Anyone feel like reaching for the stars and becoming a moderator?

[gecko zzed]

Elsewhere I've mentioned that I am pretty much the only active moderator here. There are a couple of mods whose real-life priorities have left them with little time to enagage with HR.

I've been in touch with Nico from Audiofanzine and we think inducting a couple more moderators would be very useful, specially if they are from the other side of the world from Australia.

If anyone is interested, they are welcome to send me a message.

In response to some other issue, I posted the demands of being a mod. They follow:

In general:
* don't hold grudges
* don't conduct vendettas
* don't play favourites
* don't regard unruly members as "the enemy"
* don't be ruled by your emotions.

If you feel you must respond to a post (and in most cases, you don't need to; it's as pointless as telling a dog not to bark, and they stop in their own sweet time anyway), then:

* deal with the content, not the person. "This post is inappropriate" is better than "You are out of line".
* deal with the content, and not the emotion. "This post is inappropriate" is better than "Don't fly off the handle. You are out of line". However, you can acknowledge the emotion: "I know you are angry, but this post is inappropriate".
* do not be defensive. "I'm only doing my job" sounds pathetic, and they know that anyway.
* do not feel the need to justify your actions. If a post is inappropriate, the poster will be quite aware of it.
* do not fight fire with fire. That only makes more fire. Be as neutral as possible.
* do not be afraid to admit you were wrong: "Sorry, I assumed too much", "sorry, I made a mistake", or "sorry, I shouldn't have said that", are okay things to say. We won't always get things right.

As a mod, you lose the freedom that members have. Your conduct must be beyond reproach. If you engage in behaviour that, were you not a mod, you could be called to account on, it will inevitably come back at you, and you will damage your credibility. Once that's happened, it is a long slow climb to restore it.

Mods should be like referees at a sporting match; for the most part they should be invisible, letting the game flow around them, only intervening when absolutely necessary. And like referees, mods should be resilient. They can expect to be abused, and they should be able to take it. "Giving as good as one gets" is not appropriate behaviour for a mod.

Cast yourself in the role of a statesman, a diplomat, rather than an avenging angel. Treat people as if they were being honourable.and take them at their word. If they then aren't 'good', then they destroy their credibility, not yours.

 

[Dave Matthews]

Polite feedback suggesting to fix the thread title.

 

[gecko zzed]

fixed

 

[Serendipity Records]

Mods should be like referees at a sporting match; for the most part they should be invisible, letting the game flow around them, only intervening when absolutely necessary.

So, as a mod, how much would you say (if at all) you limit your participation in regular threads?

 

[60's guy]

Sorry to read that you are the one and only moderator here at HR. You have always lived up to the "general rules" of what is expected of a moderator. And I hope that you continue to do so in the future!

 

[gecko zzed]

So, as a mod, how much would you say (if at all) you limit your participation in regular threads?

I used to participate in discussions a lot more in my earlier years here. I've tended to focus more on recording issues, and not so much on the social or off-topic side. In recent years my participation is limited not by unwillingness to contribute or to self-censorship, but by simply having way less time than I once had.

 

[spantini]

I'd hate to think we're looking for your replacement, we kinda like having you around. Inevitable, I reckon. I would throw my hat in the ring but I'm not built for this ride.

 

[ez_willis]

What does it pay?

 

[Dave Matthews]

What does it pay?

I doubt you'd ever be able to spend it all!

 

[rob aylestone]

Oddly - the rules are quite specific.

You agree to not use the Service to submit or link to any Content which is defamatory, abusive, hateful, threatening, spam or spam-like, likely to offend, contains adult or objectionable content, contains personal information of others, risks copyright infringement, encourages unlawful activity, or otherwise violates any laws. You are entirely responsible for the content of, and any harm resulting from, that Content or your conduct.

The question is why these rules don't get applied in all sections - consider the recent debacle.
defamory?
abusive?
hateful?
threatening?
likely to offend?
objectionable content?
contains personal information of others?

That would be a yes to pretty much everything - surely there was nothing to negotiate? All the posts that broke these rules should have been removed straight away, and the ability to go back and change posts switched off at the very least.

Let's be nice is great - but it is a two way street.

 

[ez_willis]

Oddly - the rules are quite specific.

The question is why these rules don't get applied in all sections - consider the recent debacle.
defamory?
abusive?
hateful?
threatening?
likely to offend?
objectionable content?
contains personal information of others?

That would be a yes to pretty much everything - surely there was nothing to negotiate? All the posts that broke these rules should have been removed straight away, and the ability to go back and change posts switched off at the very least.

Let's be nice is great - but it is a two way street.

Look, we didn't have any of that until SOMEONE let all these Trumptards in.

 

[rob aylestone]

I'm a Brit - we don't understand politics, but I guess our loonies are not that different from American loonies!

 

[ez_willis]

I'm a Brit - we don't understand politics, but I guess our loonies are not that different from American loonies!

I'll take that into consideration once I get the job. But honestly I don't see the foreigners making the cut. Sorry.

 

[Mick Doobie]

I just want to put this out there...Before anyone nominates me for modship, which touches me, really you guys, it really really does, I have to graciously decline the nomination. I just don't have time, and patience. Patience and time. I mean, sure, as each nomination pours in, as each of you putting your faith in me would strongly suggest, i'd be really good at it. Certainly not as good as G Zzed, of course not, but I'd go to work right away, to. work. right. away. Actually I probably wouldn't change anything, 'cept for that one guy. You know the one. Oh yeah, that guy has always gotten under my craw, I've just been waiting for the right opportunity to let him have it. But not as a mod! Nope, no grudges, fairness all the way. I just don't have time, or patience, with that guy. You know the one.

 

[gecko zzed]

Oddly - the rules are quite specific.

The question is why these rules don't get applied in all sections - consider the recent debacle.
defamory?
abusive?
hateful?
threatening?
likely to offend?
objectionable content?
contains personal information of others?

That would be a yes to pretty much everything - surely there was nothing to negotiate? All the posts that broke these rules should have been removed straight away, and the ability to go back and change posts switched off at the very least.

Let's be nice is great - but it is a two way street.

You've identified two issues: effective policing of the forum and how that policing is conducted.

The first depends on resources: having enough people (or time) to monitor posts, then identify and deal with breaches of the terms of use in a timely way.

The second depends on personality: having people who can resolve issues objectively, impartially and consistently without themsleves breaching the terms of use in carrying out that work (it's not about being 'nice').

The reason for my starting this thread is to see whether anyone is willing to take on this task seeing as there looks to be a need for more moderation than can currently be provided.

 

[Mick Doobie]

^^ See, that's why I like this guy. Intelligent and level headed.

 

[rob aylestone]

Could I suggest maybe a half way house? Ask a few people you trust to be mods who don’t have to do much apart from be able to act speedily. So they get the emails saying somebody has reported something. They can then quickly just hide the post in question, which you as ‘senior’ mod then can review, delete permanently, reinstate and or edit when you are free? Those mods would just be able to housekeep. I suspect what puts people off volunteering in the normal way is the historical out of controlness in some forum areas, but moderating that worries people.

would that help you? Clearly there are lots of posts that i would zap, that you’d allow. we don’t actually know how many you zap we‘re not aware of.

I bet this forum is on many not safe for work lists in bigger companies with IT departments because of the unruly sections, which is a shame.

 

[brassplyer]

Oddly - the rules are quite specific.

The question is why these rules don't get applied in all sections - consider the recent debacle.
defamory?
abusive?
hateful?
threatening?
likely to offend?
objectionable content?
contains personal information of others?

That would be a yes to pretty much everything - surely there was nothing to negotiate? All the posts that broke these rules should have been removed straight away, and the ability to go back and change posts switched off at the very least.

Let's be nice is great - but it is a two way street.

Pretty much the only things I care about are posting personal info of others i.e. doxxing, threats, spamming like posting 20 "F*** You" posts in a row, promoting illegal activities like pedophilia - the current liberal trends notwithstanding. As far as defamation - ibleeburgundy once asserted I was a rapist - he'd of course never have the stones to say it to my face in front of witnesses and he'd be a fool to do so, and ultimately I'm just a screen name on here so I don't know that it would be actionable in court. I don't think he ever got crap for it from the mods, though they spanked others for what I considered stupid reasons. I was pleasantly surprised how Wild West things have gotten in here since - I like it much better.

"Likely to offend", "objectionable" could be anything. I'm a big boy, I can deal with someone being abusive, hateful, calling my mother names etc. I find someone saying they like Joe Biden to be offensive and moronic but hey.

The moderation in here apparently has become mostly hands-off which is great. I didn't like the overall moderation of The Cave - where people could run whining like a butthurt baby to the moderators despite the supposed "almost anything goes" warning. I see interaction in here now that used to get people suspended and banned. I participate in another forum that's supposedly got a largely "conservative" readership but the parent company apparently has become infected with this DEI crap and the mods there mostly just get in the way - their personal bias is very evident.

 

[dogooder]

Can't we just get A.I. for a moderator?

 

[Mick Doobie]

Being a mod, in a way it is a time consuming thankless job. I don't know how anyone commits to that task. At times things are just obvious and you're justified from all perspectives to act. But for the most part those times are somewhat rare. At other times, people have naturally broken off into factions of opinion, when you act it can appear as if you are taking sides with a faction. I can't say for sure if it was IBB who started it, I'm thinking it was, but G Zzed and all the mods were accused of taking sides with let's just say the right wing faction here. He or they weren't taking action to that the belly achers deemed appropriate. Silencing particular users or viewpoints. As I see it, the mods were taking the stance that if you involve yourself in the grab ass back & forth controversial topics of discussion you are a participant, not a victim. Don't run to the mods to whine and remedy a situation you have in part fomented. In my mind it takes a unique personality or mindset to do that, to know when to act or if the children want to throw sand let them suffer the consequences of getting sand in their eyes. It's a fine line, the mod acts he's a bad guy taking sides, mod doesn't act he's a bad guy taking sides. For the most part I think the mods here have done the right thing. If controversial subjects are allowed to be discussed here, don't cry over spilled milk if you involve yourself.

One incident stands out in my mind, I may be overreacting, I don't know. Back during the heat of the pandemic, and discussions/debates about the pandemic, there was a lot of discussion not just here but everywhere about disinformation, and the need to censor differing opinions and disinformation, as well as what was deemed disinformation then but has proven to be factual now. In the midst of this, then, a user came in and said in a deceitful move, "hey guys, it turns out I have COVID. I can get my hands on some ivermectin. I was wondering if you guys think I should take it?" It was a lie, all around and complete. I mean, people were dying, and as I see it we can all disagree here, but we are capable of human compassion, I would like to think we can disagree on a lot of things on some level we here at HR dot comcare about each other. But here was this guy for one thing lying that he had COVID, but also as a setup for debate asking on a public forum medical advice from a bunch of musicians. Any advice given could place people in danger, all there has to be is a search on the web to locate that advice on this forum. As I said, maybe I'm overreacting, but that was some dark shit, disturbing, the level of depravity. If memory serves it was the only incidence in my entire time here where I reported someone. A mod came in and cautioned against soliciting medical advice here, talk to a doctor. As disturbing as I thought it was, did the mod do the right thing rather than give someone a little time off to think about what he'd done? Yeah, probably so. Maybe. Personally, I was pissed, I may have banned the mofo for good, the lying POS. That's why I'm not a mod, and it takes a unique personality to be a mod. The ability to rise above the situation, a measured response, with the correct conclusion.