# Is there a standard for noting/warning posters that do not follow mod instruction?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [June 9, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253 "2023-06-09T16:32:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253/1 "2023-06-09T16:32:43Z")
Example [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dress-code-in-court/984994) but there are plenty of examples. I also understand that some latitude is given to brand-new members but that is not the case in this specific thread.
One of my warnings came about by not reading a thread completely and I inadvertantly violated a mod instruction to leave a topic alone. So why do some people get warnings and others get a, “Hey leave it alone.” when violating a mod’s instruction? I’ll note (ha ha) that I had never received any notes on violating mod instructions before my warning and IIRC I had not done that before so _past history is not an answer_. And for the record, I am not suggesting that the two posters be warned but I am suggesting a lack of consistency. Do mods play favorites? Is there no standard on notes v. warnings when not following mod instructions among the mods viz. some mods note and some mods warn? Is it arbitrary depending on how the mod feels that moment? Does it depend on what the mod had for breakfast (cold vs. hot)?
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253/2 "2023-06-11T09:43:30Z")
I think it depends greatly on whether the ignoring is particularly egregious or not, and how much of a hijack it is - in the example you gave, both posts could easily have been made without seeing the mod instruction, as one was made very shortly after the modnote (so might have been composed before the note) and one was made responding to a post higher up (so might not have read down to the note yet).
Also, no offense, but it’s a light FQ topic, a little hijacking there isn’t going to lead to flamewars the way a political thread or culture war thread hijack might. So a note to get it back on track suffices.
I don’t know the context of your warning, so can’t comment directly. But don’t think that just because you hadn’t _personally_ been warned or noted before, that means you have to be noted before you can be warned. It greatly depends on what earns the warning. Seems like in your case, you _had_ been mod-noted - as part of the general populace. So the question becomes, how egregious was _your_ violation? A link would help.
Also greatly depends on which forum it was in.
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> Is it arbitrary depending on how the mod feels that moment?
This is true, in a sense, for every mod ruling.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253/3 "2023-06-11T19:24:04Z")
Mods are people and therefore mods respond differently and individually to situations as they arise.
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> Do mods play favorites?
Yes, of course they do. They are people.
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> Is there no standard on notes v. warnings when not following mod instructions among the mods viz. some mods note and some mods warn?
Mods get a mug, not a script.
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> Is it arbitrary depending on how the mod feels that moment?
Sure, aren’t all responses from any and all types of authorities?
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> Does it depend on what the mod had for breakfast (cold vs. hot)?
Mods don’t eat. Ed likes them lean and hungry.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253/4 "2023-06-11T20:07:36Z")
This may come as a bit of a shock, but I see no warnings listed for @Saint_Cad. I guess you’re talking about a modnote? or some incident from 3 years ago or more before the switch to discourse. 😕
Do you have a link to the Modding action?
* * *
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As mentioned the forum the incident is in really means a lot.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253/5 "2023-06-11T20:39:45Z")
Not all hijacks are created equal. Some hijacks have a very high likelihood of getting vitriolic, and if we tell folks to stop a hijack like that, then we’re much more likely to give Warnings. This particular hijack did not appear to be headed in that direction.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2023, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-for-noting-warning-posters-that-do-not-follow-mod-instruction/985253/6 "2023-06-22T19:29:46Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> Do mods play favorites? Is there no standard on notes v. warnings when not following mod instructions among the mods viz. some mods note and some mods warn? Is it arbitrary depending on how the mod feels that moment? Does it depend on what the mod had for breakfast (cold vs. hot)?
Some of all of that. If the mod is pissed off because they’ve had to deal with a lot of similar problems for the last 3 hours, you are more likely to get a warning. I’ll add that it might depend which mod sees it first, too.
Mods try to be fair, but we are human, and moderation requires judgement, and judgement is always imperfect. Also, as mentioned above, if someone posts a reply to something that I’ve asked people to stop replying to, and the post lands 2 minutes after my note, i assume they couldn’t realistically have seen my note. If it’s a very minor hijack, I’m less likely to do anything than if it’s an angry brawl. If the reply is marginally on-topic I’m less likely to make a fuss than if it’s even farther afield than what it replies to. And if i don’t see a reply that violates a previous mod note, well, i won’t do anything. (And if i don’t see it for 3 days, and the thread has organically moved on, I’m unlikely to drag it up again, unless it’s really egregious.)