I am the mod in another forum (yeah, all the time I “waste” in the other forum explains my low post-count here). I’ve that even in the case of the ocassional disagreement, dopers seem to understand that they are doing this for free and that we owe them at least a little respect. Not the case (more in particular than in general) in the other forum in which I participate. A few hot-headed, chicken-nugget brained people are out to make me go postal.
Today I posted something in the other forum that I thought I’d share with my other Internet community.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC INTERNET FORUMS MODERATORS
Pi$$ing off people since 1823
ETHICAL COMMITTEE
Report of unethical behavior/complaint form
While participating on forum________________ in the website , moderator _____________ (supply moderator’s forum handle, full name, POB, DOB, credit card number, forum password and social security number-or applicable document) committed the following violation (please describe in Latin the violation in which the moderator incurred):___
How would you like us to process your report?
Shredded
Made into a paper airplane.
Used to substitute toilet paper (our preferred method)
Read by the staff (requires that you submit US$250.00 to
cover processing fee)
Thank you for your report, you will hear from us soon (ut ha!).
IMO - Being a Mod only sucks for one reason - if you have to take abuse, and can’t defend yourself. If you’re complaining about the unpaid work, well, no one is forcing you to do it.
But likewise - you shouldn’t be asked to do the job with your hands tied.
Which is why ALL Moderators on my Board have the power to BAN any and all Members who might violate the Rules, or who might generally act like assholes. This is a policy that I hope the SDMB would consider for the future as well.
If my post comes across as a complaint then I must have used the wrong words. It was meant more as a recognition of how good kids the dopers are (or maybe I don’t really know what goes on behind the scenes here). The admin. in my board always repeats “if you have a problem with how the forums are moderated you can ask for a full refund”.
But sometimes I wish I could tell people how fooking idiots they are instead of the standard “please re-phrase your post or I’ll delete it”. And then, there are the whackos… :eek:
There definitely should be a Worshipful Order of Message Board Moderators, and we should have a fancy coat of arms (Sable, a hat, on a field or and argent, a coffee mug, on a field gules)
feel free to correct me on my woefully poor knowledge of heraldic terms)
Hmmm. I don’t think that’ll ever happen. Well, moderators here can suspend posting privileges, but we only use that option of semi-banning in the most clear-cut cases - for example, a cross-posting Alex Chiu-type spammer that needs to be stopped toute suite.
For the more elaborate cases (i.e. long time posters going bonkers, et cetera), we discuss amongst the team and form an opinion. Trust me, if I could ban anyone whom I personally thought annoying enough, this place would probably be a lot more quiet.
Giving all of the moderators the ability to ban on the spot seems risky to me. I haven’t met any of them, but I’m presuming they’re human. Because of that, they might go ahead and ban someone based on their own emotions - let’s say the poster was really reaming out the moderator, for example. No, I prefer that they talk things over amongst themselves, so that they can arrive at an intelligent decision collectively.
HEY! I’ve been a moderator for…ummm…close to a YEAR now! Cajun Man and MEBuckner are MUCH newer than me!
Otherwise, Unc is absolutely correct. While Lynn has the prehensile tail and I have cloven hooves, the Chicago Reader medical practitioners have agreed to provisionally refer to us as members of the human race.
In addition to all the other information that the user must provide, perhaps s/he should state the mod’s political affiliation, maybe with check boxes:
[ul][li]Nazi[/li][li]Commie[/li][li]Fascist[/li]Illuminati Secret Police, etc [/ul]
I could ban people, but I am not talking about your regular run of the mill bannable(?) offense. I am talking about the childish, loud-mouthed, inmature posters that keep prodding and seeing how they make me, and the other mods go postal. Because at the end that’s the point: proving that the rules (no attacks, no swearing) can be broken, if after all the mods break it too. So it is really hard to refrain from telling them what you really think and keep a facade of civility.
I am sure that every mod has had a moment of “you *&@#(*, keep your *&@# mouth shut or else” and instead you nicely remind them of the rules. Not easy being a referee when all you want to do is punch the boxers. :mad:
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by heresiarch *
Suggestion for the form:
In addition to all the other information that the user must provide, perhaps s/he should state the mod’s political affiliation, maybe with check boxes:
[ul][li]Nazi[/li][li]Commie[/li][li]Fascist[/li][li]Illuminati Secret Police, etc [/ul] [/li][/QUOTE]
You are forgetting:
[ul][li]Biased[/li][li]Racist [/sup][sub]At least take some time to see my frigging picture in the gallery[/sub][/sup][/li][li]Gay/Lesbian[/li][li]Homophobic[/li][li]Homophobic Gay/Lesbian :rolleyes:[/li]Anti -_____ (insert your nationality here)[/ul]
Because of that, they might go ahead and ban someone based on their own emotions - let’s say the poster was really reaming out the moderator, for example. No, I prefer that they talk things over amongst themselves, so that they can arrive at an intelligent decision collectively.