Site is a graveyard - How can boards save itself? [Threadbanned users in 1st post]

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 12:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958690#Comment_121958690

Reporting a Mod for being a dick is pointless - no idea why you would think that. A CMod intervenes if necessary and it simply gets pushed up to Admin level if a warning needs to be issued. It's a simple enough thing to do in fairness.

Just because you think a mod is being a Dick, doesn't actually mean they are of course, the poster reporting might be the Dick for instance.

BolloxChop · 31-03-2024 12:22pm

A lot of the middle ground seems to be gone on this site. If a fairly spicy thread gets started it descends into some people being absolute racist dickheads or the others screaming at everyone calling them racists or phobes or something.

Genuine discussion seems to be drowned out by both sides of the spectrum.

On top of some mods being overzealous.

I reckon if this Hate speech legislation does pass then boards will be completely finished. The owners won't want a world of litigation on top of them..

I had my original boards account in about 2008 I think but I deleted it after the switch to vanilla fiasco. I set up a new account recently as I needed an answer to a question and I remember this used to be a fantastic place for answers. I did get a few genuine answers but a fair amount of hostility.

I wouldn't be surprised if boards is completely gone within the next decade..

Fr Tod Umptious · 31-03-2024 12:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958515#Comment_121958515

Not to mention the Israeli bashing.

Bobson Dugnutt · 31-03-2024 12:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958656#Comment_121958656

Excellent post, Emmet, from a man who very much has his finger on the weak pulse of this site. Surprised you aren’t an admin at this stage.

Ezeoul · 31-03-2024 12:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958706#Comment_121958706

And it might be the case that the report is justified and the mod is being a dick.

We're being told on this thread that mods are treated the same as anyone else if they're reported but apparently that is not the case? Reports about mods requires a CMod to bring it to Admin attention?

Are reports made about mods automatically routed to CMods level?

Does this apply across all forums? As in, if a mod is reported in a forum other than the one they moderate, does that also require a CMod to look at it?

How routinely would CMods be checking for these reports?

Some clarity here would be good.

Big Bag of Chips · 31-03-2024 12:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958690#Comment_121958690

A moderator who is a poster in another forum (any forum outside the forum they moderate) can of course be reported and will be warned if necessary. Moderators have been warned in other forums.

What Shamobuc meant was a moderator cannot action their co-moderator if the complaint is about their moderation. In that instance it is passed to the Category Moderators to handle. This also happens and moderators are often advised to amend their style of moderating and/or general postimg. Same as posters are often advised to amend their style of posting.

But, moderators would often advise each other in the background. It's why the moderators forums are very useful. It can be a good place for moderators to bounce ideas off each other. For more experienced mods to steer other moderators in the right direction. So rather than officially "warning" a moderator a co-moderator might just have a word of advice.

I do believe moderators should be held to a higher standard than the average poster and petty digs at other posters either in posts, or in warnings should not be tolerated. So when this happens it should be reported. But like the average poster a moderator will be spoken to. They will be given advise on how to change. They will be given opportunity to change. They won't be demodded or sitebanned immediately! Same as a poster will be given opportunity to change. If that change doesn't come about and if a moderator continues to be an issue they will be, and have been, removed

Fr Tod Umptious · 31-03-2024 12:45pm

This is beginning to look like Current Affairs.

Cranks complaining that everything is the fault of someone or something else, in Current Affairs it's immigrants, the government, etc etc here it's Mods, Admins and the owners of the site.

One of my favourite things to do lately is read threads in Dispute Resolution and see all the times posters whinge "I got banned for no reason..."

But there's always "a reason".

Ezeoul · 31-03-2024 12:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958751#Comment_121958751

Is a co-moderator obliged to flag such reports up to CMod level, or can they decide to ignore them?

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 12:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958743#Comment_121958743

CMods would look at reports from their Forums, as is normal. If a Mod is reported, they look at the post, if needed, they would contact an Admin to issue a warning. A Mod can also contact an Admin directly if a post by another Mod requires action. It's pretty simple really.

Big Bag of Chips · 31-03-2024 12:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958767#Comment_121958767

I suppose everyone can decide to ignore anything they want. But in general moderators want a quiet life! And if a particular moderator is continually causing problems for them in their forum then they will want to sort it out. I obviously don't know if moderators are ignoring issues with co-mods (by fact of if it's being ignored were not being made aware of it !) but I can absolutely guarantee that the Category Moderators can and do discuss issues amongst themselves and call in Admins if they feel it's required.

greenpilot · 31-03-2024 12:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958724#Comment_121958724

Over 30,000 Palestinian's have been killed in Gaza, by Israel, since October 7th.

As you thought it was pertinent to complain about "Israeli bashing" on an un-related thread, I thought it was pertinent to point out the above statistic.

The Mods clearly have no issue with your post.

I'm sure they won't have an issue with mine.

But, given the amount of time you spend on Boards, you know this already.

thomas 123 · 31-03-2024 12:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958706#Comment_121958706

will it always be pushed up to admin level or is it at discretion of the mod to push it up to admin level?

ie: if the report receiving mod disagrees with the report will it be pushed up regardless?

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 12:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958799#Comment_121958799

That would be up to the Mod. Just as it would be up to them to issue a warning to a general poster. If it warrants a Warning, it warrants a warning.

Ezeoul · 31-03-2024 12:59pm

It sounds like it's discretionary though, and not automatic?

Norrie Rugger Head · 31-03-2024 12:59pm

For me the canary, in the mine, were the You Laugh You Lose threads in

https://www.boards.ie/categories/cool-vids-pics-links

The older threads used to have hundreds of "likes/thanks" on individual posts, with (what seemed like) hundreds of posters active.

New thread is a shell of the previous.

Don't know how this has become a mod bashing thread. That is/was never an issue beyond people learning the culture of the site. Most good mods gave new posters some slack and a DM to explain what was what. I, actually, miss the level of moderation from the 2000s. Far too polarised these days, reflecting real world politics too much for my liking

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 1:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958804#Comment_121958804

So is every post that is reported in fairness. Just because a post is reported, does not mean it will receive a warning.

s8n · 31-03-2024 1:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121954831#Comment_121954831

The MCD and Oxegen back in the day changed things a lot and its never recovered.

Galwayguy35 · 31-03-2024 1:14pm

Everything dies out eventually.

Once its gone this site will be forgotten about in a week.

Ezeoul · 31-03-2024 1:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958813#Comment_121958813

Thanks for confirming.

So a co-moderator can choose to do nothing about a report about another mod, so posters are really reliant on CMods coming across such reports themselves.

I guess that means if a poster wants to make a report about a mod they should also pm a CMod to advise them of same, to ensure that it does actually get seen by a CMod and doesn't just "fall through the cracks".

And while reporting a mod might be pointless to begin with, (as you've said yourself) it is still good to know.

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 1:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958751#Comment_121958751

But a CMod will still have to foward to an Admin to issue a warning though. I cannot issue a Warning to an Education Mod in the Soccer Forum for example. Not sure why Cmods cannot warn a Mod, must be a Vanilla thing.

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 1:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958855#Comment_121958855

Again, you might say futile, I would say, if a post deserves a warning, it should get one. As I've said, just because a poster believes a post deserves a warning, doesn't mean it does. That would be down to a Mod/CMod/Admin to view it and make a judgement - irrespective if it's got to do with a Mod or not.

Big Bag of Chips · 31-03-2024 1:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958861#Comment_121958861

I wasn't aware of that!!

Definitely must be a "Vanilla thing"

Something else for the to-do list.

Big Bag of Chips · 31-03-2024 1:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958855#Comment_121958855

Any moderator can chose to ignore any report.

If you think you have a legitimate complaint against a moderator and you've reported it and haven't seen any action, it can be worth PMing another moderator in the forum to highlight the complaint, or indeed contact a Cat-Mod or Admin directly yourself.

Edit to add: but any action taken against the moderator is unlikely to be discussed with you. Same as actions taken against other posters aren't discussed either.