Who is deleting / editing Posts ??

Administrator said:

Should we leave chit-chat posts in the threads then? So Off-topic posts within a thread are permitted. (If the OP complains, they can be removed?)

@Brunneria - updated the reason list, do those reasons look complete?

Click to expand...

Like I said that's a tough decision. Common sense needs to prevail, it would never be right for a few people to always takeover threads completely with chit chat. That's annoying for everyone. I have seen this happen in the past and the mods were right to stop it. A couple of years ago the chit chat and joking around used to happen when it was clear that the thread had finished it's natural course. Is that OK or not?

At the other extreme, one time I and one other person had been answering a thread, trying to help the OP. We then started discussing things outside of the topic, but still with the OP's problem in mind. These later posts were put onto another thread, while in fact they were simply a good thought progression within the original question. I tagged the OP to the new thread because I considered our deliberations on the subject might have been relevant to him. On this occasion it was a shame to split the later posts from the original thread because although they were a digression they were still relevant.

Maybe we need thread etiquette guidance rather than rules as such in this area? I think some don't realise they are derailing threads and then they are hurt when posts are deleted. It would be a whole lot better if we all thought of the OP and others rather than relying on the mods to police this particular thing. If the OP isn't joining in anymore, then that's probably a sign to get right back on topic. We should be sensitive enough to realise it. There are plenty of chatty threads already and there's PM's too. What do you and others think? Was nosher's witty post asking me, a friend, if I'm back now, OK here or not? I always like it when others who have been away for a bit are greeted like this. I like the balance of informal/formal interaction. It's not about me though, it's about all of the members.

It would be good for others to say what they feel on the issue of off topic/chatty posts, because that would in turn help the mods with their decision on this sort of thing in the future. Then we will all be happy

Administrator said:

Should we leave chit-chat posts in the threads then? So Off-topic posts within a thread are permitted. (If the OP complains, they can be removed?)

@Brunneria - updated the reason list, do those reasons look complete?

Click to expand...

If you remove all the "chit-chat" posts would the forums then become a very formal and unwelcoming place ?

*FYI, I've re-hidden the posts that were the topic of this conversation. Hope that's OK.*

Are you sure it's deleted @Administrator ? Was it regarding a low BS reading & not being hypo? Because that's pretty alarming ( to me anyway!) it's still there if it was.

It might be relevant, but I fear it would start a tit for tat campaign?

Administrator said:

One more question - is it relevant to know the user who has reported the post, too?

Click to expand...

i think it is,keep it in the open to put off any1 who keeps reporting a person just cos they dont like the person and just wants 2 get them in trouble

I don't think it's fair to name anyone who's reported a post. Most people who make a report are quite apologetic about it, and it's not right to possibly deter the shyer members from reporting. Malicious reports are usually very easy to spot. Most are not malicious. They're simply bringing the mods attention to something that possibly needs looking at.

Administrator said:

One more question - is it relevant to know the user who has reported the post, too?

Click to expand...

That's a terrible idea, IMO. People need to be able to report posts without fear or favour. It is then up to the mods to decide what action to take.

CatLadyNZ said:

That's a terrible idea, IMO. People need to be able to report posts without fear or favour. It is then up to the mods to decide what action to take.

Click to expand...

I completely agree with Cat about this

I think @azure is right on this one, the mods can spot if someone is being malicious and deal with it accordingly. I wouldn't want anyone to know I had reported them and I wouldn't want to know who had reported me either (though I usually have a good idea who it may be ).

zand said:

Yes thanks for this.

Re... - Please add 'Edited by moderator' to the post (moderator name is not required as this is saved in the log). Personally I think it's right to keep the mods identity private. It doesn't matter to me who edited the post as long as I know it was edited.

I agree with the 2 extra reasons quoted by Brunneria and I'm sure if there are others they can be added at a later date?

Click to expand...

Personally, I disagree strongly that the Mod name is not required. I'm not saying this would apply to any of the current Mod population, but using a generic label can encourage over zealous moderation. Again personally, I would never be happy editing a post without making myself known.

If a Mod has reason to delete or amend something then there is surely no need to hide behind a generic title - irrespective of whether the rest of the Mod population can see who did it. That's when people get angry.

@Administrator - If I could just add that we have rather been here before, with a significant proportion of what we were promised simply not delivered, and I was personally told off for asking for progress updates.

Secondly, I also believe that the Mod have to apply a certain amount of discretion when it comes to deleting and editing. Sor example, recently a poster on the fasting blood scores thread posted he had had a particularly unpleasant hyper to hypo after eating pasta. I noted it (the hypo) was quite a regular thing and asked him (as I couldn't recall if he had said what he had eaten before) if his hypos were just after pasta or random. I was trying to help the guy who seems distressed by his predicament.

My post was deleted and I was told the thread was for posting blood scores, nothing else. Surely this forum is about helping people? Yes, we can go to PM, but if there is not helpful interactions in the open forum then new readers simply won't stick around because the forum will look like there are lots of problems being posted, but no help forthcoming.

(Leaving aside, not to mention the guy I was responding to just missed out on any ideas I might have had.)

OK, I was grumpy at being edited for trying to help someone, but you get the drift?

Administrator said:

Should we leave chit-chat posts in the threads then? So Off-topic posts within a thread are permitted. (If the OP complains, they can be removed?)

@Brunneria - updated the reason list, do those reasons look complete?

Click to expand...

Thanks @Administrator

I am sure we have forgotten some, but i expect you will find them soon enough when the system is up and running.

AndBreathe said:

Personally, I disagree strongly that the Mod name is not required. I'm not saying this would apply to any of the current Mod population, but using a generic label can encourage over zealous moderation. Again personally, I would never be happy editing a post without making myself known.

If a Mod has reason to delete or amend something then there is surely no need to hide behind a generic title - irrespective of whether the rest of the Mod population can see who did it. That's when people get angry.

Click to expand...

I think if people get angry because they don't know which moderator took an action then they should remember that mods are usually volunteers and they have a difficult job as it is. I don't need to know which moderator takes an action. If I'm not happy about it I can PM the mods as a group and express my view. If there is over zealous moderation going on then that is a matter for the site owner to sort out. Forum users don't really have rights; we are guests of the owner.

AndBreathe said:

@Administrator - If I could just add that we have rather been here before, with a significant proportion of what we were promised simply not delivered, and I was personally told off for asking for progress updates.

Secondly, I also believe that the Mod have to apply a certain amount of discretion when it comes to deleting and editing. Sor example, recently a poster on the fasting blood scores thread posted he had had a particularly unpleasant hyper to hypo after eating pasta. I noted it (the hypo) was quite a regular thing and asked him (as I couldn't recall if he had said what he had eaten before) if his hypos were just after pasta or random. I was trying to help the guy who seems distressed by his predicament.

My post was deleted and I was told the thread was for posting blood scores, nothing else. Surely this forum is about helping people? Yes, we can go to PM, but if there is not helpful interactions in the open forum then new readers simply won't stick around because the forum will look like there are lots of problems being posted, but no help forthcoming.

(Leaving aside, not to mention the guy I was responding to just missed out on any ideas I might have had.)

OK, I was grumpy at being edited for trying to help someone, but you get the drift?

Click to expand...

Another option would be to post in the thread that you want to offer some ideas to the person and inviting them to start a thread about it. If everyone engaged in the issues behind posted FBGs that thread would become unwieldy.

@CatLadyNZ - I violently agree and acknowledge that the forum doesn't belong to me, and whilst the forum belongs to the site owner, he clearly has the final say in everything from who posts what to whom to which products to promote, or otherwise.

However, we appear to have a very useful thread here, proceeding along in a very civilised way, with @Administrator appearing to be openly seeking feedback. In my view, and experience, where change is desired and it makes sense to air all views. If we all agreed on everything, there would be no need for this thread, and there would be no need for Moderators, never mind moderation.

We are adults, with varying opinions, and my experience in life, and at work informs me that many exciting things can happen where the status quo is challenged. If nobody questioned anything, few of us would be here posting at all, because we would just "know" that diabetes is a lifelong, progressive illness, with complications inevitable.

AndBreathe said:

@CatLadyNZ - I violently agree and acknowledge that the forum doesn't belong to me, and whilst the forum belongs to the site owner, he clearly has the final say in everything from who posts what to whom to which products to promote, or otherwise.

However, we appear to have a very useful thread here, proceeding along in a very civilised way, with @Administrator appearing to be openly seeking feedback. In my view, and experience, where change is desired and it makes sense to air all views. If we all agreed on everything, there would be no need for this thread, and there would be no need for Moderators, never mind moderation.

We are adults, with varying opinions, and my experience in life, and at work informs me that many exciting things can happen where the status quo is challenged. If nobody questioned anything, few of us would be here posting at all, because we would just "know" that diabetes is a lifelong, progressive illness, with complications inevitable.

Click to expand...

I agree, it's good to discuss things and share ideas for improvement. Compared to other forums I've used, this one seems to me to be very well moderated already. I like the way the mods generally don't put up with nonsense and they intervene when people break the rules. The place has a very adult/productive culture because of this and I really like that.

CatLadyNZ said:

I think if people get angry because they don't know which moderator took an action then they should remember that mods are usually volunteers and they have a difficult job as it is. I don't need to know which moderator takes an action. If I'm not happy about it I can PM the mods as a group and express my view. If there is over zealous moderation going on then that is a matter for the site owner to sort out. Forum users don't really have rights; we are guests of the owner.

Click to expand...

Just because a moderator is a volunteer does not guarantee that person is unbiased or a good moderator.