Because our community is growing steadily, we've felt it would be beneficial to the members if we adopted some new procedures to clarify and simplify our tasks. We also want share these to make things less mysterious and to fill you in on how it will all work. Above all, we want to be fair to every member. Our goal is to keep this community a great place to visit, be it occaisionally, or often.
Currently we have volunteer moderators of two flavours, board Moderators, who are obviously listed in their board details, and Global Moderators. The Global Moderators have not been so easy to spot, as they're not labeled. These are: Ashley, Cait, Vnicepeeps and Marlespo. The board Moderators have editorial controls in the boards in which they moderate. The Global Moderators have editorial controls in any of the boards. Our Global Moderators are there in case of emergency, such as, if someone posts a link to an explicit website, there will most likely be someone along soon who is able to remove it as soon as possible, if the board moderator happens not to be around for any period of time. They can also handle the unmoderated boards. The Report to Moderator links in the posts sends an email to the Board Moderator, all of the Global Moderators, and myself. Please use these if you feel that a post is objectionable, or a violation of Terms of Use. Because we're all volunteers here, we all do not necessarily read every post and might miss it.
One of the new procedures is a standardized system to keep the peace if any disruptions occur, as they occaisionally do. There was always the option of banning users, but that's an extreme that we only want to use as a last resort, and sometimes didn't fit the circumstance. We also want to maintain fairness when there is a dispute, as much as possible. Our goal is to keep this community a great place to be. You only get out of it what you put into it. Please refrain from trading insulting remarks with fellow members. There will be people who disagree with your views, please do not attack them for having a different opinion. It doesn't mean they are less intelligent or less deserving of respectful behaviour, it only means that they have had different life experiences than yours. We should try to agree to disagree. For the good of the community as a whole.
If you find a post offensive, unless there are direct indisputable offensive remarks, please take a breather and re-read the post, keeping in mind that 99% of the members we've had over the years are good people who really do not mean to offend. If you think it's offensive still, click the Report to moderator link. Likewise, sarcastic or derogatory responses can be hurtful and upsetting, and inflame a dispute over nothing, please think twice before clicking the Post button on those quickwitted responses. We probably all guilty of it at one time or another, and it's understandable human behaviour, however, repeated events are likely to receive a warning.
In the event of disruptive behaviour, there is a new 4 level warning and moderation system in place on the forum. Only the Global Moderators and Admin (me) are able to access the Warning/Moderation Controls. The four levels are:
1) Warning - Simply a warning PM (personal message) with a link to the objectionable post, reason, and Current Warning Level.
2) Moderation - A warning PM with link, reason, and Current Level, at which point a user's posts do not appear until they are approved first. Ability to edit own posts is also removed.
3) Mute - A warning PM, no posting allowed.
4) Ban - Self-explanatory.
The procedure of warnings, we are trying to make as fair and balanced as possible. At least 5 (majority of active) board moderators must agree that there has been a serious violation of Rules. Additionally, 3 of Global Moderators and Admin, must also agree in those 5 before a warning will be issued by a Global Moderator. Hopefully this will catch out any personal biases that might exist. The warning system is not public, you will not be aware of other users' warning status if there is any. Warning details will not be discussed with the general members, only the member concerned. We are not trying to embarrass anyone here. If 2 Global Mods are in agreement that there is an urgent need for warning action, it will be done immediately.
When a user is given a warning, their warning level is increased. Excepting for gross misconduct, this will be an increased a level of one. So if they were already on Level One, and received another warning, this will bump them up to Level 2. These also have an expiration, the which is currently a default of 7 days. At this point in time, the expiry period will be made appropriate to the situation. For instance, giving a level 2 warning of 14 days to a user who posts once a month is not going to be an effective deterent. Whereas a 21 day moderation level 2 would be too much for the daily visitor.
There may also be occasions where the general warning approval procedure is skipped. Instances which would warrant this is users who refuse to be moderated, ie. repeat posting of something a moderator has deleted several times, etc. According to the website terms of use, your participation can be terminated at anytime without explanation. We're not expecting to need to use these often, but they are in place for when they're needed.
If you have questions about moderation, please take it up with the Board Moderator or myself
PRIVATELY, we will do our best to help or answer your questions. I'm aware that not everyone appreciates the way we do things, and that's fine, we're doing what seems to work for us. That said, we're always open to suggestions, and making things better for everyone.
Thanks for taking the time to read through this very lengthy post.
The forum rules and agreement will be reviewed regularly for possible revisions, and we will notify you if any are made, in fact if the agreement changes, you cannot log in without accepting it.
Edited to change moderator agreement number to be in line with those that visit most days, these lovely people are volunteers and can't always be here every day, and added Global Mod urgent actions.
