To Mods: Guidelines for having a thread closed if you are the OP

The BBQ Pit
1

Some time ago, I asked that a thread in the pit (the “boyfriend proposed” thread started by me) be closed. I specifically addressed the mods in my final post to that thread and asked them to do so. I received no acknowledgment whatsoever and the threat is still open. (To other posters’ credit, they stoppped posting to the thread after I asked to have it closed, respecting my wish to put the subject to rest, but that’s beside the point here.) When the mods failed to close it, I thought, o.k., fine, maybe they have their own guidelines for what justifies closing a thread. Maybe the OP can’t just chose to have it closed whenever he/she fancies. Part of the rules or whatever, no big deal.

UNTIL I saw where one poster yesterday asked to have another pit thread closed (the thread regarded me, that’s why it caught my attention, but I had no intention to further post to it. Again, that’s beside the point.)

A moderator almost immediately obliged when the OP asked to have the thread closed, whereas I was completely ignored when I made the exact same request a couple of weeks ago with regard to my thread.

Here’s my problem: Do the mods have favorites here? Do they respect the same request from one poster that they ignore from another? If you were not going to close my thread, you could have at least validated my request by telling me, “Go to hell, the thread stays open”.

Seems that when some people complain, the mods jump, and others can be safely ignored. Mods are supposed to be impartial. You may not like my opinions – a badge of honor for me, don’t get me wrong, but I deserve the same courtesy as anyone else who posts here.

*So, to sum up the point of this post, why do you honor some OP’s request to close their thread, but not others?
*

Wonder if I will get an answer to this query. I would have e-mailed, but I have a better chance of not being ignored again by the high and mighty mods if I put it on the board (or so I think.) We’ll see…

2

IANAM, but they’ve said countless times if you want something closed to email them. They don’t read every thread, so someone might see it or might not if you only post in the thread.

And since you’re accusing mods of playing favorites, I suspect this is going to get moved to the pit really quick.

3

My God, I really have to start proof-reading. But I am confident that the core idea comes through admidst all the typos.

4

Because we’re not always aware of every request that gets posted to the boards? As porcupine says, and the staff has stated many times over, the best way to get our attention is to send an e-mail to the moderators of the forum in which you wish action taken. There is a very simple and easy method provided which we encourage everyone to use: the “Report this post to a moderator” function. That sends all pertinent information to all moderators assigned to the forum in which the post resides.

Loud and clear. And I rather resent the implications. Now, be a good girl, run along and make use of the advice given. You, too, could become one our “favorites.”

5

For the record, I’ve requested the closure of a thread (by email) and the thread remained open; perhaps this was because, in the judgment of the moderator, my closure request was unreasonable, or maybe my message went astray, or arrived at a time when the moderator in question was too busy elsewhere, it can’t have been that I’m not a ‘favourite’ though, because I have many email messages supporting the notion of my popularity. No you can’t see them.

6

Thanks, UB. Which brings up another issue. Yesterday, I reported a post to you mods that I deemed very offensive. It concerned some wild, violent and psychotic snides made towards my child. I have no way of knowing if you all received this complaint and if the subject who generated said post has been “spoken to”.

I’m not asking for much, but you mods seem pretty involved for the most part, so I am puzzled at the lack of feedback when it comes to the rare complaint I send you. That was the second time I reported a post, with the first one probably a couple of months back. Same thing. In either case, I did not get the impression that the offending party had been contacted at all. I realize you guys do some disciplining behind the scenes, so maybe I’m wrong. I certainly hope so.

7

I’ll add another thought as well. If the thread that was closed was the one I’m thinking of. I’m the one who closed it. It was in the Pit, however, which is not my normal forum and I just happened across the request while passing through. In this case, I didn’t read every thread in the forum as it wasn’t my forum. So, I might have easily missed your request while picking up on the other one.

8

Every time I report a post, I get a personal reply from Cecil.

9

Do you get the thank you chocolates as well?

10

I get Lindt Extra Dark and Scharffen Berger Nibby bars from the staff all the time. Well, from at least from one of the staff. I must be one of the favorites.

11

The mods and admins are volunteers, and not paid. They do their jobs here whenever they can squeeze them in to whatever else is going on. Sometimes it takes a day or two (or three) to see their emails. Give them a chance.

Also, I don’t know if they reply to all “report this post” emails. They may chastise the poster, close the thread, and even ban people without a direct reply to the person who sent the alert. Since you mention there was a personal interest on your part, I would think they would reply, but I can’t guarantee that.

12

I’ll echo Irishman. While we agree in concept that we’d like to send little “thank you” notes for reported posts, we also agree that in practice, it takes more time – can’t just hit “reply”, the email comes to us through the webmaster or something.

Sometimes, we have reasons for acting or not acting on your emails that we just can’t convey – like our respect for the privacy of the other posters. But we do very much appreciate and rely on your help in monitoring. We can’t be everywhere and see everything, so we rely heavily on y’all.

(Well, OK, we could set up a system that requires our approval before any post is made, but no one wants that.)

13

Okay, then. So, since it’s all in wide-eyed innocence (and, God, I have no reason to doubt you on that), is there any reason why that other thread is still open, now that your attention has been more than drawn to it?

How about demonstrating your alledged sincerety and goodwill by closing it at this point? Not that it matters, per se, but it’s all a matter of principal now. You see, I, too can get petty.

14

Sorry, we’ve all discussed the matter and elected to leave it open, in order to cause you continued mortification, pain, and suffering. You want petty? We’ll show you petty.

And I think you meant to type “principle,” not “principal.” I won’t bother with the more egregious spelling errors.

15

Way to go, Suspenderzzz… condescending to the Moderators. Smart move.

16

Psssst! Hey Suspenderzzz!

Just because someone doesn’t have an unreasoned prior prejudice against you, that doesn’t mean you can’t talk them into having a well justified one in the future.

Tris

17

LOL! Oh, jeez, Ike. Really. Your level of maturity is mind-boggling. I can see why they made you a moderator. :rolleyes:

18

Glass houses, m’dear. If you want people to respond to you in a mature manner, you really ought to address them in a mature manner.

19

I have also thought that to be a convenient way to email the moderators. But I was deterred by the following message:

So I assumed that it was not to be used for other requests. Can you confirm that this message is to be disregarded, and that the “report this post” function can be used for any and all requests directed at the moderators of a particular forum (& including those unrelated to that particular post)?

20

The OP’s improperly located “complaints and other discussion regarding administration of the SDMB” aside, what are the specific guidelines for having a thread that you started closed? Are we the OP’s, as long as we can get a mods attention, allowed to close any threads we open at any time we choose? I’ve seen a thread closed at the request of the OP many times, and wondered if it is just a courtesy or a policy.

I can see why this may not be a yes/no issue. We wouldn’t want people making threads like “the moon is made of cheese - you all are a bunch of idiots - mods close the thread, quick!”. If someone makes an assertion, or an insult, to a public message board, it seems fair that they be forced to bear the response if they do. Of course, even if the thread was closed, someone could start a new one to bitch and moan about them requesting a thread be closed in such a cowardly manner.

It doesn’t really matter to me either way, curiosity fuels me - unlike the animosity that corrupts the OP (the draw of the dark side, strong it is), but are there any guidelines involved? Is it an official policy to close threads only if something has happened (read: a violation) - and not at the whim of the creator (the OP not Cecil)? Is it a matter of policy to close threads at the OPs request, or must they face a mods judgment regarding whether the thread merits closing?

Also, am I anyone’s favorite? I am not worried about what I would get (I give all of my chocolate to the poor anyway), only in what I could give to that mod who directs their glowing attention on my humble self, graciously alllowing to bask in the warmth. Oh, the things I would give . . . you know, things like, taffy. And minor appliances. And if in return, you know, certain posters got accidentally banned, whose to say whose fault anything is anyway?

What?

No, no.

It’s not a bribe.

It’s a . . . token . . . of appreciation . . .

Well . . . what do you mean by “is”?

DaLovin’ Dj