Published on 12, July, 2020
This is mainly for the moderators to consider.
Could we have a 'Moderator alert'. Perhaps as a 'Sticky', perhaps as an easy to find 'button' or something else.
This should be a means of alerting moderators to threats, safety, spamming, or other 'serious' issues. It would need some thought as to how it would work, but it should also include a facility to private message the moderator with words of explanation as to what the problem is.
The present 'Report as abusive' is not really fit for purpose as it does not really seem to do anything or if it does it takes days to work at times. I envisage the 'Alert' facility to get a moderator to deal with the situation within two hours if possible, and also to provide information.
There should also be a sticky to explain what is acceptable and what is not. Yes we have some rules, but these appear to be subject to interpretation and are flouted. It should perhaps explain unacceptable behaviour such as trolling, spamming, and threats and the consequences. This might also help prevent public spats on the forums.
I agree, we need a more robust system to stop things getting out of hand like a few days ago.
The problem is mods are only human and cannot possible man the boards 24/7.
I think a system that prioritises their responses that counts the number of alerts to a particluar thread might speed up the locking/deleting/censoring when things get badly out of control.
This forum does not seem to have too much trouble but I am new. The problem I have is that when a report is made it needs to be dealt with swiftly. I know the mods are volunteers but I was purely a volunteer for many years befor I was offered money and that did not change anything. I could be out socially and get an email report. If i can i deal with it there and then as it saves a lot of headache the next day trying to reverse what is done.
there are a number of measures that i can use which I do not know if this forum has it:
Delete the offending post
Replace the offending post with a standard text to say that i deleted it but give no reason.
Edit the post by partly deleting content and perhaps put a note of my own about what was done and why
Ban the user temporarily (automatically expires)
Ban the user permanently
Just send the user a personal message and explain that they need to "not do that".
With the post the other day A user was quite offensive to another and nothing was done other than the posting of a mamby pamby plea 2 days later. If it was my forum I'd have removed the offending content along with any other relating posts in order to remove the issue and I'd have banned the user for a day or so to remind them that they may take part here but certain behaviours are not acceptable and if they continue a permanent ban could occur. I am flexible as a moderator and deal with users individually as I see fit so can cut people some space or be harsh if I know they have a bad history and I am wasting my time trying to give them space.
I would like to see all the toxic threads deleted - I don't think anyone could pick them apart to make any sense of them - also, the triggers are on other threads - so creating a timeline of blame would be impossible.
That is why swift intervention is required, it stops the thread going toxic. As a moderator getting reports you get a feel for how disruptive users are and be guided in future actions. If someone has been abit of a trouble maker but never crossed the line the day they do they get banned, but if a user has a good record and crosses a line they will get a bit of lee way. Or I may use temporary bans instead of permanent ones. Of course because i take active part in the forum I get to know many members. I got a flury of reports telling me to ban a member because he called someone a ***. I was surprised because i knew he was not the offensive type. A little digging revealed that he was refering to a person in a videa several posts back that refered to himself as a *** and i know the user in question is from the sort of country that does not know what a *** is or how offensive it is deemed because it's not a native speaking country. It did not take long to work it out and he often falls foul of not understanding western culture and I always give him the benefit of the doubt.