Laird
Member
ok, he can come back
Thank you, Alex. I have unbanned @james_robertson and PMed him to let him know that he has been unbanned and can resume posting.
ok, he can come back
In that spirit, Laird, for the purpose of general discussion about moderation policy (and not about moderation specifics here about which I've had my say already - although I think they validate the concerns of those who've made grievances against an authoritarian style), let me suggest reading these little articles by people who are knowledgeable in the field (and also the comments from forum runners below). From Community Spark: Building Online Communities:so let's get together as a community and come to a consensus on that which is glaringly missing from current practice: a moderation policy.
we kinda did that during a recent conversation that you were a part of. we hashed out the difficulties of moderation and even discussed specifics. at that time you decided that moderation was for youA suggestion, for what it's worth, and without having run this by Alex or David (or anybody else) first: it is obvious that some members of the community have grievances with moderation
pls start a private conversation with Laird on this. you can include me in after you hash it out.In that spirit, Laird, for the purpose of general discussion about moderation policy (and not about moderation specifics here about which I've had my say already - although I think they validate the concerns of those who've made grievances against an authoritarian style), let me suggest reading these little articles by people who are knowledgeable in the field (and also the comments from forum runners below). From Community Spark: Building Online Communities:
The real purpose of forum moderators revealed
Always avoid repressing your members
we kinda did that during a recent conversation that you were a part of. we hashed out the difficulties of moderation and even discussed specifics. at that time you decided that moderation was [not] for you
pls start a private conversation with Laird on this. you can include me in after you hash it out.
You may be surprised how few people bother to use that button - I expect most don't realise it is even there. Someone complained in fairly strong terms that I hadn't done anything about the discussion about intergenerational sex (as though in some way I approved!) - where in reality I hadn't seen it.nagging posters with trivial commands to use the post-quoting function when they write. Etc.
The real problem is that every case is different!A suggestion, for what it's worth, and without having run this by Alex or David (or anybody else) first: it is obvious that some members of the community have grievances with moderation, so let's get together as a community and come to a consensus on that which is glaringly missing from current practice: a moderation policy. This policy would set out when and why a moderator can/should take any given action, from warnings and thread closings to thread deletions and temporary/permanent bannings. We could have a community discussion on the contents of this policy, leading (ideally) to a consensus or at least a majority-supported document, in a thread seeded with the following from Ian's post above, which seems like a good summary of that about which those who have grievances are aggrieved. Those who don't care would be free to ignore the thread/process. Those who are in favour of existing practices could state their case and their opposition to Ian's summation and would get an equal hearing.
The real problem is that every case is different!
Sometimes the action required is obvious, other times it is on a knife edge.
You have to balance how rude someone is to other posters, whether they say anything interesting, whether they just repeat themselves, whether they seem to respond to others, whether they are disruptive, whether they wish to discuss intergenerational sex, how long they have been on the forum, how many, if any people have complained
You have to balance how rude someone is to other posters, whether they say anything interesting, whether they just repeat themselves, whether they seem to respond to others, whether they are disruptive, whether they wish to discuss intergenerational sex, how long they have been on the forum, how many, if any people have complained......... You also have to bear in mind that moderators have other things to do - this can't end up as their full-time job!
David is right... too many variables. If you don't like a specific moderation action work thru David thru PM and then to me thru PM if needed.So many words in my last response! Here's something terser - what I should have said in response to the above:
Either you can provide some sort of balancing function for the specific criteria you list there - in which case, great, we have our moderation policy - or you don't have a single balancing function, and use a different one each time - in which case, your moderation is inconsistent. Doesn't it have to be one or the other?
If you don't have any pressing issues right now, let's move on.
He and I are having a very interesting discussion.Sure, I've said my piece. Would be very keen for Andrew9 to rejoin this thread and share his expertise.
... and not to give a running commentaryActually, I think the way to have a private conversation is to not beforehand announce it loudly in public. ;)
Perhaps the deniers don't want Andrew9's views to be public? ;)But still, is there anything of a such an intimate or personal nature that it can't be shared with the rest of us?
Interesting and serious question raised there.Perhaps the deniers don't want Andrew9's views to be public? ;)
That is not my aim, and we are having a very interesting discussion, trying to hammer out a few issues. In the meantime, Andrew9 is completely free to state his views publicly if he so wishes.Perhaps the deniers don't want Andrew9's views to be public? ;)
Anything you feel more enlightened about? Any shift in your position?That is not my aim, and we are having a very interesting discussion, trying to hammer out a few issues. In the meantime, Andrew9 is completely free to state his views publicly if he so wishes.
I wanted a private discussion precisely because I have had several public discussions on this issue, and have never emerged any the wiser - there is just too much heat generated :)
David
You can lead a horse to water...... I have had several public discussions on this issue, and have never emerged any the wiser ...