The SDMB is one of the most moderated message boards on the internet, and is defiantly the most moderated one I’ve ever been on. The mods do the expected and normal things like getting rid of the spam and moving threads to the correct forum, but they also have other duties, some that people like, and some that people dislike. I’ve felt that the moderation of these boards is part of what makes the SDMB such a strong community, it is like a neighborhood here (actually better, I know more people here then I do in my actual neighborhood).
I’m posting this poll because I’m curious to see how the other members of the SDMB feel about the level of moderation here. Some people like it, some people don’t, but that is to be expected.
Since this is such a touch subject, I do want to make a few requests:
This thread is in IMHO, not the Pit, or ATMB… Please keep it civil, I would hate to get this thread locked.
This is not a poll on specific moderators, specific actions, or specific rules. I’m looking more for your feelings on the whole experience.
Hi Opal!
I’m not looking for complaints, or suggestions on how to select moderators. Those are discussions that would be for ATMB, not here.
Be honest, I want to get everyone’s feelings on this, I don’t want this just to be a thread praising the mods, or just bashing them. If you are worried about any reprisals from what you answer on the poll, I’ve made it private, so no one can see what you answered. I previously asked in ATMB if the mods or admins can see your response, and they said no.
Ok, now that that’s out of the way, go vote!
For the record, I asked permission and received it to post this thread, please don’t let the mod’s trust in us to behave be in vain.
The mods are pretty good at upholding the rules, but they don’t have much of a sense of humor. I see warnings where the poster is clearly being facetious.
I voted I like it because, unfortunately, moderation is sometimes necessary and the current batch does a good job and puts up with a lot of crap for not much reward. That’s not to say they’re perfect or that it’s not OK to call one out occasionally.
I would run things a little differently (for instance, officially warning posters who use “Hi, Opal”), but I’m not in charge and that’s probably a good thing.
I like it a lot.
This is definitely NOT the most moderated board I post on. Not even close.
I have posted here a very long time and never received as much as a warning. I’ve been banned from other boards because mods like to grudge-ban. I post on one board where the admin refuses to make a set of rules, instead waiting until someone does something she doesn’t like then suddenly there’s a new rule. Nothing is ever written down though so it gets confusing.
The rules here are pretty clear in my opinion, and that helps the mods out a lot. Sometimes they overreact but I don’t keep up with posters enough to know if warnings are warranted because of earlier offenses. I know they make mistakes sometimes, but they’re mods, not gods.
I opted for “don’t like it” but that’s not totally accurate. I *hate, hate, hate *the stupid Pit rules but other than that I think the mods do a great job.
I voted “doesn’t matter”, but I’m of two minds about the question. I like the fact that the mods do their best to keep the board jerk-free. However, I think the formation of splinter boards in reaction to moderation diminished the overall vitatlity here somewhat. Can’t have it both ways, I guess.
It’s not all polls. It’s just the polls opened by one particularly enthusiastic poster, who was told to restrain himself.
We sometimes have to tell people to open just a few threads at a time, and share the front page of a forum with the other posters. Opening a poll automatically opens a thread, and it’s not fair to other posters if just one person takes up a lot of the front page threads.
I voted that I love it, and the moderators do do a very good job, most of the time. But really, when they have to make a hard decision, as they did recently, they come up with one I can respect, and that’s important to me.
Honestly, this is the best moderation of any board I frequent. It’s not perfect, but I don’t ask for perfection. The mods aren’t responsible for the number of forums, or board policy (they can infulence it, but they don’t create it), or the availiblity of the site; they just try to fairly enforce the rules as given. They do an exceptional job of being consistent, and communicate their expectations to userbase pretty clearly.
I think they’re much of the grease that keeps this an interesting and vibrant community, and allow interesting conversations to occur that other places would merely be a screaming match.
Sure they could be better, but then so could everyone else. Except Cecil, of course.
Pretty darn good moderation around here. Mods don’t get angry over minor things like threads posted in the wrong forum or duplicate threads, and they fix them productively, rather than simply closing them. I also never feel like moderation decisions are personal, or that I receive different treatment from different mods. And if the community truly feels like an injustice has been served, things do get fixed. I recall a banning (don’t remember who, sorry) that many posters felt was unfair, and the banning was revoked after a lot of civil discussion in the Pit, of all places.
This is one thing I defiantly agree with. One thing I do love about the mods are their willingness to rethink a decision, and admit when they are wrong. There have been a good amount of decisions over the years where the mods take an action, and there are questions or concerns over that action. They will talk and confer among themselves and will reassess the action. They might not change anything, but just rethinking and be willing to change shows they know they are human, and don’t let the power go to their heads.
There was a little board who had a little url
Right in the middle of the browser;
When then mods were good, they were very, very good,
And when they were bad they were horrid.
I think the mods here do a good job. They do their job, but they don’t over think it, and usually aren’t dicks about it when they have to step in. If I post something to the wrong forum, they will move it and make a note of it - without chastising me. It also seems like it takes a lot to get banned here - either you have to be a real dick and be asking for it, or be using a sock puppet (which is the case of this board, is an important dealbreaking rule).
I’ve participated in other boards (railroad.net and retromags.com) where the mods/admin seem to get off on being granted a little bit of power, and abuse that power just to remind their readers who is in charge. That doesn’t happen here, and I really like that.
I like it in general. They seem reasonable impartial, and don’t ban on a whim. You have to be a spammer or threaten the board to get banned right off; and have to ignore repeated warnings to get banned normally. I’d hardly consider it “one of the most moderated message boards on the internet”. They’ve gotten a bit too restrictive and confusing in the Pit recently I think though.
