudicate. Hopefully they will tell you which word is causing your moderation.

lil x

But it wasn't removed, it won't post in the first place. So I guess I don't need to appeal, I just need to find out what word is causing the glitch. If I knew, I could fix it and post the thing (still waiting in another tab). Is the moderator post box still working? Who are the mods these days, anyway? I sent the mail to "h2g2 mods " ... Is that right, still?

There's a way to track down the offending word, if you have a bit of time.

First copy your post into a text document of some kind and then create a new h2h2 entry. Copy and paste the first half of the post into the edit entry text box and try to post the entry. If it posts okay the word you're looking for is in the second half, so hit the edit entry button, erase the text and copy the second half of the text. It should come up against the filter.

Keep doing this, half the text at a time and eventually you'll whittle it down to a small enough part of the text that you can probably deduce the word.

Aah, then there is no point in emailing the moderators, as they won't have any copy to go by.

Gosho has given you the best course of action as you have hit the main profanity filter, which has been extended to take in the recent 'slang' words from other BBC boards, unfortunately it means we are being penalised too

lil x

I use goo. "Edit entry" button

Oh, and the email has a complete C&P of the text that won't post.

Ookay... Email me the 'offending' post at lil_h2g2(AT)yahoo.co.uk and I will see what is causing your problem.

Thanks, but I found it. I can't believe you can't even flit out of existence around here anymore. The offending word was P--f (with 2 o's or 0's). This is just getting worse and worse.

Edit entry, update entry, create entry, I can't remember what the button's called. All you have to do is try to add a new entry and then go through the 'half the text at a time' routine to whittle it down by trial and error each time the filter stops you.

Dang, the filter hit me with same word a few weeks ago, and I was using it in a quote

I sent you the post anyway.

*giggles*

A friend of mine used to use that word as a way of saying p*0f, 'I'm gone now'... Seems it can offend a number of poor souls, and I don't mean the Gays either

You are most welcome to email

Oh dear... of all the places I would expect to NOT see idiotic auto-nanny software it was here. It makes me a little sad that Big Auntie obviously doesn't trust us enough to look ourselves anymore.

The result of my experimentation is hanging off Peregrin's journal. It starts here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/FFM10107?thread=6533680&skip=0&show=20#p103958498

The boards (including hootoo) were inundated by silly people setting out to try and beat the filther. They were even being naughty with some of the smileys!

It just goes to further my bitterness towards Auntie Em (erm Auntie Beeb?) which didn't really need furthering.

Please don't be bitter, eventually things will settle down again