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Posts about being moderated

• Message 1. 

  Posted by frightfulweather (U14914979) on Thursday, 15th September 2011

  Might it *please* be possible to do something about people constantly posting in DTA about moderatio decisions and the moderation system? The displays of wounded pride and indignance really break up the discussions on some threads, as well as the thinly veiled accusations of certain posters or of moderation being carried out by friends of Vanessa Whitburn.
  
  Did people not agree to the moderation system when they signed up to contribute to the site? Can they not be satisfied with the option of appealing if a decision is unfair, rather than turning each removed post into a huge issue?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Mustafa Grumble (U8596785) on Thursday, 15th September 2011

  Some of the moderation decisions are so utterly bizarre & illogical, removing posts for reasons that have no apparent connection with a breach of a House Rule, that to question them is, in my view, absolutely fine. There is precious little consistency between some moderation decisions, particularly those made at weekends. We often see posts rightly restored when Tayler gets back into her office chair on a Monday or Tuesday.
  
  Some people seem to forget the distinction between a post being referred, at which point it has not been modded, and it then being removed, at which point it /has/ been modded - but again, I think that is a reasonable point for discussion.
  
  Personally I think the *only* people who should be able to catpee a post are registered users of the board, not un-registered lurkers, although I do not think the complainer should be identified.
  
  And finally, just because the moderation system in ML is quirky, bizarre & generally poor, does not mean that people meekly should accept it as such - only through complaint can it be improved. I agreed to it when I signed up - but that does not mean that I think it is a model of perfection!

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Tayler Cresswell - Host (U14232848) on Thursday, 15th September 2011

  Hi both
  
  It's worth remembering that a post can be brought to the attention of the moderators when it includes a word that is picked up by a filter, so not necessarily referred by a person on the board. The filter picks up on rude words as well as others that may be included when libel might be an issue or illegal activities.
  
  Whilst I try to discourage lengthy discussions about moderation decisions, it's understandable that some will want to express their objections on the board. I think it would be disruptive to the flow of a discussion to remove every post about moderation.
  
  Whilst the system isn't perfect, and some decisions may be felt to be subjective, the moderators follow a strict set of guidelines and do their best to be fair.
  
  Tayler

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by frightfulweather (U14914979) on Thursday, 15th September 2011

  Thank for the rapid reply, Tayler. You're right that it would not be feasible to remove all posts regarding moderation, but some posters automatically make quite a scene whenever one of their posts is removed, even temporarily. I can understand, in some circumstances, why people would want to protest or question decisions. Maybe it would be possible to stop the messages of 'support' for a poster who has had a post removed; there is really no need for it, nobody died...
  
  Mustafa Grumble - I think that if a post has been temporarily hidden, then there is little point talking about it; it makes more sense to wait for the final decision before getting caried away.
  
  I also disagree that only registered users should be able to refer posts. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú belongs to everyone (at least in GB!), and if someone is upset at what they find here, they should be allowed to lodge a protest. This could particularly be the case if, for example, a person or a company was libelled on this site; it makes no sense to force them to register just to protest about a post.
  
  I do agree that those who refer posts should remain anonymous. Can you imagine the rows, people not 'speaking' to each other because of a referred post 3 years previously? It would also be a practical way for newcomers to be shunned, and heaven knows there is enough of that going on already.
  
  I don't think that all posters should meekly accept the moderation system, but I do think that people should remember that they are not too badly off on this site. Firstly, the moderation system means that one cannot be greeted with a series of insults on a thread - this can certainly be the case on Youtube, for example. Secondly, if your comment is removed from a thread on the Daily Mail's website, for instance, there is no appeals process, and your comment is gone. At least here there is an appeals process to overturn truly unfair decisions.
  
  Finally, it would just be if people could keep a sense of proportion. If one of my comments is modified, I tend to wonder exactly what I did wrong. If I find what I did wrong, then I correct it; if I think what I wrote was fine, then I appeal. And if I am on the receiving end of an unfair decision which is not overturned, then it's not going to stop me from sleeping! It's just one comment on one website, and I am not pretentious enough to imagine that deleting one of my comments will in anyway affect the world or any other people!

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