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Over zealous moderator

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  • 24-09-2019 2:45pm
    #1
    gormdubhgorm
    Registered Users Posts: 18,778 ✭✭✭✭


    A particular moderator in a thread in environmental issues forum (was originally on AH) is really being extremely OTT with posters (not just myself - but I can see thier frustration).
    From what I have read now posters have to tip-toe around issues for fear of upsetting the moderator - for fear of any word out of place and so on.

    I received a ban, which I do not see the point in appealing as the atmosphere on the thread is extremely stifling.

    Here is the thread in question.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058017526

    I hope that a more 'moderate' mod/admin can appeal to this particular moderators sense of reason and tell them to 'cool the jets' a bit and take a deep breath?
    A fresh pair of eyes might be of help.
    I realise on the charter that it is at moderators discretion, but how far is too far?
    IMO the thread has now being ruined by the moderator you will note that it takes very little for this mod to throw a ban on a poster or get agitated. I did not see any yellow cards on the thread for example.
    Of course that is only my opinion.

    I realised I should not have engaged in 'backseat modding' on the thread and kept it to PM's. But as I feel it is pointless/not wise for me to engage with this particular mod further I feel another mod should look at the thread as a whole. For other posters sake.

    Just to reiterate I do not wish to appeal my ban, but I question the level of modding on the thread as it seems very 'trigger happy', disproportionate, and purely subjective.


    Thanks.

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



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    #2
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 76,290 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    If you are not appealing the ban, this is not the correct forum. Discussion of moderation should be done in help Desk, and I'm moving the thread there


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    #3
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,251 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Hi gormdubhgorm,

    In the next few days I will review the thread you linked, checkout the forum charter, discuss your post with the forum mods, and post my findings here. Please be patient with the time this may take, as we are all volunteers with outside commitments.


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    #4
    gormdubhgorm
    Registered Users Posts: 18,778 ✭✭✭✭gormdubhgorm


    Black Swan wrote: »
    Hi gormdubhgorm,

    In the next few days I will review the thread you linked, checkout the forum charter, discuss your post with the forum mods, and post my findings here. Please be patient with the time this may take, as we are all volunteers with outside commitments.

    No problem.
    By the way this not a personal attack on the mod.
    I feel passionate about certain issues mention Dublin GAA and I am off.
    But I feel that in this case the mod was heavy handed not just with me, but with others on the thread in quick succession.
    I can appreciate that the environment is a closely held topic and lifestyle choice by some, so it is hard to see the wood from the trees sometimes.
    Pardon the pun!

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



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    #5
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,251 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    gormdubhgorm wrote: »
    A fresh pair of eyes might be of help.
    Per your request gormdubhgorm, I have reviewed the thread in Sustainability & Environmental Issues, the charter, and examined the PMs exchanged between you and the mod.
    gormdubhgorm wrote: »
    I realise on the charter that it is at moderators discretion, but how far is too far?
    Most forums on our site rely on "moderators discretion," including the S&EI forum, and the dozens of forums found in our Science, Health & Environment category. That has been around since the site opened. Sometimes it is easy to understand what is needed, but other times, as in this case, it was not clear for moderation. The thread did appear to be heading for a train wreck, but how to get it back on track was problematic. I probably would have taken a bit of a different approach, but admittedly, I have screwed-up more than once attempting to mod such threads in past years (especially when I was a Politics mod).

    Additionally, when a thread has been moved from one forum to another, like this one, sometimes confusion in posting standards may occur for members; which, I believe may account in part for the problems that occurred in this thread. Furthermore, when reviewing the content and context of the OP, it really had 2 topics, at times at cross-purposes, which also in part contributed to the problems that occurred.

    Personally, I would not have moved this thread to Sustainability & Environmental Issues. And if finding it moved, I would have moved it a 2nd time to a forum that could have handled the disability issue with a bit more sensitivity. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20-20, and not before.
    gormdubhgorm wrote: »
    ...you will note that it takes very little for this mod to throw a ban on a poster...
    In fairness, behind the scenes the mod consulted with several other mods on the site asking for their opinions regarding this thread, and ultimately, the mod closed the thread after 75 posts. It was not an easy decision for this mod.
    gormdubhgorm wrote: »
    I realised I should not have engaged in 'backseat modding' on the thread and kept it to PM's.
    Indeed. You received several bold face written in-thread warnings before you received a 3-day ban.

    Post #50 by mod warns that "discussions about her Asperger's" developmental disorder should be curtailed (topic #1). Admittedly, this in-thread warning could have been clearer and stronger. Methinks the mod was trying to give a friendly warning (i.e., Warning-Lite) and not discourage folks from discussing the environmental issue raised (topic #2).

    Post #51 gormdubhgorm quotes mod's bold faced warning, and then argues with moderation in-thread. You began by stating: "I disagree completely mod..." This is not allowed by charter, and only in extremely rare occasions anyplace on the site. You should have confined your comments to an exchange of PMs per charter, or PM'd the Science Cmod (Black Swan), or opened a discussion in Help Desk.

    Post #52 bold face in-thread warning by mod: "Check the forum charter. No backseat modding. Take it up in a PM if you so wish."

    Post #54 bold face in-thread 3-day ban of another member for failure to follow mod instructions. This should have appeared like a mushroom-shaped cloud on the thread to you. BOOOOOOOM!

    Post #56 gormdubhgorm continues to discuss moderation in-thread. Your 3-day ban followed as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    Post #58 bold face in-thread 3-day ban by mod of gormdubhgorm for ignoring mod instructions. You had to see it coming, so why didn't you approach this problem in a different way, rather than to paint you and the mod into a corner during a run away train wreck thread? There were so many alternative approaches you could have taken (Report thread; PM Science Cmod Black Swan; Help Desk; PM Admin). If a different approach had occurred sooner, perhaps all this mess could have been avoided?

    Not sure if this answers all your questions. If not, you can ask here in Help Desk, or PM me. You certainly did accomplish a review of the thread and the dispute that occurred, and there were no perfect answers established. Just imperfect ones by this imperfect Science Cmod.

    In any case, please have a nice weekend gormdubhgorm.

    Black Swan


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