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Moderation in Covid Forum - school

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  • 14-01-2021 3:10pm
    #1
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭


    After a polite discussion with one of the mods, I wish to raise an issue with the moderation in one of the threads in the covid forum, pertaining to schools.

    The long running thread has been divisive, and difficult to moderate, I appreciate, but this morning several long standing posters, all from one side of an argument, were banned. This occurred as they responded to several posters who clearly came to derail a thread, posting ("in my opinion) messages designed to goad and taunt others.

    One poster in particular, despite being demonstrably shown to be spreading misinformation based on their own flawed understanding of an issue, continues to be allowed post without sanction. They also "like" many posts which have been of bad faith arguments, which demonstrates their intent to continue to argue in bad faith.

    I understand the role of mods is difficult, but it seemed this morning that some people lost the run of themselves. To sacrifice several long standing posters who have reacted to other curiously new posters to appease the technicalities of the charter, it just doesn't feel right.


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    #2
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,485 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Not sitewide feedback - moved to Help Desk


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    #3
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,418 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    I'm one of those posters who were banned. Situation in that thread is ridiculous. Anti-teacher faction are allowed to twist and derail the thread without any apparant sanction. Now I have been told by a mod that we are not privy to what goes on privately. Now I accept that might happen but publicly these posters seem to be allowed to carry on without any impact on their posting privilages.


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    #4
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,485 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    I see your threadban as beenlifted since you posted here

    Threadbans are useful tools to either take the heat out of a discussion, or force a poster to engage with a mod. I assume the latter happened here. I know when I issue threadbans if a poster appeals to me, and has not caused problems previously I may simply ask them to change their posting style to avoid further problems.

    There have been plenty of threadbans issued throughout the "history" of those threads with posters from both "sides" involved. Off the top of my head though I am pretty sure there have been more threadbans and other sanctions handed out to those attacking teachers than those defending them


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    #5
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    Beasty wrote: »
    I see your threadban as beenlifted since you posted here

    Threadbans are useful tools to either take the heat out of a discussion, or force a poster to engage with a mod. I assume the latter happened here. I know when I issue threadbans if a poster appeals to me, and has not caused problems previously I may simply ask them to change their posting style to avoid further problems.

    There have been plenty of threadbans issued throughout the "history" of those threads with posters from both "sides" involved. Off the top of my head though I am pretty sure there have been more threadbans and other sanctions handed out to those attacking teachers than those defending them

    I agree, Beasty, the numbers would probably show that, but the sheer amount of reregs and brand spanking new accounts that pop up is astonishing. There was even an in thread joke at one point that it was like "whack a mole".

    I appreciate its not easy, just the point we were making is that very very long standing posters in the thread, those quoting sources and trying to engage in good faith were railroaded out the other day based on (imp) minor incidents when there was clear poor engagement from inflammatory new accounts, or seemingly intentional riling from others.

    Just to draw attention to it, surely a poster with a track of positive contribution earns a bit of leeway, especially when the nonsense posts are seemingly being dealt with privately as explained above, rather than in thread.

    Enjoy the weekend!


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    #6
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,485 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    I'm slightly surprised at your suggestion there are lots of new accounts in that thread. Yes the odd one pops up, and indeed quite a few who signed up during the course of 2020. However the vast majority of mod actions (deletions, cards, bans, threadbans) have involved posters who have posted in numerous threads and forums across the site.


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    #7
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    Beasty wrote: »
    I'm slightly surprised at your suggestion there are lots of new accounts in that thread. Yes the odd one pops up, and indeed quite a few who signed up during the course of 2020. However the vast majority of mod actions (deletions, cards, bans, threadbans) have involved posters who have posted in numerous threads and forums across the site.

    Well I could list out several accounts who came and went from the thread who's sole post count pertained to the school thread. I'm sure you don't want my personal hit list of sorts. They end up deleted after a month or so of dragging a post off message, and someone else steps in.

    We had one poster who doggedly copy pasted from a document, with little relevance, and was obsessed with the idea of marquees. He was allowed massive scope to drive everyone mad... He left. Then you had another with an oceanic moniker who similarly tried to adopt an officious line... He went. There however is a different poster who seems legit, but gets information wrong on a consistent basis and refuses to admit they are factually wrong. This is spreading disinformation, and when 5 people pointed this out, ran to this similar forum claiming they were being bullied, though I was glad to see a very measured approach. And on and on it goes. Those posters were practically never publicly admonished, and if they were it would be when both sides were, which completely undermines the point.

    As you said yourself, you've dipped in and out. When you're at the coal face you recognise those who come, go, and remarkably others who come in with a similar style. The main crux seems to be, when you've demonstrably shown someone to be incorrect, on black and white issues, and they still get to post "well I don't believe that in my opinion", it undermines the faith of everyone in mods when that person is then critcised in a non abusive way and the mods then step in to throw bans around on thr ones who actually do the homework.


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    #8
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    In the interest of fairness, good to see a renewed effort to keep the thread on track and a bit of focus from the modding team here. No idea if there was a chat in the back ground but it seems to have worked a bit. No one wants to see an increase in cards and bans naturally but its good to see a stricter focus on those who are clearly there to rile.


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