Are Forum Moderators Becoming Uptight Lately!?

[fatherspirit]

It strikes me that this thread is little more than an attention seeking/moan inciting piece of flame bait.

You might be right TheOriginalH!, but it is about to go into its fourth page, so it has obviously struck a chord with some! If you are so 'disapproving', then why did You feel the need to ad a post Yourself!? What You did was simply promote this 'attention seeking/moan inciting piece of flame bait' and bump it higher up the page for more people to see!

Not too bright Huh!?

[TheOriginalH]

so it has obviously struck a chord with some!

Kinda the point of flame bait - no?

If you are so 'disapproving', then why did You feel the need to ad a post Yourself!?

Because I, too, love the sight of my own ASCII littering the interweb and keeping the masses entertained.

What You did was simply promote this 'attention seeking/moan inciting piece of flame bait' and bump it higher up the page for more people to see!
Not too bright Huh!?

Damn - posting an opinion on a forum runs the risk of that opinion being countered or responded to? Thanks for the heads up, it seems you have exposed my hitherto concealed spectacular stupidity. I am curious though - why someone that appears to be somewhat narcissistic is capitalising when addressing Me - are you acknowledging My natural superiority when it comes to pointless drivel?

[ewomack]

The only contribution I want to make to this thread is two words: please stop!!

[mattcch2007]

Golden thread,thanks
may re-read once more from the first page!


Mattcch2007

[ozone88]

The only contribution I want to make to this thread is two words: please stop!!

Ditto - it's making me sad or mad I haven't decided yet

[fatherspirit]

Golden thread,thanks
may re-read once more from the first page!


Mattcch2007

Well He likes it Guys! A thread won't stop if it has some fans and it seems that it does! YAHOO!!

Back on Topic: I have heard of so many people who are being given the old heave ho from many forums! It is getting ridiculous! Looks like I had a valid point after all! D.

[htpc]

I guess as forums become more popular the mods can be more choosy about who they keep on board. A case of keeping the rif raf out. When forums are new they'll no doubt let pretty much anything go because they want the visitors and posts to build.

[InFloW]

I'm banned from the digital point forums for 6 months. The reason being apparently I was breaking the BST section rules there by posting the same offer more than once. I'm scratching my head on that one because they ban others who break the BST section there for 7 days and I received a 6 month ban.

That forum has some real issues with fraud anyways half the sales end up with one person being screwed over.

[tke71709]

To close, I refuse to believe that it is 100% all my own fault that I have been 'banned' from so many sites!

And that is what's wrong with the world today.

If someone gets banned from so many sites, it must be the site's issues, heaven forbid that the person being banned should be the cause.

It's always someone else's fault, heaven forbid anyone should ever take any responsibility for their own actions.

It's like the guy who shows up in ripped jeans and a food covered shirt for every prestigious interview he goes for and then blames the system/racism/fascism/nepotism for him not being able to get a job.

One event, fluke, two events, pattern, three + events then we have to look at the common denominator which happens to be the person who was banned in your case.

Perhaps the tone of your posts has something to do with your bans? Or the other items previously mentioned by the mods in this thread such as link dropping? No no, it's all a conspiracy against you.

note

I've been banned from SP and gotten into it with a mod or two in my day. The mods here are generally fair as a group but it does help to have a decent rapport with them. You'll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.

/note

[~kev~]

When I saw this thread and read the first post, I thought it was going to be pretty interesting. And what could have been a good thread got derailed on the first page.

As for myself, I have only been banned from two forums.

1. One of the moderators and I had a few disagreements spread across several threads. I posted a question in the site suggestion box about a new forum section. That moderator came in and started posting in my thread. I felt the mod was trying to take control of the topic as a personal matter against me.

So I posted a rather long reply to that mods post in my thread - its was a flame of the worst kind. I accused the mod of stalking my post and threads. That I stayed out of that persons threads, the least they could do is stay out of mine. Part of the post went something like this - "There are some people on this site I really despise and you are one of them. If you were on fire, instead of throwing water I would throw gasoline." And the flame post went on and on. It was probably a full page, with around 8 paragraphs of stuff.

I had been a member of that site for 4 - 6 months and had several hundred post. Before that post I had never even received an infraction.

So, for that one post I was banned forever. I think it was unfair, but its not my site and I don't make the rules there. I did my best to be an outstanding member and to post quality threads and replies. And I slipped up once and get thrown out.

I signed back up with a different username, and sent the site owner a question as to "why" I was banned and told him who I was. The next day that account was banned as well.

It was one of those times where I really tried to blend in, did my best to be part of that community - but my best was not good enough. If the forum had a one strike and your out policy, I did not belong there anyway. I pushed one topic too far and paid the price for it.



2. On a PC gaming forum I belong to, a school shooting thread (from 2007) got derailed into a gun ownership debate. It had been derailed long before I posted in it. One member made a post that US citizens did not have the right to own guns.

6 months later the US supreme court decided that "Yes, it is a citizens right to own a gun." After the supreme court released its decision, I went back to that thread, quoted the guy and posted a link to the news release. The thread had been dead for 4+ months.

I got a 3 day ban for that one.

===============

As for getting banned from digital point - the rules are very clear. Break the rules and you will be banned. I have 300+ post there and have yet to receive an infraction. Dont double post, dont bump threads, dont make useless post like "PM sent" or "check your PMs" and you will not get banned.

Make constructive post that helps the community and you do not have anything to worry about.

The only problem I have had - I posted question about digital points policy on copyright infringement. The mod said that if someone stole something from me to take it up with that person - and locked the thread. I never said any of my material was stolen, so I did not understand the mods reply. I started another thread, posted a link to the first one and re-worded my question. After 5 or 6 mods replied and the two threads were merged - finally one moderator posted something like a policy about copyright infringement. The reply was something like "DP does not support copyright infringement." Ok, that was simple enough. All I needed was a simple reply to a simple question.

The reason why I posted the question - one member of DP had uploaded a video to youtube that belonged to someone else. It was a popular music video and got several thousand hits. The guy was also a youtube partner and had an adsense banner next to the video. He was bragging about how much money he made off the video from adsense clicks. I posted a reply that he was nothing more then a thief and hopefully his youtube and adsense account will be banned - which does happen. The guy gave me negative rep points and posted a "none of your business" kind of reply to my statement.

I am 40 years old and have been on the internet for around 12 years. Being banned from 2 sites in 12 years seems like a pretty good track record to me.

[InFloW]

As for getting banned from digital point - the rules are very clear. Break the rules and you will be banned. I have 300+ post there and have yet to receive an infraction. Dont double post, dont bump threads, dont make useless post like "PM sent" or "check your PMs" and you will not get banned.

Make constructive post that helps the community and you do not have anything to worry about.

The only problem I have had - I posted question about digital points policy on copyright infringement. The mod said that if someone stole something from me to take it up with that person - and locked the thread. I never said any of my material was stolen, so I did not understand the mods reply. I started another thread, posted a link to the first one and re-worded my question. After 5 or 6 mods replied and the two threads were merged - finally one moderator posted something like a policy about copyright infringement. The reply was something like "DP does not support copyright infringement." Ok, that was simple enough. All I needed was a simple reply to a simple question.

The reason why I posted the question - one member of DP had uploaded a video to youtube that belonged to someone else. It was a popular music video and got several thousand hits. The guy was also a youtube partner and had an adsense banner next to the video. He was bragging about how much money he made off the video from adsense clicks. I posted a reply that he was nothing more then a thief and hopefully his youtube and adsense account will be banned - which does happen. The guy gave me negative rep points and posted a "none of your business" kind of reply to my statement.

I am 40 years old and have been on the internet for around 12 years. Being banned from 2 sites in 12 years seems like a pretty good track record to me.

In my case I believe I had 1300+ posts my reputation was good and I had received just 1 infraction ever and it had long expired (over a year ago). In the sections I frequented I was considered one of the few that was respectable.

I posted similar offers in one section over the course of a month which I don't even think is against the rules. Considering how fast threads fall to the next page I fail to see the problem. I received two identical infractions, not one as a warning but two so that I was banned for 6 months.

I am pretty sure I followed the rules and with there being no appeal process who knows if the mod just clicked the submit button twice or not I will never know.

[fatherspirit]

And that is what's wrong with the world today.

If someone gets banned from so many sites, it must be the site's issues, heaven forbid that the person being banned should be the cause.

It's always someone else's fault, heaven forbid anyone should ever take any responsibility for their own actions.

It's like the guy who shows up in ripped jeans and a food covered shirt for every prestigious interview he goes for and then blames the system/racism/fascism/nepotism for him not being able to get a job.

One event, fluke, two events, pattern, three + events then we have to look at the common denominator which happens to be the person who was banned in your case.

Perhaps the tone of your posts has something to do with your bans? Or the other items previously mentioned by the mods in this thread such as link dropping? No no, it's all a conspiracy against you.

note

I've been banned from SP and gotten into it with a mod or two in my day. The mods here are generally fair as a group but it does help to have a decent rapport with them. You'll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.

/note

Classic case of 'missing the point' Tke71709! I said that I didn't think that it was ALL my fault for the bannings! Sure, I did cross some lines but some of the issue was with the Forum Moderator's themselves!


Thanks! Dave.

[spikeZ]

To answer the original question posed - I am a member of about 12-15 different forums and havent been banned from any of them!

[~kev~]

In my case I believe I had 1300+ posts my reputation was good and I had received just 1 infraction ever and it had long expired (over a year ago). In the sections I frequented I was considered one of the few that was respectable.

I posted similar offers in one section over the course of a month which I don't even think is against the rules. Considering how fast threads fall to the next page I fail to see the problem. I received two identical infractions, not one as a warning but two so that I was banned for 6 months.

I am pretty sure I followed the rules and with there being no appeal process who knows if the mod just clicked the submit button twice or not I will never know.

There have been several people such as yourself that have been banned from DP. One guy had over 2,000 post and his reputation was almost all the way under his username - banned.

[r937]

Please read carefully before mouthing off again!

excuse me, but this statement is extremely disrespectful and provocative

we have rules here at sitepoint that require you to maintain respect for all members at all times

i am posting this into the thread here (instead of issuing you an infraction) just so that everyone else knows that the moderators are of course watching this thread carefully

[fatherspirit]

excuse me, but this statement is extremely disrespectful and provocative

we have rules here at sitepoint that require you to maintain respect for all members at all times

i am posting this into the thread here (instead of issuing you an infraction) just so that everyone else knows that the moderators are of course watching this thread carefully

I agree with Your assessment, my sincere apologies! But He was 'mouthing off'! That was just stating a fact! Best to You 'Eagle Eye'! Dave. P.S. Please notice the italics, it is a subjective statement!

[r937]

But He was 'mouthing off'! That was just stating a fact!

it's not a "fact"

those particular words are very subjective, and we don't allow disrespect like that

please don't push this any further

[mobyme]

I'm not going to say what I want to say, except to say that I think you have to well overstep the mark to upset the mods here; especially Spikey.

[fatherspirit]

it's not a "fact"

those particular words are very subjective, and we don't allow disrespect like that

please don't push this any further

I thought that subjectivity fell outside the bounds of 'disrespect'! It is not 'disrespectful' to have an opinion is it!? I'll take Your advice and won't 'push this any further!'. I don't want to sound too aberrant but the world has become so uptight since 9/11! A shame really, I remember when the world actually allowed freedom of speech! Those days seem to have long gone!

So, shall I keep checking my PM's for the 'banning message' Moderator!? It will make a lot here very happy but I have to say that, at least I have raised some provocative issues that have inspired a lot of debate! This can't be all bad right!? You never have to agree with what I've been saying and that's the whole point I'm trying to make!

Have a nice day and maybe have a look at the 'SEXIEST Women In The World' thread cos I cheekily suggested that some (yet-to-be) critical posters on the thread might actually be gay! Not that there's anything wrong with that! (Quoted: Jerry Seinfeld).

Kind Regards,
The Scarlett Pimpernel! (He winks).

[AutisticCuckoo]

A shame really, I remember when the world actually allowed freedom of speech! Those days seem to have long gone!

Dave, freedom of speech is not the same as being allowed to say whatever you like.

Freedom of speech means you have a right to state facts or voice your opinion, but it doesn't give you the right to be abusive or hurtful.

I would be allowed to say that I believe in pink unicorns (if I did, which I don't), but not to say that anyone who doesn't believe in pink unicorns is a ****ing ****.

[molona]

...but it is about to go into its fourth page, so it has obviously struck a chord with some!...

You certainly pay attention to the most curious facts. It looks like you started the thread to see if it would get any attention and how far this thread would go.

For the posts I read from you (in this thread and a few others) I can only say that you are certainly an unsual person, with a taste for polemic and you are certainly provokative

This is not good or bad. It is simply an observation from my part, nothing else. And probably off-topic. Although I think you enjoy the attetion of being watched by the moderators...

[spikeZ]

Tommy, are you trying to tell me that Pink Unicorns aren't real? but how? I saw one the other day -honest; it was on "My Little Pony" so it must be true....

They are real I tells ya, real!

[htpc]

New thread coming soon - "Have moderators lost the plot?"

[Dan Schulz]

New thread coming soon - "Have moderators lost the plot?"

What plot?

Anyway, I just got done reading this rather... interesting thread. Just as Rudy said though, we are watching (though I watch with my moderator hat off).

[AutisticCuckoo]

Tommy, are you trying to tell me that Pink Unicorns aren't real?

I said no such thing. I merely stated that I, personally, don't believe in them. If I were to meet one, I'd change my mind.

You can safely go on believing in them, Spike.