Reporting Posts- Response Time

Cardinal Richelieu

I came across a sports forum post were the poster had included a link to his sports blog on Sunday, I reported the post through the report post feature, the post is still untouched today, I reported it again 3 hours ago and it still remains untouched.

• Is shilling your blog not against the riules anymore?
• How soon should reported posts be actioned?
• If a forum mod is unavailable, when you report a post do other mods or the category take responsibility for this area or does the reported posts just sit there until they can log on?

Insect Overlord

It would appear that the only mod of the forum in question was AFK for 4 days and only logged in again 15 minutes ago.

What else can you do? Report spammers in this thread for nukage or PM the CMods.

Shilling is still agin the rules.
Mods are volunteers and deal with reported posts when they have the time.
If something is serious a CMod or an Admin will deal with it. If it's something minor it can wait a while.

tHE vAGGABOND

To be honest while the sports forum may not have the volume of posts [and therefore trolls] some other forums have, its pretty busy in terms of posts to be moderated - in terms of spam from "watch this match on my dodgy feed" posts.

TBH there is nothing I see active on the sports board now which I would object to? It may take a few hours or whatever for those posts to be picked up, but as Insect Overlord says - we are not a team of customer service agents working full time here. But real folks with real jobs etc.

Black Swan

Please be advised that the Sports forum under the Sports Category has only one mod. They are volunteers and have other commitments.

Out of the 77 forums in the Sports Category, the Sports forum has a very low post frequency compared to many other forums. In any case, an inquiry has been made with this mod to see if a 2nd co-mod would be useful.

Please also be advised that our mods have to use their discretion regarding official Reports made by boards.ie members. They decide if a post is actionable, and in some cases no action is deemed necessary.

Mods are under no obligation to notify the member issuing the Report per current boards.ie guidelines. If you feel that a particular Report is truly urgent in terms of the forum charter or boards.ie Terms of Use guidelines, please consider PMing the forum mod if they fail to action a Report after a reasonable length of time.

In the event that they fail to respond to a truly urgent Report followed by a PM, then please consider PMing the Cmods, and because they too are volunteers, give them time to respond.

In addition to this, as offered by Insect Overlord (above), there are several of us actively involved on a daily basis reducing spam across boards.ie, including the Sports forum you mentioned. If you feel there is a need to reduce a potential spammer on short notice, please post their name with a link to their profile on this Spammer Feedback thread.

Insect Overlord

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

To be honest while the sports forum may not have the volume of posts [and therefore trolls] some other forums have, its pretty busy in terms of posts to be moderated - in terms of spam from "watch this match on my dodgy feed" posts.

TBH there is nothing I see active on the sports board now which I would object to? It may take a few hours or whatever for those posts to be picked up, but as Insect Overlord says - we are not a team of customer service agents working full time here. But real folks with real jobs etc.

He means the Cricket Forum, rather than 'Sports', but for some reason is being vague about it.

Cardinal Richelieu

Insect Overlord wrote: »

He means the Cricket Forum, rather than 'Sports', but for some reason is being vague about it.

Yes your correct, been vague because it sometimes embarrasses the mod to be more or less named to the general non mod population.which you have just done a great job of doing.:rolleyes:I didn't want to be too specific because I know the forum has only one mod and they made have been out of internet range for the last few days.

Black Swan

Insect Overlord wrote: »

He means the Cricket Forum, rather than 'Sports', but for some reason is being vague about it.

I simply PM'd the Sports forum mod just minutes ago, as suggested by Insect Overload and myself in the above posts, and the mod appeared like lightning on this thread. I'm impressed with your speed in response time tHE vAGGABOND!

Perhaps in the future all the ambiguity and confusion regarding which forum was in question, as well as the Report time issue, would be resolved by PMing the mod with specific details and links, after a reasonable length of time following the Report? Of course, doing such additional actions beyond Reporting should be justified by a truly urgent issue affecting the forum in question and/or boards.ie. In like manner, if they don't respond, then PM the Cmod.

Cardinal Richelieu

Black Swan wrote: »

I simply PM'd the Sports forum mod just minutes ago, as suggested by Insect Overload and myself in the above posts, and the mod appeared like lightning on this thread. I'm impressed with your speed in response time tHE vAGGABOND!

Perhaps in the future all the ambiguity and confusion regarding which forum was in question, as well as the Report time issue, would be resolved by PMing the mod with specific details and links, after a reasonable length of time? Of course, doing such additional actions beyond Reporting should be justified by a truly urgent issue affecting the forum in question and/or boards.ie. In like manner, if they don't respond, then PM the Cmod.

Grand, any chance of getting that procedure put in sports forum charters at least for future reference?

Black Swan

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Grand, any chance of getting that procedure put in sports forum charters at least for future reference?

Why just Sports? Please be advised that there are 13 categories and all are subject to the Report function. You would think that something that affects the hundreds of forums within the 13 categories of the boards.ie site would be uniformly contained in a central set of guidelines, like Terms of Use or FAQ, etc.? Since this is so important to you, perhaps would you be so kind as to take the time to research this for us and report your results here on your thread?

Cardinal Richelieu

Black Swan wrote: »

Why just Sports? Please be advised that there are 13 categories and all are subject to the Report function. You would think that something that affects the hundreds of forums within the 13 categories of the boards.ie site would be uniformly contained in a central set of guidelines, like Terms of Use or FAQ, etc.? Since this is so important to you, perhaps would you be so kind as to take the time to research this for us and report your results here on your thread?

Please be advised as I was speaking to the sports category mod I thought it would be a little forward to ask you to include the rest of the site since that isn't your remit or Is it?

Cardinal Richelieu

Black Swan wrote: »

Why just Sports? Please be advised that there are 13 categories and all are subject to the Report function. You would think that something that affects the hundreds of forums within the 13 categories of the boards.ie site would be uniformly contained in a central set of guidelines, like Terms of Use or FAQ, etc.? Since this is so important to you, perhaps would you be so kind as to take the time to research this for us and report your results here on your thread?

Black Swan wrote: »

I simply PM'd the Sports forum mod just minutes ago, as suggested by Insect Overload and myself in the above posts, and the mod appeared like lightning on this thread. I'm impressed with your speed in response time tHE vAGGABOND!

Perhaps in the future all the ambiguity and confusion regarding which forum was in question, as well as the Report time issue, would be resolved by PMing the mod with specific details and links, after a reasonable length of time following the Report? Of course, doing such additional actions beyond Reporting should be justified by a truly urgent issue affecting the forum in question and/or boards.ie. In like manner, if they don't respond, then PM the Cmod.

Here comes your report, if you want something more specific just give me your criteria and then we can discuss if I need Mod powers to access the information you require in the report. I know mods and category mods have a series of tools that humble unsubscribed posters don't have access to.

Present System

How do I report a post?
Please click on the Report Post button () on the bottom left of the individual post in question (under the name of the member that posted it).

You should report a post when you feel it needs to be brought to a moderator's attention. This could be because it's spam, it's abusive, it's in the wrong place, it's liable to cause a row or that it's intentionally misleading.

Reported posts are brought to the attention of the forum moderators and administrators, who will then consider if the post warrants any further action. All reported posts are recorded and reviewed. They are not responded to individually.

By reporting posts you help keep Boards.ie free of spam, abuse and other not nice things. Thank you for that.

Your recommendation which I suggested you include in forum charters but perhaps you can change the FAQ and produce a flowchart.Not very technical myself but I like your work.

QUOTE=Black Swan;79292165]I simply PM'd the Sports forum mod just minutes ago, as suggested by Insect Overload and myself in the above posts, and the mod appeared like lightning on this thread. I'm impressed with your speed in response time tHE vAGGABOND!

Perhaps in the future all the ambiguity and confusion regarding which forum was in question, as well as the Report time issue, would be resolved by PMing the mod with specific details and links, after a reasonable length of time following the Report? Of course, doing such additional actions beyond Reporting should be justified by a truly urgent issue affecting the forum in question and/or boards.ie. In like manner, if they don't respond, then PM the Cmod.

[/QUOTE]

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Cardinal Richelieu

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I don't think so, I was simply seeking clarification about the reporting a post function and workload management rather than that particular post which seems to have got some peoples back up in this thread and set them in defensive mode. Its not the first time I reported posts that took a while or further reporting before they were actioned(not aimed at the sports category but a general statement). I know mods are volunteers but the report function allows us non mods to ease the workload of the mods so good to know how it works behind the scenes and the system faults, I am sure you have other things to do than read every single post or thread in your forum. If asking about a process, seeking clarification and asking for clearer communication of the process and updating of the procedure to make it work better is overreacting maybe I am then.


Just on your post about PM mods and category mods. I find feedback works better at times,I suppose its the public aspect Mods and category mods are human, some get back to you within mins, with others you be lucky to get a reply within the week and only after 3-4 mails and cc most of mods and category mods in that particular category.

CR

TrueDub

I'm the mod in question.

The posts in question were on-topic and relevant to the forum, so I left them alone, and asked for clarification on the link situation. As soon as I received that, I dealt with the posts by deleting them and reporting the user as a spammer (I'm not convinced he is, but that can be sorted out by the good folks in Prison if required).

A second report was made on the post last night, I PMed the reporter saying what happened - there's no obligation on me to do this, by the way, it was a courtesy.

Cardinal Richelieu

TrueDub wrote: »

I'm the mod in question.

The posts in question were on-topic and relevant to the forum, so I left them alone, and asked for clarification on the link situation. As soon as I received that, I dealt with the posts by deleting them and reporting the user as a spammer (I'm not convinced he is, but that can be sorted out by the good folks in Prison if required).

A second report was made on the post last night, I PMed the reporter saying what happened - there's no obligation on me to do this, by the way, it was a courtesy.

Was that me? Because I re-reported the post again around 1-2 pm yesterday afternoon and not last night.

Moving on from the reported post will the course of action recommended from Black Swan about reporting infractions if no action taken be included in FAQ at least?

TrueDub

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Was that me? Because I re-reported the post again around 1-2 pm yesterday afternoon and not last night.

You made both reports - I saw the second one last night at around 8pm.

As stated in this thread, a PM to me would have been a better approach.

Cardinal Richelieu

TrueDub wrote: »

You made both reports - I saw the second one last night at around 8pm.

A bit of a difference between when you saw the report and when it was actually reported and when you say I reported it.

TrueDub wrote: »

A second report was made on the post last night

TrueDub wrote: »

As stated in this thread, a PM to me would have been a better approach.

Yeah I have no problem PMming from now on once Black Swan additional instructions are added on to the site official FAQ and anywhere else the infraction reporting procedure is outlined. Otherwise feedback still offers the best option for clarification for topics such as this.


Is this amendment to the infraction procedure too much to ask for?

How do I report a post?
Please click on the Report Post button () on the bottom left of the individual post in question (under the name of the member that posted it).

You should report a post when you feel it needs to be brought to a moderator's attention. This could be because it's spam, it's abusive, it's in the wrong place, it's liable to cause a row or that it's intentionally misleading.

Reported posts are brought to the attention of the forum moderators and administrators, who will then consider if the post warrants any further action. All reported posts are recorded and reviewed.

If your reported infraction has not been actioned with 48 hours of reporting please pm the mods/mod for that forum for clarification, if no reply is received within 48hrs of your mail please escalate your issue with the catergory mods for that forum.

By reporting posts you help keep Boards.ie free of spam, abuse and other not nice things. Thank you for that.

4 days before the category mod has to do anything I think is pretty reasonable.

TrueDub

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

A bit of a difference between when you saw the report and when it was actually reported and when you say I reported it.

I made a mistake, based on when I saw the second report. I apologise if this has for some reason offended you.

Cardinal Richelieu

TrueDub wrote: »

I made a mistake, based on when I saw the second report. I apologise if this has for some reason offended you.

Thanks, you must be one of the few mods ever to admit making a mistake in public:D more power to you, I hope you don't get defrocked. Its not that you offended me but that your facts were incorrect, is it wrong to clarify wrong information in a post now? If I offended you for asking for more clarification I do apologise but I am just a stickler for correct information and in no way did you offend me so no need to apologise in the first place.

Still moving on, will the the suggested amendment to the infraction procedure be added to the FAQs etc or is this an unofficial nod nod wink wink official procedure?

AltAccount

If your reported infraction has not been actioned with 48 hours of reporting please pm the mods/mod for that forum for clarification, if no reply is received within 48hrs of your mail please escalate your issue with the catergory mods for that forum.

I think that's completely unreasonable tbh.

If you report a post and it's not actioned, it may well be because it's not actionable.
To suggest through this working that after 48 hours you should PM the mod and somehow deserve an explanation for it being "ignored" is silly.
Applying this requirement to a very busy forum, or to a forum that has factions who don't get on with each other and report each other's posts out of snide-ness, would be impractical at the very least.

Cardinal Richelieu

AltAccount wrote: »

I think that's completely unreasonable tbh.

If you report a post and it's not actioned, it may well be because it's not actionable.

Not really, your just looking at it in a negative way.

AltAccount wrote: »

To suggest through this working that after 48 hours you should PM the mod and somehow deserve an explanation for it being "ignored" is silly.

Its just outlining in writing a recommended course of action already outlined by at least two mods in this thread. The 48 hours was my suggestion because most of the trivial reporters will have forgotten by 48hrs what they reported so only the genuine left.

How many infraction reports are followed up in Pm at the moment? Very few I would say so not the extra work load that you imagine. I am sure that more than one mod has a few template mails sitting around on their pcs for regulation replies. The pm process also allows an opportunity for the mod to educate the original reporter if they incorrectlty read the forum charter or site rules when it comes to what you can report on.

AltAccount wrote: »

Applying this requirement to a very busy forum, or to a forum that has factions who don't get on with each other and report each other's posts out of snide-ness, would be impractical at the very least.

Factions reporting each other out of snideness wouldn't really be a problem well not for long as usually a forum ban or site ban has resulted from faction fights.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Cardinal Richelieu

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Just asking for it in writing, the system seems to exist but not in writing. Is improved communication really so complicating?

Insect Overlord

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Just asking for it in writing, the system seems to exist but not in writing. Is improved communication really so complicating?

Adding more lines of text to guidelines that most posters don't ever read does very little to improve communication.

(Cynical, I know!)

AltAccount

t

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Just asking for it in writing, the system seems to exist but not in writing. Is improved communication really so complicating?

Unfortunately the good posters don't generally need explicit rules, while the bad, pedantic, ar$eholey ones will use the explicit rule to beat the mod with.

You can tie up a lot of mod time with pedanticism...

Cardinal Richelieu

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Adding more lines of text to guidelines that most posters don't ever read does very little to improve communication.

(Cynical, I know!)

Very cynical to hear from a mod to be honest, depressing even. Makes you wonder why this site even consults posters if other mods share your thinking.

Insect Overlord

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Very cynical to hear from a mod to be honest, depressing even. Makes you wonder why this site even consults posters if other mods share your thinking.

You think that's depressing? I detest the flippant use of that particular word.

Reel yourself back a bit here and be reasonable. You're expecting the site to update its Ts&Cs 24 hours after one person made a suggestion in a feedback thread.

It's getting to be that every action requires hand-holding and spoon-feeding when common sense should suffice...

K-9

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Thanks, you must be one of the few mods ever to admit making a mistake in public:D more power to you,

You'll find many disagreements are resolved amicably between the poster and mod privately, what you see in public doesn't give you an insight into what goes on.

If a poster pm's me civilly and respectfully I'll engage. If they don't, I'll try and calm them down via pm, if they don't calm down, onto DRP they go.

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Very cynical to hear from a mod to be honest, depressing even. Makes you wonder why this site even consults posters if other mods share your thinking.

The politics boards has a thread that is open all year round to post concerns.

I hate rule lawyering, always did, from before I was a mod.

Cardinal Richelieu

Insect Overlord wrote: »

You think that's depressing? I detest the flippant use of that particular word.

Reel yourself back a bit here and be reasonable. You're expecting the site to update its Ts&Cs 24 hours after one person made a suggestion in a feedback thread.

It's getting to be that every action requires hand-holding and spoon-feeding when common sense should suffice...

It wasn't flippant. Your previous post was dripping with cynicism which I find rather depressing or do you want to regulate what I find depressing and not depressing and when I can use the word? Rather Orwellian particular when you go on to complain about having to spoon feed.

Scroll up and you will see Black Swan asked me for a report which I did, I outlined the amendment, just really waiting for Black Swan to join back the discussion, as they may require more detail etc I am asking for an amendment to the help page "How to report" while your saying I wish to amend the T & Cs.

Cardinal Richelieu

K-9 wrote: »

The politics boards has a thread that is open all year round to post concerns.

I hate rule lawyering, always did, from before I was a mod.

Yes I see other progressive forums have similar threads, but the attitude from Insect Overload was just like why bother they don't read it anyway.

K-9

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Yes I see other progressive forums have similar threads, but the attitude from Insect Overload was just like why bother they don't read it anyway.

Most still don't read the charter, even with an open thread on the rules!