# Does What Exit's heavy-handed moderation in the Ukraine war thread improve it or degrade it? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 30, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368 "2023-04-30T13:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/21 "2023-05-02T11:25:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > gee, you think asking if “Heavy handed” moderation might be poisoning the well? It’s only a small step from “heavy hands” to “iron jackboots”. And then, I dunno, “weighty codpieces” or something. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/22 "2023-05-02T12:56:17Z")
What could be useful is to have another omnibus thread called something like “Chit chat about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”. News could be posted there, but the format would be looser. Speciation and side discussions would be permitted. That way there would be one thread for people who want to know what’s happening in the war and another for people who are interested in speculative and political discussions of the war. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/23 "2023-05-02T13:37:25Z")
That’s exactly what i was going to suggest. Most of the spin-off threads have been very narrow in scope. But if there’s demand for a broad ranging discussion of the war, including speculation as well as news, that thread should exist, too. I suggest that someone who wants to participate in that thread create it. Make the op clear that is not just for breaking news, but for general discussion. Depending on the tone you want, you could create it in any of MPSIMS, P&E, or the Pit. I note that the general discussion pit thread about Elon musk buying Twitter has been very popular, and exceeded the breaking news thread in post count long ago ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/24 "2023-05-04T03:39:50Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > For the record, I voted yes in that W\_E’s moderation improves the thread. Yes, so did I and I have had my hands very lightly slapped a couple times now in that thread, because I refuse to allow someone to be wrong on the internet 🙂. The moderation is serving a purpose and I think a valid one. Although I haven’t entirely agreed with every one of What\_Exit’s rulings, I at least respect the general thrust of them. It does grate slightly that _I_ and I alone am not exempted from the rules the rest of you…people…need to keep you on track. But I suppose it is my sad lot not to have my personal exceptionalism recognized by the masses. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/25 "2023-05-04T03:43:49Z")
When I am elected supreme God-President for life, I assure you, my fellows of the SDMB, you’ll be allowed to be right on the internet in ways Musk could only Dream of! Oh, and I’ll conscript the Mods to be super-mod-parents to the masses, yet another thankless job I’m sure they’ll take up out of the strange selflessness and masochism that makes them do so here. But at least I’ll pay them. Something. Probably. In boots made from the skins of their enemies as in tradition at the very least. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/26 "2023-06-12T23:23:44Z")
Commenting on the news in the news thread in a message board being prohibited is asinine. It absolutely degrades that thread. Discussions that deserve their own thread is one thing, but people are getting told to knock it off for “oh damn, losing a ton of bradleys isn’t good.” There being over 200 threads for discussion Ukraine is a bad thing, not something for a mod to hang their hat on. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/27 "2023-06-12T23:31:03Z")
The post in question was by a poster who was already on a short leash in that thread because of frequent doom & gloom assessments with no supporting data. This was more of the same – Ukraine can’t sustain losses, Russia can handle endless losses – with nothing to back that up. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/28 "2023-06-12T23:32:01Z")
There being over 200 threads for discussing Ukraine having one just for news, and only news, is a problem why? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/29 "2023-06-12T23:35:38Z")
Because if you want to discuss the news you have 200 threads to search through rather than… just replying to the post you want to discuss. If we’re not allowed to discuss it, the thread should just be a pin that links to WaPo or something. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/30 "2023-06-12T23:42:34Z")
So far, **WE** hasn’t prevented _discussion_ of breaking news. It’s when things get into speculation or unsupported opinions that the mod hammer comes down with a devastating note saying “take it to a new thread.” I think it has worked well for that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/31 "2023-06-12T23:04:01Z")
This thread is massively over moderated. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/32 "2023-06-12T23:11:11Z")
AIUI this thread is intended to be the news, just the news, and the minimum commentary necessary to explain or contextualize that news. There are plenty of other threads, in fact a whole tag, for any and all other topics related to the Russian war on Ukraine. You or anyone may dislike that, but it seems important to insure everyone posting here understands what the intent of this particular narrow thread is. AIUI, and PTB may have a different or better explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/33 "2023-06-12T23:12:10Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > There are plenty of other threads, in fact a whole tag, for any and all other topics related to the Russian war on Ukraine. That’s why over moderation is a problem. We don’t need 9 million threads. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/34 "2023-06-12T23:16:58Z")
YMMV of course. But IMO we also don’t need an omnibus “any comment whatsoever generally about the war, the people, the motivations, the tech, the surrounding geopolitics, the events of each day, etc., etc.,” thread. Or at least I’ll suggest that , like a twitter news feed, a thread dedicated specifically to news cites has a unique value by its nature. It’s a play-by-play, not a next-day analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/35 "2023-06-12T23:22:44Z")
That’s called the Washington Post. Discussion boards are for discussions. Anyway, apparently a thread for this. I’ll drop it. > [@Does What Exit's heavy-handed moderation in the Ukraine war thread improve it or degrade it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368): > > [poll](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/1) I don’t understand What Exit’s obsession with hijacks in the Ukraine war thread. I am perfectly capable of scrolling past digressions and meanders that don’t interest me. They are far less intrusive and distracting than incessant harping and mod-noting, punctuated by unnecessary thread closures. This isn’t the way we managed breaking news threads for twenty years, and it is not an improvement. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/36 "2023-06-12T23:23:33Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > That’s why over moderation is a problem. We don’t need 9 million threads. This was discussed here: > [@Does What Exit's heavy-handed moderation in the Ukraine war thread improve it or degrade it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/25): > > When I am elected supreme God-President for life, I assure you, my fellows of the SDMB, you’ll be allowed to be right on the internet in ways Musk could only Dream of! Oh, and I’ll conscript the Mods to be super-mod-parents to the masses, yet another thankless job I’m sure they’ll take up out of the strange selflessness and masochism that makes them do so here. But at least I’ll pay them. Something. Probably. In boots made from the skins of their enemies as in tradition at the very least. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/37 "2023-06-13T05:41:23Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Discussion boards are for discussions. A discussion of the news items is perfectly fine, or so I understand. Bringing something up which is speculation, and discussing that, should not be in a news thread. I think WE does a good job. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/38 "2023-07-04T00:45:14Z")
Somebody posted a video which seems to be ok, but nobody is allowed to talk about the contents of that video which is a bit weird. I hate when people get off topic in a thread and go off on a tangent but I have to agree that the over-moderation of that thread is more distracting than the occasional off topic. The video is in post 4852 and then every comment about it after is moderated. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/39 "2023-07-04T00:47:58Z")
The convo about the rifle types is what I shutdown in the thread. I thought it was done and then another post came in on it, so I cut it off. As I said in the post, it can always spin off to its own thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/40 "2023-07-04T02:27:04Z")
Do we really want the board inundated with spinoff threads, though? Some of the best threads this board ever had were full of hijacks and sometimes WERE the hijack. When you allow people to follow interesting sidetracks, serendipity sometimes ensues. I would hate to lose that. Was the Part 2 thread in queation a continuation of the breaking news thread? If so, I think the moderation was reasonable, although maybe a little too quick on the draw. But if it was a normal thread, diversions like that should be allowed. I’ve been here for 24 years, and we’ve always managed such things just fine without heavy mod action, and sometimes the diversions were the best thing to happen to the thread. I know it’s a tough job and I don’t envy you one bit. If I have any advice I’d say do as you are doing in the breaking news threads, but be significantly more tolerant about diversions in threads that are more than a day or two old, where the primary subject looks like it may have either been answered or is looking a little played out. Step in when the hijacks are interfering with a good discussion and clearly annoying people or derailing the conversation, but be much more tolerant when it looks like the thread participants are having a good time. I think you do a very good job modding overall, and you clearly put a hell of a lot of volunteer time in. So thanks for that, knowing that it can be doubly annoying to be criticised for things you are volunteering to do. It’s like herding cats here. Anyway, that’s my .03 cents (two cents plus inflation) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368.md?page=3)