Inquiry: Should Moderators Just Shut the Hell Up?

[Gustav]

good
sci thanks you for your continued service

oh
any future resignations will be met with an outright refusal and for good measure.. a bitchslap

welcome back

 

[wlminex]

MOD: If this post infringes on ANY Scifrum rules, please re-direct to the proper subforum thread, or simply delete it. Thanks, wlminex

Sciforum members: I recommend that you have a 'look-see' at the new thread (not created by me- not self-promoting) entitled: wlminex wonders about the new forum

 

[Trippy]

More like reversed..

*shakes fist*

You do realise I am now going to be tempted to hit that red card.. *Looks at Trippy*..

:m:

Don't look at me... 0

 

[Anti-Flag]

I got one from Madanthony once, but for us, it implies something different in that while we can't ban each other (yes, we did try..) or issue actual true infractions, the warnings and what would be infraction points come down from on-high.. So when we do get them, it carries that little bit of extra weight and a hell of a lot more consequence and very angry site owners.

But yes, that dressing down is usually private in 'the back room' when it does happen.

I guess that's a matter of perception, if a mod even gets a dressing down (which I suspect isn't as frequent as it should be), it is essentially a verbal warning, behind closed doors. How many does it take to remove a mod and are they recorded? Are they even happening enough and are all mods aware of it?
To you it seems harsher, to us it seems like mods are getting away with things that others are banned for, because a mod will just get a verbal warning and told not to do it again. :/

I haven't seen evidence of different treatment for moderators in regards to infractions and the like. At times I would say the standards are sometimes applied a bit tougher and yes, we do fight. I make no bones about that, we do disagree about many things and yes, sometimes it gets ugly and sometimes some of those differences about how the rules are applied spill out into the open (refer back to my last resignation.. yes, I'm like a revolving door).. In such instances, I would say that the admin would probably prefer a bit more discretion..

We may have to agree to disagree then, but I have no doubt mods are reported for the same offences as posters - and posters will receive infractions and bans, yet the mods remain. Something's getting lost in the mail, or there's a buddy system.

I'll put it this way, I am not innocent, nor do I hold myself as being innocent when some of the ermmm knock down fights have happened between myself and Geoff (it was just an example.. no harm meant..). But I also don't "get away with it" either. If he gets into trouble, I also get into trouble for it. In that sense, I'd say it was fairly even.

I think everyone here crosses the line sometimes, lord knows nobody here is perfect, except me.
But there are many people who feel something strange is going on, and we see many threads(promptly closed) on the subject. I'm sure some are just claptrap, and I'm sure many people won't say a word against the mods because they can't be bothered, they've tried before, they get warned for creating such threads, give up posting, or some other reasons - but some still speak out, and I've been here a long time and am far too stubborn and don't like bullies.

I don't think I'd go that far.

As for making it all public.. As Tiassa pointed out, there was a time when infractions were public and the vote was to not make it public. So the tags were gotten rid of and for moderators now, it is just a way of keeping track.

If that makes sense.

Look, I am all for openness, as you well know. But I cannot apply that to everyone else and not everyone will agree or want that level of openness. So we have to find some sort of balance.

Sure. And if it's had a vote there's not much I can say.
But sadly that leads to situations where mods demand proof of our claims against them - knowing we have no way of keeping track (because of course we don't have time to search a million threads) of all the posts. So the merry-go-round continues and little changes.
It's a class system with the powerless fighting the empowered, with only one result.

My advice.. if you see a moderator lying, trolling and insulting or abusing their mod status, then hit the report button. Be very clear in what you type in that report. It goes straight to the administrators and site owners. If you wish further clarification, then you can PM the admin's and senior mods (Tiassa and Stryder). You also have the option of PM'ing other moderators with your complaint and it does get taken up.

Oh I assure you I do now. I still don't think it'll make a difference in the long run.
It's like a high profile judge/lawyer on trial; they know the law and the potential loopholes of ambiguity better than anyone, and even when you've got them bang to rights, they still have friends in high places to help them out.