Query re questionable moderation

Slideshowbob

How do moderators get appointed? Does anyone vet them on behalf of boards?

I enjoy the cycling forum but recently on it I have come head to head with one particular mod on a few occasions.

I reported s thread yesterday as I found it offensive and I was the one who got chastised

When I subsequently pm'ed on the issue and since have got no reply

Is every sub forum left to it's own devices or what?

The Recliner

Hi Slideshowbob

There are Category mods and Admins who will review the behaviour of Mods in the case of disagreement

Give the Mod in question some time to get back to you, we are all volunteers and aren't necessarily online everyday

There is a Dispute resolution forum that you can go to in the event that you are unhappy with the response from the Mod or they don't get back to you

Go in there and have a read of the procedure

AckwelFoley

One gets chosen to be a moderator by been suggested as one when required by other moderators and Admin. Moderators behaviour is constantly been monitered, by members and other moderators, despite what many think there isnt a circle jerk or secret illumanati among them as moderators differ in the same way members differ, people get the preception that there is some kind of "us v's them" when they raise an objection against a moderator and it appears that the majority of dissenting voices are those of fellow moderators - this isnt the case - its merely a case of common thinking - hence a reason they are made moderators.

A penchant for drugs and loose women is a distinct advantage.


In your case it may simply be a case of a personality clash, rather than anything else.

Dudess

snyper wrote: »

A penchant for drugs and loose women is a distinct advantage.

Not if you're not that way inclined...

Damn my lack of interest in women! :mad:

The Recliner

Dudess wrote: »

Damn my lack of interest in women! :mad:

You have always been a disappointment to me in that regard!

P. Breathnach

Dudess wrote: »

Not if you're not that way inclined...

Damn my lack of interest in women! :mad:

You have the option being a loose woman.

Slideshowbob

How is one vetted as being knowledge enough etc to act as a moderator on a sub forum etc?

Do you only have to be nice to or get on with other mods etc?

Is there any requirement for knowledge of law etc? Say of there was defamation on boards where would book stop? Mod? CMODs? Admin? Higher again?

Isn't there a requirement to be aware of sensitivities of others beyond just those that are other posters?

Would defamation if it were to occur on boards go back to the poster or stop with boards.ie?

Thanks

Thanks

Tallon

Slideshowbob wrote: »

Isn't there a requirement to be aware of sensitivities of others beyond just those that are other posters?

That can be one deciding factor alright, others can include, Reporting posts, helpful to mods and other posters, knowledgeable, active interest, availability etc etc

Of course, these alone don't guarantee you a mod position

Zaph

Slideshowbob wrote: »

How is one vetted as being knowledge enough etc to act as a moderator on a sub forum etc?

The procedure for appointing a mod differs slightly, depending on whether it's a new forum or an existing one. In an exiting forum the current or departing mods will suggest posters as new mods of the forum to the appropriate CMods. Their suggestions will usually be based on their experiences of the proposed poster, but generally a number of criteria are preferable - forum regular, interest in the forum's subject, how they interact with the other posters in the forum, their general behaviour on Boards, etc. If the CMods are happy with the suggestions, or have suggestions of their own, they will pass them onto the admins for final approval. We'll generally have a look at the poster's infraction and ban record, and how they behave themselves on Boards before voting on whether or not to offer them a modship. Certain forums may need mods with particular experience, for example the Dental issues mods are dentists. For a new forum it can be trickier to choose mods, and often the starting point will be to look at posters in related forums, if there are any, and those who displayed a particular interest in the forum request forum.

As a general rule, the majority of names submitted to the admins are approved as the CMods know that there's no point submitting someone who will obviously be rejected. We aim to make sure that a person will not know they're being considered for a modship until it is offered to them, thereby eliminating the possibility of someone getting their hopes up only for them to be rejected for some reason.

Slideshowbob wrote: »

Do you only have to be nice to or get on with other mods etc?

Fortunately the process is a bit more stringent than that. I've outlined some of the qualities required of new mods above.

Slideshowbob wrote: »

Is there any requirement for knowledge of law etc? Say of there was defamation on boards where would book stop? Mod? CMODs? Admin? Higher again?

It would be unrealistic for us to expect all mods to have a knowledge of the law. All are volunteers, and their time is very much appreciated. Requiring them to go and study defamation and other laws before making them a mod would be asking too much of a volunteer. If there is a post that may be defamatory, generally someone will report it quite quickly. There is an established process to deal with such posts, and if a mod requires guidance or assistance the CMods and Admins are on hand. There are also some mods involved in the legal field who provide advice in the mods forum should a mods have a legal-type query on a post or poster. The Community Managers (Dav and Darragh) will also often get involved if there's a potential legal issue.

Slideshowbob wrote: »

Isn't there a requirement to be aware of sensitivities of others beyond just those that are other posters?

Absolutely, but that extends to all posters, not just mods.

Slideshowbob wrote: »

Would defamation if it were to occur on boards go back to the poster or stop with boards.ie?

If a post is deemed to be defamatory it will be removed, in accordance with the High Court ruling on the Betfair case last year. We are required to remove the post within a reasonable timeframe after we have been made aware of it, usually by someone reporting the post or the subject of the post contacting Boards. However if nobody reported the post and it was not seen by a mod/CMod/admin, it could potentially remain on the thread indefinitely.

I hope this answers your questions, but please feel free to let me know if you need clarification on anything.

Slideshowbob

any links for details of the betfair case? sounds interesting

the reason i am raising all these questions is as i found the following post:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68144501&postcount=32

to be derogutary to an area in question.

i have since relayed this on the thread and then pms from mods without what i would consider satisfaction or reasoned debate.

i have not seen eye to eye with some posters previously on the cycling forum ill admit and enjoyed some heated debate at times, i can be quite acerbic. I am now wondering are they taking this into account in their assessment rather than examining my contention throughly?!

generally the cycling forum has good balance and is informative to readers. I feel that comment lets down regular posters and also the irish cycling fraternity, further to that could an individual from the area take offence to such a comment if say they were going for a job interview etc????

thanks

uberwolf

Slideshowbob wrote: »

without what i would consider satisfaction

This is reading more and more like a DRP thread tbh.

Slideshowbob

whats drp?

uberwolf

Dispute Resolution the P is for process afaik, and may have been superfluous.

Slideshowbob

doesnt drp only take place with escalation of infractions or actual abuse of mods which in this case i gather has not happened

however i would welcome my original point addressed by those above the levels of the mods that have already formed opinions on them if at all possible

uberwolf - are you happy with that comment to stand about a particular part of dublin?

Zaph

Slideshowbob wrote: »

any links for details of the betfair case? sounds interesting

I don't have any I'm afraid, but I'm sure you'd be able to find something easily enough on Google.

Slideshowbob wrote: »

the reason i am raising all these questions is as i found the following post:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68144501&postcount=32

to be derogutary to an area in question.

i have since relayed this on the thread and then pms from mods without what i would consider satisfaction or reasoned debate.

I agree, it's a derogatory post, but that's entirely different from defamatory. It's one person's opinion of an area, but they don't defame any particular person so there's no real issue with the post. If it was on a forum I mod, I might ask the poster to change scumbag to something less abusive, but that would be the extent of the problem I'd have with the post.

Slideshowbob wrote: »

generally the cycling forum has good balance and is informative to readers. I feel that comment lets down regular posters and also the irish cycling fraternity, further to that could an individual from the area take offence to such a comment if say they were going for a job interview etc????

I'm sorry, I'm really not getting your point about the job interview. Yes, of course a resident of the area could take offence, but that goes for the residents of any area you care to mention should something bad be said about where they live. There are good and bad parts of every city, and Dublin is no exception. I don't really know the area where the track is so I can't comment on it one way or another, but the opinion of the poster is that it's a bad area, and while perhaps he could have worded it better, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Slideshowbob

think i found betfair case:

http://www.tjmcintyre.com/2009/05/mulvaney-v-betfair-high-court-holds.html

well ok maybe not a job interview - maybe CV assessments?

say a person was reading that thread and it led to them forming an opinion on the area in question (surrounds of Eamon Ceannt Park off Sundrive Road)

guy from there applies for a job - finds out he aint successful because of a formed opinion?

thats what i was getting at if you get it?!

Insect Overlord

I doubt anybody would want to work for a company that hires based on what its HR department reads on a message-board...

Conor

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I doubt anybody would want to work for a company that hires based on what its HR department reads on a message-board...

It's not quite as bad as you might think.

Slideshowbob

ya even ive heard boards mentioned in work - now not mind you in terms of HR but PR related stuff

Zaph

Slideshowbob wrote: »

well ok maybe not a job interview - maybe CV assessments?

say a person was reading that thread and it led to them forming an opinion on the area in question (surrounds of Eamon Ceannt Park off Sundrive Road)

guy from there applies for a job - finds out he aint successful because of a formed opinion?

thats what i was getting at if you get it?!

Fair enough, but I have to agree with this

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I doubt anybody would want to work for a company that hires based on what its HR department reads on a message-board...

You may feel that you have a valid case here and that there was a reason that the post you quoted should have been edited or deleted, but I'm sorry I can see no reason to do either.