Minor Threat

"Hi all,

To address some recent questions regarding moderator/member interaction and how to handle this important issue, I'd like to reiterate some guidelines that are posted via the "Rules" link at the bottom of each page on this forum:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/rules.php

Specifically, it's vital that the moderator team is able to do their difficult, volunteer work free of having to worry that they will be attacked in any way for doing their best to apply the rules of the site in a fair and even-handed manner. The rules I'm referring to are rules against:

• Ignoring or arguing with warning posts a moderator or administrator makes in a thread. If you think the warning is unjust please email them or another moderator to discuss it.

• Attacking or harassing any moderator or administrator on the forum or via email.

• Continued posting in a manner that antagonizes other members.

Let's go over what a moderator is. A mod is first and foremost a member of this forum community. They have usually been so for quite a long time before they have an opportunity to become a moderator and be trusted with the few additional tools at their disposal.

Second, moderators are volunteers. They are giving their time and energy to the community, often for years at a time, because they believe in the site, love the community, and want everyone to have the same opportunity to enjoy DVDTalk that they did.

Lastly, moderators are part of a team -- one that confers internally on difficult issues, before acting. Often, as recently, that action begins with a post that is against the site's rules and TOS; the member is apprised of the violation, perhaps warned or suspended, and the issue is done with. If the member continues to violate policy, or worse, exacerbates the situation by calling out the moderator in the public forums rather than handling the situation through PM, more extreme action is called for. In one recent instance, after long deliberations, a 3-month suspension was called for.

This is a drawn-out way of saying: Be Nice. The moderator team is here to help everyone enjoy DVDTalk. The more we help them do their job, the less of a job they will have to do, and the more we can all enjoy this passionate community.

Best,

Paul O'Brien
Community Manager"

-------------------------------

Hey Paul, thanks for the definition of what a "Mod" does and how awesome they are (I do appreciate their generosity with their time). I was just curious why you didn't leave the thread open for discussion?

Should this be out of line, please feel free to delete the post. However, I think there might be a few people (maybe more) that may have more specific questions that need addressing.

It may help bring clarity to the community to do so in a public manner.

Just my two cents.....

sauce07

Can wait for the irony of this thread being locked

Edit to add that I think some clarity would help a ton.

emanon

With the lock comes clarity, perhaps.

whotony

Some of the mods have too much abuse of what they think their job is in this community.

Minor Threat

I'll prolly get banned for asking a question.....

Hokeyboy

I would say that stifling open and honest discussion in an attempt to "sweep things under the rug" is REALLY going to work to the detriment of the community, many of whom have spent years here helping to build up this forum.

Trevor

I think some of the mods occasionally make mistakes similar to what I and other parents do. I can get very frustrated with my daughter, her occasional bouts of arguing or rule-bending getting me worked up to the point where I'm a bit too quick to wield my power over her. I give out punishments or rule interpretations just to put her in her place and make me feel 'in charge'; instead of loving her and making sure her viewpoint is considered.

Probably didn't word that as well as it perfectly makes sense in my mind, but hopefully at least one of you can see my point.

Navinabob

Might also helped if a few more paying members chimed in, as opposed to moochers like myself. That may make a difference.

Minor Threat

I'd pay if I got more than an avatar and access to a dead zone.....

Dan

Johnny Smith?!?!

Trevor

I know you were just joking, but I don't think the ~$200 a year they get from us in total entitles us to much influence.

Who watches the Watchmen? No one; even talking about them or their stupid decisions is illegal.

Graftenberg

The natives are restless.

Th0r S1mpson

Just got caught up on this whole thing. I'm sure this thread will be locked or removed. But if the decision is 3 months off, then I'll take 3 months off in solidarity, starting now. See you all on 9/11.

Navinabob

No, don't go! You are crucial to the Otter forum. It'd be like if Hulk left the Avengers or Lisa disappeared from the Simpsons!

sauce07

Interesting. I wonder what would happen to this place if half of the top posters took 3 months off, it would be a stale ghost town.

LurkerDan

The statement by Paul has some internal inconsistencies. If a mod warns you about something in a thread and you think that warning is unjust, you are supposed to email them. The very next sentence says you cannot attack or harass a mod via email. That's a darn fine line between "you should email them if you feel you've been treated unjustly" and "don't email them lest they interpret your objection to what you view as unjust treatment to be an attack/harassment".

Then it says that once a member has been warned/suspended, the situation is over. But then it says they should discuss over PM.

If I'm a warned or suspended member who feels unjustly treated, and I want to discuss the issue, this post doesn't really give me much guidance. On the one hand, it tells me to do that discussion in private, but then it says I can be punished for doing so.

LurkerDan

If you hadn't noticed, it's been losing activity (at least in the forums I mostly visit, Otter and Sports) for quite some time now.

Rex Power Colt-Robot Man

Wait, what?

Minor Threat

Marry me....?

xraybies

From what I've heard they frequently ignore emails too so it's pretty much up to the whims of that mod to do as he pleases if he doesn't like someone.

The Valeyard

Maybe we're not praying enough? Where's moviefan2k4 when we need him?

whotony

This is the exact reason all the Tarantini pictures got posted.
People are left to act in a way that does get a response.

Since no one will respnd to the emails and then the emails get you in Trouble anyway it becomes a paradox.

Minor Threat

I just got a suspension warning via PM from exactly who I would have suspected and it was threatening in it's very demeanor. What are the suspension/ban protocols, or can someone (even a mod or admin) just send a threatening PM at their whim....?

I assume this place is trying to run things professionally, but is this acceptable/professional moderation:

Title of PM: "I assume you're looking for a suspension?"

Body of PM:"All the REDACTED stuff you're doing will have you joining him if that's your goal."

What kind of passive/aggressive threat is this, and exactly how am I supposed to interpret this? We're not little children (although we have tendencies to act like it at times).

Fine, I'll abide and stop referencing a banned member via protocol, but what the fuck is IB's protocol with regards to threatening PMs sent by other members/moderators....?

sauce07

fixed

Solid Snake

Also...how come we don't have any female mods? Are the penises afraid of the [edit]? Or do we already have some [edit] playing around in the pool of penises.

I've got nothing to add really. Seriously though I wouldn't actually mind having a serious sit down type of discussion about what this thread exists for. Clarity is awesome.