This isn't Free speech: How THREESPEECH hides it's censorship.

(2nd UPDATE: It seems the attention this has caused has had some results! At some point between saturday evening and sunday morning, my comment number 79 was uncensored. Also Ben from Threespeech has offered a one on one chat about the events. He seems a nice guy. I'll keep you posted. They've also included an explanation of their moderation system. This was not the moderation system that was in place at the time of my original comments (I'll explain more in detail after I've talked to Ben). This new system still causes the deletion of a comment to never come to the attention of the original poster, which prohibits conversation and is shady. However the moderating system is now transparent and as such thats a huge improvement. And transparency is all I've ever wanted. As I've said before I prefer the PS3 to the Xbox I'm not an "Xbot" like some people are calling me. I just want some honesty from ThreeSpeech, RampIndustry and Sony about how they are marketing their products, and the way they are trying to imply they are something they are not.

I'm now waiting to talk to Ben. I'll let you know how it goes.)

(1st UPDATE: Just in case you don't know the relationship between ramp industry and Threespeech an explanation has been added here.)

Original Article

This is the comments thread to THREESPEECH's first podcast. We all know TS is effectively a sham blog set up by Sony to promote itself, presumably as no one else will.

Firstly, the irony of name withstanding, obviously TS are entitled to remove comments they don't like. But how they do that is very important. Especially as they state:

We won’t censor content so long as this space is used constructively.
But what I've found goes beyond merely deleting negative comments. Here's the long and the short of it:

Short Version: THREESPEECH will delete your "negative" comment (e.g. asking what "semi-offical" means) but from then on maintain a different version of the web site just for you so that you think your post still exists.

Long Version: After reading what Penny-arcade had to had tosay about Threespeech - I listened to their Podcast. It is seedy. As such I posted this on the comments thread:

I’ve just listened to the whole podcast.

The Internet has one commodity. Trust.

The viewers have to believe the creaters. And with this sites ambiguity thats impossible. How about a detailed explanation of the site. Answer these questions:

* Are you being paid by Sony, it’s marketing department, or by others on behalf of Sony to make this site? It seems the answer is yes.

* Are you given free reign to voice your true opinions? It seems the answer is no.

* What are Sony’s aims with this site?

I am ashamed. This site, and the podcast is so “on-topic” that it beggers belief. It’s like a concerted effort to “push” “hard-core” opinion on the Sony Brand products.

At no point did I see a genuine criticism of any of the platforms. And minor criticism was quickly distorted back into something positive.

Sony wins no fans by trying to insidiously promote itself in this way. To try and have it’s cake and eat it.

And I pity those involved. Because it’s clear you have asperations in the games media field and you’ve damaged your CV beyond repair with job.

I want Sony to do well with the PS3. The ability to install Linux (and thus Myth TV etc) will mean I’m far more likely to buy one over the 360. But this kind of marketing is truly offensive.

Comment by Lave — June 28, 2007 @ 4:51 pm


And thought nothing of it. For various boring reasons I have to run two browsers on my laptop. One runs locally. One runs on a machine 5 miles away and unix pipes the window to my machine. After a while my comment was still happily siting on the thread. But then when I happened to visit the site with the different machine's browser it was nowhere to be seen.

Here's a screencap of both browsers side by side. One has my comment the other doesn't.

Link as 1024*768

You can see for yourself. Do the following:

1) Go to the thread and read post 79.

2) Go to the comment field and post something (but please be nice - maybe even a link here... ;) )

For your name put: Lave
For your email put: skeptobotURIGELLER@blogspot.com (remember to remove the fraud's name).
For your website put: http://skeptobot.blogspot.com

3) Reread post 79 and see how my post is back. Their server clearly thinks your me now. And is trying to hide it's censorship from you.

Free Speech indeed.

It's such a strange situation. From the postings of one guy there called Ben who replied to my comments that haven't been deleted - it seems he isn't being paid directly. No doubt he gets free stuff. But that the perk of any journalist. And he admits he has no control over what makes the first page and comments. So he's not much more than a patsy giving them some respectability.

But behavior like this makes it certain (even though it was already) that this is a Sony run site. Which I've no problem with - if they explain what that means, rather than making a blog that is clearly designed to fool people into thinking this is "honest" enthusiasm.

If you want to spread the word please digg...


Digg!

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Holy crap! I have to admit I was skeptical, but when I posted as Lave the missing post #79 magically appeared. This is just stupid.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I posted the same question under the name AAC, and yup, they deleted my comment too. I've sent them an email asking what the deal is, let's see what happens.

AAC

Anonymous said...

Joystiq.com did the same to me this past October

Anonymous said...

its their site quit bitchen dam internets these days. rofl o wait ur gonna censore this too?

Anonymous said...

That goes for any blog though, I mean even McDonalds has a blog - and I can guarantee that comments are definitely screened and moderated and filtered - especially politicians blogs - which tote that they want open criticism.

maurice1705 said...

so what exactly is the problem? You posted yet another comment whining about if they are endorsed by sony or not. They say it themself: semi-official. They probably know a few people at sony.

anyway: what do you care? They post some interesting news and they actually DO allow negative comments aimed at sony. Read the comments...

Bill said...

It's obvious I'm not going to censor your comments. And I've no problem with them censoring comments. I said that in the article you didn't read.

I was pointing out the Irony in calling the site a pun on Free Speech. When they censor comments that are even slightly negative - but more importantly hide that censoring from you. Thats dirty, and shows they have something to hide.

And thirdly it's important because by saying things like "semi-official" they obscure exactly what their relationship with Sony is. Any legitmate site would have no shame it explaining how it's related to Sony. As such it's an "on target" advertising blog.

And thats underhand.

Anonymous said...

digged it
health video articles">funny baby and dog video

Anonymous said...

I believe the purpose of threespeech is pretty clear. If you follow whois you quickly get to Ramp Industry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramp_Industry

Anonymous said...

You ain't gunna do nuthin but take a shit and fall back init.

http://www.nimbusters.org <--- true free speech

Anonymous said...

what you are seeing is a standard behavior of wordpress (the blog software they are using). there's a list of "black-listed" strings that if a comment has them it gets labeled as "spam" at which point only the original author continues to see it.

Bill said...

Thats very interesting gadgeteer.

I think it's fine to use such software against spam-bots, but pointless as they will quickly adapt, but against people I think it isn't fair.

Just say your comment was deleted.

Anonymous said...

"Look Sony deleted a comment that goes against them!!! They are so mean!!! Let's go tell Daddy XBox360 and Mommy Wii!!!"

Seriously, It's their site, the can do as they please... how come no one is bitching about faulty 360's? Even here in PR we're getting hundreds o faulty units, people mention it then it gets swept under the rug, and no more mentioning of it. Let a PS3 scratch a disc or overheat and all hell breaks loose about how bad it is... many of you are just hipocrites. (Many meaning not all, just in case)

Anonymous said...

You're mistaken. You see the somment as you've posted it. It then goes into moderation and - hey presto - emerges again afterwards. Twerp.

Anonymous said...

I dont understand. I went to [http://threespeech.com/blog/?p=444] and saw comment #79. It is as what u posted on ur blog. I still see it there even before I comment as "Lave".

May be it's like what anon. says? That ur comment was moderated?

- confused IE user

Anonymous said...

I went to that post, and I see that your comment #79 is visible to me.

On the other hand, it is possible that the site just un-hid the comment after you called them out on it.

If they were in fact guilty of hiding a removed post from you, then that is very shady stuff indeed.

Ben said...

Hi Lave,

I'd really like for you to get in touch with me so that I can verbally explain to you and answer any questions you might have, over Skype or by other means.

All the best,

Ben

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure all of the Joystiq/Engadget blogs do this too.

They also block entire ISPs, and will not send confirmation e-mails.

Anonymous said...

Underhanded? Immoral? Wow, Lave. Just wow! You really are using a double-standard aren't you?

If you want to compare the history of Microsoft's "underhanded" behavior vs Sony's. I'd be willing to provide you with a list M$'s indiscretions. So, please, don't go there. I assure you that Microsoft would be on the losing end.

As far as The "Semi-Official" THREESPEECH. I think the issue with being paid versus not being paid. Not the fact that Ben said was a big bad MEANIE to your beloved Major "DORK" Nelson. I mean, come on. Are you crying that Ben called "Nelson" grimy.

By the way, the way I took it as grimy PR speak. Like a snake oil saleman.

Oh, and yes... I listened to Major Nelson podcast way back early 2006 and I almost threw up. The disinformation and half-truths that comes from that site about the PS3 was nauseating.

Face it. Not everyone is a Xbots360 fan. Sorry!

So, if you don't like THREESPEECH. Stay on your xbox sites!

GreyICE said...

Look like the foaming-at-the-mouth fans are at it again. "Xbots?" For commenting that the practice of essentially lying about what comments had or hadn't been deleted was underhanded? Nice rose-colored glasses.

Anonymous said...

my comp shows ypue comment

Anonymous said...

Lave, they've been SERIOUSLY censoring anything that seems to be intelligent and negative at the same time.

The wont censor you for a 'lolz xbox is the bestors!' because they know that you can get gang beat by sony fanboys and youll get laughed at

But Ive tried multiple times to leave things there, and they've all been deleted.

If you want to see if you are being censored, just open a FIREFOX browser page for the comments section and log in with it, then post. Then open up INTERNET EXPLORER and go to the same page, but do not log in. Do you see any of your posts? If you do not... congrats, marketing at work



This was my latest attempt to get something posted, after they cut and dropped attempts by me to post things before. Hell, one of the postings they cut was simply one line of me going 'You say Microsoft has slimy marketing? What about Sony and making false PSP raver websites? Riiiiight...' and that was a few days ago. I look now and where is it? Gone. Poof.

In the end, it appears we have to all use your name to post things Lave, and only because you brought this to such attention that they were forced I guess to unbar your name

'ere was my post:

"BY the way, THANKS for inadventently storing my saved copies of things by using your censoring ways, I really appreciate it

Gotta love it when Penny Arcade tells the world that you guys sound like your accents come from sucking sony off. Im sure you already read it. The comic and blog post from the 27th?

I mean, even if you love/hate penny arcade, when this blog got linked on their main page with THAT in the comic… gee guys I wonder how much credibility you have left with people.

GL is a perfect example of your site and its ‘fanbase’. Rather than supporting their own console or choices with good statements, you launch attacks on others.

Only SONY has had an eviscerated goat at a party, only SONY has put the money into a false raver site complete with shitty rap DISGUSING itself as a legitimate fan op, only SONY is currently the media whipping boy, only SONY has a huge financial loss right now from POOR marketing.

(Guys, I love the console, I’d own a PS3 in a heartbeat with a 200 dollar lower price… 499ish would be awesome)

But this is what you get, Threespeech, an internet dumping full of hate, linked on multiple blogs and comic sites with words of vile and spit aimed at you, even from a lot of sony fans.

Nothing sounds so false and pretentious like a site claiming to be ’semi-official’, trying to get an audience to take it seriously, and then in its very first podcast rather than discussing the different aspects of the ps3 and addressing peoples concerns, taking shots at the ‘other guys’ marketing and PR. LOL. Look at SONYS marketing and PR… you think thats BETTER? Gimmie a break.

I hope the advert company you work for really isn’t getting paid by Sony, cause you’ll lose your jobs soon enough. Its one thing to be biased when you’re a legitimate fan site… that way nobody will listen to you or care except extremist fans, but when you’re dancing around the ’semi official’ word and you act like that, it leaves a shitty taste in my mouth.

Final EDIT: Seriously you guys, go look at the wikipedia article for Ramp Industries. The article itself is linking to the penny arcade blog saying you guys are blowing sony.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramp_Industry
"

Anonymous said...

your a loser ... don't you have laundry to do? censor this ;)

Anonymous said...

Ben doesn't actually work for Three Speech... Fool

Bill said...

Nope he doesn't and I've never had a problem with Ben.

I've just had a nice hour long chat with him, and will be writing an update when I get a chance.

Anonymous said...

Sigh... So you posted a comment to a blog and found it was deleted.

You've left a comment on a blog related to console games.

Console games. Think about it.

And it was deleted. Wow.

Get a life.

Anonymous said...

Hey I thought renaissance men could spell!

Bill said...

Damn the last two (anon) comments.

Your comments are both negative, critical and spot on!

Well done.

Feel free to keep posting though. This site is only a bit of fun, and I like the attention!

Archer007 said...

Wow. You think Sony would have gone to more trouble when protecting the fact that they are essentially kissing their own asses. Paying for a self congratulatory Sony site is bad enough, but they don't even bother to cover themselves! Stupid and incompetent.

Anonymous said...

"Sigh... So you posted a comment to a blog and found it was deleted.

You've left a comment on a blog related to console games.

Console games. Think about it.

And it was deleted. Wow.

Get a life."

There's two ways to look at a comment like that. One way would be to respond with a "well you've left a comment on a blog relating to a console game too, so likewise my friend, get a fucking life".

Another response might be that it does matter. This issue is all part of a wider problem of how corporations are using varied nefarious marketing ploys to ensnare people in increasingly underhand ways. Videogames are simply the McGuffin, the unimportant element, of this compelling topic.

Anonymous said...

"Console games. Think about it.

Get a life."

Fuck you in two ways. I love videogames, and what's wrong with that? Should I be into sports or some other leisure activity deemed somehow more worthy? Or should I consider the idiocy of your comments when I think about just how many billion dollars the console market is worth?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

karen millen uk
ed hardy t-shirts
christian louboutin outlet
timberland shoes
beats by dre
pittsburgh steelers jersey
cheap football shirts
hollister clothing
lacoste outlet
kate spade handbags
san antonio spurs jerseys
fivefingers shoes
jordan 11
longchamp handbags
air force 1 shoes
new balance 574
asics shoes
true religion jeans, http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com
kate spade outlet
chanel handbags
salomon running shoes
cheap oakley sunglasses
canada goose outlet
boston celtics jersey
ralph lauren outlet
coach factory outlet
ralph lauren outlet
hermes birkin
insanity workout
mizuno running
moncler coats
prada handbags
coach factory outlet
michael kors handbags
ed hardy clothing
kansas city chiefs jerseys
tiffany and co jewelry
indianapolis colts jerseys
oakley sunglasses
the north face uk
achang0805

chenmeinv0 said...

louboutin shoes
adidas outlet store
christian louboutin shoes
uggs outlet
louis vuitton handbags
louis vuitton outlet
hockey jerseys
broncos jerseys
air max uk
ray ban sunglasses outlet
2016.11.21xukaimin

chenmeinv0 said...

louis vuitton outlet
timberland boots
adidas yeezy
replica watches
jordan 8
ray ban sunglasses
christian louboutin uk
giuseppe zanotti
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors bags
20174.8chenjinyan

Unknown said...

mlb jerseys cheap
cheap jordan sneakers
valentino sandals
christian louboutin sale
ralph lauren
kate spade outlet
hollister kids
caterpillar work boots
cheap jordan shoes
michael kors handbags outlet
2017.5.18chenlixiang

adidas nmd said...

bengals jersey
ugg outlet
prada shoes
nike shoes
gucci sale
ugg outlet
air force 1 shoes
cleveland cavaliers jersey
nike trainers
hugo boss outlet

7885 said...

0728jejeLe nike air jordan 1 retro high banned chauffeur a pris certains d'avoir utilisé d'autre part, j'ai été hors air france jordan location de forme pour les années, donc new balance pas cher pour femme c'est vraiment beaucoup plus de faute de ma New Balance 446 Baskets part que la norme avec le club. new balance in france Nike Shox Deliver dire si cela devait arriver, new balance france flag Nike Shox Deliver pourrait voir une toute nike roshe run mid pas cher nouvelle évolution dans la chaussure conception nike air jordan soldes dans les années à venir que certains styles pourraient New Balance 993 femme commencer.

56 said...

0806jejeLes chaussures à des fins spécifiques comme les chaussure asics homme decathlon espadrilles de natation ou les sandales de plage peuvent être faites de matériaux synthétiques qui protègent les pieds et ne sont pas endommagés par l'eau tandis que les chaussures de soirée à la mode sont souvent faites nike air soldes femme de cuir ou de daim. Généralement, vous verrez les cours de poursuite dans les baskets pour chaque sexe de tous les âges. Les personnes employées aujourd'hui à Stockport Nike Free 5.0 Homme sont également hautement qualifiées, avec un tiers de tous les résidents qualifiés pour obtenir un diplôme. La coquille est créée en une forme de pli de couche, asics gel lyte iii w chaussures turquoise pour réduire la perte de capacité quand le pied touche le sol et pour atténuer l'impact néfaste. Lunarlite Foam, sorti en 2008, était une technologie d'amortissement en mousse. Son essence est de faire l'image de marque basket nike air max 1 premium de votre entreprise.

Gabriella Jackson said...

Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.

Buyandsellhair.com
Information

RalphSelton said...

You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!

Website
Information

Danil Pamungkas said...

Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thank you However I am experiencing issue with ur rss. Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting identical rss problem? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx

Forum.honorboundgame.com
Information
Click Here
Visit Web

AlbertLee said...

Would you be interested in exchanging links?

Coolors.co
Information
Click Here
Visit Web

toose said...

click here for info cheap designer bags replica visit the website replica ysl handbags view it now high end replica bags