# Where to complain about moderation **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 7, 2022, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243 "2022-08-07T12:47:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EDOK9Trainer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/838e76/32.png) [@EDOK9Trainer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EDOK9Trainer)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/1 "2022-08-07T12:47:54Z")
Not sure what ATMB is as I find this site very confusing. And I believe I responded to an email with the response and I don’t know if it clearly showed a mod was responding to me or not. In here on the site it is more clear. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/2 "2022-08-07T12:57:45Z")
Okay, since you are fairly new here, I’ve moved your post to “about this message board”, also known as “ATMB” This is the only forum where you are allowed to complain about moderation. It’s against our rules to complain within the original thread. Check out. > [@Reorganized SDMB rules](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reorganized-sdmb-rules/968857): > > SDMB rules have been reorganized and are restated below. This version incorporates all recent revisions and adds a new rule about troublesome posters, which is highlighted. Most of these rules are of long standing and in our opinion are reasonably clear. However, if it becomes apparent some misunderstandings remain, we may consider further revisions. TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY The agreement below spells out the rules by which SDMB users are expected to abide. We have one guiding prin… (Also in ATMB) You did not respond to an email. You responded to my post, in the thread. But they do look similar in this software. My post did clearly show i was a moderator, as the first word was “moderating” and the whole post was highlighted in “staff color”, which is yellow in the skin i use. But it can be hard to see in some skins. Here’s the post for reference. Notice that it is really really obvious that i was moderating. > [@Anne Heche: Actress, lost soul, burn victim \[Update: She has passed\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-heche-actress-lost-soul-burn-victim/969199/14): > > Moderating: This is thread shitting. If you have no interest in this person, find some other thread to post in. Also, if you look to the right of my name you can see a little icon of a half shield. That means I’m a moderator. ---
**Author:** ![EDOK9Trainer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/838e76/32.png) [@EDOK9Trainer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EDOK9Trainer)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/3 "2022-08-07T16:44:12Z")
I believe you. I had an email where someone responded to me and assumed it was yours. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2022, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/4 "2022-08-07T16:55:06Z")
Ah, what happened there was probably that you got an email notification that someone had replied to you in the thread. The way those emails work, if you reply to one of them, your reply is automatically added to the thread. This feature has its pros and its cons. (and all this time, and I never noticed that we had shields. Must all who oppose the shield yield?) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/5 "2022-08-07T16:57:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > (and all this time, and I never noticed that we had shields. Must all who oppose the shield yield?) Shield us from the wrath of @discobot, mighty mods! ---
**Author:** ![discobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/discobot/32/570_2.png) [@discobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/discobot)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/6 "2022-08-07T16:57:50Z")
Hi! To find out what I can do, say `@discobot display help`. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/7 "2022-08-07T16:58:00Z")
Aieeee! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/8 "2022-08-07T17:00:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Ah, what happened there was probably that you got an email notification that someone had replied to you in the thread. You can turn off those email notifications in settings. Personally, i find them incredibly annoying. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/9 "2022-08-07T17:41:24Z")
Not only do you get email notifications, but you can reply via email. If you aren’t aware of this, you might think you’re just emailing the person who replied to you, and not posting. I’d give them a bit of slack on this. Now they know where moderation discussion goes. ---
**Author:** ![EDOK9Trainer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/838e76/32.png) [@EDOK9Trainer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EDOK9Trainer)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/10 "2022-08-07T18:08:01Z")
Confusing for sure. I belong to multiple boards and have never seen this format. Oh well. All good. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/11 "2022-08-07T19:45:53Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Not only do you get email notifications, but you can reply via email. If you aren’t aware of this, you might think you’re just emailing the person who replied to you, and not posting. I’ve been here since we switched to Discourse and was not aware of this. Going back and looking at my email notifications (which I allso wasn’t aware could be turned off), I see that replying to the post in the thread by responding to the email isn’t as obvious as it could be. So if this is what’s causing a new poster some confusion, I’d argue they should be given significant slack. Now I need to go figure out how to turn off email notifications. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/12 "2022-08-07T19:48:45Z")
Should be, [https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia/preferences/emails](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia/preferences/emails) ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/13 "2022-08-07T20:04:41Z")
Got it! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![EDOK9Trainer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/838e76/32.png) [@EDOK9Trainer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EDOK9Trainer)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/14 "2022-08-09T10:36:46Z")
I received another email from this site yesterday. You have to look closely to see it may or may not be a mod. I believe it was but am not positive. But how in the hell is this interpreted as “hostile?” Someone made a comment to me that I felt was BS and I responded in what I am cutting and pasting below. If this is hostile then please never go to Reddit. A site that I got rid of as that was hostile. Vile. Petty. Gross and so on. But this site is so damn confusing and when you see a response from a mod you better look close to see that it is actually a mod. The first part is apparently (Maybe) a mod. 2nd part is my hostile comment to another unnecessary comment. "“ **Going into celebrity threads”. I do believe this is my first one but thanks for your worthless response.** ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/15 "2022-08-09T10:42:15Z")
> [@EDOK9Trainer](#): > > If this is hostile then please never go to Reddit. This is the Straight Dope, not Reddit. Your post was unambiguously hostile, and that is not acceptable in Cafe Society. > [@](#): > > I received another email from this site yesterday. > … > But this site is so damn confusing and when you see a response from a mod you better look close to see that it is actually a mod. Honestly, the email features seem to be doing nothing but confusing you. Turn that shit off, already. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/16 "2022-08-09T10:52:52Z")
> [@EDOK9Trainer](#): > > But this site is so damn confusing and when you see a response from a mod you better look close to see that it is actually a mod. Far less confusing when you realize that _if_ email notifications can be turned off _then_ no mod is going to use email to moderate. ---
**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 9, 2022, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/17 "2022-08-09T11:50:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > (and all this time, and I never noticed that we had shields. Must all who oppose the shield yield?) Only if you throw it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/18 "2022-08-09T11:55:53Z")
> [@EDOK9Trainer](#): > > I received another email from this site yesterday. i highly recommend you turn off email notifications. They are distracting at best, and i think they are causing you problems. Here’s how: These steps will look slightly different depending on what browser and what skin you use, but Click on your avatar in the upper right (yours is a white “E” in a gray background.) Click on the little person icon (it looks like a very simplified head on shoulders. A circle above a lumpy thing.) Click on preferences (it is pictured as a gear) Click on email (that may be from a drop-down menu. It is on my phone, anyway) Select “never” for most of the categories. Note that even with email off, you get notified when someone responds to you, etc. It’s just that you don’t get the notification until you log into the site. Then you’ll see a number indicating new notification near your avatar, and if you click on your avatar you can see a list of notifications. Click on one to jump to, e.g., the response. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/19 "2022-08-09T12:09:32Z")
A direct link, [https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EDOK9Trainer/preferences/emails](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EDOK9Trainer/preferences/emails) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243/20 "2022-08-12T15:43:36Z")
> [@EDOK9Trainer](#): > > 2nd part is my hostile comment to another unnecessary comment. Welcome, @EDOK9Trainer. Just a piece of free advice… if you respond to an ‘unnecessary comment’ with a hostile one, you may not be happy here. You’ll get a lot of warnings. And mentioning it matter-of-factly made it look like you feel justified in being hostile. You’ll have to be a more peaceful person here than at other boards. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-complain-about-moderation/969243.md?page=2)