Are the forums too strict?
- Thread starter Ando85
- Start date
Recommended Videos
This is probably the closest to the problem. Mods are people just like us, and they will react emotionally to a post. If your form elicits a negative emotional response, then yeah, they're going to be predisposed to take action against it. What gets that kind of response, varies from mod to mod.Spangles said:
Its not about fairness. Its not about people agreeing with you. Its about courtesy. If you said, "This so and so sucks! The music is terrible! The jokes are unfunny!" then you're not making an argument, you'd just be insulting the content.Jared Berg said:
If someone else said, "I did not enjoy this at all. I feel as though the music could use polish, especially a new microphone. The jokes fell flat here and here because so-and-so" then they'd be fine. They did not insult, they stated their reaction, and explained why they felt how they did. There's a huge difference.
I haven't seen the aforementioned post, but chances are, if you've been warned over site content and you're now simply describing it as "Bad," then you likely do not fully grasp the first half of rule number three:
Forum Rules said:
The only one that bugs me, is when someone posts just a picture and get's probation.
Even when the pic is completely perfect and is easily worth a thousand words, it still get's Mod Wrath.
Even when the pic is completely perfect and is easily worth a thousand words, it still get's Mod Wrath.
Honestly there have been a few cases where I would agree. Sometime I read a post that warrented a one week suspension and I can't even see how it would be that offensive. Although the "Criticize the post, not the poster." rule does make a few of them make more sense to me now. I can see how in some heated arguments it may be dificult to remain within that rule.Ando85 said:
That rule gets abused sometimes too, though; remember all the bans over Game Dogs and Top 5? I never watched an episode of Game Dogs, but I can honestly say that the first few episodes of Top 5 were painfully bad, as in "why do we have this show?" bad. I watched an episode recently, and it was much better, but man did it have a hard time finding its legs. I remember quite a few bans from people criticizing it, though, even if they did so in a fairly constructive manner. Moral of the story: be very careful if you want to criticize a show on The Escapist.Erana said:
Ordinarily I'd say they're just fine, but I saw a post the other day that really made me laugh, but the poster was put on probation for it. In short, he made a philosophical non sequitor look like a crack at Xbox fans (like myself). There was nothing inappropriate in the post, and the joke did not even denounce the Xbox or its fanbase. But somehow, that statement was enough to put the poster on probation because hordes of morons thought they were being insulted. That's just unfair.
I think they do an OK job, actually. I think that some posts (especially the more borderline cases)go unnoticed is because no-one (or an insufficient number of people) actually reported them so the mods never see them.
I've also gotten the impression that the mods here are pretty open to discussing the situation with the offender, and I've seen punishments reversed in short order if they weren't justified. I've actually seen less of it lately, but when I first joined the forums the rules were a little different and there was a group of particularly...controversial...posters, so there was a lot more of that stuff flying around.
I've also gotten the impression that the mods here are pretty open to discussing the situation with the offender, and I've seen punishments reversed in short order if they weren't justified. I've actually seen less of it lately, but when I first joined the forums the rules were a little different and there was a group of particularly...controversial...posters, so there was a lot more of that stuff flying around.
Well, yes, they have been made relative. The whole idea of the rules is that they're a philosophy the staff wants to impress upon us, and the mods are people chosen because they have a grasp of the staff's ideals and will try to uphold them.Sir John the Net Knight said:
We're meant to be a community. A community expected to be mature and respectful. We really shouldn't need rules at all. Any arguments here should be made where the other is our interlocutor, not our enemy. Any observations on a topic, good or bad, should be expressed with an explanation and not in generalizations and vague adjectives. Most importantly, this should be an environment where the most desired outcome in a conflict is the participants apologizing and coming to an agreement, not that one person should "win."
At least, that's what I've come to believe the ideals of the forums to be. I know my mind's 3/5ths fluff and cotton candy, but try to follow what I think the staff wants, and feel that the rules suggest that forum participation should be in that direction.
And yes, definitely this. From what I've heard from the mods, this is largely why a mod-worthy post goes unhammered.justnotcricket said:
To some, perhaps. I think there might be some things that should've been let go or were interpretted wrong by the staff. In those cases, you ARE allowed to appeal the thing. Many just don't take that time to do so.
i agree, there seems to be a lot of needless probations, i wish they would add an off topic section of forums that could truly be off topic, even there you have to adhere to strict guidelines. i like how the threads here are more constructive than most, but sometimes i would like to participate in a less serious thread, and i don't think that would hurt anything.
It does seem pretty strict here, and the moderation can be inconsistent at times, but most of the time it seems fair. Keeps the posts interesting as well, otherwise everyone could just post 'lol' or something in response to a thread. I know a fair few people who haven't joined the Escapist, but know of it, and have commented on how 'draconian' the moderators are. Fair enough, I guess, but at least it means that the illiterate assholes are banned, and all the witty, eloquent assholes get to share their opinions.
I have never had a problem with the strictness of this interwebsite. Sure sometimes the level of moderation can seem a little inconsistent, but I keep in mind that Mods are just people, and that most of the time I'm only seeing one part of the story. Besides, I like spontaneous moderation; It keeps me on my toes!
At least it would if I wasn't such a nice guy. : )
At least it would if I wasn't such a nice guy. : )
This, basically. I've disagreed with people several times throughout my time here on The Escapist, but because I've only called out certain points I disagreed with, and didn't resort to name-calling, I've never even gotten a probation. Like Hader said, it's a simple enough rule to follow...Hader said:
Now, to those people who are saying that the mods only look at the post without looking at the wider picture, you're wrong.
Ok, some posts are so downright terribad that they deserve a pimp-slap right there and then, but they're not the posts we're talking about here. If the mods are unsure about what to do with a post, they won't simply put that person on probation (or worse) and walk away, they will look at the prior conversation to get a feel for what's been said, why it's being talked about, etc. This, and the fact that they may have to work through a whole list of reports before getting to the one that you think needs to be looked at, is also why it may take a little longer for some people to get the probation that they deserve.
How do I know this? People have brought up this issue before, and some of the mods told us how they get things done when that little red button is pushed. Granted, maybe not all mods work this way, but as far as I understand it, most of them work this way. And I wouldn't want them to change. The system works, just stay within the rules and you're fine.
(The rules/code of conduct, by the way, can be found here:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/codeofconduct
They're fair, and easy to understand. It'll take you only a minute or 2 to read them, so if you haven't already, I'd highly suggest doing so.)
Because they're getting paid by... um.. house advertisers based on how popular this little house party is. They can kick everybody out, but it would be a bad idea. Nobody can really blame them for wanting to keep the party classy, though. But now that I think about it, I guess it's Themis' house, and the mods are the butlers and such. By which, of course, I mean no offence.silversnake4133 said:
[/spoiler]
Also, is it just me, or is the Captcha getting drunk?
Also, is it just me, or is the Captcha getting drunk?
