What Do You Want from Forum Moderation?

[Moll Flanders]

^ I don't think moderation should be about picking sides and saying "you are right and they are wrong". (Though maybe that's not exactly what you meant?) In my view it's more about trying to keep discussions reasonably on topic, encourage enlightening discussion, and discourage uncivilised behaviour such as bullying and harassment.

I also think Internet discussions tend to get a lot more heated than would real life discussions though. Part of the reason is perhaps that in real life we would instinctively stay away from certain kinds of people that just rubs us (and everyone else) the wrong way.

Yes, I meant just reporting posts, not general moderation. I think people taking offence is subjective and I know the mods are humans beings and it might not even be a question of taking sides. I definitely agree with you on the bolded part. I've met quite a few people from the internet and some people seem really different in person compared to their internet persona.

 

[Mel]

For the record, when someone reports a post, we normally acknowledge to the reporter that we've seen it and that the mods are discussing it. It can sometimes take a few days since we are not always on at the same time.

We don't typically argue back and forth with the reporter on why the reported post can be offensive/wrong/etc, we make a decision as a moderating team.

 

[K-II]

Clearing of spam, moving of incorrectly placed threads, um... not sure on old or duplicate topics. I guess it depends. It might get silly to have identical ones, but on the other hand, when people are quoting from years and years ago to say something, it's probably better off that was new instead.

It doesn't really bother me if people insult me, swear, etc. I prefer to know their actual thoughts, it's more interesting. I suppose to prevent total chaos it makes sense to stop people from harassment, as in continuing an argument in unrelated threads (except threads that don't really have much of a topic in the first place).

I don't like it when people are banned for being terrible at grammar or spelling (or language in general), even though sometimes it annoys me. This is fairly rare on most forums though.

 

[Pickle Juice]

One of the reasons I don't report posts is that I don't always expect the mods on here (or any other forum) to share my views and I can't be bothered to have a back and forth explaining why I find something offensive. Obviously other people can report posts if they want to but personally I can't be arsed. If I was having a discussion or argument in real life I wouldn't go and get another person to back me up because I'm quite confident in a lot of my opinions.

I quoted this in case there are other people who feel the same way, so my post is aimed at everyone, not just you Moll.


Speaking for myself, it is my feeling that people don't need to justify why something offends or hurts them. It is sufficient that you find something hurtful or offensive to respect your feelings, whether or not I agree with you or would be hurt in your place. I don't think it is anyone's business to second-guess what other people find hurtful, and I detest the "well it doesn't bother me so it shouldn't bother you" attitude.

We are here to offer support, not to argue or decide who is right and who is wrong. If someone has blatantly violated one of our TOS I guess that is clear, but in situations where things are not so obvious we just want everyone here to feel they are not alone. If you prefer to handle conflicts on your own that is great, and people here have really been very good about things so far. But if you are hurt or offended and don't feel like you can handle it on your own, but feel that you can't be comfortable staying here if it isn't addressed, we are here to listen to you and give whatever support we can. It's rough enough in the real world, being a vegetarian or a vegan, and we may already feel alone in real life, depending on our circumstances. The last thing we want on a forum for vegetarians and vegans is to make someone feel like they are still alone.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I don't think it is anyone's business to second-guess what other people find hurtful, and I detest the "well it doesn't bother me so it shouldn't bother you" attitude.

I hope you didn't think that was what I meant? I think people should use the report button if they feel they need to vent about something that has upset them. I was saying just for me personally it's not worth the hassle. I get offended easily but then I calm down pretty quickly so I know I would regret reporting someone on here for a petty reason.

 

[Pickle Juice]

I hope you didn't think that was what I meant? I think people should use the report button if they feel they need to vent about something that has upset them. I was saying just for me personally it's not worth the hassle. I get offended easily but then I calm down pretty quickly so I know I would regret reporting someone on here for a petty reason.

No not at all. I have seen it many times though, and it's not right in my opinion, so I thought I would throw that out there.

It's fine if people don't want to report things. I just want to remove some of the onus from it that might be holding some people back.

 

[KLS52]

I quoted this in case there are other people who feel the same way, so my post is aimed at everyone, not just you Moll.


Speaking for myself, it is my feeling that people don't need to justify why something offends or hurts them. It is sufficient that you find something hurtful or offensive to respect your feelings, whether or not I agree with you or would be hurt in your place. I don't think it is anyone's business to second-guess what other people find hurtful, and I detest the "well it doesn't bother me so it shouldn't bother you" attitude.

We are here to offer support, not to argue or decide who is right and who is wrong. If someone has blatantly violated one of our TOS I guess that is clear, but in situations where things are not so obvious we just want everyone here to feel they are not alone. If you prefer to handle conflicts on your own that is great, and people here have really been very good about things so far. But if you are hurt or offended and don't feel like you can handle it on your own, but feel that you can't be comfortable staying here if it isn't addressed, we are here to listen to you and give whatever support we can. It's rough enough in the real world, being a vegetarian or a vegan, and we may already feel alone in real life, depending on our circumstances. The last thing we want on a forum for vegetarians and vegans is to make someone feel like they are still alone.

I love this.

I get offended/hurt just about every other day, lol...I don't report posts because the offense is never directed at me personally. I don't understand why certain comments that are either ridiculing or sarcastic have to be made regarding certain subjects, even in the most innocent of threads. But then I realize I just have different views than the majority here so I get over it pretty quickly...obviously, since I'm still here. I think the mods are doing a fine a job!

 

[Digger]

The moderation team here at Veggie Views seems to be doing everything right. One of the things I always hated about the other board is that the moderators made such a 'show' of it... like a bunch of old school marms... always making big proclamations and announcements about what they were going to do to us if we didn't toe the line. The most effective moderation, in my opinion, is when you never actually see it happening. Instead of saying: "If this thread doesn't get back on topic I'm going to close it!"... a real moderator would simply bring it back on topic without even saying so.

 

[mlp]

I agree completely.

 

[SuicideBlonde]

I want naked pictures sent to me from the mods.

Spoiler

just kidding.

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maybe not.

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No I am really kidding.

 

[Digger]

Naked pictures are cool.

 

[Mel]

I want naked pictures sent to me from the mods.

Spoiler

just kidding.

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maybe not.

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No I am really kidding.

Do you think we'd just hand you blackmail material? Just like that?? I think not!

 

[Blobbenstein]

it doesn't have to be OF the mods.

not that I want any.....