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

PmMeUrDogs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999504#Comment_121999504

Genuinely think that's a great idea.

There's definitely a place and a need for serious discussion, and I've often read CA threads in their entirety because some make for really good reading and knowledge. But AH seems to have been in decline since the separation a few years back or whenever it was.

I agree with the need for a "serious" space like CA, but plenty of people want to discuss current affairs in a way that isn't quite so severe in manner.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999709#Comment_121999709

It will just evolve as it did before.

There is already the politics forum yet most of the chat happens in CA. CA isnt even the 'serious' space.

Hide CA away and AH will just end up as CA. You will have the same posters and topics that are on CA today but on AH.

Thats why CA was split off from AH.

Look at the top threads in CA. How could they be discussed in a less 'serious' / severe manner? You either couldnt discuss it or they would just end up becoming exactly as they are now. Because inevitably serious / severe points would be made.

SafeSurfer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121993722#Comment_121993722

What I like about Boards is that no matter what the subject. No matter how black and white one believes an issue to be there will always be someone with a different, often well considered opinion.

I think this is the value of the site for me. It should be allowed to be opposite of an echo chamber. Heavy handed modding makes this much more difficult.

Big Bag of Chips

Just a note regarding viewing "Thanks".

On the mobile site if you tap the 3 dots at the top of a post and select "Log" you should be able to see all the thanks.

On desktop it's a little more restricted. You can hover over the "Thanks" button and it shows you I think 6-8 of the thanks.

Can a poster other than a mod test this for me? I know it's visible to us.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999800#Comment_121999800

On desktop if you go to the profile of the user you want to check who thanked their post go to "reactions" and you can see more if not all those who thanked the post AFAIK.

Edit

I think it's restricted to 10 thanks.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999800#Comment_121999800

There is no 'log' option on mobile on chrome, just a 'flag' option

archfi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999800#Comment_121999800

On iOS mobile, the three dots on a post when tapped gives only the option to flag a post.

Big Bag of Chips

Thanks both. @sydthebeat are you on Android or iPhone?

sydthebeat

Android.

Hannibal_Smith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999781#Comment_121999781

This is it for me too. I think it was the Irish Independent who had the tag line 'Before you make up your kind open it' and this is what boards does for me anyhow. Sometimes I read a news story and I think you have all the angles to allow me make a decision and then I come on boards and you'll have people explain their experiences, or knowledge that fill in the in between the lines bit. It makes it very interesting.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999478#Comment_121999478

AH/CA were excluded from POTD back in the day. But it was usually some meme in CVPL that won it.

Tork

I don't understand why there are separate Politics and Current Affairs forums. Sometimes there are threads on the same thing running in both.

Calahonda52

The key to this question is what SEO data is being used to attract advertisers and other revenue sources.

IMO, the platform is far too indulgent of open brackets ( racists….)

The other problem with modern discourse today is that if I take issue with whats happening in Gaza you are flagged as anti Jew

eg inside paywall but enough visible

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/educate-together-row-after-antisemitism-allegations-in-wake-of-ceos-protest-post-and-call-for-boycott-of-israel/a489962002.html

We had the same with the gay marriage/recent referendums etc

Its all reduced to a binary argument: for or against.

BB over on AM just deletes sh$t he does not want on his site, end of.

A lot to be said for it

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999891#Comment_121999891

Politics is the “high brow” forum, they won’t tolerate CA-style posts.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999747#Comment_121999747

I don't think CA is the serious place, it is the 'heated' place. But the heated discussions are the ones that I think need some sort of space, but try to limit their negative impact while allowing them to serve their need better than what is currently happening. The politics forum is indeed the place for serious discussions and works well in this way I feel.

CA being hidden from all except those who requested access may influence this.

And if contentious threads were polluting AH, move them to CA and inform the OP or users that they need to request access to the forum if they want to take part.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999969#Comment_121999969

So you could have threads on the same topic, say Russia-Ukraine war Or say Hate Crime Bill.

On Politics, CA, and AH.

And the same posters potentially posting on all three? With the same standard of posting in CA and AH.

I can't see it working. It will be very obvious from the outset of most threads that it will end up heated.

if contentious threads were polluting AH, move them to CA and inform the OP or users that they need to request access to the forum if they want to take part.

That's exactly what was happening and why CA was created. This will just restart and repeat the cycle.

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999969#Comment_121999969

It would be great if a ban from CA could extend to AH or, even, “Social & Fun” in its entirety.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999985#Comment_121999985

With the same standard of posting in CA and AH

No. That is the point.

And it might seem so much like things becoming heated, that people just stay away. I'd imagine it would become an echo chamber of sorts for some discussions. But that might be a price you have to pay if it means allowing more of the platform to function as it is intended. Its a room with no windows and you have to ask to enter.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999891#Comment_121999891

Politics is Pat Kenny

CA is Niall Boylan

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000052#Comment_122000052

People can stay away from Current Affairs as things stand today.

If you pitch this new CA forum to have a lower\looser standard of posting than CA does now, it will presumably still need a lot of moderation for personal abuse, trolling, threadbans etc. And CA is one of the most actively moderated forums I imagine given volume of posts.

I don't think the platform intended to function as an echo chamber either nor as an unmoderated free for all for such discussions.

And then seemingly you have AH discussion of current affairs moderated to the same standard CA is now. Or else the topics not discussed at all. So even more heavily moderated actually.

Doesn't add up for me at all, but you have made your case so it is for the powers that be to assess.

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000098#Comment_122000098

A much “lighter touch” form of moderation in CA would be great. Let posters know that reported posts, short of abuse, won’t be actioned.

This would keep the CA “types” away from the, more, normal parts of the site and you could have, somewhat, serious discussions in AH while, also, having a laugh.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000124#Comment_122000124

I don't see the benefits. Based on what you have outlined, you would just have the CA discussions that are happening now in CA in AH. And possibly some free for alls in CA with lighter touch moderation - maybe that would appeal to some.

But nothing to stop the CA "types" from "moonlighting" on the corresponding AH threads, posting to the same standard they are currently posting to in CA right now. So why wouldn't they?

pjohnson

CA was created to keep some of the more troll like dregs away from AH iirc.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000165#Comment_122000165

It seems like shuffling the problem posters around rather than tackling root cause.

awec

@Gusser09 this isn't a place to moan about specific mod actions against you. Take it to DRP.

Post deleted.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999969#Comment_121999969

It's however many years later and they still can't even stop PI/RI threads appearing on the front page. So I can 100% guarantee that all of the above is utterly beyond Vanilla.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999969#Comment_121999969

Then how is it decided who takes part in the discussion?

Another can of worms!

While I agree with you that the discussion needs to be allowed to flow, the problem with that is how far , as some will take that as am excuse to troll and be uncivil and it will still end up being moderated then in the end ?

I also agree with what you said about moving CA so it's less visible but not with making it a private group .

It'll end up as a group of the same posters with similar views and most likely just an echo chamber so that there won't be any inconvenient disagreements.

I think the contentious CA threads need more moderators than a lot of the hobby sites and the charter needs to be updated to limit repetitive arguments , spamming and low level trolling

Also @Big Bag of Chips are banned posters rereg-ing more common now since Vanilla or is it the same as it always was or more difficult to spot ?

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000124#Comment_122000124

A sensible suggestion there now.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001030#Comment_122001030

"I think the contentious CA threads need more moderators than a lot of the hobby sites and the charter needs to be updated to limit repetitive arguments , spamming and low level trolling"

Be careful what you wish for!!! It'd certainly reduce the post count from a good few.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001221#Comment_122001221

I am fully aware and think that may be a positive in some threads .

If it makes for a more constructive and pleasant experience for all or certainly for those who just want to discuss freely without constant bickering or without being got at personally I am completely on board ,no pun intended .

Would be some of the other fora that need more post traffic .