New Forums Part II

[User482]

I could write a thesis on moderation now! You try to strike a balance. If both sides of an argument complain, you've probably got the balance right.

Have you seen Shaun's post in Site News, is there anything in there which is positive. I'm trying not to advance an agenda because I neither want to direct the members, Shaun or my fellow mods but at the same time I would like to see a resolution to all this.

I thought the key line was "I don't have any real interest in politics"...

ETA: I'm not being flippant. If that's the premise political discussion here is starting from, it's not difficult to see why political debate here is seen in a negative light.

 

[Mugshot]

That seems to have been the obvious solution.

The only reason I can see against it, is if you don't think you can trust the political mods to stick to what you set them.

Well it seemed rather obvious to me, but this thing about not being able to have a separate mod team because of the software keeps cropping up so I thought I must be missing something either blindingly obvious or super complicated.

 

[Crackle]

That's just it - it shouldn't be 'addressed unseen'. When someone is using hate speech (as opposed to just being a grumpy, sarcastic and ignorant dick) it needs to be addressed openly and made clear to everyone it won't be tolerated. 'Addressing it unseen' means that some people will get them impression it is implicitly tolerated and they'll continue to do it themselves - and others will get the suggestion that it is tolerated and not contribute or be driven away.

For example, it was very noticeable that when one member's Islamophobia was openly addressed by the immediate closure of his repeated trolling threads the number of anti-Muslim/Islam posts nosedived, and we were able to have sensible and constructive debates around some sensitive issues without them being derailed.

Compare and contrast that with what's going on in PoliticsDebated...

This deserves a very long answer but ultimately it is a source of friction between a few members and the mods. Sometimes your approach undermines what's happening in the background. It also goes deep to the heart of how you decide to moderate and perhaps it's more for Shaun to answer than me.

 

[classic33]

Does that mean that @classic33 can have his wish and go back on a watch list

Was I on one?

 

[mjr]

Have you seen Shaun's post in Site News, is there anything in there which is positive.

To be frank, the main thing I remembered was the last sentence: "You have insufficient privileges to reply here."

I'm hoping you mean "you" more widely than only @User482, so I went and reread the full version. There's a lot of explanation there and it's good to have some things confirmed but, the main positive in it seem to be that the moderators should have a lighter workload (which is good because they're volunteers and also many of them post interesting stuff when they have time). Then it feels like there's a couple of logical disconnects in the middle of it ("so I concluded that the only way" and the bit about site configuration already mentioned) and the final instructions are very negative "without turning the threads into party or personal political debates", "doesn't try to spoil CC for the rest" which seemed like basically daring the dissenters to try again. I was moved to reply, but the page said I couldn't so I didn't until this discussion.

Is anyone spotting other positives in it?

 

[mjr]

And in the UK you cannot use the same name as, or a name too similar to, another registered company.

You can however recycle a name that's no longer registered but has been used. I narrowly avoided making that mistake once.

 

[Shaun]

... which seemed like basically daring the dissenters to try again ...

Well that certainly wasn't the intent. I'd simply rather that people direct their thoughts and feelings towards me, for the change I've made, than do things that impact on other members and the rest of the site.

 

[classic33]

You can however recycle a name that's no longer registered but has been used. I narrowly avoided making that mistake once.

EE, previously Everything Everywhere, formely part of the Carphone Warehouse, before being liquidated. Liquidators based in Rochdale.

 

[Inertia]

Well it seemed rather obvious to me, but this thing about not being able to have a separate mod team because of the software keeps cropping up so I thought I must be missing something either blindingly obvious or super complicated.

I'm in the same boat and there doesn't seem to be an answer forthcoming, yet.

 

[Mugshot]

I'm in the same boat and there doesn't seem to be an answer forthcoming, yet.

I know, and there's even a pretty much ready made team now too, a few tweaks and off we go.

 

[Shaun]

Given that your decision is seemingly irreversible, whats your plan from preventing your forum from becoming insipid?

I don't have any plans to go back to what we had, but am open to suggestions if people want to send me a PM. There may be some things I haven't considered or options that may work well for the benefit of everyone on CC.

 

[Inertia]

There is? Where?

Well I do remember, it was stated that lots of people had been asked to become mods but no one accepted the offer. Then a couple of people said they hadn’t been asked and put their names forward, one at least, I was surprised that they hadn’t been asked.

 

[User482]

I don't have any plans to go back to what we had, but am open to suggestions if people want to send me a PM. There may be some things I haven't considered or options that may work well for the benefit of everyone on CC.

I don't think anyone is arguing for exactly what we had. But as I said earlier:

Either there is going to be an arena for political and topical discussion, or there isn't. If there isn't, where's the compromise? If there is, then let's talk about how to make it work. I have given some suggestions.

Could you clarify whether or not you wish to have an arena for these discussions? If not, we can all stop wasting our time.

 

[Spinney]

So racist and sexist comments would be allowed to stay?
Just checking what it is you are suggesting.

 

[MiK1138]

Don't diss the three word game. One day Am going to scrape it and have it published as a Christmas novelty book.

I would be first in line for a copy of that, I would even waive my contributor royalty, There is a contributor royalty right?