Word Censorship

Word Censorship

Ursula Bailey -
回帖数:13

Hi

We are using Moodle 2.2.3. I have just been informed that our bad word filter isn’t working!.

I have checked that it is enabled under Site Admin > Plugins > Filter > Word censorship

I have even moved it up the filter list.

I have deleted our existing words to force it to use the language pack, although they are the same list so I added them back in again. (sorry if these cause offense)

But still no joy, I can still message using “bad words” and have them on my page.

Any suggestions?

回复Ursula Bailey

Re: Word Censorship

Mary Cooch -
Documentation writers的头像 Moodle HQ的头像 Particularly helpful Moodlers的头像 Testers的头像 Translators的头像

I just tried on my local host 2.3 and they were blanked out as black boxes - but interestingly (and amusingly) enough, if you hover your cursor over the word, it tells you what it is. I wonder just how useful that is then?

回复Mary Cooch

Re: Word Censorship

Glenys Hanson -

Hi there,

Sometimes I wish we could rate a message "LOL" as well as "Useful".

No, I'm not seriously suggesting that. However, I've had a couple of good laughs this evening but I didn't want to clog up everybodiy's mailboxes saying so.

Cheers;

Glenys

回复Glenys Hanson

Re: Word Censorship

Marcus Green -
Core developers的头像 Particularly helpful Moodlers的头像 Plugin developers的头像 Testers的头像

If I were a student on a system with bad word filtering I would take great delight in concocting ways of getting around it. Such things are a boad of lollocks.

回复Marcus Green

Re: Word Censorship

Glenys Hanson -

@Marcus

LOL

回复Glenys Hanson

Re: Word Censorship

Mary Cooch -
Documentation writers的头像 Moodle HQ的头像 Particularly helpful Moodlers的头像 Testers的头像 Translators的头像

It is a bit pointless , word censorship really, since as Marcus says there are many ways around it. But it doesn't help our poster who is having these issues. I have noticed however that in my 2.2 test site the words are NOT filtered out for admin, but they are filtered for other users (I tried with a teacher). It also doesn't work if you use the "switch role to" - I actually logged in as a teacher to see it work.

回复Mary Cooch

Re: Word Censorship

Gianpiero Limongiello -
I've had a look at the source code on my moodle 2.4.3 test installation and it sounds to me like a "plus" made by a polite programmer: put the right html title on the word you're acting on
LOL

But, if you can, or would, you can just change this file:
YOUR-MOODLE-ROOT/filter/censor/filter.php

at line 76, from (look at the "title" part)
$words[] = new filterobject($badword, '<span class="censoredtext"  title="'.$badword.'">', ...SOME TEXT REMOVED

to:
$words[] = new filterobject($badword, '<span class="censoredtext" title="CENSORED">', ...SOME TEXT REMOVED

or whatever other text you may prefer.

If you don't want anyone at all  to see the censored words too, even if they have "canseecensor" capability, do the same change some few lines above (around #74). Look for "title".

Clean you text cache, if you use it, to get the result (not) ;) visible at once.

Given that, I'd add that "Word censorship" is a tool, not a solution. And a good and flexible one. Just to explain, in the past we used it alright as a simple way to anonimize people enrolled in a single, special forum, just collecting their names from moodle db, sorting, unique-ing and putting them in a censored word list. Simple and reversible.

Hope this help.
Kindly regards,
g.
回复Gianpiero Limongiello

Re: Word Censorship

Marcus Green -
Core developers的头像 Particularly helpful Moodlers的头像 Plugin developers的头像 Testers的头像

I would take a dim view of any student who on seeing their words censored did not immediately try to come up with a way around it. The concept is essentially a shunch of bite. See the wikipedia entry for the Scunthorpe problem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem

However I can imagine some use for a technology that emailed an admin/moderator when specific words had been used.

The people of Clitheroe in Lancashire have experienced related problem, and not because they have a hero.

 

 

 

回复Marcus Green

Re: Word Censorship

Colin Fraser -
Documentation writers的头像 Testers的头像

It is frustrating because the Cocks family, two boys and a girl, with a set of twins to come next year or the year after I understand, can enroll and use courses but cannot see their names in newsletters or sports teams posted to our Moodle. And I see that there is a new student of Polish ancestry who is also causing a number of embarrasing problems. And there is an English boy, if his first name was Richard we could have a serious issue.

回复Ursula Bailey

Re: Word Censorship

Ken Task -
Particularly helpful Moodlers的头像

Don't have a fix for ya, but maybe a thought.  Obviously, some students, more than likely NOT the majority, will choose to express themselves in-appropriately.  Am in agreement that a 'bad word list' is but a small hurdle for determined students.

How about the creation of a special role (trash_mouth_students) which is restricted from activities where those inclined exercise their jaws?

One doesn't have to announce it, just set the students role in that course to 'trash_mouth_student'.  It won't take long for the word to get around.  And, best of all, one won't be subjecting all users to restrictions because of the actions of very few.

'spirit of sharing', Ken

回复Ken Task

Re: Word Censorship

Marcus Green -
Core developers的头像 Particularly helpful Moodlers的头像 Plugin developers的头像 Testers的头像

Innappropriate language is a human problem that cannot and will not be solved by any amount of technology.  

If my teacher implemented such a system I would constantly be arranging to see them on the following Tuesday. 

回复Marcus Green

Re: Word Censorship

Colin Fraser -
Documentation writers的头像 Testers的头像

Suspension of Network access for a week for a first offence plus investigation of Network use protocols and Policy on using Messenger or email, 500 word minimum. Suspension of Internet access for up to 10 weeks for a second offence, plus investigation, in their own time, of Police Offences Act with precis and 800 words concerning abusive language in public. Third offence - go find yourself another school... That is used successfully as a censor at a couple of schools, they have never got to third offence AFAIK. Oh parents are involved each occasion as well. 

The underlying message is they are responsible for their own behaviour and expect to get seriously trodden on if you do not live up to that responsibility.