How to Write a Deletion Request for Posts on 2channel (2ch.sc) and Points to Note

If you find a post on 2channel (2ch.sc) that constitutes defamation and you want it removed, there are two methods available: using the deletion request thread within 2channel (2ch.sc), or seeking a provisional disposition from the court.

When using the deletion request thread, removals on 2channel (2ch.sc) are carried out in accordance with the deletion guidelines. Posts may also be removed based on the local rules of each bulletin board, but it is necessary to understand the content of the common deletion guidelines and follow the procedures to apply for deletion.

Basic Principle of Deletion

The beginning of the “Deletion Guidelines” for 2channel (2ch.sc) is written as follows:

• Those who delete should primarily do so in accordance with these guidelines.
• Those who post should be mindful to avoid violating the guidelines below.
• 2channel is a free bulletin board that does not reject anyone.
• The only thing we ask is that you know and follow the rules.
• Please understand that adhering to simple rules creates a pleasant environment.

If a post violates the deletion guidelines, it may be subject to deletion. Therefore, if there is a post you want to be deleted, first check whether it violates the deletion guidelines, and then make a request from the deletion request thread.

What is a Deletion Request Thread?

On 2channel (2ch.sc), there are two types of deletion request boards: the “Deletion Request Board (for important deletion targets)” and the “Deletion Organization Board (for regular deletion)”. Depending on the nature of your request, you will need to choose the appropriate board. Please note that deletion requests made via post, phone, or email, or any method other than the boards, will not be accepted.

Important deletion targets include personal information such as names, addresses, affiliations, phone numbers, and email addresses, as well as information of no value that is purely personal, unverifiable private information from third parties, discriminatory or derogatory remarks, trolling requests, and cases where a judgment or provisional disposition has been issued by a court. Both boards are publicly accessible, just like other 2channel (2ch.sc) boards. This means that when you make a deletion request, the fact that “a deletion request has been made” will be visible to general 2channel (2ch.sc) users. There is a risk of users noticing and reigniting the issue, so if you are making a deletion request yourself, you should read the deletion guidelines carefully and proceed with caution.

https://monolith.law/reputation/deletionrequest-for-2chand5ch[ja]

Handling of Personal Information

Under the definition of the deletion guidelines, individuals are classified into the following three categories. Whether the content applied for deletion becomes a target for deletion depends on which category the applicant falls into.

• Category One: Politicians, celebrities, professionals, convicted criminals
• Category Two: Individuals involved in professions related to the purpose of the board and who may face responsibility issues, individuals who sell or provide works or creative activities for a fee, parties involved in incidents causing harm to others
• Category Three: All individuals who do not fall into the above two categories

For personal names, addresses, and affiliations, in the case of Category One individuals, it is stated that “publicly available information, information of value, information of public interest, etc. will not be deleted. The decision to delete is at the discretion of the administrator.”

For Category Two individuals, it is stated that “information that cannot be verified from the outside and information irrelevant to responsibility or incidents are subject to deletion. Information that can be verified on publicly available internet sites, national mass media, phone books, etc., and is not hidden, will not be deleted.” For Category Three individuals, it is stated that “all cases where the purpose is to identify individuals for defamation or attack by the context will be subject to deletion.” Ultimately, for individuals in Category One or Two, it can be said that deletion of “personal names, addresses, and affiliations” is difficult.

For phone numbers, in all cases, it is stated that “partially redacted numbers, strings suggesting such, etc., are all subject to deletion as there is no established method of verification.” However, it is also stated that “clearly public numbers, posts using a handle cap, those that can be judged to have been published by the person themselves based on the context, those that can be verified at the linked site, etc., may not be deleted under the principle of personal responsibility,” so caution is necessary.

For email addresses, in all cases, it is stated that “only cases where there is a possibility of deception or clear malice and the purpose is to attack, or where there is no explanation of the purpose and the aim is to expose to public view, will be treated as trolling requests. The same applies even if it is written in the email field. The judgment depends on the context.”

For private life information, in all cases, it is stated that “information with no value and only personal information, private information that cannot be verified by a third party, even if the individual is not fully identified, if there is a possibility of causing disadvantage to the subject, it will be uniformly subject to deletion.” The most important item is “defamation,” which varies depending on the category as follows.

• Category One: Will not be deleted unless there is a judgment by the administrator.
• Category Two: Items containing events of public interest in accordance with the purpose of the board, descriptions of factual relationships by direct parties or victims, etc., will not be deleted.
• Category Three: Items accompanied by information that completely identifies an individual are subject to deletion.

In the case of Category One or Two, similar to “personal names, addresses, and affiliations,” it can be said that deletion of defamation is also difficult.

Handling of Corporations, Organizations, and Public Institutions

For corporations and organizations, the handling varies depending on the category, but it is stipulated that they are “left as is” in principle. No matter how much defamation is posted, it will not be subject to deletion.

Public institutions are also left as is unless they contradict other deletion criteria and the purpose of the bulletin board. The only thing that can be deleted for corporations, organizations, and public institutions is a phone number that is clearly not public.

As for the request method, the contact method (email address acceptable) of the responsible department and person in charge is required, and it is necessary to specify the reason for deletion and the target of deletion as in a normal request. However, it is stated, “In this case as well, we recommend making a deletion request rather than using email or phone.” It is also stated, “We will consider explanations about the deletion content received through certified content, phone calls, emails, etc., but even in such cases, please make a deletion request as mentioned above.”

Threads and Responses

When defamed, many people may wish for the entire thread to be deleted. However, deleting an entire thread can be quite challenging. The guidelines state that responses that are deemed to have been made to hurt the feelings of users or to mock them, even if they are related to the purpose of the bulletin board, will be subject to deletion. However, if not all responses violate the guidelines, the entire thread will not be deleted.

The deletion of an entire thread only applies in special cases, such as when a fixed handle is included in the title, when a fixed handle is occupied, or when it is intended for a closed usage. As for responses, those that “hinder discussion, unnecessarily discriminatory remarks, abusive language or exclusive familiarity that discomforts third parties, multiple lines of the same content, excessive sexual delusions, and vulgarity” will be subject to deletion. It is also stated that “if the thread deviates too much from its purpose and the discussion or conversation cannot be established, it will be subject to deletion. The same applies if it is judged that the thread’s operation or growth is being deliberately obstructed.”

https://monolith.law/reputation/delationrequest-for-defamation[ja]

Deletion Request Application Form

On the deletion request board, unless there is a dedicated thread, requests must be made from the form. The necessary items are:

• Name (For corporations or organizations, the person in charge)
• Email
• Corporate/Organization Name
• Target Category (either Group 1, Group 2, or Group 3)
• Message Board Address (automatically posts to the request thread of the relevant message board)
• Existing Request Thread (in case of re-request from a corporation or organization)
• Deletion Target Address (URL of the request target)
• Reason/Details for Deletion

On the deletion organization board, you can write directly to the thread in the same format as the form. The necessary items are:

• Name (or handle name)
• Email
• Message Board Address
• Deletion Target Address
• Reason/Details for Deletion:

Please note that the deletion target must be specified without error, whether it’s a response number or a thread. On the deletion request board, which handles important deletions, thread deletion requests are not accepted as a rule, so specifying the response number is mandatory.

For the reason for deletion, it is good to write specifically and concisely, such as “This post contains my name and phone number, which is a violation of my privacy, so I request the deletion of the post” or “My name is mentioned, and it is slandered that I am involved in compensated dating. This constitutes defamation, so please delete it.” Deletions are carried out by volunteer deleters, but since 2channel (2ch.sc) is a large message board, there are a large number of deletion requests. Since the deleters are acting out of goodwill, let’s apply for deletion while maintaining a polite tone and attitude, without getting emotional.

When a Deletion Request is Denied

When a deletion request is denied, it may be because the content does not meet the deletion guidelines or there may be errors in the request. It’s a good idea to check if there are any discrepancies between the deletion target and the reason for deletion, or if there are any mistakes in specifying the deletion target. If the deletion is not carried out for more than two weeks, the Deletion Request Board (Important Deletion) will contact the dedicated email. If it’s the Deletion Request Board (Regular Deletion), a report will be made to the Long-term Unprocessed Report (Long-term Unprocessed [Response Request]・Long-term Unprocessed [Thread Request]). In both cases, the address of the relevant deletion request thread is required.

Even in the case of a third type of individual who does not fall into the category of a group of “politicians, celebrities, professionals, convicted criminals” or a second type of “individuals who may face responsibility issues in their profession related to the board’s purpose, individuals who are receiving compensation for selling or providing works or creations or activities, individuals who have caused some kind of damage to the outside”, and who does not belong to any corporation, organization, or public institution, there may be cases where deletion is not carried out.

In reality, even if there are no errors in the request and the content meets the deletion guidelines, deletions based on defamation, insult, or privacy infringement are not often recognized.

https://monolith.law/reputation/defamation[ja]

https://monolith.law/reputation/hyperlinks-and-defamation[ja]

Summary

In many cases where a deletion request is granted, it is when a provisional disposition is approved. When you submit the order of the provisional disposition to 2channel (2ch.sc), the deletion is promptly carried out. As we detailed in another article on our site, “What is the method of deleting posts on 2channel (2ch.sc)”, a provisional disposition is the most reliable and speedy method. Moreover, even if the deletion cannot be carried out because it does not conform to the deletion guidelines, there are many cases where it is illegal, but with a provisional disposition, such cases can be handled.

https://monolith.law/reputation/provisional-disposition[ja]

We have already mentioned that there is a risk of being flamed again by other users knowing that a deletion request is in progress, but if you are prepared for that, it is not too much trouble for individuals of the third kind, so you might want to try making a deletion request. Individuals of the first and second kind, corporations, organizations, public institutions, and third kind individuals whose deletion requests based on defamation or privacy infringement have been rejected, please consult a law firm that has expertise in deleting posts on 2channel (2ch.sc).