Closing of threads vs moderation of them in After Hours

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

The following feedback is twofold:

Firstly I would like to complain about what I feel was poorly moderated thread and in direct contrast, I would like to highlight a thread which I feel was (and is being) very well moderated. I took part in both threads and found that initially, they had very much in common:

Both contained lots of ad hominem attacks, baiting etc.
Both were spiraling into tit for tat arguments.
Both concern age old arguments which come up time and time again.
Both contain over 1000 posts.

The first of these threads is:

Convicted child killer canvassing for sinn fein

This thread contained lots of ad hominem attacks, baiting etc and was becoming increasing tense and was clearly spiraling downwards into petty tit for tat arguments, but.. it was quite swiftly dealt by one of the AH moderators with the following three posts:

humanji wrote: »

There's too much pettiness going on here. Stick to the topic and stop having a go at each other.

humanji wrote: »

czx won't be posting in this thread again, so you don't have to reply to them.

humanji wrote: »

Just like "Shinnerbot", "Brit Bot" is a childish insult at people and not acceptable. Cut it out.

bumper234 wrote: »

The next 'shinnerbot' as use of an argument or insult will result in an infraction or ban.
Mod.

The last of these four warnings was posted in the OP of the thread and the thread title was amended to alert users to it's existence. The result of these warnings was almost immediate and the thread is now far more civil than it was and discussion continues.

Contrast however with the following thread:

Woman uploads abortion video - goes viral

This thread started off in much the same way as the Sinn Fein thread did: lots of ad hominem attacks, baiting etc, but it far worse. There was a disgusting level of personal abuse allowed. It was inferred that users were 'dumb', 'rightious *****' etc and the sexist term 'mansplaining' was used. One user was even told that it was hoped that he didn't have daughters, as he had a 'sociopathic attitude' to women.

All of this went unmoderated.

I'm not suggesting that the ad hominem attacks came from one side of the debate, as certain comments made by the other side deserved moderating also, but to be fair, they came much later in the thread and I feel by that stage, it was clear that the users which the earlier abuse had been aimed at, were not going to see justice being done in the shape of moderation intervention, and so may as well give as good as they were getting.

The ignoring of reported posts and general lack of moderation on the thread (especially at an early stage) is what I feel led to the thread descending to the level to which it did. Had the thread been moderated in the same vain as the Sinn Fein thread, and users told to remain civil, quit the petty remarks, ad hominem attacks etc, then I am quite sure that the thread would have gone far differently than it did and would never have needed locking.

It is of course quite understandable when moderators lock threads which have descended into chaos and have just turned into two sides of a debate hurling abuse at one another and where moderation and attempts to bring the thread back to civility have failed, but I don't feel it is at all understandable when threads are locked when no effort to restore order has taken place at all.

Freddie Dodge

I got accused in the second thread you mention of being "a dab hand with a clotheshanger" which I felt was just the worst of a thread full of abuse from one particular side of the argument. I pm ed a mod, and it was removed, but not before three other posters on the opposing side thanked it. There was however no other visible sign that the person who made the post (one of the most prolific in the thread) was disciplined in any way.

Far far milder levels of personal abuse and insult get prople banned here every bloody day, yet this doesn't even warrant an on thread warning.

I was clearly on the other side of the argument from the mods.

Pocoyo

Oh yes i utterly agree the other side engage in baiting of the highest order and it seems the powers that be watch and wait for the pro-life posters to react to pass punishment. disgraceful it also makes me shudder at how some posters speak of children and post birth abortion,And the link to the church,to be honest im no fan of the church in fact i despise the church but that doesnt mean i should support abortion and attack christians. The whole thread is nasty its shocking that people like that post on boards.