Okay it seems there is some sort of abuse of power around here. I'm not sure what is happening, but I'm simply reading a normal thread then I'm like 'oo I should comment' I log in and poof its been deleted without notice and I see many are upset about it.
Maybe we should have some sort of system put in place in which no ONE moderator can delete something. This is a forum for the community. So I suggest that threads that need to be deleted take two or three mods to agree before it is deleted. No?
So when ONE mod is like this needs to be deleted, it becomes flagged, it warns all viewers that it is under surveillance and then a SECOND and/or THIRD mod needs to agree that it needs to be removed. Maybe even warning the people before so we know what is happening.
So now to you guys. What do you think of this idea? Think it is viable? Fair? Not biased to ones opinion? Democratic?
Hierarchy
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Dragonwolf
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Hierarchy
"We should stop being envious of others and start being more accepting of ourselves."
Did I get that right?... The mic was off? What do you mean it was OFF!
Did I get that right?... The mic was off? What do you mean it was OFF!
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Rakuen Growlithe
- Fire Puppy
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- Contact:
Re: Hierarchy
Locking this but I'll make two comments. First, what happened here was simple. A user posted content which went against the forum rules and that content was removed.
Secondly, those deleted threads are not gone. They can be restored and are visible to other mods and admins. They aren't just vanishing. There are checks and balances.
Edit: And the thread was removed by user's request.
Secondly, those deleted threads are not gone. They can be restored and are visible to other mods and admins. They aren't just vanishing. There are checks and balances.
Edit: And the thread was removed by user's request.
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~
“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
~John Stuart Mill~
“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
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Valerion
- Alpha Wolf
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Re: Hierarchy
Some comments from my end:
The main goal of the forum is to create an environment where everyone can interact with each other freely, and express themselves freely. Obviously no right is every unlimited, and we cannot completely do this, but where possible we try to achieve this.
We are only 4 admins, of which not all are normally active. Rakuen is the most active, and has been a moderator from the start of the forum. Yes, I don't always agree with his moderation style, but in general he has always been consistent. That is why we made him an Admin and made him head moderator. We tried to have supplemental moderators on the forum before. Of the 3 we had, only 1 actually still visits. So yes, we have a lack of moderators. But the post volume right now is not high enough to really require more moderators, so we let it slide.
We do check up on each other, though. I read each post in the forum, whether I enjoy the contents or not. If any of us admins believe another admin have made a mistake, we do discuss it amongst each other, although this is done in private, either via PM's or via outside IM's.
Current admins are:
We choose admins and mods on ability, not on popularity. Ultimately, as owner, such decisions are Anoyo's to make. If you have someone that you believe will make a good mod, then submit an application. Include previous experience, etc. Of course, this person has to be an active member, and will be judged based on the posts here as well as personal interviews, if we judge it to be a good addition. It is even possible that such a person may become an admin.
If you have a problem with moderation decisions, bring it to me. The policy is not to delete threads, or even posts, but to move them to a separate part of the forum where general members don't have access. That way we can resurrect a thread if needed. Edited posts, or posts deleted by the poster would get lost, of course, as the backend software discards them. I have overruled Rakuen before, but in general I agree with his decisions. And where I don't, we discuss it in private.
The forum software doesn't support "voted moderation". Any moderator either has full access to the mod tools, or none. And given the amount of time it takes to do a discussion, it may take days to make a decision on moderation, in which case the damage is already done and the drama resolved.
Rules means nothing if they are not enforced, or if they are to be changed or ignored at the whim of the populace, because they are inconvenient. While civil disobedience is a valid way of protesting, in the case of the forum there are better and easier ways. We allow people to debate the forum rules whenever they want. Here is a thread where you can do this. Bear a few things in mind though:
The main goal of the forum is to create an environment where everyone can interact with each other freely, and express themselves freely. Obviously no right is every unlimited, and we cannot completely do this, but where possible we try to achieve this.
We are only 4 admins, of which not all are normally active. Rakuen is the most active, and has been a moderator from the start of the forum. Yes, I don't always agree with his moderation style, but in general he has always been consistent. That is why we made him an Admin and made him head moderator. We tried to have supplemental moderators on the forum before. Of the 3 we had, only 1 actually still visits. So yes, we have a lack of moderators. But the post volume right now is not high enough to really require more moderators, so we let it slide.
We do check up on each other, though. I read each post in the forum, whether I enjoy the contents or not. If any of us admins believe another admin have made a mistake, we do discuss it amongst each other, although this is done in private, either via PM's or via outside IM's.
Current admins are:
- Anoyomouse - Owner and guy doing all the hosting costs out of his own pocket. Head Cheese.
- Auric - Developer/Maintainer and sounding board
- Rakuen - Head moderator
- Valerion - Responsible for day-to-day operations, activating new members, handling user queries, etc.
We choose admins and mods on ability, not on popularity. Ultimately, as owner, such decisions are Anoyo's to make. If you have someone that you believe will make a good mod, then submit an application. Include previous experience, etc. Of course, this person has to be an active member, and will be judged based on the posts here as well as personal interviews, if we judge it to be a good addition. It is even possible that such a person may become an admin.
If you have a problem with moderation decisions, bring it to me. The policy is not to delete threads, or even posts, but to move them to a separate part of the forum where general members don't have access. That way we can resurrect a thread if needed. Edited posts, or posts deleted by the poster would get lost, of course, as the backend software discards them. I have overruled Rakuen before, but in general I agree with his decisions. And where I don't, we discuss it in private.
The forum software doesn't support "voted moderation". Any moderator either has full access to the mod tools, or none. And given the amount of time it takes to do a discussion, it may take days to make a decision on moderation, in which case the damage is already done and the drama resolved.
Rules means nothing if they are not enforced, or if they are to be changed or ignored at the whim of the populace, because they are inconvenient. While civil disobedience is a valid way of protesting, in the case of the forum there are better and easier ways. We allow people to debate the forum rules whenever they want. Here is a thread where you can do this. Bear a few things in mind though:
- We try to prevent drama as much as possible, and bitter experience with furs have taught us that it's sometimes better to stop a thread early than let it continue and turn into a wildfire. It leaves furs with bad feelings towards us and each other.
- Ultimately you are responsible for your own posts.
- We host the forum in Switzerland. As such we are bound to the ToS of the remote host.
- Anyone that is aware of a crime under SA law and does NOT report this to the police can be found guilty of being an accessory. This is rare, but we would like to avoid the accusation.
- The forum and myself personally have been on the receiving end of legal threats from members of this forum. My response was to tell them to talk to my lawyer.
- I have no desire to hand over the whole forum database to the police for an investigation of any criminal accusations. However, if I receive a warrant I cooperate as best I can.
- I will protect the forum itself as best I can. I have no desire to see it shut down due to the actions of a few. This is why we have to have rules, sadly. I would have preferred a community that lives in harmony, but sadly this is not the case.