# Mod notes and moderators (very mild complaint) **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 19, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082 "2017-08-19T13:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/1 "2017-08-19T13:11:41Z")
In this thread, [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=833811](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=833811), I received a mod note (my first, I think!). It’s fine and I surely deserve it. However, my (hopefully obvious) joke seemed pretty mild to me, especially compared to how the moderator himself (herself?) replied to the same poster later. Here’s the original post: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424226&postcount=12](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424226&postcount=12) **tomndebb** replies with this, saying the post above appears to be a bit odd: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424277&postcount=14](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424277&postcount=14) Here’s my reply to post 14, saying, well, odd is in the poster’s name, so maybe that’s what he/she’s going for (ha ha): [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424281&postcount=15](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424281&postcount=15) I got modded fairly for that, with **tomndebb** saying let’s not make this personal. OK, no problem. Then, **tomndebb** later posts this: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424487&postcount=26](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20424487&postcount=26) with quotes like “your silly attempts at argument…”, “it makes one appear to be simply JAQing off…” To me, those seem at least as personal as my lame joke above. I’m just curious about what others here think. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/2 "2017-08-19T13:22:26Z")
I think there’s a difference between attacking or even making light of a poster’s argument versus taking a cheap shot at the poster’s user name. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/3 "2017-08-19T17:36:32Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I think there’s a difference between attacking or even making light of a poster’s argument versus taking a cheap shot at the poster’s user name. That’s what I would expect someone who yaks ka to say! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/4 "2017-08-19T17:53:58Z")
These kinds of things are tricky because I really do see how different people can see them differently. My own opinion, since you asked for opinions, is that “It makes one appear to be simply JAQing off and not participating in the discussion in good faith” sounds like an accusation of trolling. Having said that, I’m pretty sure that at least the “JAQing off” part has gone unmoderated in GD, so maybe the mods have agreed it’s OK, or maybe they all just think it’s OK without having had any discussion about it. As for the “not participating in good faith” part, I’m pretty sure I have seen that moderated before. I could be wrong, and will happily admit to it if I am. At any rate, the mods do seem often to jump in to prevent things from getting personal, which I think is a good thing in a forum like GD. And a mod note, not a warning, seems appropriate since it’s usually not some nasty insult that’s involved. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/5 "2017-08-19T18:53:05Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > These kinds of things are tricky because I really do see how different people can see them differently. My own opinion, since you asked for opinions, is that “It makes one appear to be simply JAQing off and not participating in the discussion in good faith” sounds like an accusation of trolling. Having said that, I’m pretty sure that at least the “JAQing off” part has gone unmoderated in GD, so maybe the mods have agreed it’s OK, or maybe they all just think it’s OK without having had any discussion about it. As for the “not participating in good faith” part, I’m pretty sure I have seen that moderated before. I could be wrong, and will happily admit to it if I am. > > At any rate, the mods do seem often to jump in to prevent things from getting personal, which I think is a good thing in a forum like GD. And a mod note, not a warning, seems appropriate since it’s usually not some nasty insult that’s involved. Thanks for your opinion, that’s why I opened this. I don’t think the mod note was inappropriate, but it struck me that **tomndebb** ’s comments were at least as personal, and coming just a few posts after my note seemed weird. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/6 "2017-08-19T19:07:27Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Thanks for your opinion, that’s why I opened this. I don’t think the mod note was inappropriate, but it struck me that **tomndebb** ’s comments were at least as personal, and coming just a few posts after my note seemed weird. Just to be clear, I was agreeing with you. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/7 "2017-08-19T19:14:55Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Just to be clear, I was agreeing with you. I also agree. To me the OP’s comment was innocuous and was just adding a bit of levity to the thread. I’ve also seen people get mod notes (can’t link to any examples), when it was obvious to me that they were quoting a movie or a song, but the mod didn’t get the reference & it was perceived as insulting or junior modding. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/8 "2017-08-19T20:33:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Just to be clear, I was agreeing with you. Yup, I got that. It would be fun to see a mod come in and give him/herself a note. Thanks everyone! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/9 "2017-08-19T21:33:10Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > It would be fun to see a mod come in and give him/herself a note. It’s been done before. Can’t remember which one, but I’m sure someone else will remind us. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/10 "2017-08-19T21:47:32Z")
Twickster, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mod-notes-and-moderators-very-mild-complaint/794082/11 "2017-08-19T22:13:09Z")
[Here’s the incident](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15030520&highlight=twat#post15030520).