When I first logged on today I spotted a question in GQ. When I came back after looking thru the posts on another thread the question was gone and could not be found via search.
QUESTION: Do the moderators remove threads of a controversial or objectionable nature?
I assume this is the correct interpretation as the title was highly charged politically.
Look spingears, let’s just leave well enough alone.
We don’t need to ask such questions.
You are mistaken. Such a thing did not happen.
Here, step into this van. Let me take you for a ride.
They don’t remove the threads. They move the threads to forums where they’ll be more appropriate. Check the Mods threads at the beginning of each forum. They make that pretty clear. xo C.
The only threads I’ve seen removed are spam or flooding. The rest are either moved to more approptiate forums (expect to see this one moved, probably to “About this Messageboard”) or locked if they’re exeptionally wrong/silly.
Are there not forums that only the mods and admins can access? I’m pretty sure that’s been discussed. Of course, offhand I can’t tell you any threads they’ve moved to these Secret Areas.
Yes, the mods have a secret forum where some of those unacceptable threads get moved. The most famous one I can think of was called “Ask the pedophile!” which caused a lot of controversy, for obvious reasons.
Not long ago there was a Pit thread where some guy complained about a particular illegal file-sharing service (starts with “K” and ends with “azaa”) I called the guy an idiot (he really was) and had a nice little flame war going for a couple hours, until the thread suddenly vanished without a trace. I never got an email warning from the mods, so I don’t think it had anything to do with what I said…
They’ll also delete threads from returning trolls or socks.
That must be what happened. The thread the OP is talking about was one asking if there were any Black scientists as smart as Einstein. It was placed, with identical wording, in both the GQ and GD forums (or fora, if you prefer). This all happened in the space of about an hour, so if you blinked you might have missed it.
In this case, I don’t think that the guy is actually a troll, but he does seem to think that he can be a guest forever and not have to subscribe. ::shrug:: So, when he returns, he gets banned, and his new posts/threads get pulled. That’s what I did last night or early this morning.
Lynn
For the Straight Dope
General Questions is for questions with factual answers. Discussions About This Message Board belong in ATMB.
Since this has been answered I’ll close rather than move it.
DrMatrix - GQ Moderator