Lawsuits Against Forum Administrators

[Adverse]

First, this has nothing to do with this forum.

It seems that some forums allow administrators a lot of power over participants. Some administrators on some sites insist that folks post exactly the way they see fit and are very restrictive and selective, going way beyond the rules of the forum. Some administrator appear to carry a grudge and target some forum users.

I know of an instance where many users of a forum have been targeted and have been forced to leave because of ongoing harassment by moderators and administrators.

Is "posting is a privilege, not a right" a universal truth that can be used to abuse, or restrict the rights of people they do not like personally?

Does it make a difference if the site is open to anyone, just for registering, whether they pay a fee or not?

Are forum administratosr personally liable for their actions? How would one go about filing suit against an individual forum administrator?

Is there a firm that will take a look at this type of action?

 

[NYClex]

First answer these questions: who pays for the hosting of the forum, the software, everything else?

If this is a free forum, hosted and paid for by private individuals, they can pretty much do what they want. It is the same as if they invite you to come into their living room. If they don't like what you do or say while you are in their living room, they can kick you out.

There is no way you would have a claim against them just for being kicked out or otherwise restricted from posting in their forum. As you said it, there is no right to post on a forum. It is a privilege.

 

[Adverse]

I am on several forums and only have a problem with one. Many others have similar problems.

Most of the users pay a membership fee, as do I. Recently I have been suspended, not for violating any stated rules, but because a recently appointed volunteer administrator does not like me. I have been suspended three times in the six or seven years I have been on the site, and never because I violated a stated rule.

Administrators emails to me are much more abusive than anything being said on the forum.

I have also received, by mistake, emails among moderators in which they have joked about giving me a hard time.

Last summer, many veterans of the site left for the same reasons, targeting by the staff. Some of the moderators have resigned because of orders to target some users.

It is not one of those far-out sites, but one used by educated, professional adults, and mostly an older crowd.

 

[Adverse]

Here's an example of a "private" conversation between staff members of the forum, talking about one of the users they target. This is cleaned up a bit to protect identities:




( Moderator),

MY HERO!!!!

I love it. Like it's so difficult to comprehend that
it's verboten to post (deleted) under any
forum you darned well please, so why would (deleted)
be any different??

Good for rubbing his nose in the fact that he said he
understood and accepted the situation earlier, now he
wants to resurrect that tired shtick. This makes it
abundantly clear that (deleted) is hellbent on stirring the
pot at every opportunity, even though he disavows any
intention of such. ("MOI???")

I'm sick and tired of his making a regular habit now
of doing whatever he can to put (deleted) in an uproar. If
we keep putting up with his nonsense, volunteers will
forever be obliged to be his baby-sitter.

(Moderator)