Moderation Too Strict

[tabascosauz]

mhmm unlike the news staff which gets paid. I volunteer to delete your rape jokes, or your shit posts about politics, or your nazi jokes. Then I give 3 points for 5 months ontop of some members 30 infraction history that has otherwise expired, then I wake up or check TPU on my phone during dinner and I have some PM where a handful of members in this very thread call me a piece of shit, threaten some kind of violence then for the next 3 paragraphs justify there agression to me while trying to explain the validity of there pornhub link and why it was justified.

I get to remember I have been here since 2005 just trying to learn and teach and now have the privledge to get called a piece of shit in my digital home.

Then I read threads like this take the public lynching for being a "really bad man" for the next few weeks before people lose interest and go back to trolling threads.

Thats just the big meanies though; I never forget the members that dont think we mod enough, but literally never report anything or better, participate in the thread they report or otherwise somehow expect us to be omnipresent in every thread.


Even though I dont give a shit about blue tooth candy dispensers so I would never visit said threads on a normal basis.

Anyway gotta finish some things at work I'll read more about how bad I am when I get home later.

Another thing that needs mentioning here:

• We are not the news staff.
• The news staff is paid and we are not.
• We have no say in their editorial direction.
• Not all of us are even assigned to News subforum (and thus have powers there).
• Don't come to the report queue with rage-filled insults just because you saw something in News you don't like. Bring it up with the relevant people.

 

[Zareek]

Let me reiterate my standing on this because a lot of information has been shared since this thread started.

I don't think the mods are necessarily too heavy-handed with regard to inappropriate posts. My only contention is that some moderation of off-topic is WAY too strict. Again, another great example: a while back, I think it was a news post about a new version of Windows being in the works. I commented something like, "Maybe Linux is a better way to go." My post was dumped for being off-topic. I don't get how mentioning Linux as an alternative to Windows is off-topic. To me, this is mind-numbingly obvious. Writing about another OSes' merits in a thread about Windows is exactly on-topic! I don't see why my only comments should be restricted to Windows, AFAIK this isn't a M$ website.

 

[Space Lynx]

Let me reiterate my standing on this because a lot of information has been shared since this thread started.

I don't think the mods are necessarily too heavy-handed with regard to inappropriate posts. My only contention is that some moderation of off-topic is WAY too strict. Again, another great example: a while back, I think it was a news post about a new version of Windows being in the works. I commented something like, "Maybe Linux is a better way to go." My post was dumped for being off-topic. I don't get how mentioning Linux as an alternative to Windows is off-topic. To me, this is mind-numbingly obvious. Writing about another OSes' merits in a thread about Windows is exactly on-topic! I don't see why my only comments should be restricted to Windows, AFAIK this isn't a M$ website.

I've not had this issue, so maybe I am the one being referred to as "given more rope" than others on the site. Not sure. If your post is truthful, then I would agree with you on this one, but if its missing some context, that might change how I feel about it. /shrug

 

[TumbleGeorge]

I don't get how

Exactly. You must learn how to understand rules correctly.

 

[freeagent]

Its a thankless job, and people will spit at your feet. I love it

On a serious note, there are guys who stir the pot, they know what they are doing, and they enjoy testing limits.

It is all laid out for you, just gotta read the rules

 

[Space Lynx]

On a serious note, there are guys who stir the pot, they know what they are doing, and they enjoy testing limits.

on that same note, some people are good at egging me on with their word usage. it used to work. now i just ignore them and move on with my life, i learned that this is just a tech site and im here to have fun and informative conversations.

 

[freeagent]

on that same note, some people are good at egging me on with their word usage. it used to work. now i just ignore them and move on with my life, i learned that this is just a tech site and im here to have fun and informative conversations.

Lol I didn't name names

I wasn't talking about anyone in particular either.. these people already know who they are..

 

[Dr. Dro]

Yep been only getting worse for many years, egg shells. I do believe some left to it too. The thread were people could say more outlandish things got shutdown long time ago.

Yeah, I know a few old timers (who I met through Radeon Vanguard when it was still a small, select group of people who were personally invited by AMD employees to participate), some of the same folks that inspired me to join TPU to begin with have quit over not seeing eye to eye with the moderation.

Ultimately while I like the community and the mood I see where they're coming from, it's a tech site and a tech forum, and the subject to be discussed here is tech. I'm fine with that

I'll maintain my personal no complaints towards the mod team, although I see how a few folks would like a little more leeway to talk about things, particularly in threads that are innately prone to some argument like, news articles about politically motivated decisions such as export controls and all. There's always a little room for improvement but I think that in general, things are fine.

 

[freeagent]

There are other parts of the forum to mess around in, I know I mainly stick with the tech side of things, not to be a snob.. but I do forget about the lighter side of the forum

 

[Zareek]

I've not had this issue, so maybe I am the one being referred to as "given more rope" than others on the site. Not sure. If your post is truthful, then I would agree with you on this one, but if its missing some context, that might change how I feel about it. /shrug

I honestly don't remember the exact words I used, that was some time ago. My bigger issue was getting a warning for off-topic, appealing it, then the person handling the appeal was the same person who handed out the warning. That was in the speed test thread. Similar issue, different occasion.

 

[tabascosauz]

I'll maintain my personal no complaints towards the mod team, although I see how a few folks would like a little more leeway to talk about things, particularly in threads that are innately prone to some argument like, news articles about politically motivated decisions such as export controls and all. There's always a little room for improvement but I think that in general, things are fine.

Obviously I can't speak for the news team, but if anything that seems like a far more valid (and deserving) conversation to be having in Comments and Feedback. I can't really remember but from a quick look it doesn't appear to have been discussed at length before. We are also familiar with controversy over the editorial choices in some News articles (because we still have to clean up after people - the rules still apply in News like they do anywhere else), but like I said, constructive feedback is better directed towards the minds behind the content and w1zz. Just make sure it's respectful and constructive.

But one thing I wish to make clear - specific discussion over mod actions is strictly a private conversation, and this is not the place for it.

There are other parts of the forum to mess around in, I know I mainly stick with the tech side of things, not to be a snob.. but I do forget about the lighter side of the forum

Any more heretical boasting about AIOs and you will get the hammer

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

I've been pointed for calling someone Pal.

I agree They overstep often Ive often said it (To them) and some of the posts and conversations I've had with them, suggesting i could do better, look back at them you'll see it :/ Odd idea of examplidge OFten

 

[Bones]

Opinion of a former mod (Namely Me - No, not here either):

I'll straightup say mods aren't here to infract guys for the hellavit (Out of boredom?) and yes, it can be a thankless task too.

However.... Too strict in your opinion?
Too bad.

Too loose in moderation?
Change the forum name to something reflective of "Reddit" or any other shit-posting site and enjoy the chaos that ensues instead of bitching about it being "That Way" like we see in comments of what a cesspool Reddit has become over time.

Mods are not here to please, they instead have a job that was asked of them to do. How it's done is subject to opinion which this thread in itself proves.

It's kinda like the traffic cop that keeps letting folks slide on a ticket - How long would they keep their job if they did that, esp if something unfortunate happens as a result of their tendency to let it slide?
This isn't as serious as that is (Of course) and I do understand at times, you just gotta do what you gotta do instead of looking the other way.

Hey - I'll admit it.
There have been times I didn't agree with something and in others I was fine with it, there isn't alot any of us can do about that except to move on regardless but in the event of heavy-handed moderation there are ways to get that addressed too - At least there should be.

I will say over the course of time TPU has proven itself to be is a great place to be, about as good as you can ask for without all the "Reddit" involved.
In my opinion about all this.... Maybe the mods could loosen up a tad but that's about it, otherwise it's all good and they actually should be thanked for keeping things on the ball, headed in the right direction instead of it going offroad and head-first into the dumpster with a handful of lit matches blazing.

You know how that works out..... Everytime.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

on that same note, some people are good at egging me on with their word usage. it used to work. now i just ignore them and move on with my life, i learned that this is just a tech site and im here to have fun and informative conversations.

Lol I didn't name names

I wasn't talking about anyone in particular either.. these people already know who they are..

He's obviously talking about me Boom points!!!!

 

[Regeneration]

@Regeneration

We have a rule against public drama for a reason. The existence of Comments and Feedback does not entitle you to break that rule.

Also...have some tact. One, if your content both is against forum guidelines and clearly offensive to an appreciable portion of the forum population, it's not going to stay up. Two, some of y'all love complaining about mod action in General Nonsense.......except you didn't post it there, you posted in a news thread.

If you choose to air what should be a private discussion between you and mods into the public space, the only way the ensuing conversation makes any sense is if we also publicize the conduct that warranted mod action to begin with. Which is unfair to all parties.

We don't just delete/infract at will......some of you act like mods are like tigers eager to pounce on everything coming down the pipeline. For every instance of someone complaining about "muzzling free speech", there are multiple users complaining about why something they think is universally and blatantly offensive is still undeleted. And I trust there are quite a few users who still come away with the impression that mods play favourites or have a pro/anti-[insert company here] slant. It's an amusingly ignorant, misinformed and misguided view, but c'est la vie.

Which is why we do not air dirty laundry out in public. But if you choose to do so to make a one-sided play for public sympathy, then I guess we'll have to chime in to set the record straight.

LQ is pretty discretionary, but can probably be thought of as a lighter option that hopefully allows a user to rethink why it has been marked as LQ without more heavy handed measures. Not so much as a transitory state on the way to deletion, though that may be how it ends up due to different people having different preferences.

The mod team doesn't have to issue a warning/lock thread/ban for every silly remark, stupid GIF, or troll post. That's what the LQ is for - as you suggested. You can just delete posts without further action. You don’t have to giveaway points for every tiny infraction.

 

[TumbleGeorge]

Are some points likely to be awarded automatically due to number and frequency of violations of rules?

 

[tabascosauz]

The mod team doesn't have to issue a warning/lock thread/ban for every silly remark, stupid GIF, or troll post. That's what the LQ is for - as you suggested. You can just delete posts without further action. You don’t have to giveaway points for every tiny infraction.

I'm not the one that dealt with that post. That's a valid point, but one that should have taken place over PM in the first place. More often than you might think, PM discussions result in a better mutual understanding and a solution that may or may not be revised to be acceptable to all parties.

Also, discretion exists, because life does not fit neatly into a strict set of rules, and things take place on a sliding scale.

 

[mechtech]

I made a post in the hydrogen cars about something along the line we'll be riding horses before hydrogen cars with a pic of RDJ on a pony and got banned from that thread, no PM, no warning, no nothing. Oh well.............

 

[Solaris17]

Are some points likely to be awarded automatically due to number and frequency of violations of rules?

Nothing is automatic, but if there is a behavioral trend in something that has gotten LQd or 0 point warnings or public warnings over and over or even continued bad behavior after previous warnings yes that is taken into consideration and if no points were given before, they likely would be at that point.

 

[TumbleGeorge]

I made a post in the hydrogen cars about something along the line we'll be riding horses before hydrogen cars with a pic of RDJ on a pony and got banned from that thread, no PM, no warning, no nothing. Oh well.............

No need explanation, you know that is trolling.

 

[mechtech]

No need explanation, you know that is trolling.

Well I did put an explanation on why it would be....safety, regs, logistics, economics, etc.

 

[freeagent]

Just be smart about your posting that's all. This isn't anyone's house, except maybe the man in Red, so its best to treat it that way

 

[TumbleGeorge]

Well I did put an explanation on why it would be....safety, regs, logistics, economics, etc.

Ok,

Spoiler: tl;dr my opinion

With such a picture in the comment and what you explain to be the textual content, it is pure trolling. If the picture had not been attached, it could have passed with just "off topic". Yes, the information provided in your comment may have been of some value in the Cowboys Still Riding Live Horses Association forum. But I don't know if they have a website and forum where you can repost it and it will be welcomed.

 

[Ahhzz]

I'm on TPU since 2005 and in the past couple of years I noticed the moderation became extreme.

Like in real life discussion, it would be nice sometimes to make a joke, or even a tiny profanity, or even non-specific general insult. Some sense of humor.

But here the moderation over the years became worse even than government officials. Here you automatically get a warning even for bread crumbs.

God forbid if one makes a sexist joke, or post a funny GIF in response to a comment. Oh!!! "Only link or image posted".

@W1zzard

Maybe its time to do changes to the mod team.

So, let me get this straight. Your post here (linked for the mod staff to re-peruse), where you decided sexist, misogynistic, juvenile crap-posting was the best you had to offer the forums, was removed, and you're complaining. Ok. Just checking.

The mod staff here do not do this because we're paid, or because we appreciate finding the latest unapproved alt of a banned member, or asking two members who delight derailing threads with petty squabbling to quit acting like they're on a playground, or telling someone for the 9th time to quit trolling, or reminding every single person who's getting an infraction that they read the rules and guidelines of the forums and that they agreed to those rules and guidelines when they signed up, and yet they still think they didn't really need to follow them...

Yes, it's very likely you'll get an infraction for posting a one-word response (<-- my infraction history: my only one to date, thanks Kursah? Maybe? ), or picture/gif/meme response to a post. Check the rules you agreed to. That's covered along with "Don't report a post and then go back and respond to it" and "Don't start public drama" and "Don't go Insulting other members" and "No Racist, toxic statements", and every single one of those lines has been crossed by at least one of you in here, and several of the loudest complainers (and a couple of supporters) have committed multiple offenses, repeatedly. And Yet. You're still here. Still posting. Still enjoying the work that W1zz puts in with his News Staff and the quality input from other forum members. And still think that because this is the Internet, you can force your opinion on everyone else.

This is not a "Thankless Job". W1zz has told us and shown us repeatedly, that he appreciates us. I've got more than a couple of PMs of members thanking me for the job I'm doing. I've also got more than a few PMs where a member has called me out on an infraction; I've evaluated, reconsidered, corrected and apologized when appropriate. And there's a couple of those in there that stuck. We all do what we can. For any of you that think there's no response to a complaint, or no option to reach out to a mod to address an issue, you're seriously missing something. For those of you who think you "did reach out to a Mod, but they didn't change their mind!" There's probably a good reason for that. Did you break a rule? Then apologize, and don't do it again. For those saying they ought to be able to do a "little curse", you can. probably half the posts in the forums have a few curse words here and there. But there's dropping an expletive here and there, and there's acting like you're 18 and away from your parents for the first time and drinking your first, and fifth beer, and think it's cool to be crude.

For those saying they should be able to insult people, I'm afraid that someone failed you. Nothing in a decent human means they should "Be able to Insult" anyone. Decent, intelligent people? They don't have to insult someone to make a point. Have I insulted people? Absolutely. Does that make me a decent person? Absolutely not. That's a reduction in my quality as a human being that I let myself be pulled down to a level that my response was to belittle someone else. And I can't even say that I regret some of those: yet another plink at me for that failing. But do I feel "entitled" to insult anyone? No. That's not my right. That's not anyone's right.

Someone told me last year something I still carry. If you make a joke about someone, and they're not laughing, that's not playing around. That's bullying. This isn't a playground. If you're still here acting like it is, you've made a mistake.

 

[mechtech]

Ok,

Spoiler: tl;dr my opinion

With such a picture in the comment and what you explain to be the textual content, it is pure trolling. If the picture had not been attached, it could have passed with just "off topic". Yes, the information provided in your comment may have been of some value in the Cowboys Still Riding Live Horses Association forum. But I don't know if they have a website and forum where you can repost it and it will be welcomed.

Well basically, it could have been construed as humourous which it was meant to be or any other way whomever decided. Just would have been nice to know the reason for the ban to avoid it in the future.