Clarity on new Current Affairs rules

I'm happy enough to give the new guidelines for ONE forum a chance.

I'm wondering if any other forum moderators have been drafted in to help in CA and no, I have no interest in who they are if they have.

I don't expect an answer, and have never asked for one.

We are asked to give a reason when reporting a post, which is what I do, though if I am in doubt I may phrase that reason in the form of a question.

So I've been sick and busy the last few weeks but catching up on some of these changes more through the threads I read and the contributions.

I'm still reading but seeing the same posters now allowed back to resume the derailing, baiting, gaslighting and general nonsense that they were originally threadbanned for seems counterproductive to say the least!!

I've also stumbled across something incredibly rare - a post from Odhran in the "graveyard" thread in feedback that doesn't really say anything new beyond "we hear you and we're thinking", but I suppose at least he's still around and apparently committed to keeping the site going so there's that at least.

For me though it's very very simple..

There are maybe 6-12 regular posters who cause most of the issues I described above. Everyone here knows who they are because the same stuff carries from thread to thread.

They aren't interested in debating or discussing in good faith. They just want to continually post their argumentative and inflammatory "contributions" and provoke other posters into responses that will attract mod attention or ultimately result in threads being closed.

It's obvious, it's repeated and it's getting very very old!!

The solution is obvious - final warnings followed by site bans if attitudes don't change rapidly.

That's it. That's as simple as it is.

No need for the random shuffling of mods around the site, no need for the convoluted, secretive, and lengthy selection process that generally just adds another forum to someone's existing lists (fresh blood would be a far better approach), and no need for an apparent free for all approach that now seems to be the response.

So what's stopping the site from taking these actions?

I'm happy to be used as a case study, let all the warnings and bans stand, but let people see the kind of posts that might earn them a three month (or permanent even, if you give it a couple more years) ban. I think they'd be surprised.

might start a new thread, just put it out there and let people make up their own minds

@Beasty do I have permission to post our PM exchanges where a couple warnings were overturned as part of this?

I've had about 12+ warnings in the past year, so mods have been pretty lenient, in fairness. I doubt I'll post much in CA in the future.

Edit: I probably deserved about 99% of them.

I am being cautious here, but think it might be a step in the right direction longterm if some persistent trolls are permabanned ...as long as mods are looking at posts being reported in context . In the shortterm I worry for some in the middle here who may not be trolls but are no angels either ! Especially with no recourse to dispute resolution until the final bans .

I am not sure if I understand all that is being talked about with the new rules and think the different points need more clarification to be fair to everyone eg I have heard of sealioning but wouldn't recognise it without somebody pointing it out , and I have never ever heard of " concern trolling " , ever before this . Maybe a sticky with some examples ( not you @Quantum Erasure !) ?

Also @Big Bag of Chips did you say each ban was a forum ban not a thread ban or is that just the final ban ?

Sorry for the late post . Have been off site for a bit and only catching up now .

I have never ever heard of " concern trolling " , ever before this . Maybe a sticky with some examples

I *think* concern trolling would be like a Trump supporter saying "I would vote for Kamala, but I can't given her stance on Israel/ Palestine" (as opposed to the genuine people on the left who say the same)

did you say each ban was a forum ban not a thread ban or is that just the final ban ?

yeah, it's a full forum ban

I think long term things will work out better, you can already see banned posters back doing what they did before threadbans.

You would hope they will be dealt with and eventually things will be better for all.

The having to have 50 posts for CA is a great move.

Could I ask if someone could look into adding a rule.

The make up of this site is mostly people in their mid 30s above I would think which makes up a big number of posters.

When a handful of posters go into every thread talking about middle aged angry men in nearly every post, it is simply an attempt to insult and wind up a high percentage of posters in that thread.

Dealing with these posters would be a great way to reduce bickering in threads.

They know what they are doing is trolling and everyone else who sees them in action know they are trolling, the majority of people could tell you two posters in particular who are at it.

I, myself, once posted in the ‘Controversial Opinions’ thread in AH that middle aged cis whyte men are the biggest snowflakes in the online sphere and, if I’m honest, I stand by that still.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m well into my 40s, myself, but I’m rarely angry or ruled by fear, hatred and division. I see changes in the world and, rightly or wrongly, I accept that these changes are, for the most part, good. If I thought they were bad, while not agreeing with them, I wouldn’t be loudly bleating online about how “terrible everything is” and how it not the same as it was 20/30 years ago.

It’s clear as day that I wasn’t referring to all middle aged men, just the ones who boil with impotent rage online, day in day out. It’s a general opinion, no one is being directly attacked.

I do find it strange, though, that the ones who cry “censorship!” whenever they break the site rules and have their, odious, opinions removed are the first ones crying to the mods when something they don’t like, possibly about themselves, is brought up, like when supporting Trump is equated to supporting a rapist.

It all just smacks of craving an echo chamber of hate, while moaning about the site being an echo chamber for some made up “side” that everyone else must be on.

That was supposed to already exist..