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Topic: Moderation (Read 16455 times)

Moderation

I'll pen down a few thoughts on what I think would be good to have in moderators:


  • An international aspect with regard to timezones. This probably means at least a couple of people from Europe or Africa and a couple from the Americas. I know there might be some people from around UTC+6 through UTC+11, but that might be harder to achieve. Note that I mean this primarily as a practical matter with regard to potential moderator response times, not as an attempt at cultural diversity.

  • Diversity of beliefs. This is not an atheist forum. I'm not sure whether this will have to be defined more precisely, but it means e.g. Belfrager could a candidate if he were interested.



PS This is more for myself but it might be of interest:
http://my.opera.com/community/forums/findpost.pl?id=14979862
Quote from: jax
I wouldn't bother too much with the captchas, but what any forum needs is quick ways to mass delete messages. Post limits and join limits are good as well.

Re: Moderation

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Frenzie on


  • Diversity in beliefs. This is not an atheist forum. I'm not sure whether this will have to be defined more precisely, but it means e.g. Belfrager could a candidate if he were interested.



Belfrager is not interested anyway.

I think  cultural diversity to be fundamental for moderation. I will defend very much that.
I also think that the ability for "fine moderation", I mean someone's capacity for moderating without people almost even notice it, to be of the most importance. That requires some specific personal characteristics.

I have to say just a word about Sgunhouse and Jax's moderation of former D&D, my conscience demands me so.
I think it was exemplar and I thank you both. Without the comprehension about cultural diversity they demonstrated to possess, I and probably others would have been banned long ago.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Moderation

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

An international aspect with regard to timezones.

Than one is essential IMO. I'm a mod on another forum solely to deal with spam posts and there are a handful of us all in different timezones. It was desperately needed to combat the spam that plagued the place once upon a time. Still get the odd day when the bots get through but they are now dealt with swiftly regardless of the time of day.
The start and end to every story is the same. But what comes in between you have yourself to blame.

Re: Moderation

Reply #3 –
Answering to the OP.
Also every moderator should better have her/his English at quite fluent a level - so that not causing any trouble.
I'm not about myself.
Anyway, let's see who'll come in the first place. MyOpera has currently some forumers good enough with their English (I don't mean any Scots!:D).

Re: Moderation

Reply #4 –
One difficult matter is that of legality. Nowadays one cannot slander people on the web and be sure of anonymity and invulnerability and then there is the tricky matter of copyright. Does anyone know how Opera handled this?

It becomes a moderator problem because they are the forum's first line of defence, but none will be sufficiently au fait with relevant laws in every country on the planet to cover such a thing definitively. Or how to dodge Jihads come to that.

Then there is the matter of liability for the forum itself if it does not take reasonable steps to prevent such digressions. So that is something we  should have more or less straight away.

It's clear there should be an up-front general disclaimer (eg in the sense that "It's all the poster's opinion and not necessarily that of the Forum") and there should be Forum Posting Rules. A starting point for the latter could be the Opera version - Forum rules, although I see there are one or two things missing, for example the matters mentioned before of not using slander or infringing copyright and one or two other things.

It's dismaying how quickly one gets into rules and regulations isn't it!

I'll have a go at it if you like Frenzie; it will take a couple of weeks or so since I'm going to Nl this week. I may need to contact Opera if I'm to plagiarise their rules.

Re: Moderation

Reply #5 –
Quote from: string on
I'll have a go at it if you like Frenzie; it will take a couple of weeks or so since I'm going to Nl this week. I may need to contact Opera if I'm to plagiarise their rules.

That would be great. :)

Re: Moderation

Reply #6 –
Quote from: string on

One difficult matter is that of legality. Nowadays one cannot slander people on the web and be sure of anonymity and invulnerability and then there is the tricky matter of copyright. Does anyone know how Opera handled this?

Or which laws apply in the first place. The server is in .nl, isn't it?
About slander - I'm not sure if it would be enough to keep the forum inaccessible to anyone who isn't a registered user ( so it won't be 'legally public', for lack of a better term )

Quote from: string on

It's dismaying how quickly one gets into rules and regulations isn't it!

Indeed. You'd hope the only rule necessary is "don't be a dick", unfortunately it's never that easy :(
Looking at the rules in other forums ( and the motivation behind them ) definitely looks like a good idea.

Re: Moderation

Reply #7 –
The server is in the Netherlands, so I would imagine Dutch laws apply. Mac, you interested in being a moderator in the Americas? There's no expectation of regular activity attached; I figure an occasionally visiting mod is still a lot better than one less mod.

Re: Moderation

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

The server is in the Netherlands, so I would imagine Dutch laws apply. Mac, you interested in being a moderator in the Americas? There's no expectation of regular activity attached; I figure an occasionally visiting mod is still a lot better than one less mod.

Sure, why not? I guess for now at least the main task would be to watch out for spammers and get rid of them ( not that I've seen any so far, but I'm sure they'll show up once the search engines find the forum )

Re: Moderation

Reply #9 –
ׂ

Re: Moderation

Reply #10 –
Quote from: j7n on
That means hiding this forum section entirely too.

For now I think hiding it from prying guest eyes is enough. Every My Opera member's input is welcome, especially since we presumably all have some experience with different communities.
Quote
Are moderators expected to be online and active on preset hours?
No.

Re: Moderation

Reply #11 –
For what it's worth, from one who has pushed the envelope a bit testing the grit of the moderators, I think the moderators in MyOpera were superb (in the last 4-5 years).

Now, I'm not suggesting that they be recruited to moderate here, but one never knows if one doesn't ask, after all come March 2014 they might just realize what boredom really is.

At the very least, I think they (whoever they are) should be 'invited' here to guest post their views on Moderating, pros--cons, the ins & outs.

Most important of all, to hear & listen to their suggestions.

After all, they did what they did successfully -- right?

Simply handing a badge to a warm body doesn't always make for the ideal deputy sheriff.

Sure you satisfy the need to have 'somebody' doing it, but is that going to reap the best results long-run, especially during this fledgling forum's most formative weeks/months/years? 

Re: Moderation

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Quote from: string on
I'll have a go at it if you like Frenzie; it will take a couple of weeks or so since I'm going to Nl this week. I may need to contact Opera if I'm to plagiarise their rules.

That would be great. :)


I've had an initial look at these things Forum objectives, cautions and rules etc) and found, of course, that there are many different versions, even a forum which forbade discussion would you believe (it is on saving money)! As I've said, I'm away for a week but when I get back I'll make a draft and send it to you so we can maybe polish it so we're both reasonably happy and then post it here for all to see and comment. I suspect it will remain a work in progress for a little while until things settle.

Re: Moderation

Reply #13 –
I'll recruit the former D&D poster known as johnogaziechi to this site.
If he's interested in carrying on putting up with us all, perhaps he'd consider a modship?

That would mean diversity in having mods in different continents, as you requested Frenzie, and would also bring on board a religious moderator as well, and Catholic to boot, @Belfrager. Additionally, he would probably recruit Nigerans, and other Africans as well.

But one thing is assured; before our time is up, we simply must recruit Mr. Howie to this site; not to moderate, mind you, but to post, as I've always enjoyed his senile ramblings and ravings, and I'm sure Belfrager would go into withdrawals not having the old Orange v Green debates.  :trollface:

Re: Moderation

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Colonel Rebel on

I'll recruit the former D&D poster known as johnogaziechi to this site.
If he's interested in carrying on putting up with us all, perhaps he'd consider a modship?

He'd get my vote ( wait, who said there's going to be voting? )

Quote from: Colonel Rebel on

That would mean diversity in having mods in different continents, as you requested Frenzie, and would also bring on board a religious moderator as well, and Catholic to boot, @Belfrager. Additionally, he would probably recruit Nigerans, and other Africans as well.

I'd be more concerned with having mods all over the different time zones so there's always a decent chance that someone's awake enough to deal with crap. Maybe I'm naive but I think most moderating here will be cleaning up after spam bots.

Quote from: Colonel Rebel on

But one thing is assured; before our time is up, we simply must recruit Mr. Howie to this site; not to moderate, mind you, but to post, as I've always enjoyed his senile ramblings and ravings, and I'm sure Belfrager would go into withdrawals not having the old Orange v Green debates.  :trollface:

You weren't supposed to say that in public  >:(
I'm sure he'll show up eventually. He's been in on The Old Place since before the previous ice age, I doubt he could stop if he wanted to  ;)

Re: Moderation

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Macallan on
Maybe I'm naive but I think most moderating here will be cleaning up after spam bots.

Same here. At least in our main sections, the moderation policy is extremely liberal.

Here is a policy I find interesting: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/rules/ Not necessarily to emulate, but it certainly has some relevant aspects.

Re: Moderation

Reply #16 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Quote from: Macallan on
Maybe I'm naive but I think most moderating here will be cleaning up after spam bots.

Same here. At least in our main sections, the moderation policy is extremely liberal.

Yeah, I kinda like the no personal attacks rule from The Old Place. I don't think we need to censor swearing but that may just be me.

Quote from: Frenzie on

Here is a policy I find interesting: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/rules/ Not necessarily to emulate, but it certainly has some relevant aspects.

I'd think 'bigoted slurs' would fall under personal attacks most of the time. I don't think we need to care about people being on or off topic, it's not like this is the official support forum of anything. Same with derailing threads - if posters respond to trolls instead of blocking them they're taking part in the derailing.
Posting personal info on any other member without said member's consent should be insta-ban in my opinion. Maybe call that the GOM rule.
Rules against First Post and the like would mess up most Lounge games.
Flooding outside such game threads, even if it's not outright spam is a different story though.
I'm not so sure about sockpuppets either - nothing wrong with banned users coming back as long as they behave. Perma-bans should probably be the absolute exception ( well, except for spam bots ) - SMF has options like just keeping someone from posting in a certain section for a period of time.

Re: Moderation

Reply #17 –
Quote from: Macallan on
Yeah, I kinda like the no personal attacks rule from The Old Place. I don't think we need to censor swearing but that may just be me.

I'm inclined to agree.
Quote from: Macallan on
Rules against First Post and the like would mess up most Lounge games.

Naturally there would have to be (somewhat) different rules for different sections.
Quote from: Macallan on
I'm not so sure about sockpuppets either - nothing wrong with banned users coming back as long as they behave.

I think it's talking about "real" sockpuppetry (i.e. making it seem like people agree with you when it's all just you), not about a new 'nym.

Re: Moderation

Reply #18 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Quote from: Macallan on
I'm not so sure about sockpuppets either - nothing wrong with banned users coming back as long as they behave.

I think it's talking about "real" sockpuppetry (i.e. making it seem like people agree with you when it's all just you), not about a new 'nym.

I haven't seen many of those and most were one post wonders attempting 'clever' spam. Usually of the "<obscure book of bullshit> changed my life!!!one!", "mine too" variety.

Re: Moderation

Reply #19 –
I've seen it at least once. I was debating animal rights with someone and then another poster came around, saying something like "I think Someone may have a point there." He didn't keep up the charade very well and it was more pathetic than anything else, hardly banworthy, but it does happen.

Re: Moderation

Reply #20 –
I didn't say it didn't happen, just that the instances I saw were mostly covered by other rules and what's left probably doesn't warrant special treatment. As you said, hardly banworthy. Or rather, the entertainment value far outweighs the damage ( if any ).

Re: Moderation

Reply #22 –
Quote from: Macallan on

Maybe I'm naive but I think most moderating here will be cleaning up after spam bots.


I'm not sure of that. Most posters that comes from D&D have a certain experience and things don't usually goes too far in terms of friction but new ones can be a different matter. People needs a cold warn when too hot...
A matter of attitude.

Re: Moderation

Reply #24 –
Did you notice all the don't-even-think-of-PMing-me signatures?   ;D