Being a Moderator

Thread Starter

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Since I joined I have enjoyed the looseness that AAC offers. When I became a moderator after BeenThere's death I have tried to maintain that approach.

However, the staff feels like standards have slowly degraded to the point that we have to address it. This does not mean we are going to change the character of AAC, but we are going to be more active.

Sometimes there is the temptation to do mass deletions, followed by laying down the laws (which we do have) followed by bannings. That is not what we try to achieve. So we move slow, make sure there is a case for actions that are fundamentally irrevocable.

We have been accused of favoring some members over other. This is not the case. Instead we are applying our rules. There is no rule for stupid or dumb questions or users. There are rules for abuse, which includes snipping or snide comments at anothers expense.

So when we do not allow attacks on basically inadequate people who do not try to defend themselves we are accused of playing favorites.

It is not a right to attack anyone here. Just because we are not hyper-aggressive in enforcing this does not mean we allow it.

People quote Billy Mayo. It took a little while for the mods to react, as his approach was unique. We established in our minds that he was indeed a troll. His continuing efforts to return under other names and continue his unique tactics established this even further.

Being human, we may react to different situations differently. Some member see favoritism. Keep in mind we also use PMs a lot, and there may be details the general membership does not have, nor ever will. We make mistakes, it will happen.

Which brings us to another problem. Some members delight in the eternal dual. This is also against the rules. We are trying to figure out how to handle this type of situation without getting ugly.

We have decided to do what is necessary to get things back under control. It is not easy doing some of the things that are going to have to be done in the near future. But it is my job, I took it willingly. Same with the other moderating staff.

We strive not to jump to assumptions. This does slow things down more than some members like. However, it is our responsibility and our call. Part of the reason we were made moderators is we showed some calmness and ability to restrain ourselves as members. When people come in and demand we take action they themselves become a problem, one we may have to address before the problem they stridently demand we address.

Unlike some forums, the moderators operate as a team. We discuss issues deeply on a private forum before we take action, so as to avoid a less than united front. Some people, used to other forums, do not understand this and try to create dissension in the staff. Being human we may have occasional disagreements, but we are very good at being united here. This won't change.

You will see enforcement of the ToS/ terms of service pick up. Some people will not like it, yell and scream and may even leave. Others may be banned after a lengthy process. We will try to make this painless, but it is happening. Everyone signed up for these rules when they joined.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
My biggest contention with Billy Mayo, and I asked him to provide his employers number, was the position he claimed he was in, repairing aviation equipment.

I wanted his employers number so I could have a chat with them. I would have addressed my concerns with someone would could do something about it. If that had happened, it would have been the second time in 20 years someone had moved me to take what I consider the most drastic action I could to remove a person from their current position.

I also didn't like when he posted copyrighted material, and I did report that to the moderators.

The moderators were not consulted when I asked for his employer's number, as it was none of their business and until this post, I never mentioned the purpose of my calling his employer.

I know some of my posts could be construed as pushing the envelope of some of the rules. The warnings from the moderators have been met with the intentions they were given. I will always stand in support of the moderating team. That does not preclude me inquiring of them when I feel something they did was wrong. And that doesn't mean they have to justify anything nor correct anything, as all I hope is they would take the criticism with my intentions on giving it, as my opine based on over 30 years of seeing the interactions of humanity on BBS and internet, including NNTP, IRC, and a host of forums covering a cornucopia of topics.

I have been on their side of a forum as well ... as a moderator.
 
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tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
As the TOS enforcement is tightened, I would appreciate the following.

If the rule against the discussion of religion is to remain, it should be more rigidly enforced. I would like to see the rule include not only posts that promote religion, but also disallowing posts that are critical or mocking of religion and religious beliefs. I realize that there are many members here who are self-described atheists, and I respect their right to that position, and do not ridicule it. I think those of us who are not atheists deserve the same consideration.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
Well I'm offended by those who offend me by not living their lives according to my own personal and ever changing belief systems so until they get their 'stuff in a basket' that fits my views I am going to continue being offended and thus will be taking it out on any and everyone I feel like for no reasons whatsoever.

So given that if anyone does not like my views that offends me and I will thusly be required to report you to the moderators in order to have your likely not the least bit rationally offensive post deleted since they the moderators feel obligated to delete anything that anyone reports to them as to being offensive regardless of rational validity or otherwise.

And thus ends my complaint about those who offend me by not living their lives to cater to my levels of sensitivity to that which I have not yet found to be offensive so far but likely will in the near future is anyone expects me to change my hypersensitive sensitive views of what should be deemed as offensive and what not.

(And some other stuff that largely relates to basically complaining about nothing and having fits over cultural variances I choose to not accept as being a part of the reality of life on the internet.) :D
 

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
@Wendy
How whiny are we? @tcmtech just went through a lengthy, yet repetitive, tirade about people complaining about being offended by other peoples posts. How much of your life as a moderator is spent dealing with complaints about other people? What portion of the complaints do you feel are frivolous? You touched on this in your first post. I would like to hear more.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
I have to admit, you can't please all the people all of the time. Darn glad I'm not a Moderator!

To elaborate, I have told some people in PM that certain topics can not withstand an audience of thousands; there is inevitably going to be a wuss somewhere in a crowd that size. Even what seems mundane to me will eventually find some delicate flower who doesn't like the way I turned a phrase or finds a single word misspelled, or not in accord with their, "Definition" of something. Any statement that doesn't comply with the beliefs of every person in the planet is subject to criticism. I even saw a complaint on this Forum because we were having a conversation (Thread) about something, and his complaint was that the subject matter didn't apply to him! (OMG! I'm not the center of attention!:() I refrained from telling him to, "Get a life".:D

I think I would rather be a hermit in a cave than a Moderator. It just isn't worth the headaches!
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,270
Hello,

You might want to know that all moderators are doing the job voluntarily.
Most of them also give assistance in many threads on the forum.

The report button is a great help for the moderation team, as it would be almost impossible to read every single post made.
The members using the report button can be seen as extra pair of eyes for the moderation team.
This way we all can keep the forum clean and neat.
All reported items will be discussed in the background and we will take action if needed.

Bertus
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
@tcmtech Makes more sense than some rules.
Well since you were not offended by my being offended by your not being offended by my senseless hypersensitivity I have no resources other than to report you have your post promptly deleted for no rational reason at all other than I was not properly offended by it which I took the greatest of personal offence to.


My head hurts now and it's likely my own fault but I am going to blame someone else for it and demand they change their behavior on my account because my problems with how I see the world should not be my fault. :p
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
@Wendy
How whiny are we? @tcmtech just went through a lengthy, yet repetitive, tirade about people complaining about being offended by other peoples posts. How much of your life as a moderator is spent dealing with complaints about other people? What portion of the complaints do you feel are frivolous? You touched on this in your first post. I would like to hear more.

Actually I am not the least bit offended. ;)

I was just poking fun at how often on this forum posts that should be seen as completely benign and of no honest ill will still manage to get someone wound up to the point they feel the need to report and complain about them to a moderator who in turn caters to them and pulls the post.

Personally if I see a post I don't like or agree with I just ignore it and if I continually see a lot of posts from the same member that I don't agree with I have the option of posting a counter argument to their views or simply ignoring their posts all together.
I see no need to pull any moderators into the situation and expect them to remove a post simply because I don't agree with what was said in their comment.
 

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
..............Personally if I see a post I don't like or agree with I just ignore it .............
I agree, if a posts says something that is counter to my beliefs or understanding, I accept it as such, an opposing view point. The only time I use the "Report" button is if the post is against AACs positions.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
In all seriousness I am curious as to how the moderator team weights their decisions on posts that get reported if the reports on certain subjects only come from a small or single member?

If one person always complains about another's posts yet no one else does does the weight and validity of their whining change as with #12's alluding to the grammar and spelling nazis we have here who get uptight with anyone who does not have a doctorate in applied English language structure?

Basically at what point do you pull a post because one person whinned about it and if that person always whines about the same stuff at what point do you tell them to just grow some skin and ignore their reports/complaints?
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
I agree, if a posts says something that is counter to my beliefs or understanding, I accept it as such, an opposing view point. The only time I use the "Report" button is if the post is against AACs positions.

Spam is about the only thing I have ever considered hitting the report button over. Everything else either scores a 'too stupid for me to care' and I ignore it or a 'I think its so dumb or wrong I will take the time to debate it' response.

Either its ignorable or it's worth my calling it out. Either way I don't see the point of whining to a moderator about it.
 

Thread Starter

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I just deleted a post from LGM. He feels we have double standards. I am not going to let this thread degrade like so many others. And from him, I will not take anything I perceive as slightly out of line. Or to put it another way, I am not taking any more guff from him.

@Little Ghostman
Reply to this at your own risk. Next time is 7 Days. You also have considerably less slack than the first time.

I posted this to state what my views are. I put it before the staff for peer review first. Everyone on the staff is on board with it.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Spam is about the only thing I have ever considered hitting the report button over.
I've reported lots of posts; spam, advertising, personal attacks, hijacking, duplicate threads, advising people to do illegal or dangerous activities, necroposting...It happens occasionally, but it's the right thing to do. I report them, the Mods do what they think is right. That's the end of it as far as I'm concerned.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
Everyone makes a conscience decision to read a post.

If you don't like a poster, make the conscience decision to not read their posts.

If you need a crutch, use the ignore filter.

No one has a gun to their head with the gunmen demanding you read this post ....or else.

If your first choice is to become offended by someone's choice of words, reach for the dictionary to ensure you have the requisite knowledge to understand the poster.

Some here have been esoteric, overstated, pretentious, while using too many prepositions, too much passive voice, and writing too many sesquipedalian words. I am sure that last sentenance will not translate well.
 
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