Problem with current affairs

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543464#Comment_119543464

A page later, I still haven't seen anything new.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119539385#Comment_119539385

I'm late to the party here so still reading but this above is paranoid speculation - unless you have access to PMs.

I too will echo the comments raised on the first page and I certainly am NOT part of any alleged PM group to challenge the Mods. I'll openly admit that I've had several discussions with the Admin in question about what I see as overreach and micromanaging threads based on personal positions on a given topic rather than any actual violation (except in the most spurious of ways such as a temporary divergence to a related topic to the subject matter).

When challenged you'll be met with responses as have been seen in this very thread until you get to "I'm done with you" (ALSO in this thread!) - not at all what you'd want to see from a senior (albeit volunteer) member of the team charged with not just moderating issues but encouraging discussions and engagement on this site - especially since the migration last year and the negative impact that's had. All the bold warnings, lists of unwelcome users in OPs, and title edits are bad enough as they only serve to discourage participation.

I've no interest in the tit for tat stuff that is also on this thread - and I'd suggest it's taken elsewhere lest the thread be closed because of it as there is a real issue here that needs to be discussed and addressed.

@Boards.ie: Niamh / @Boards.ie: Odhran - thoughts?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543484#Comment_119543484

Yeh, coz you are hogging it, repeating yourself.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543501#Comment_119543501

My thoughts are you need to calm down a fair bit. It’s a message board, dude.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543501#Comment_119543501

This is what I hoped the thread would be. People offering their experiences here.

Good or bad, I have no issue.

I won't be drawn anymore into the tit for tat and gloating and cheap shots, that's going on.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543523#Comment_119543523

Absolutely it is, but that doesn't change the validity of the topic at hand or the points being raised.

Regardless of whether someone likes another poster. or if they like you, all views and topics should be freely open to discussion so long as that remains civil and respectful of the individual and does obviously not stray into areas of potential illegality, or legal concerns etc etc

These things are common sense. Deleting posts or issuing sanctions based on very suspect grounds are not.

EmmetSpiceland

I really think the types calling for Beasty’s head here would instantly regret it if those in charge were browbeaten into removing his mod/admin “powers”.

The “Current Affairs” forum would have to be shut indefinitely until such a time that they could find a, suitable, replacement.

This would lead to huge stress on “After Hours” due all the nutters heading straight over. Obviously, this would then put tremendous stress on the, current, AH mods and lead to even bigger problems.

Be careful what you wish for, folks. You don’t miss your water, and all that.

^^^ Second last paragraph of kaiser's post is very relevant context here!

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543549#Comment_119543549

I'm not calling for anyone's head personally. I would call for perspective, objectivity and remembering that this is a discussion forum. People should be free to post their views on any topic so long as they are civil.

If we just allow those we agree with it's an echo chamber which serves no-one.

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543567#Comment_119543567

You used to call for that freshpopcorn’s head a fair bit, back when he was a mod. Man, he used to wind you up something fierce.

Are you sure that you’re not just letting your “beef” with site authority and the way your, various, “complaints” in thread about the site migration have been largely ignored, cloud your judgement?

timmyntc

The real problem with current affairs is that a group of 6 or so posters jump into majority of threads and turn it into an us vs them thing, usually by someone bringing up "de shinners" and then others hopping on outraged at the first group for bringing up the shinners, and before you know it an entire thread is ruined.

Given the speed at which threads fill up with these arguments I imagine you'd need many many more mods to keep on top of it. Its now gotten to the point where several totally unrelated threads will still have the same group of posters sniping at each other - bizarre

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543586#Comment_119543586

I will stand by everything I said about FPC as a mod. I wouldn't have posted it otherwise, but that's not the topic at hand is it?

Don't think I'm blind to your attempt to derail a valid discussion with baiting though. I post to give my opinion and feedback on a given topic or post I've read, not for likes, validation or approval.

Good try though.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543549#Comment_119543549

Is it really appropriate for admins, the last point of appeal, to be moderating a forum though?

If admins are not above the fray, how can they be impartial? If they treat you unfairly in a forum, who do you appeal to?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543586#Comment_119543586

Are you sure you are not blindsighted/clouded by how much the forum suits your views.

Not having a go, but it is clear that if you fall foul of moderation here you are in trouble.

Most of the warnings I have gotten are of the spurious and arbitrary type kaiser is talking about. That eventually will put you in fractious confrontation with a mod due to frustration.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543611#Comment_119543611

The office (and I've done that too on this very subject).

Unfortunately though that in real terms is just Niamh who is no doubt swamped and entitled to time off too.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543501#Comment_119543501

Hi @_Kaiser_, your looking well excellent post as always 😏

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543601#Comment_119543601

Yes, posters (from both/all "sides") bringing arguments and issues from other threads into new ones is a big problem. It's happening even on this very thread too. It goes to frankly silly lengths when some start trawling old posts of others to score points.

That's the sort of thing that needs addressing - not punishing posters for discussing various and related aspects of a given topic as happens too often.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543601#Comment_119543601

Well said and my issue too, I actually count it at 3, occasionally 4 and we all know exactly who they are ☺️

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543530#Comment_119543530

Well said, Touché

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543484#Comment_119543484

How's that count going Blanch, for and against Discussion I mean 😏

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543601#Comment_119543601

Its exactly this.

They fill threads with noise so everyone else leaves the thread. Eventually they leave the forum then boards itself.

Boards has never been free speech. But Mods can have the same effect if they enforce an agenda on a forum. I'm not saying any of the current mods do this, but it was an issue in the past.

My solution is to put them on ignore and if I see a thread is full of people on ignore I stay clear. In the last 6 months I've used ignore more than in all my previous years.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542470#Comment_119542470

15 years ago Social Media did not fully exist. Facebook was in it's infancy, and there was no Snapchat, Twitter or TikTok.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542861#Comment_119542861

Thats what it looks like to me.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542990#Comment_119542990

The Ditch is not nonsense and most of what you post has links skewed in your favour. Others have noted this and when shown how wrong your data is you double down and won't admit you are wrong. At least be honest about your follies.

Gatling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543749#Comment_119543749

And yet we have people on crying about the lack of free speech, while they could be soapboxing on the likes of social media,

But for whatever reason being a nusence on boards is more important to them

EmmetSpiceland

The “problem” with the CA forum is the users, not the mods. The mods enforce the rules, and give more leeway than most, in that forum.

Yes, they will come down harder on users who are constantly on their “radar”. Post within the site/forum rules and you won’t have any trouble. Step out of line and all that changes.

Considering the amount of time the mods, in that forum in particular, have put in during the difficult time after the migration I think they should be commended.

Now, we all know, you can’t please everyone so those falling afoul of the site rules won’t agree but there’s a reason for that. An obvious one. But the, more, normal users, who follow the rules, have no “issues”.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543749#Comment_119543749

Well maybe they were just monitoring online news and that sock puppet account twisted the picture to mean something else. Would fit the pattern of its operation.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543601#Comment_119543601

My only change to boards would be to block CA off of the trending page.

You can't find any good conversations because the whole trending page is those 6 freaks you mention going round in circles about the North or some imported US political bllsht.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543789#Comment_119543789

Absolutely zero issues with consistent and fair modding.

But this thread shows there are issues to be addressed in CA.

Flinty997

I suspect staying out of it will solve most people's problems with it. Both for them and everyone else.