I don’t typically post on the politics and controversies surrounding forms. That on its own would be a full-time job. However, this seems to be a pretty major skirmish here. It caught my attention earlier that the UK Vapers Forum had issued a new rule forbidding any of its members to post reviews or comments about Totally Wicked (presumably the UK arm of the company). Below is the message that was posted:
While getting ready to write this particular update it appears that the UK Vaper’s forum took the extreme step of shuttering the site while it worked out these issues.
The below message is what appeared when visiting the site at the time of this writing. The message doesn’t specify if it was the same vendor, or if this is somehow an unrelated legal crisis going on.
Since this appears to still going on, and the second message didn’t mention if this was the same issue, I wouldn’t want to jump to conclusions. However, if this does turn out to be related, I think this may be one of the most ham-fisted things I’ve seen since I’ve started this site. And I’ve seen a lot of really misguided attempts to silence criticism in the past.
I have no idea what sort of comments may have set off this battle. And let’s face it, there’s a lot of negative people unafraid to voice their opinions in this (or any other) online community. Even if the comments were unsavory accusations against someone’s mother, I’m going to go out on a limb and say I think the response is absolute overkill.
18 Comments
Rosanne
(07/09/12 - 1:52 pm)Unbelievable!
@DARKFiB3R
(07/09/12 - 2:12 pm)Total Wankers springs to mind.
Dick Puddlecote
(07/09/12 - 2:22 pm)Top comment, Steve. Quite pathetic from TW.
A Vaper
(07/09/12 - 2:22 pm)The response by who is an overkill?
Doesn't sound like the ukvapers forum admin had any choice.
I did however read a recent thread where comments were made about totally wicked, commenting on their willingness to take criticism. I guess that that may be a thread that has sparked this off, amongst others I guess.
To remove all references to totally wicked won't be an easy task for them though.
Steve K
(07/09/12 - 2:25 pm)Ok, I should have been more clear there. Assuming this is all coming from TW, it is their response to whatever criticism happened in the first place that seems over the top to me. UKV has to make sure it protects itself so if it has to circle the wagons for now, I don't fault them for that.
A vaper
(07/09/12 - 2:28 pm)The vendor has shot themselves right in the foot!
Word will get around at what has happened, as a lot are members of other forums too,this won't do them any favours.
@Ivisi
(07/09/12 - 3:21 pm)It's nothing new from TW, in my oprinion they are one of the most dangerous companies involved with vaping. Total disregard to anything except what will increase their profits, vapers be damned.
Dick Puddlecote
(07/09/12 - 4:09 pm)This seems to be their case, so it has to be considered. Could be a lot more to come. http://www.totallywicked-eliquid.com/forum/genera…
wookiepedia
(07/09/12 - 11:13 pm)Interesting scenario presented by them. I call utter bullshit, though. If they really were embroiled in a fight against some shady mafia-like organization, they would want all the documentation possible from their foes. Give them all the rope they need to hang themselves, right? You don't want all those contradictions and lies suddenly culled from a database and no longer available to prove your case. No, there's only one reason anybody wants censorship: they want to hide something. It's certainly why my government censors things. Same thing here.
In the end, even if they *are* fighting some fedora-wearing dons of euro eliquid extorting them for every penny they have, censorship is not the answer. Especially not a forum that helps get information out to new vapers. It's just disgusting, and regardless of what happens in this matter, TW will never get any revenue from me again. Those jackasses across the pond don't understand the first amendment. Hell, the jackasses in washington don't either.
In other news, GET OFF MY DAMN LAWN. I sure have gotten grumpy in my old age…
cloudcuckooland
(07/09/12 - 4:11 pm)Is UKV disapearing up it's own arse of self importance? On the whole UKV is a sound and solid forum with a ton of useful advice to be found and a membership ful of decent,down to earth, vapers. However, UKV does, somehow, attract a host of whinging 'want owt for nowt' moaners and tightwads. Wouldn't want it any other way though, entertainment is entertainment whatever colour it's painted. Hope UKV get this little mess sorted and resume transmission as soon as possible
Steve K
(07/09/12 - 5:18 pm)Wow this whole thing is getting more and more tangled, isn't it? :)
Jamm0
(07/09/12 - 5:56 pm)One of the more respected UK vendors has said what a shame it is UKV is down.
http://ecigwizard.com/vaping-lounge/uk-vapers-clo…
Coffeeroasters
(07/10/12 - 9:02 am)Wow! That "Tool" is even on the ECF spewing hatred in the General E-Smoking Discussion area…..wow.
cloudcuckooland
(07/10/12 - 9:38 am)Well, I've just finished my daily read up of the state of play of this current vaping drama. Sadly, all I can gain out of the whole mess is that it looks remarkably like a product of 'attack googling' and 'defence googling' with both parties allowing emotions to take control of common sense. and both parties acting on google search results with no foundation based on anything other than what the search engines threw at them.
Does anybody truly believe that legal professionals are going to jump out of their computer monitors and issue them with a summons or writ? They aint. They should have asked jeeves!
Ivape
(07/10/12 - 2:51 pm)There are much much more important and sad injustices going on in the world.
This is all bullshit.
Kat
(07/10/12 - 8:17 pm)Being involved with ECTA (the Canadian branch of ECITA) – I can definately call "BS" on the TW comments thread (from above).
If someone is a member of a trade org – ANY trade org – they have to follow the rules of that org. ECITA's rules just happen to be based in UK law.
If they don't want to follow those rules – they don't have to be a member. It's pretty simple stuff really. Doesn't require slandering the trade org – just don't be a member.
The ECTA and ECITA rules are the same – any liquid manu. whose liquids are safe for vaping (pass lab tests that show them free of contaminates and in the proper bottles that don't leach and labelled according to the minimum requirements of law) – can be used by any member of the Org. There's no mafia-style anything going on. Just a basic care for the protection of the vaper. What vendor wants to sell something that could hurt their customer???
If TW's stance is: they should beable to sell anything they want – without any testing or safety control or quality checks, well, they're welcome to it. They won't be welcome to join a trade org though – not in the UK or anywhere else.
drajeen
(07/11/12 - 6:33 pm)So basically they TW is willing to pay for space on forums like ECF but they wont do the same thing for a trade organization.
Steve K
(07/11/12 - 6:52 pm)Thanks for the great comments everyone. You all are doing way better than me, so I'm just going to be quiet and let everyone go on :)
Comments are closed.