I’m confused at the distinction between warnings and mod notes. For example, if a mod posts in a thread: Warning (description of bad behavior). Do not do this again!
Is that one of those things that goes on your permanent posting record? How can a poster tell by the comment if he/she got an official warning or just a note? Is there a rule that after X number of notes you are suspended/banned, and after Y number of warnings you are suspended/banned, or is it an informal process?
Also, I was told that there is a tab on your profile that outlines the warnings you receive. Are mod notes there as well? I don’t have that tab on my profile; is it only there if you get a warning/mod note?
Mod notes are not official; we don’t keep a record of them. They are usually made to give someone a heads up that he or she is moving in the direction of getting a warning. Although they are not officially tracked, they are consider moderator instructions, so that if a mod comes in and says “Stop doing X,” and you turn around and do X, you can get a warning for ignoring mod instructions.
We use the word “warning” only for an official, tracked infraction. If you receive a warning, the mod will : a) send you a PM specifying the post in question and telling you what the warning was given for, and b) post in the thread in question with the same information so that other people are clear what is and what is not permissible behavior. After receiving a warning, if you look at your profile (click on your name in the upper right hand corner, where it says “Welcome”), you’ll see a tab with the infractions that you have received since we began using the automated system, which was around June of '09. (Don’t recall exact date.) The mods can also see that tab – another user cannot.
We do not have an automatic “three strikes and you’re out” policy – if someone gets multiple warnings, we look at the timing of them (three over ten years is one thing, three over ten days is another), what they’re for, whether the person seems to be making an effort, etc., and discuss on the mod loop what the appropriate action is. Generally, once we have someone on the radar as a problem poster to the degree that we’re discussing it, we will decide whether to go for a suspension (a month, or sometimes two weeks); a heads up to the poster that he or she is on his or her last chance and will be banned for the next infraction; or a banning. Bare minimum vote for a ban is two mods and and administrator, but we generally give as much of the staff as possible a chance to weigh in before acting.
Hope this answers your questions.