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

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Comments

  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    I would offer the suggestion going forward, for all mods, that perhaps when moving a thread we leave a note in the OP then?

    Presuming it’s fair enough with everyone and doesn’t otherwise cause any confusion with the thread. In fairness most mods don’t move threads without adding a post themselves even if all it says is “moved to X forum”

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Paul on


  • Posts: 24,009 Marley Harsh Specs


    when I was modding I avoided (or tried to and likely failed times over) smart remarking as it doesn’t give a good vibe to modding, and just goes to convey a sense of superiority that is not warranted. As a mod are doing a voluntary job to help maintain a basic level of decency and are no better than any other poster, you are just in a privileged and also voluntary position to keep it going without unduly upsetting posters whose lives you don’t know about.

    I made a woeful mistake when modding, won’t go into it now, but a normally very decent poster was deeply upset and I got into a stupid circular stance of defending myself when my then position was indefensible. A very good and empathetic C Mod made me see, in the nicest possible way, how much hurt I had caused and I apologised to poster and said I was completely out of order. I certainly learned a life lesson then.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 524 ✭✭✭vswr


    You always get these types of threads on forums when they ae in the throws of death…

    Happened numerous times in the early 2010's when a lot of forums died off in favour of Facebook.

    I think Boards has a couple of years left, but, it has deffo lost its major appeal…the vanilla change was a deathblow IMO…

    When the ads, get bigger and more annoying, you know things are bad.



  • Posts: 24,009 Marley Harsh Specs


    I use my phone and generally stick to active threads so am not affected so much, I’ve given up on forums a lot and if I’m interested in something and want to see if there is a thread I Google it with Boards.ie added 😁



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,233 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison
    #MEGA MAKE EUROPE GREAT AGAIN


    so great - lots of mods former mods, admins and c mods in this thread -now can you do us all a favour and go moderate the site please ?

    And yes I am pizzed off - you’re fine appearing here but where are you when multiple posts by obvious trolls are reported time and time again by multiple posters?
    And if you even eventually get around to it, you put a dig in to those reporting the posts in the first place.

    Take a long hard look at yourselves because at this stage I couldn’t give a sho1te about your trivial issues - go moderate the site or get off the pitch and hand in your modship it’s actually that simple



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,395 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    It's clear that to re-reg a new account is a logical way around some of the nonsensical and/or petty thread bans handed out. It has been stated above that it's open to a banned poster to pm the relevant mod, go down on bended knee presumably and ask to be re-instated. Might work in the chess etc forum but hardly in the likes of politics or current affairs. One very good reason to have all bans lapse automatically after a certain period to help avoid this.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,997 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson


    Its fairly hard to get banned so no way should they be temporary.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭knucklehead6


    just purely for my own info, is a forum ban on vanilla not timed anyway? From memory, vBulletin used allow set times, day week month etc.

    does vanilla not allow that?



  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    We are volunteers Oscar. I personally have today off after working 50 hours over the last 5 days with Easter etc, so my time has been very limited.
    Im exhausted and haven’t the headspace for moderating much today, should I hand in my notice now?
    It’s completely unfair to take such an attitude with us all collectively and to make such sweeping accusations. because you perceive someone to be a troll doesn’t make it so.

    Like honestly this is the major issue with threads like this, they turn into mod bashing and THAT is why they are closed off eventually. It’s unproductive and just venting frustration which we all feel in one capacity of another. Completely unfair to say no one’s modding the site because we’re here answering queries from posters.

    like Jesus man if no mod, cmod or admin replied in this thread you’d be complaining we’re not here!



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  • Posts: 24,009 Marley Harsh Specs


    getting newbie mods is problematic. A lot of us have durtied our bibs by expressing what we believe in good faith, although I’ve thrown in the odd response digeen and sarcastic reply here and there and wouldn’t touch missing with a kilometre long barge pole. Ego has no place in modding, of course it occurs and we are ALL human, but one needs to recognise it in oneself. The reward of good modding would very naturally to a very small cohort of posters. At Admin level one needs to be way tougher as it is the place of final decisions and they are the legal protectors of the site.

    Quiet authority without sarcastic responses garners more respect, but not many can curtail their natural responses when in such a position. Consistency is vitally important, and not giving into the worst of the bullies. This is not a democratic forum by any means, but the site owner would do well to I serve some of the hints being proffered.



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 34,938 CMod ✭✭✭✭ShamoBuc


    Forum Bans are time limited - except if the forum is in a Group, like Soccer. There you are simply removed and need to apply after a certain time for access again.



  • Posts: 6,597 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I don't think there are any petty site bans, and they always come after many warnings and threadbans. I would love to see re-regs correctly identified and blocked before they ever get to spread more of their bile on the site.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,395 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    Ha ha, have you tried? All you need to do is go a bit against the prevailing view on the thread and have a few reports made against you. Have you read this thread from the start. It's obvious if you watch the site for a while that posters get thread banned, disappear and reappear. I'm currently banned off two threads for petty reasons - nothing uncivil or dick headish about either.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,035 ✭✭✭skallywag


    Mods on here do a pretty good job dealing with needlessly aggressively needy folk, some of whom I see are posting in this very thread.

    Such posters get all worked up when their aggression is not tolerated and are given a ticking off.

    Grow up, act like an adult, or go home.



  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    Threadbans are not like forum bans, which absolutely do have time limits and expirations.

    Threadbans are basically just being told not to post. It doesn’t stop you doing so. If I forum ban you then AH disappears. You can’t see it and you certainly can’t post.

    From my own experience I’ve threadbanned several posters, who after a time have reached out and asked for their ban to be reviewed which has been done and in almost all cases from memory lifted as a result. Sometimes it is just a matter of giving you time to chill out and in future I will be more likely to issue a dated threadban (ie do not post in this thread for 72hr), rather than leave it open ended.

    We deal with sometimes a lot of people everyday and unfortunately it’s impossible to keep track of everyone and follow up in a few days or weeks to see if they want to review their ban. If you want to then reach out to the issuing mod yourself would be my advice.

    Look, none of us are very interested in making posters lives miserable, but in doing so we must always keep in mind the wider community. If someone’s posting in a manner which is upsetting the larger population they need to be sorted one way or another. But I’ve never refused to review any mod action or engage with a poster except in very rare circumstances where I don’t think we can agree to a resolution (in which case I will direct to DRP, help desk or a cmod as appropriate).

    But as far as threadbans specifically go it’s not possible at the moment to put them on an automatic timer which expires after a certain length. But it’s a very good idea and it’s something I’ll keep in mind myself in future. Circumstance depending instead of just a threadban I will give a poster a chance to redeem themselves by making it clear it’s temporary.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,997 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson


    Tried getting thread banned? No, thats not a goal for most people. Yes I have read most of it. No one actually gets banned for petty reasons despite what every single prison/dispute resolution thread claims.



  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    It is not a logical way around that Furze. The logical approach is to contact the moderator in question, the Cmod or Help Desk if all that fails.

    Re reg to circumvent the ban will just lead to you being permanently sitebanned, that’s really just the end of it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,395 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    And the same should apply to thread bans, as pointed out above these are self policed in a sort of way. But in practice if a poster repeatedly ignores a thread ban then they'll be forum banned. There's an instance mentioned up thread here of a poster accidentally forgetting a thread ban and being censured further.

    Site bans yes I'm sure are warranted but that is the nuclear option. But forum and thread bans should be limited and expire automatically.



  • Posts: 6,597 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I have been thread banned and warned on a number of occassions and with one exception I aint complaining and bitching about it on the forums. Get over it and grow up.

    If your site banned you are not welcome on Boards and a re-reg is against the rules of the site.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,233 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison
    #MEGA MAKE EUROPE GREAT AGAIN


    Yes you need good mods but like everything these days the commitment to a site such as this is only ever going to be temporary given the younger demographic - so give them or ask them for a 6 month or 1 year commitment - then demod and move on - and get more volunteers -introduce 24 hour bans - basically a slap on the wrist - move to 1 week then 1 month etc - it won’t deal with re regs but it will deal with stupid pr1#ks who want to try out trolling as an occupation - I’ve been in contact with a number of posters who can’t understand how some bloody obvious trolls are here without any sanction - so there’s certainly collision between certain mods and certain posters who have been here for some time on the site - that bloody obvious to anyone - there’s rot in boards but no one is willing to call it out

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Paul on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,395 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    I'm quite grown up, thank you very much. And I'd appreciate less patronising advice :)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,531 ✭✭✭Gusser09


    Its nothing to do with the youngsters and the way they use the internet. There are still plenty of "old" people around and boards could thrive.

    Modding is the biggest issue without a doubt. Forum bans handed out and not revoked even after years. Its madness.

    I know mods are volunteers. But some of them are really poor. Not all. Just some.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,997 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson


    If you want a threadban lifted pm the mod. Thats how it expires no automated nonsense needed. If you are too scared to PM a mod or incapable of engaging with them then maybe that thread/forum just doesn't suit you anyway.



  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    there seems to be some confusion around how bans work? To put it simply

    Threadbans are just mod instructions. There’s nothing preventing you from posting in a thread you’ve been told not to but you will be further sanctioned for doing so. They have no time limit and if you want it lifted you must discuss that with the mod. If nothing comes of that you can dispute it in Help Desk only.

    Forum Bans are time limited (except when permanent but that’s last chancearoo you’ve been a pain in the neck for a long time) and will completely restrict your access. The forum(s) you’re banned from are not visible to you anymore. Those are disputed in Dispute Resolution if you can’t get anywhere with the moderator who banned you.

    Sitebans are full on sitewide bans obviously by the name. You can’t use the site with your account anymore. Depending on if it’s sitebanned by warnings it will expire once your “active” points fall below 5 active points.
    As I understand because there’s no prison forum or any easy way to dispute a site ban the admins won’t do it manually except in very rare circumstances of serious rule breaches and the process for expiration is the same as forum bans.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,233 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison
    #MEGA MAKE EUROPE GREAT AGAIN


    I and many posters are completely at the end of our tether with lack of moderation on certain threads and when they do intervene they don’t hit the issue or the poster - so yes I’m annoyed - so you can file my “protest” whatever way you wish - I don’t care anymore it’s that simple - either this thread is for voices to be heard or it’s not - if the message is too hard to take then whatever that’s way above my pay grade



  • Posts: 24,009 Marley Harsh Specs


    but you have t a clue who is a rereg, and you certainly have t site-banned trolling regs. In fact certain one(s) enjoy impunity on Boards, as if they have some hold on the site that I can’t possibly think of. Others making critiques get warnings, they get no visible warnings. And one poster in particular is making fun of their impunity and trolling other posters to have command of threads. It is being allowed and is quite frankly a disgrace.



  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    I don’t know what threads you’re referring to so I can’t really offer anymore than I have already. But you seem to think all the mods don’t give a shite when I’ve just explained we’re volunteers and can’t be everywhere at once. If troublesome posts are not reported we can’t deal with them and if posters are causing trouble they will be dealt with in due course. I will say I see an awful lot of people claiming a poster is “trouble” or “a troll” when in reality it’s just they’re not very popular among certain groups.
    we don’t moderate on popularity of an individual we will moderate if the charter or site rules are broken.



  • Posts: 24,009 Marley Harsh Specs


    Generally if you can’t be broadly civil maybe the site isn’t for such a person.

    I just tried to quote a post? Again this time it didn’t work. This eve I g I’m watching sentences I tripped being changed by Vanilla software. It’s getting weird now.



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  • Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭ Charleigh Tinkling Squadron


    I don’t have the tools to verify if someone is a re reg or not but the admins certainly do. I can also tell you for a fact any suspected re reg is reported to admins and checked by same.
    Vanilla has hampered the admins ability somewhat to link accounts together as well but when someone is re reg and detected they are sitebanned.
    What you may not realise is often these re reg trolls are the same handful of people and not a massive group.
    For example I can think of one person who re reg’d close to 100 times just in my tenure as a mod!

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Paul on


This discussion has been closed.
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