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Is Boards a Community Forum?

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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,358 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    That the mods will generally side with whoever they happen to agree with in thread and as far as I can see, mods are never overturned on appeal. The best to can hope for is the mod themselves agreeing to drop the card (which I would suggest it's only in cases where the admins are struggling to cover them in the first place)

    I have recieved a number of yellow cards for name calling or in one case, being uncivil but yet there's posts that still exist directly calling me insulting names. They still exist despite being reported. The hoops that were jumped through to justify the inaction by mods was crazy.

    I know beast above, who has issued me a few cards, states different areas have different rules but there needs to be all-site basic rules and they need to be enforced evenly. Funky enough, I was told that one such rule was 'attack the post, not the poster' but apparently only on certain users

    I was also on that thread but left for the simple reason that when a mod decides your wrong, you will only end up getting banned by arguing.

    well, as a mod, I've no problem disagreeing with someone regardless of where I'm posting. But I wouldn't moderate based on a difference of opinion. With the forums I help on, we generally ask other mods to assist / review if there's a sense one might be getting too deep into an argument and actions could be perceived as circling the wagons.

    Regarding the overall feeling between yourself and other comments, if there's a perception that there's confusion between members about whats the expected behaviour and approach towards discussion, it sounds like there is a need to see where these variances occur within boards. Overall boards T&Cs should be setting these expectations and the charters are just additional items regarding the specific topics or experiences which have affected that forum. I believe Beasty might have been referring to that.

    Regarding disputing decisions. The preference is to not to have discussions of decisions in the thread as they can further disrupt the thread. But boards have always offered queries on decisions to be done via PM. And to be honest I see both sides of that, for and against it. So its kind of hard for me to comment on it any further.

    What I see as the deal breaker here, "attack the post not the poster." Thats an issue indeed, but I don't think moderation is going to be able to help it. Id be more inclined to just pass over it. If people ignore it, it'll lose steam. Its become more prevelant now, becuase people are responding to it more than previously. To such an extent that people have started seeing a post and the poster as 1 in the same, so both are game.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭Wayne Jarvis


    Community does not mean kind, caring and never showing someone up no matter how stupid they are.

    All it really means is a non-insitutional group of people.

    A discussion forum allowing nothing but warm fuzzies would be out of business very quickly.
    Of course but the point is to give posters a chance. From post two onwards that thread was mostly full of the nonsense this thread is about. I've seen that kind of thread countless times on Boards with Accommodation & Property, Motors & Work & Jobs and Work Problems being the worst for it. A sizeable number of the userbase who consider themselves experts in those topic just comes here to act the dick and be snarky to people who commit the crime of wanting advice on something they don't know much about.

    Another thing I have noticed particularly in the Work Problems forum is people admitting they did something stupid/showed poor judgement etc.. and asking for advice only for a queue of people to post telling them how stupid they were, some people just love to stick the boot in on the internet. Very sad behaviour really and one of the reasons I went from having an average 12 posts per day in January to having less then 3 posts per day now. What's so wrong with trying to help people and just having a bit of a laugh?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    well, as a mod, I've no problem disagreeing with someone regardless of where I'm posting. But I wouldn't moderate based on a difference of opinion. With the forums I help on, we generally ask other mods to assist / review if there's a sense one might be getting too deep into an argument and actions could be perceived as circling the wagons.

    Regarding the overall feeling between yourself and other comments, if there's a perception that there's confusion between members about whats the expected behaviour and approach towards discussion, it sounds like there is a need to see where these variances occur within boards. Overall boards T&Cs should be setting these expectations and the charters are just additional items regarding the specific topics or experiences which have affected that forum. I believe Beasty might have been referring to that.

    Regarding disputing decisions. The preference is to not to have discussions of decisions in the thread as they can further disrupt the thread. But boards have always offered queries on decisions to be done via PM. And to be honest I see both sides of that, for and against it. So its kind of hard for me to comment on it any further.

    What I see as the deal breaker here, "attack the post not the poster." Thats an issue indeed, but I don't think moderation is going to be able to help it. Id be more inclined to just pass over it. If people ignore it, it'll lose steam. Its become more prevelant now, becuase people are responding to it more than previously. To such an extent that people have started seeing a post and the poster as 1 in the same, so both are game.

    I can only take you at your word on that but I disagree on the attack the post issue. You can see my account and you can see my infractions I assume, now look at this thread and the post I reported:

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=113492097

    still there and still not dealt with on the basis that "well sure the thread had moved on and its not that big an insult"".

    Guaranteed had I refered to someone as a 'creep' and a 'loser' I would have been red carded. Nn question


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Of course but the point is to give posters a chance. From post two onwards that thread was mostly full of the nonsense this thread is about. I've seen that kind of thread countless times on Boards with Accommodation & Property, Motors & Work & Jobs and Work Problems being the worst for it. A sizeable number of the userbase who consider themselves experts in those topic just comes here to act the dick and be snarky to people who commit the crime of wanting advice on something they don't know much about.

    Another thing I have noticed particularly in the Work Problems forum is people admitting they did something stupid/showed poor judgement etc.. and asking for advice only for a queue of people to post telling them how stupid they were, some people just love to stick the boot in on the internet. Very sad behaviour really and one of the reasons I went from having an average 12 posts per day in January to having less then 3 posts per day now. What's so wrong with trying to help people and just having a bit of a laugh?

    The last one I saw, the issue was more than the person was trying to worm our of a bullying complaint by finger pointing and downplaying their actions. People were giving advise but also some home truths


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme



    Another thing I have noticed particularly in the Work Problems forum is people admitting they did something stupid/showed poor judgement etc.. and asking for advice only for a queue of people to post telling them how stupid they were, some people just love to stick the boot in on the internet. Very sad behaviour really and one of the reasons I went from having an average 12 posts per day in January to having less then 3 posts per day now. What's so wrong with trying to help people and just having a bit of a laugh?

    I have observed people being berated in the work problems as well. Some very clearly upset struggling people seeking help being rounded on. Not very healthy from a mental health point of view. But I will say there are some really knowledgeable posters giving constructive advice in that forum as well.

    Planning and Building Regulations has a lot of condescending comments - I posted a question once, never again.

    Like you, I used to post a fair bit, and have received some good advice over the years and hope I have also given some good advice - and like you now, apart from a couple of forums where there is a friendly vibe, don't bother in the main. As someone else said, they have seen posters literally shut down their account within a day or so when they get attacked - that just leaves the clique to their own devices.

    Also Mod needs to be totally impartial in responses - I don't believe mod action questioning the original poster at an early point in the thread I've posted helped send the right message either.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    anewme wrote: »
    Also Mod needs to be totally impartial in responses

    Only when posting in a mod capacity.

    I don't think that was aimed at me anweme so don't take this as defensive but I think that needs to be clarified slightly.

    I'm a mod, I'm not paid to be here and I'm not paid to mod. I'm here because I enjoy the chat/banter/debate. When I'm posting without a mod hat on I'm not going to be impartial because I have opinions.

    Different story entirely when posting in a mod capacity.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Graham wrote: »
    Only when posting in a mod capacity.

    I don't think that was aimed at me anweme so don't take this as defensive but I think that needs to be clarified slightly.

    I'm a mod, I'm not paid to be here and I'm not paid to mod. I'm here because I enjoy the chat/banter/debate. When I'm posting without a mod hat on I'm not going to be impartial because I have opinions.

    Different story entirely when posting in a mod capacity.

    No I dont think you are being defensive at all Graham and I appreciate your response. Impartial may be wrong word...
    It might help to know how the Mod hats work in reality. If you are a Mod of a forum, are you always a Mod of that forum, or just when you are on duty (for want of a better word).?

    In the example thread, Gumbo, who is a Mod of that particular forum asks the OP 'for the real reason you are angry'. Given that OP was nothing but polite at all times, I felt it was an agressive and uncalled for response from a Mod and certainly did nothing to recover the tone of the rest of the responses and then someone else had to get involved to sort out the whole thing.

    That's what I'm getting at about calibration of standards across boards.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    anewme wrote: »
    It might help to know how the Mod hats work in reality. If you are a Mod of a forum, are you always a Mod of that forum, or just when you are on duty (for want of a better word).?

    There's no structured mod/not-mod time or being on/off-duty as it were.

    Most of my time on boards is spent as a regular poster. Like most Boardsies, I have a few forums I subscribe to and most of my time is spent browsing participating in those. Probably goes without saying that A & P is one of those forums.

    If a reported post comes in I'll stop and take a look, similarly I might come across something while browsing that needs a mod action.

    For me I'd say a significant part of 'modding' is housekeeping stuff, splitting threads, merging threads, killing zombies and the like. I'm sure that's the same for a lot of mods. Neyite described modding as a janitorial role, I reckon that's pretty spot-on.

    On calibration of standards, I think it probably is fair to say there are different 'standards' across forums, mostly driven by the nature of their subject and user-base. I see that as a good thing, after-hours being more relaxed than personal issues.

    I'm not going to get into dissecting individual posts/posters as Feedback isn't the place for that. I also think it's one of the reasons this thread has worked well so far.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Graham wrote: »

    I'm not going to get into dissecting individual posts/posters as Feedback isn't the place for that. I also think it's one of the reasons this thread has worked well so far.

    No thanks Graham for the overview, it kind of is what I thought it would be like being a Mod.

    I would not expect you to comment on individuals, as I dont want to put you in an unfair situation. I was clarifying where I was coming from, and how it looked to an outsider viewing that thread.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    anewme wrote: »
    No I dont think you are being defensive at all Graham and I appreciate your response. Impartial may be wrong word...
    It might help to know how the Mod hats work in reality. If you are a Mod of a forum, are you always a Mod of that forum, or just when you are on duty (for want of a better word).?

    In the example thread, Gumbo, who is a Mod of that particular forum asks the OP 'for the real reason you are angry'. Given that OP was nothing but polite at all times, I felt it was an agressive and uncalled for response from a Mod and certainly did nothing to recover the tone of the rest of the responses and then someone else had to get involved to sort out the whole thing.

    That's what I'm getting at about calibration of standards across boards.

    You're always a mod of the forum, I think.

    However, it would be normal to post a Mod note: at the beginning of a mod post to distinguish it from a normal post. And, where there would usually be more than 1 mod on a forum, posts in a thread a mod is posting regularly in would/should be left to a different forum mod. Saying that, mods would generally discuss particular issues between themselves as to responses to those issues so the end result should be the same.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    There is an increasing trend on boards for people to attack the poster. The same few posters twist the OP issue into being their fault even where it isn't and attack them. It's basically a strawman. Usually derails the thread. Oddly enough reporting them rarely results in sanctions.

    It certainly a change in tone that's crept in the last year or so. Perhaps it's a reflection on how people behave on social media. I don't know.

    It seems to be moderated much more strictly on that personal issues forum. (Not sure of name).


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    beauf wrote: »
    There is an increasing trend on boards for people to attack the poster. The same few posters twist the OP issue into being their fault even where it isn't and attack them. It's basically a strawman. Usually derails the thread. Oddly enough reporting them rarely results in sanctions.

    It certainly a change in tone that's crept in the last year or so. Perhaps it's a reflection on how people behave on social media. I don't know.

    It seems to be moderated much more strictly on that personal issues forum. (Not sure of name).

    That's a very good summary of it. There is stricter moderation on the Personal Issues page and trolls or ignorant responses are pulled up very quickly. That is probably because it is accepted that people posting on that forum may not be in a good place and don't need any more hassle.

    However, it should be accepted that just because someone is posting in another forum that they are "fair game" to be interrogated or ganged up on. They may also have something going on, in fact I have contacted 2 such posters privately over the past few weeks and indeed they have had their own challenges and could have done without being bullied away. It costs nothing to be civil.

    I would have thought Social Media is turning more towards civility and calling out bullies.

    I thank Graham Beasty and Bulford and the other Mods for their insights here, I believe its an interesting discussion and interesting to find out the background behind the Mods (who have a thankless job in the main). Boards.ie should perhaps be supporting them more perhaps.

    When I say Modding should be calibrated - what I mean is by all means have your own opinion and engage and argue even, and yes, some forums are lighthearted and jokey where others that a joke could not fly at all but I would expect a Mod to uphold the basic Boards Charter at all times. Not sure if that makes sense.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Moderators have a difficult job. They have my appreciation and thanks.

    But they are just people some have been different styles of moderation to others. Some are approachable and some aren't. The golden rule is not to question it, at least on thread.

    Personally I just avoid forums where I dislike the tone. It would be great if you could filter out some forums from your recent posts page. So you don't accidentally reply to anything in there. Another one would be to filter out threads where people on your ignore list are participating in. Those threads are consistently trainwrecks.

    I'd say if you run stats on troublesome threads you'd find the same handful of people are always in them. They may instigate a certain tone, while being careful not be reported themselves.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    anewme wrote: »
    However, it should be accepted that just because someone is posting in another forum that they are "fair game" to be interrogated or ganged up on.

    I don't think anyone has suggested that's acceptable.
    anewme wrote: »
    When I say Modding should be calibrated - what I mean is by all means have your own opinion and engage and argue even, and yes, some forums are lighthearted and jokey where others that a joke could not fly at all but I would expect a Mod to uphold the basic Boards Charter at all times. Not sure if that makes sense.

    Makes sense and I think for the most part that happens.

    It's not a perfect system by any stretch and it definitely works better when more people actively participate.

    It does help when posters don't sink to the level of the trolls. There's nothing worse than coming across a thread that's run riot unnoticed for a few hours where regular (and usually reasonable) posters have waded in boots first after being goaded by some flavour of troll. The mod might have to review the entire thread and decide whether to infract everyone or no-one, decide if the thread is salvageable, clean out the dross or just close the thread completely if it's reached train-wreck stage.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    beauf wrote: »
    I'd say if you run stats on troublesome threads you'd find the same handful of people are always in them. They may instigate a certain tone, while being careful not be reported themselves.

    There are a few that know where the line is and they'll do their best to dance around it as much as they can while goading other posters. I suspect these are the ones that cause most frustration. Inevitably they cross the line every now and then and get sanctioned for it and with the escalating sanctions they'll end up with a forum ban, probation or a complete ban. Either that or they'll realise they're sailing too close to the wind and reevaluate their posting style.

    I'd say the mods & regulars know only too well who these posters are in the forums they're active in.


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