What would you expect moderators to do?

andcol

andcol

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I created this thread in response to a question to me from @Osidge

Osidge said:
What, @Andrew Colvin would you expect moderators to do? Perhaps that is the subject of another thread?

Regards

Doug
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This was in response to my statement
The fact that somebodies answer to a question is not what the OP wanted does not make the answer any less valid. I see a thread as a living conversation. Snapping it back to the original topic kills it like chopping off a leg. If the OP wants to do that then he should post to steer the conversation. I do not see it the responsibility of a moderator to continually apply "force".
If someone replies with something that others disagree with it is up to them to kill the post with dialogue and not get a mod to remove it from existence or change the posts wording to say something different.
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Here is my response and hope that you can all give your responses. Please keep it polite and let the conversation commence.


Personally I think we need to let the conversation flow and the moderators could post to steer, to correct but not edit/cut (ok I accept that occasionally this may be absolutely necessary in rare cases). You as the moderating team have an epic responsibility to keep the forum alive and this means you need to be compares, hosts and directors (can't find the exact word I want) and I accept occasionally like Jeremy Paxman continually pushing.

Occasionally some people can/do/will/have post nasty comments but wouldn't an apology be much nicer than just removing it because once it is said it can't really be unsaid in real life even if the offending post can be removed. Shouldn't the original poster of the comment clean up their own mess? We have edit rights of our own posts so with just a little bit of direction I would hope the forum members would become self moderating to a large extent allowing you to facilitate more and not have to play bad cop
​

So over to the forum members for your thoughts.

edit: @Osidge started a similar thread at the same time http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/moderation-on-diabetes-co-uk.89475/#post-1014172
 
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dannyw

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Totally agree Andrew. Threads, like a conversation, will flow and occasionally go off track. This doesn't need a mod to lay down the law, edit posts or issue warnings. If left alone, the thread may get back on track. If not, and something needs clarification, the OP, or anyone else, can just ask. So many threads have been ruined by a mod stepping in for being "not on topic" but surely it's the forum members to decide what should and shouldn't be on topic.
 
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Mike d

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Two people in a room. Disagreement possible. Two hundred. Disagreement inevitable
 
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Lamont D

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Light blue fuse paper,
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Only kidding!
 
Jaylee

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There is a scene in the empire strikes back when Luke Skywalker is training to be a Jedi. (Roughly summing it up.) Referring to an encountered area "strong with the dark side of the force" Luke asks Yoda "what is in there?" Yoda's reply. "What you take with you."

The Internet is a strange kind of "hell" for some folk..

A simalar story of redemption to Star Wars (I saw Vader as the protagonist.) is Charles Dickens Cristtmas Carol.. The trick is to unshackle Jacob Marley's chains when logging in... ;)
 
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K

Kat100

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Have some common sense in some cases ..

Words ! Can mean different things to different people as well .. Dialect .. Words .. We are not all aware of the different or changed meaning ..suddenly you find your virtual friends using words which in some parts of the country are used most days ..
Then people who use the words get banned ..

For example my Black Country family use the to words which another member got banned for .. Could not believe it ...

Also most health care workers and teachers pop out for a smoke .. Except they don't say smoke ..
Just giving an example ..
When you work with people who have a fag break and then the next minute are saving a life .. Well it's a privalidge .. Not a word I have worried about ..

Sad that's not the case here ..
And my cousins call there little grandchildren little F------s that's something you eat, but not me I am veggie ..
 
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Jaylee

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Kat100 said:
Sad that's not the case here ..
And my cousins call there little grandchildren little F------s that's something you eat, but not me I am veggie ..
Click to expand...

Do vegetarians not have "intimate relations" then...?
 
K

Kat100

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Jaylee said:
Do vegetarians not have "intimate relations" then...?
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Lost me .. No little ones
Edite to say it's the use of words .. Meaning different things to different people and their understanding ..
Not intending to offend anyone at all :)
 
K

Kat100

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Jaylee said:
So there is no issue with the grandchildren picking up & repeating the profanity...?
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Well I don't intrude on them .. Only on the odd occasion .. Distant families .. Different part of the country .. FB really
 
Brunneria

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Ideally, I would expect mods to:
  • referree disagreements on the forum without partiality
  • maintain civility on the forum (people are sometimes allowed to behave very rudely and because they don't break the forum rules their posts are left standing)
  • enforce the forum rules
  • consistently obey the forum and moderating rules themselves
  • maintain impartiality (diet choices and people. no chums with get-out-of-jail-cards)
  • no hob nailed boots and bullying. I have seen this happen often. A thread is trundling along, a hint of casual frivolity, or the subject shifts slightly, and the mods are all over it like a rash, threatening deletions like an 1860s head teacher
  • review the banning rules to account for human error, and previous persecution of individuals by particular mods. In other words, if someone was unfairly banned, this should be reviewed and revoked.
I would like to add that modding is a very difficult job. I do it myself, and it gets tricky (understatement!). But it can all be summed up with consistent, fair, impartiality. If that isn't achieved, it is a miserable job, and it creates misery.
 
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K

Kat100

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Brunneria said:
Ideally, I would expect mods to:
  • referree disagreements on the forum without partiality
  • maintain civility on the forum (people are sometimes allowed to behave very rudely and because they don't break the forum rules their posts are left standing)
  • enforce the forum rules
  • consistently obey the forum and moderating rules themselves
  • maintain impartiality (diet choices and people. no chums with get-out-of-jail-cards)
  • no hob nailed boots and bullying. I have seen this happen often. A thread is trundling along, a hint of casual frivolity, or the subject shifts slightly, and the mods are all over it like a rash, threatening deletions like an 1860s head teacher
  • review the banning rules to account for human error, and previous persecution of individuals by particular mods. In other words, if someone was unfairly banned, this should be reviewed and revoked.
I would like to add that modding is a very difficult job. I do it myself, and it gets tricky (understatement!). But it can all be summed up with consistent, fair, impartiality. If that isn't achieved, it is a miserable job, and it creates misery.
Click to expand...
I would like to add more .. I have written on other threads .. After Christmas now ..
 
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