Question for the Moderators

[easyflow]

I have a question for the moderators here, and I'm posting it public here so others can see it as well. I suggest you discuss and try to fix this. After all of this bs, someone got banned and another suspended with one of your moderators being in the middle of both, basically at the same time.

Now, Terryoh just referred to your forum rules, as established by the collective of moderators here. See below is rule #2, as it seems that your moderator, Harry Palmer, has violated this rule on many occassions.

How do you expect this board to have quality discussion while one of your moderators is breaking a pretty basic rule??

Maybe run a poll, for the good of the board, to see how many others here feel the same. It's my opinion that moderators here should not be the cause of posters getting banned, suspended or just leaving. They should MODERATE.

I've said my piece, hope the moderators discuss and address this openly so this garbage doesn't keep coming up here.

Forum Rule #2

Members who disrupt the normal flow of dialogue or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other users

[Paperclip]

OMG TERRYOH IS ALIVE!

[Hassassin]

It's my opinion that moderators here should not be the cause of posters getting banned, suspended or just leaving.

Moderators can't ban or suspend posters. Only RealGM commissioners have the authority to do that.

[Deadpool_X]

I think Mods should be able to lock what ever they assume is not within the rules.

But at the same time, I also believe there should be a monthy poll on how well the Mods are doing at there jobs, and If we feel they are not doing well they should be removed via the poll.

It seems as though there is not enough input from the forum members as to who should MOD it is almost as if its a Comunist forum in the state is it now.

[Ill Mago]

I applaud your effort, Easyflow.


I predict a moderator (which one? hmm) will soon come to derail this thread and/or rag on bargnani.

[the_top_dawg]

That rule should be removed from the TOS imo. That rule is broken everyday on realgm but the mods don't really do anything about it. But if they did enfoce it, there would be way too many suspensions and bans given to posters.

[Ill Mago]

It's my opinion that moderators here should not be the cause of posters getting banned, suspended or just leaving.

Moderators can't ban or suspend posters. Only RealGM commissioners have the authority to do that.

And how do commissioners become aware of an unruly poster?

[easyflow]

It's my opinion that moderators here should not be the cause of posters getting banned, suspended or just leaving.

Moderators can't ban or suspend posters. Only RealGM commissioners have the authority to do that.

I didn't say that they did. I said that they shouldn't be the cause of posters getting banned. As a moderator, it's your job to moderate the board, not derail, annoy and frustrate other posters to the point they blow up and get suspended.

It's obvious I need to take this up with a commissioner here, and I will. How many moderators "moderate" this forum anyway?

[j127]

All I can tell you is this, and I hope people get the message. If you see anyone violating the rule of "thread hijacking" or any stated Realgm rule for that matter, even if it's a moderator, then report it. Then someone will take care of it. Even the moderators must answer to the rules that they themselves came up with and especially rules that the commissioners came up with.

At the same time, moderators do reserve the right to close and edit threads that violate the rules. That is a power that is necessary for the good of the board. And if people don't feel the same way, then Realgm probably isn't the right message board for them.

A moderator's job is simple: allow for discussions on the board as long as threads/posts don't violate the rules. If they do in any way at all, it will be dealt with accordingly. And the poster will be dealt with accordingly.

That's my simple answer to you. *shrugs*

[j127]

I think Mods should be able to lock what ever they assume is not within the rules.

But at the same time, I also believe there should be a monthy poll on how well the Mods are doing at there jobs, and If we feel they are not doing well they should be removed via the poll.

Ideally, that would be nice, wouldn't it? But that's not how it works, because moderators aren't chosen by the posters. They are appointed by the commissioners. Thus, it is the commissioners who have the power to take away position, not the posters.

It seems as though there is not enough input from the forum members as to who should MOD it is almost as if its a Comunist forum in the state is it now.

Not really. This system has been put in place, exactly because laissez-faire moderating has failed. E.g., old Off-Topic board from a couple of years ago. I was there when they had to shut the boards down.

Besides, it's not communism. You have the freedom to post whatever and wherever you want as long as it doesn't violate any of the rules.

I don't think that's a hard concept to live up to.

[j127]

That rule should be removed from the TOS imo. That rule is broken everyday on realgm but the mods don't really do anything about it. But if they did enfoce it, there would be way too many suspensions and bans given to posters.

If that rule were removed, I think disaster would ensue. On any one given thread page, you could have discussions about why Chris Bosh should be waived, scandalous pictures of your favourite Victoria's Secret model, people asking for help on their geometry homework, and why the Blue Jays management should promote steroid usage in the locker room.

There are only a half a dozen Toronto moderators and I don't know how many Toronto posters. A thousands? A few thousand? We can't be everywhere always, but we're trying. Other boards can be easier as they have a lot less posters and threads.

For the most part though, I give credit to the forum members on our board though. I think the vast majority follow the rules admirably. I just think we get too emotional sometimes and that gets in the way of the rules.

[j127]

I didn't say that they did. I said that they shouldn't be the cause of posters getting banned. As a moderator, it's your job to moderate the board, not derail, annoy and frustrate other posters to the point they blow up and get suspended.

And you are absolutely correct.

It's obvious I need to take this up with a commissioner here, and I will. How many moderators "moderate" this forum anyway?

If you think that is necessary, please do so. The commissioners are fair and will deal with your complaint in an unbiased manner, assuming they aren't too busy (they are busy people).

There 8 forum moderators on the Toronto board: ranger001, CanuckPete, Wham!, Kohanz, HA!, terryoh, MAS, Harry Palmer.

In addition, there are a couple global moderators who also oversee the Toronto boards.

[j127]

BTW, if this thread turns into a "why I hate the moderators" thread or if this turns into Insult-Fest 2008, then a moderator will be forced to lock it. Keep it clean.

Also, this thread should be in the Feedback and Suggestions forum, but this is pretty Toronto-centric and in light of the last several hours, we'll leave it in here provided it's clean and there's rational discussion.

But any subsequent threads like this should go into the Feedback and Suggestions forum, ok?

[easyflow]

-= original quote snipped =-



If that rule were removed, I think disaster would ensue. On any one given thread page, you could have discussions about why Chris Bosh should be waived, scandalous pictures of your favourite Victoria's Secret model, people asking for help on their geometry homework, and why the Blue Jays management should promote steroid usage in the locker room.

There are only a half a dozen Toronto moderators and I don't know how many Toronto posters. A thousands? A few thousand? We can't be everywhere always, but we're trying. Other boards can be easier as they have a lot less posters and threads.

For the most part though, I give credit to the forum members on our board though. I think the vast majority follow the rules admirably. I just think we get too emotional sometimes and that gets in the way of the rules.

I agree with you completely and feel that the board definetely needs to be moderated. Threads need to be locked/deleted if they get out of hand. The only thing I question is how you expect rules to be followed when the moderators are breaking the rules and having an overall negative impact.

You were able to step in and immediately fix the situation and end the debacle. So why weren't the other moderators able to do this, and were instead actively taking part in several threads that were in violation of your rules. Aside from you taking the responsibility to lock the threads, and giving this forum some structure, what are the other 8 moderators doing? Is there any continuity here between the moderators here?

Anyway, I'll take my beef up with the commissioner.

Thanks for the response.

[j127]

Anytime.

You were able to step in and immediately fix the situation and end the debacle. So why weren't the other moderators able to do this, and were instead actively taking part in several threads that were in violation of your rules. Aside from you taking the responsibility to lock the threads, and giving this forum some structure, what are the other 8 moderators doing? Is there any continuity here between the moderators here?

We try to discuss these issues as much as possible. A lot of the times we can, sometimes we can't (i.e. when it's too late and the damage has already been done).

If you have any general concerns or questions, please post it on the Feedback and Suggestion board. If you have an actual complaint (e.g. a violation) about a specific moderator, PM the moderator and point out his/her mistake. If you need further clarification or if nothing is being done about it, PM a commissioner.

And please, if you see another poster violating the rules, just report it by clicking the triangular button beside the "quote" and "edit" buttons. Don't confront or cuss each other out.