Banned from Tattoos & Piercings.

RhoDoDenDron

DamoElDiablo wrote:

Dear RhoDoDenDron,

You have been banned from Tattoos & Piercings for two weeks for posting Pornography.

This site does not allow such content.

Please see the Boards.ie FAQ for more details.

If you wish to appeal this ban you can see details on how to do so here.

DamoElDiablo

Your post:

RhoDoDenDron wrote: »

Just to clarify, is this the kind of thing you're looking for?

Thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056930277

I have spoken to DamoElDiablo, the moderator in question, and he wishes to uphold his original decision. I have said most of what I've posted in this thread to him already.

This should be pretty self-explanatory. I was given a two week ban which I feel was unfair. In the rules, it states that users agree not to "post any abusive, harmful, vulgar, obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, profane, inappropriate, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable Material, except where the content is appropriate to the content of the forum and you have been granted specific permission to do so and subject to our guidelines on said content".

As DamoElDiablo stated, I was banned for posting pornographic material. The thread in which was posted was created to enquire about tattooing a nipple to be shaped like a heart. Given the fact that the OP had no real description of what they wanted beyond that, I thought that picture would be A ) a good way to clarify what they may want and B ) a good example of a nipple tattooed to be heart-shaped, so that all reading the thread may benefit.

As you can also see, it was just intended to be helpful. The picture itself isn't sexual in nature and is centred around the modification. Nipples themselves aren't inherently sexually explicit either, as while they may be used in sexual acts, it is not their primary function, nor is it the primary function of many other body parts that are regularly used in sexual acts. Furthermore, if the picture had been of a male nipple, it wouldn't have been infracted. Had the picture been of a chest tattoo on a male and shown nipple, it wouldn't have warranted infraction. As the female nipple is virtually identical to the male nipple, I fail to see how the above content was sexually explicit.

I've read a lot of the above sentiments on articles about women breast-feeding in public, and how a lot more people today feel it is unfair that nipples are censored and seen as something sexual when it is not their primary purpose.

Having said all that, it is up to moderator discretion. For the sake of my second point, I'll assume the picture was "borderline inappropriate". Given the fact that I clearly hadn't intended to post pornography and was just trying to contribute to the thread, I feel a more appropriate action would be for a moderator to simply remove the post and PM me stating that it could be considered sexually explicit. Even a short ban seems harsh given the intended helpful nature of my post. What purpose does a ban stand to serve?

I have the utmost respect for moderators and the hard job they do, and I am by no means challenging the rules. Even though two weeks is a relatively "small" ban, I still feel it was unfair and I request that it be lifted, with all due respect.

Thank you for your time,
RhoDoDenDron

Mr E

I had to step in early in this process because you posted an inappropriate image in this thread.

I'm going to leave this thread open and allow due process. Please refer to the chart at the top of the screen - your next step is to contact the moderator in question and see if you can come to an arrangement.

Please DO NOT post that image here again.

RhoDoDenDron

Mr E wrote: »

I had to step in early in this process because you posted an inappropriate image in this thread.

I'm going to leave this thread open and allow due process. Please refer to the chart at the top of the screen - your next step is to contact the moderator in question and see if you can come to an arrangement.

Please DO NOT post that image here again.

You removed the image and closed the thread. Again, I don't see why you couldn't just remove the image if it was such an issue. Furthermore, without actually seeing the image, how would one expect to be able to moderate appropriately? According to Boards rules I can't post or link to any "inappropriate" image without permission. So, if this is to be investigating thoroughly, may I PM or link whoever moderates the image?

Secondly, did you not actually read my post? The very first thing I showed is a PM with the moderator in question and I then went on to state that we had discussed it and he wished to uphold the ban.

Due process would then decree that I would contact the CMods here on the DR forum. So, I would like to invite the relevant moderators to come forward and discuss the issue with me - but after reading my above post.

At the very least, I would like a moderator to talk me through the use of "discretion" in the above circumstances, so that I can be very clear on what is and isn't permissible during future use of Boards.

RhoDoDenDron

RhoDoDenDron

*bump*

It's been two days since my last moderator contact, is anyone looking into this?

Spear

RhoDoDenDron wrote: »

*bump*

It's been two days since my last moderator contact, is anyone looking into this?

Honestly, there may not be anyone looking, Arts cat issues are very rare in here. I've PM'd the two Arts cmods to remind them.

RhoDoDenDron

Thanks.

CabanSail

Sorry

Had some stuff in the real world which took priority for a while.

Back now & I will look into this.

RhoDoDenDron

No worries. Is there some way in which I might show you the image that caused the problem, perhaps in PM?

faceman

Hello. Just getting up to speed on this at the moment. Will revert in due course.

CabanSail

Have reviewed this matter.

Firstly I do not consider the image posted to be pornographic, it falls into the Not Safe For Work (NSFW) area. This is probably a case of using the closest reaon in a menu. To post this image you really should have consulted a Mod. Then the title could be edited.

The punishment itself would be on the upper end of the range. There are many factors that will determine what is appropriate. Without being across the dynamics of the forum I will leave that stand too.

RhoDoDenDron

So your decision is to leave the ban standing? Just to clarify, unsure as to exactly what you were saying.

Considering it was an honest mistake while trying be productive, would it be possible to decrease the ban to one week or something similar instead?

I understand that you don't wish to over-rule the original moderator's decision given the T&P forum's nature, but (and I believe this is appropriate to mention) another ban was also given on the same thread. The thread was a sensitive subject, it seems, and that's a factor that can lead to overly-harsh moderating. Would this not be an instance where a CMod could review with less bias and potentially come to a more suitable conclusion, given the need for lack of involvement?

CabanSail

I have said that two weeks is at the top end of what I consider appropriate, but still within that envelope.

You have handled yourself well here. If on reflection the Mod decided to reduce the severity I would support that too.

RhoDoDenDron

Well, I can see it's an awkward position for everyone, given the subject matter of the thread and the fact that Tattoos and Piercings seems to be "niche".

I'm happy enough with the outcome, you can mark resolved. One last question though, what would you recommend I do next, message the infracting moderator again and ask him to take a look at this thread?

Thanks,
RhoDoDenDron

CabanSail

Mods have discretion and leinency. You have acted well and followed the correct process. This may cause the Mod to reduce the ban if it has served it's purpose. It is their call again now.

A polite PM, apology and referring to here may be worth a try.

Good luck

Trojan

Resolved.