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rug

(82,333 posts)
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 04:37 PM Jan 2015

Godless Spellchecker: Atheist tweeter suspended for 'abuse' has account restored

Tuesday 06 January 2015
Chris Green
Senior Reporter

A prolific Twitter user and podcaster who has spent years infuriating religious zealots by publicly challenging their dogmatic views – and correcting their spelling mistakes – is celebrating after striking a blow for free speech.

The Godless Spellchecker account has been repeatedly suspended from Twitter for what was described as the “targeted abuse or harassment” of other users. But to its 50,000 followers, its polite and pithy interventions amount to little more than an injection of reason and logic into the social media site’s often inflamed religious debate.

On Saturday its owner, a 30-year-old office worker from Manchester called Stephen, received a message informing him that his account had been suspended again – this time permanently. In an open letter to Twitter, published on his blog, he suggested that the site’s complaints system was “being abused in order to silence dissenting voices or genuine civil criticism”.

Stephen, who requested to remain anonymous, told The Independent he suspected that prominent Twitter users whose religious views he had publicly challenged were trying to silence his account by repeatedly reporting him. While he said he saw the need for a complaints system, he felt the site’s unthinking suspension of users who attracted controversy was “flawed”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/godless-spellchecker-atheist-tweeter-suspended-for-abuse-has-account-restored-9961442.html

http://www.gspellchecker.com/

https://twitter.com/gspellchecker

28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Godless Spellchecker: Atheist tweeter suspended for 'abuse' has account restored (Original Post) rug Jan 2015 OP
I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell. Xipe Totec Jan 2015 #1
It would be awkward if the tweeter said that. rug Jan 2015 #2
A tongue stuck firmly into cheek can take care of that awkwardness... Xipe Totec Jan 2015 #4
Why? He certainly could have said that. tradewinds Jan 2015 #6
Do you find anything odd about an atheist threatening hell? rug Jan 2015 #8
C'mon, anyone who reads knows the "hell" in this statement refers to "a hard time" not the tradewinds Jan 2015 #9
Are you using "hell" as a metaphor? rug Jan 2015 #10
No, but Harry was. tradewinds Jan 2015 #11
Oh, please do state my "condition". rug Jan 2015 #12
I am not a doctor. tradewinds Jan 2015 #13
Oh, are you saying my "condition" affects my reading comprehension? rug Jan 2015 #14
As I said, I am not a doctor. tradewinds Jan 2015 #15
Now you're just blowing air. rug Jan 2015 #18
That's just rude. tradewinds Jan 2015 #19
What would be rude is noting a synonym for wind. rug Jan 2015 #20
Breeze? Air current? tradewinds Jan 2015 #22
Hmm, I think that person is here as well….. cbayer Jan 2015 #3
Do you mean those that want to silence him? Yeah, there are those types here. Goblinmonger Jan 2015 #5
Because he is a non-believer, and calls out "believers" for their fairy tales, he will get no tradewinds Jan 2015 #7
What saddens me Promethean Jan 2015 #16
Really? You have privy to ignore lists? cbayer Jan 2015 #17
What cracks me up is how many think ignore lists make some kind of statement rug Jan 2015 #21
what cracks me up Is you saying that to someone who uses ignore that way Lordquinton Jan 2015 #24
I'm pretty sure that's not how she uses it. rug Jan 2015 #25
What cracks me up is how little you know about how and why I might use ignore. cbayer Jan 2015 #27
Actually I'm a fan of using ignore. cbayer Jan 2015 #26
Yup, carving out that tiny corner....... tradewinds Jan 2015 #23
Aw, what happened to your buddy. cbayer Jan 2015 #28
 

rug

(82,333 posts)
8. Do you find anything odd about an atheist threatening hell?
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 06:21 PM
Jan 2015

Seems rather a hollow threat.

The only awkward thing I see is another baseless assumption in a post bearing your name.

 

tradewinds

(260 posts)
9. C'mon, anyone who reads knows the "hell" in this statement refers to "a hard time" not the
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 06:43 PM
Jan 2015

mythical place of religion. Nothing awkward about that. Poor comprehension is the "AWKWARD" here.

 

tradewinds

(260 posts)
13. I am not a doctor.
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 07:09 PM
Jan 2015

I know that there can be various reasons why some have better reading comprehension than others. I would suggest consulting with the professional of your choice.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
20. What would be rude is noting a synonym for wind.
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 09:14 PM
Jan 2015

Surely not as witty as posting a picture of a vacuum cleaner.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
3. Hmm, I think that person is here as well…..
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 04:59 PM
Jan 2015

At any rate, whether he is guilty or not is hard to determine, but I sure like the "targeted abuse or harassment” clause in their TOS. We used to have something like that here. Sometimes criticism is wrongly called abuse, and sometimes abuse is wrongly called criticism.

 

Goblinmonger

(22,340 posts)
5. Do you mean those that want to silence him? Yeah, there are those types here.
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 05:16 PM
Jan 2015

I read his last 50 or so Tweets. Have you? The highlights were pushing a charity drive and trying to stop people from outing ex-Muslim atheists in Pakistan because it threatens their life. What a dick, huh?

 

tradewinds

(260 posts)
7. Because he is a non-believer, and calls out "believers" for their fairy tales, he will get no
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 05:27 PM
Jan 2015

quarter here. And the spell check thing really pisses off some here.

Promethean

(468 posts)
16. What saddens me
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 08:11 PM
Jan 2015

is a certain someone is on so many ignore lists that a lot of people that would very much enjoy your responses in this thread won't see it.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
17. Really? You have privy to ignore lists?
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 08:33 PM
Jan 2015

What saddens me is that you are so intent on personally attacking me that you are blind to what is happening here.

But I guess so many people have me ignore that they won't be able to enjoy your response either. Pity.

Did you get your secret decoder ring yet? Certainly you have earned it.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
21. What cracks me up is how many think ignore lists make some kind of statement
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 09:19 PM
Jan 2015

instead of willfully blinding oneself.

I suppose it's easier to be smug if unchallenged.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
26. Actually I'm a fan of using ignore.
Wed Jan 7, 2015, 10:49 AM
Jan 2015

I don't think it makes a statement, but it definitely makes being here a much more pleasant experience. I honestly don't feel that I am missing anything.

There is a difference between being challenged and being harassed.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
28. Aw, what happened to your buddy.
Wed Jan 7, 2015, 01:56 PM
Jan 2015

When you are so blinded by your wish to get me that you miss a troll of this magnitude, you really might want to consider taking a step or two back.

Honesty is important to you, right?

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