Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2000/11/21/bbc_sacrifices_virgin_online/

BBC sacrifices virgin online

Blame it all on a 68-year-old sky-diver

By Kieren McCarthy

Posted in Legal, 21st November 2000 15:08 GMT

We were shocked, nay appalled, to find that that paragon of free speech, the BBC, prevented a loyal Reg reader from discussing sky-diving online.

Respectable Janek Czekaj posed the following question to an online chat room discussing Dilys Price - a 68-year-old sky-diver: "I have some work colleagues in California who go sky-diving and the US approach seems very professional but a lot more relaxed, more fun and that I believe builds confidence in virgin jumpers - it came out in the programme that way?"

The question was rejected. "Sorry. You have used language which has been deemed inappropriate for this chat. Please rephrase your question and try again."

Presumably it was the word "virgin" that caused offence and the BBC is running an automated filth detector on its site. Now, the question is: is the BBC more worried about people discussing a rival to its radio stations, paedophiles dragging its name through the mud, or just virgins in general? ®