# Mods, tell me how a banning works. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 24, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363 "2013-07-24T06:20:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/41 "2013-07-25T14:00:14Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > I can’t speak to here, but on any message board there is one imperative for all madmins: you back up any action by a colleague. > > Doesn’t matter what you think of it, doesn’t matter whether he’s right or wrong, doesn’t matter if innocents die: you keep the faith. > > The reason for this discipline should be obvious — whatever befalls, it can always be made worse by mutual quarrelling and recrimination. Solidarity holds the ship together. There’s a phrase that sweetly portrays that, something about circles and wagons or something something. Not that we’d ever see that here… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/42 "2013-07-25T14:10:35Z")
Well … ever read the story “The Lottery?” It’s like that. June 27th has come and gone so … no worries. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/43 "2013-07-25T17:14:38Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Admins are paid double what mods are paid. :eek: You poor sons/daughters of bitches. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/44 "2013-07-25T17:23:56Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > There’s a phrase that sweetly portrays that, something about circles and wagons or something something. > > Not that we’d ever see that here… > > 😛 Majestic Conestogas moving into formation? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/45 "2013-07-25T17:27:48Z")
\*\* > [@](#): > > **Mods, tell me how a banning works.** \*\* First, they taze you. Then they rifle your pockets for any loose change or useful vocabulary. Then they tie you up with shoelaces, stuff you in a cargo trunk with rotting fish, lock the lid, and ship you to Nepal. Or Antarctica. Or possibly North Korea. How they decide where is one of the mysteries they haven’t revealed to us outsiders. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/46 "2013-07-25T18:11:23Z")
Here’s a hint, Irishman. “Wheel of Misfortune.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/47 "2013-07-25T22:51:39Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Here’s a hint, Irishman. “Wheel of Misfortune.” > > 😃 “Bust a deal, face the wheel!” At least we all know who really runs Bartertown. Even if we’re afraid to admit it. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/48 "2013-07-25T23:46:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But how many do you have? I think your plan works…but only until there are “too many cooks”, so to speak. There are about 11 nominal; but it’s a small place, and only 4 would be needed in a pinch, so people can turn up, take a break or do as they like. The only thing is to avoid one person having to do all the work, one can be lucky enough to get some people who are endlessly dedicated because the place fills a need — and honestly, admins in general are rarely likely to harm their forum from spite. And were they to, that’s what back-ups are for. So give them nearly all the tools possible. Hopefully they will sometimes remember to run repair/optimize… > [@BigT](#): > > What’s the functional difference, anyways? Isn’t it just tech access, which mods don’t need anyways? The main danger is class-consciousness, more on the mod side than the other: it’s difficult to explain, but sometimes mods do a lot of work, whilst sometimes admins regard their adminship as the final accolade of a life well done and never do a stroke of work again. The reward for excellence is to swagger around despising the member-plebs, the enemy, and to form a close little clique above the fray. Simpler just to avoid having officers and NCOs and just have equal officers. Actually there’s a whole lot of stuff admins have that mods don’t, you can consult any vbull manual. What really ticked me off as a mod was having to contact an admin to get a spammer, or other, banned. One should trust mods enough to follow through by themselves. > [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Well, yes and no. We’ve never had a situation where innocents might die, f’rinstance There was a situation where a trusted, very good and nice admin may have let his password slip. That was a sad affair. > [@](#): > > Seems to me that the question is not whether there’s solidarity, but WHEN the solidarity comes into play. In the situation we’re discussing, we arrive at solidarity (we’re almost always unanimous) BEFORE we take banning action. If we’re not solid, we don’t ban. That makes it a lot easier to back each other up afterwards. > > Banning is NOT a situation where one person takes an action and everyone stands behind them. To the contrary. It’s about 180 degrees from that. Admins are allowed to ban at will. Virtually no explanation is required. If other admins wish to contest this, they can; but never in public, only in the modbox. We have very few bannings comparatively; the vast majority being spammers etc.; so admins don’t abuse that power. On the other hand, it is necessarily more tolerant than here can be, since it is only for a group, same as a hobbyist board, so more latitude can be given. Plus as No 1 admin I refrain from much participation either in admin or member mode. It gives one too much influence, and I cannot admire one man band forums ( particularly those dedicated to one man: Billy Bragg, David Icke, Ron Paul, I’m looking at you… ) Once I tallied the number of bannings I gave, elsewhere, since there was a certain thrill in doing the right thing, now I would cut it down to the bare minimum, since idiots are people too. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/49 "2013-07-26T00:12:31Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > The main danger is class-consciousness, more on the mod side than the other: it’s difficult to explain, but sometimes mods do a lot of work, whilst sometimes admins regard their adminship as the final accolade of a life well done and never do a stroke of work again. The reward for excellence is to swagger around despising the member-plebs, the enemy, and to form a close little clique above the fray. Simpler just to avoid having officers and NCOs and just have equal officers. That’s never been an issue on the SDMB. > [@](#): > > Actually there’s a whole lot of stuff admins have that mods don’t, you can consult any vbull manual. What really ticked me off as a mod was having to contact an admin to get a spammer, or other, banned. One should trust mods enough to follow through by themselves. Mods at the SDMB can ban a spammer at will. The only thing we have to get admin permission for is banning a member. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/50 "2013-07-26T01:14:57Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > When a MOD gives a slap down to an unruly poster and says something to the effect of: “You’ve been warned about this multiple times before. I’ll be discussing your future posting privileges’ with the rest of the staff.” > > So what’s that conversation like? Is there an honor amongst MODs? When one MOD wants to lower the hammer down on somebody, does the rest of the staff fall in line out of mutual respect? What is “MOD” an acronym for? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/51 "2013-07-26T04:23:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > What is “MOD” an acronym for? Moderator Of the Day. Each gets a turn in the barrel, but whose turn it is is chosen via an arcane system. They don’t talk about that. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/52 "2013-07-26T04:53:46Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Mods at the SDMB can ban a spammer at will. The only thing we have to get admin permission for is banning a member. And a single admin can’t ban members at will either - there has to be agreement by other staff members. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/53 "2013-07-26T06:20:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > What is “MOD” an acronym for? It’s not an acronym. It’s short for “moderator”. Unless it’s used as a verb, then it’s short for “moderating”. Which is a nicer way of saying _"I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them._" ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/54 "2013-07-26T15:48:18Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > What is “MOD” an acronym for? Minister Of Death ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/55 "2013-07-26T16:13:11Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > It’s not an acronym. It’s short for “moderator”. He’s just picking on the all-caps presentation. That’s typically reserved for acronyms and initialisms. You know how pedantic those pedants can be, pedanting around everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/56 "2013-07-26T16:26:47Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > He’s just picking on the all-caps presentation. That’s typically reserved for acronyms and initialisms. You know how pedantic those pedants can be, pedanting around everywhere. That’s PEDANT (Person Expressing Disdain And Nitpicking Thoroughly). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/57 "2013-07-26T18:13:35Z")
Mutually Opinionated Destruction. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/58 "2013-07-26T18:26:29Z")
Mighty Og Destroy! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/59 "2013-07-27T03:42:06Z")
How does a banning work? Dunno in general, but [here’s the procedure in Trinidad](http://www.trinidadweddings.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=179). ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363/60 "2013-07-27T09:50:34Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I’m embarrassed to say that I more often spot a zombie thread from all the BANNED users posting to it than by the dates. Even more embarrassing are those threads where a Doper’s username is discussed (sometimes by the Doper in question), but the discussion makes no sense at all, because the Doper’s username has changed\* since the thread occurred. \*This happens only rarely, and only with carefully considered permission from the MODs. Which is an acronym for “rockers.” Or the New Wave europop CDs for sale at an Army base store: “Maneuvers, Orchestral, in the Dark.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-tell-me-how-a-banning-works/664363.md?page=4)