Both the forum and the chat room are privately owned and operated. Because of this, you do not actually have a constitutional right to free speech. Your ability to say what you want is limited by the User Agreement.
If that seems harsh, consider: if I go to your home, may I use it for my rights to free speech? Can I invite a few thousand people to your home so that I can stand on my soapbox and say anything I wish? What... you won't permit me to invite a few thousand people to your home?
Perhaps the reason you have the right to throw me out on my ear is because your home is a privately owned space and I don't have rights to free speech there. Do you now understand why you don't have the right to free speech here? Of course you always have the option of starting your own forum. You can make the rules and you can offer a place for free speech if that is what you wish.
The administration of the forum and the administration of About.com have the right to exclude anyone they choose. Fortunately, this forum is one of the more liberal in terms of exclusion. In comparison with many other forums on About.com, it actually takes quite a bit to lose posting privileges. When you look at our FAQ, you will see what breaches of the rules might lead to the recision of those privileges. You will also see that the FAQ makes clear that the administration has the right to evaluate disruptive behaviour on a case-by-case basis.
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