# Proposal: Long Time Members Must Be Suspended Before They Can Be Banned **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 18, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992 "2019-01-18T16:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/1 "2019-01-18T16:50:53Z")
AnthonyElite has just received a ban [notice without the usual ATM thread announcing the ban] without the usual pattern of multiple warnings, followed by suspension(s) followed by a permanent ban. This same thing happened with StarvingArtist a few months ago. I believe this is wrong and that the usual pattern should always be followed for long term posters. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/2 "2019-01-18T16:54:09Z")
IIRC he was warned and banned in the same sentence. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/3 "2019-01-18T16:55:56Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > AnthonyElite has just received a ban [notice without the usual ATM thread announcing the ban] without the usual pattern of multiple warnings, followed by suspension(s) followed by a permanent ban. This same thing happened with StarvingArtist a few months ago. > > I believe this is wrong and that the usual pattern should always be followed for long term posters. Nay. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/4 "2019-01-18T16:56:20Z")
I think he asked for it. [Literally](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21437165&postcount=24). ---
**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:** [January 18, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/5 "2019-01-18T16:57:42Z")
He did, weirdly. He could have walked away at any time (and was reminded of this) but opted for blatant suicide-by-mod. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/6 "2019-01-18T17:00:19Z")
It’s very rare that people who are banned are surprised. We do typically go through the process described in the OP in hopes that people can modify behavior. In the latest example, there were also abusive PMs that were being sent to mods. So while I agree it’s a good idea to stick to process generally, in certain circumstances we can and do leaprfrog the process because the situation calls for it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/7 "2019-01-18T17:03:59Z")
I don’t believe there’s any need for such a rule. The mods seem to dole out suspensions and bans appropriate for the circumstances already. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/8 "2019-01-18T17:21:37Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > He did, weirdly. He could have walked away at any time (and was reminded of this) but opted for blatant suicide-by-mod. You get no street cred for flouncing or slinking. You need to be able to tell everyone you were banned: “Those guys at the SDMB couldn’t handle the truths I was telling them.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/9 "2019-01-18T17:26:53Z")
Usually, we do give suspensions before bans, for long-time members. But every situation is different. We have human moderators instead of just AI auto-filters precisely because sometimes it’s needed for human judgement to respond differently (in either direction). ---
**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:** [January 18, 2019, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/10 "2019-01-18T18:06:25Z")
He called **Miller** a name in ATMB. IMO, that should be grounds for an instaban. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/11 "2019-01-18T18:09:00Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > It’s very rare that people who are banned are surprised. We do typically go through the process described in the OP in hopes that people can modify behavior. In the latest example, there were also abusive PMs that were being sent to mods. So while I agree it’s a good idea to stick to process generally, in certain circumstances we can and do leaprfrog the process because the situation calls for it. Aside from the “I’mma insult a mod in ATMB” THIS additional info (abusive pms to the mods as well) makes it clear this was a suicide by mod. A suspension wouldn’t have done any good. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/12 "2019-01-18T18:25:24Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > IIRC he was warned and banned in the same sentence. 😃 I think [Asslicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) beat that record. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/13 "2019-01-18T18:34:13Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I think [Asslicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) beat that record. Truly a shame. With a name like that, he (or she) probably had a lot to offer. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/14 "2019-01-18T18:48:05Z")
Presumably \*\*Asslicker \*\*was a sock or spammer detected before they could post. Or maybe posted once, and message deleted. It’s not a rare event. The banning was justified, but not everybody saw his suicide. There should be an announcement with a link, and a list of any previous warnings. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/15 "2019-01-18T19:13:42Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > AnthonyElite has just received a ban [notice without the usual ATM thread announcing the ban] without the usual pattern of multiple warnings, followed by suspension(s) followed by a permanent ban. This same thing happened with StarvingArtist a few months ago. > > I believe this is wrong and that the usual pattern should always be followed for long term posters. My memory may be faulty, but I thought that **SA** had been suspended before. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/16 "2019-01-18T19:56:19Z")
It really was an egregious case. Get me, we’re generally open to discussion. A request for review of a moderator action doesn’t often result in a reversal but it’s not uncommon. And we’re always - mostly - game to revisit it, either privately or publicly should someone post a thread in ATMB. And some of those are doozies. Even when it doesn’t happen in public there may be a significantly long discussion on the mod loop about whether a sanction is justified or not. I won’t share any of those with you fine people, but I hope you’ll trust me when I say they happen. HOWEVER… Responding to a moderator action with which one disagrees with abusive and insulting posts in public and similar private messages - the public and private insults went to different moderators - is not designed to provide a positive result, if indeed that was the goal. Doing the above behavior while ASKING for revocation of one’s posting privileges? Well, that one is pretty much guaranteed to get your wishes granted. Remember, we don’t want to ban anyone - spammers and such excepted - and a poster really has to work hard to earn the banhammer. We’d all - I think I speak for everyone - would rather to never have to make such decisions again. But sometimes posters either don’t get the nature of adult discussion or they are otherwise determined to get banned. In such cases, we accommodate their wishes. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/17 "2019-01-18T20:03:43Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > AnthonyElite has just received a ban [notice without the usual ATM thread announcing the ban] without the usual pattern of multiple warnings, followed by suspension(s) followed by a permanent ban. This same thing happened with StarvingArtist a few months ago. > > I believe this is wrong and that the usual pattern should always be followed for long term posters. Simple answer is no. IMHO someone around that long should know the community and Mods well enough not to push that far past the limits. That being said - said individual was far from prolific in posting but looks to have been logging in and reading a lot over his (?) time here and on something of a rip lately. Its almost like he went overly active again to commit suicide-by-Mod. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/18 "2019-01-18T20:33:30Z")
You want to do what? Make the process of banning even slower? Really? I could support this, but only if every warning came with a week suspension automagicly with a topic ban attached. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/19 "2019-01-18T21:05:39Z")
Jesus. Should we kick their dogs, too? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992/20 "2019-01-18T21:16:38Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Jesus. > > Should we kick their dogs, too? No, it is not about revenge or hurting anyone, it is about measures that actually have effect. If someone is having a bad week it shouldn’t become a suicide by mod. If someone is trolling the mods on where to dance on the line you could just stop the non-debate. More drastic, less permanent. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-long-time-members-must-be-suspended-before-they-can-be-banned/827992.md?page=2)